Originally Posted by
FrothyFriday
Hi Gents,
Smashed out a couple hundred hours over the east coast during lockdown after finishing my CPL and trying my luck in Darwin. Have sent resumes to all my contacts but haven't had an offer worth taking yet.. Just wondering if it's too late to head up and knock on some doors for the coming season. Hoping to get in and out asap.
Cheers
FF
Hi mate,
Seems some GA (general abuse) individuals have turned this thread into a topic about themselves.
To answer your question... its never too late to head up north. As I was once told, every day you have a CPL and you're not in the NT is a day you're not getting a job. There is some truth in that saying, however, there are a plenty of jobs everywhere at the moment due to the movement. Most of these jobs are not being advertised as there is no requirement to waste cash on advertising when companies have inboxes full of resumes and door knockers are rivalling Jehovah's Witnesses.
Right attitude, right place and time will get you a chat. The reality is 1 out of every 10 pilots you went to flight school with will makes it to the lines, the other 9 will choose a different career or remain on 50K in GA indefinitely.
Heres the no BS run down on YPDN:
Hardys/Fly Tiwi: 800hrs + wet season and you can measure your man hood next to the rest of the wannabes at this company, that's after they give you a sim ride and set you up to fail by putting the 430 on VLOC and telling you to fly a SID. This company will feed you into the airlines, you just have to deal with the BS on the road to a right seat.
Territory Air Services known locally as TAS: Hands down the best operator in DN. They actually know how to treat people like humans. Downside is they are only really good for single hours, twin will come if you hang around long enough and like calling other operators and dobbing on their pilots like a 4 year old.
Air Frontier: good hours at one of their remote bases once line checked. Expect not to be paid for up to 3 months whilst living in your car or on the hangar floor doing the PPDC (pilot professional development course). The owner is a little more hands off since losing their medical and the company has made good progression in terms of safety over the past few years.
Flight Standards/Kakadu Air/Marthakal (elcho Island): 5K GA Ready course if you preform well with the right attitude you'll land a job, bust duty and be paid below award. Bonus points if you're a loader at Tasfast in Melbourne as you probably got a personal invitation last week to GA Ready and those points are gone if you didn't take the opportunity, welcome to the 9 who never made it.
Afarura: Haven't heard much of them since they got kicked off Groote last year but they are still around. Hot starting a continental is beyond the skills taught here.
Any company not mentioned here is worth applying to, dont forget to check out Gun Air at YOEN. Bachelor and north WA are also viable options.
"Hoping to get in and out quickly" good thing Qlink just dropped their minimums to hopes and dreams.
Good luck!