Originally Posted by
AlasAnAvidAviator
Thanks for the response Uber, I am currently reading into the position and that's why i am posting here i guess maybe my posts are premature.
Hi AlasAnAvidAviator,
Thought I’d wade in and give you some perspective!
I was never a Rex Cadet however I did work for Rex as a DEC on the Saab. Flew with many cadet f/o’s and met plenty of guys under training at Wagga during sim checks etc. I’ll admit I’m wasn’t a fan of Rex, never intended to work there but sometimes life gives you choices you may not like. In saying that I enjoyed my time there, worked with some great guys, generally found the training reasonable and the maintenance guys were great. Management of the company however leaves many things to be desired.... But like in any company, you can learn to ignore some of the ‘noise’, get on with your job and have some fun along the way.
First up the cost:
You don’t pay the full amount upfront. Last information I had was $25,000 upfront and the rest over the 7 year commitment. Total over 7 years comes to $75,000. Rex will give you accommodation and feed you in Wagga while you train. Once you finish I heard most people waited max 6 months for a start date (given the current movement I’d imagine it would be far less). As soon as you turn up for your Saab groundschool they start paying you.
Compare that to:
Jetstar cadet $100,000+ upfront
Virgin cadet $??? (I think $100k +?)
Sharp airlines cadet $105,000 last I heard
Qantas (rumours of $150,000, probably upfront!!)
As stated by previous posters, $75,000 will just barely get you to IFR multi stage with no work. Personally it cost me around $60-70,000 back in 2003/4.
The 7 year bond:
Yes 7 years sounds like a long time to be stuck to Rex. However most people would agree it’s not an unreasonable timeframe to go from 0 hrs to LHS multi crew on a Turboprop. Again my experience was 6 years to make it to f/o through G/A and another 6 months to upgrade (good timing). Plenty of my friends took a similar time to get that far.
No guarantee of command:
Ok first off why does any airline hire f/o’s? Because one day they want to upgrade them to Captains! (Despite what Rex management might tell you) Not because of some generosity towards you but because these aircraft require two pilots. Hiring DEC’s is not a long term solution for any company hence they hire you as an f/o, give you time on type and training and upgrade you. Given all that not everyone makes the cut. There are a reasonable number of current cadet f/o’s at Rex that may never be upgraded. Why? Because they don’t met the standard. Yes Rex don’t ‘owe’ you a command, but if you put in the effort, learn from others around you and listen (!), when the time comes you’ll get your shot. Just like any other job really...
So in summary, if you are looking for a change of career, it’s probably one of the best ways to get into aviation. $25,000 upfront, pay from day one of actual employment and a good chance of getting to the LHS. No company is going to pay you during CPL days, Jetstar won’t even pay you for the 7-8 weeks you do an A320 endorsement in the UK!
Aviation requires commitment and a professional attitude (plus an understanding wife!!). If you think you’ve got that, then I would recommend you apply and give it a go.