Originally Posted by
The_next_chapter
Seeking some helpful advice. I am 42 years old. Had a passion to fly forever, but it was cost prohibative. Had a a turning point this year and now want to pursue airline flying career. I plan to go through the REX program. I have some questions:
1) How likely is it that I can get my base of choice (this is a must to enable my partner to support us financially since my income will be terribly low (I am going from $200k + PA to what I understand will be $70k PA as an FO?
2) Is it likely that I will go into the SAAB and REX and not another REX business?
3) If I decided to apply to QantasLink Direct Entry FO as soon as I accumulate the hours (700 total and 250 as FO) in order to increase renumeration (assuming) this will take two years or so at REX - what would my chances be like?
4) Am I at risk of discrimination with other airlines (say if the QF LINK does not work out) and I consider other global opportunities (subject to my hours meeting requirements) because of my age? I would be mid 40's by then - still with nearly 20 years of possibly flying (I can't see that as a negative to carriers).
Appreciate that if I bail out of REX under 7 years I will need to pay all the $105k + interenst in one hit (i'd be able to do that). I just could not see a quality of life on $70k with my responsiblities etc., for min 7 years. And I could not accept the cadetship if I was to be shipped to a regional town or other city - it would need to be my current home town.
I think you should do some more research.....
1. Depends on the base you want. In short, yes, definitely.
2. You will go to Rex.
3. You’d be downright stupid to go to QLink after finishing a REX cadetship. If you think that’ll increase pay, you’re kidding yourself. Rex yearly allowances are a lot better than QLink and the wage difference is negligible (Saab FO vs Q400. Q300 is nil). Not only that, you’d be down $100k MINIMUM, so really you’re paying off your $100k from savings with the slight extra base salary from QLink? Makes no sense to me what-so-ever. That’s only if you’re awarded a Q400 position too. If you’re not, then you need to bid over to the Q400 and your time on type for command starts over essentially (see below) setting you back further.
4. I’d say you’d probably be asked questions. Will it negatively impact you? Who knows...
If you join Rex, you’d be a captain within 3 - 3.5 years at current cadet progression rates. By the time you get the time you need for QLink to take you seriously (and your ATPLs), you’re better off staying at Rex to get a command and be on a $100k+ job. At the same time, you’ll essentially be stepping back to QLink on year 1 $65k base plus allowances. Then you need 1000 hours on a Dash 8 to upgrade there, which will take a minimum of 2 years. So essentially you’re taking a backwards step on your career by 2 years at the age of 44 or 45. At that age, I wouldn’t be doing that. You need command time. It’s the same column at either airline.
The Qantas name (QantasLink in particular) is not all it’s cracked up to be and rushing to get to another airline isn’t what you should be doing.
Also, your salary at Rex does not stay at $70k for 7 years. It goes up yearly like at any other airline