Originally Posted by
BK Breadroll
Update: I had a friend of a friend reach out to me. They are currently flying for the company. I was told everyone there has been told not to comment on this forum or face the consequences. I was also advised the details here are accurate in terms of pay and bond with approximately 90% pilot turn over in the past 12 months. Players choice but I believe I've dodged a huge bullet here. Thanks again to everyone who provided me with solid advice 👏
Run far, far away and don’t look back!
There’s been an incredibly low number of pilots
learning to fly since COVID hit.
Anyone who accepts a BS bond deal in the current industrial is an A-grade muppet.
Pilots with 1000TT and 50 multi are getting jet jobs in Australia.
The idea that some people are putting up almost $100k worth of personal risk to fly a J32 is frankly, very frightening.
Get your CPL/MECIR. Work in GA and get 1000 hours as quick as you can and then start applying.
Even the cadet schemes are just becoming scams to lock people in and prevent them
from leaving.
If:
a) the cost of the course is excessive, or
b) the penalty for leaving early is harsh, or
c) the return of service is excessive, or
d) the bond is for an aircraft type that few operators use, or
e) you have to write a letter of solemn promises to the CEO and mow the grass…
… then it’s probably not the deal for you.
The current Australian pilot shortage (which is only going to get significantly worse for a long time) is the result of
a) not enough investment for many years in training and GA
b) an over-regulated GA industry that has crumbled
c) managers, who rather than address the core issues such as terms/conditions and the points above, are coming up with ways to try and lock pilots down.
Licensed pilots are the asset here. They need you to make their money. Don’t de-value yourselves.
Bond schemes in the current climate simply should not exist. If you want someone to come fly your aircraft you should make an environment conducive to making people want to stay.
Even mainline have SOs and FOs leaving as soon as they get their type rating. And yet rather than read the room and make it a good and rewarding place to work, they’re still trying to divide and conquer industrially.
If I had teenage kids, I wouldn’t even recommend they do the Qantas Cadetship. A bunch of money with zero guarantees and a long time potentially locked into crap subsidiaries like the Dash 8.
Go and get your licence, a thousand hours in GA and then decide where YOU want to go and on YOUR terms.
$95k to fly a Jetstream? Give. Me. A. Break.