stevepowers104
G'day,
I spent a few years flying in PNG until I recently left to pursue an airline job back in oz, so I can give you a bit of perspective as one of the younger generation to go through recently.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in PNG. I learnt heaps from some of the best in the business and wouldn't trade the experiences for the world.
However, if you want to fly in PNG do so because you want the experience (like I did) and not because anybody has told you that the airlines in Oz will be impressed with PNG time...they won’t be.
I understand that having PNG time was once highly regarded in the Oz airlines, but the HR people in airline recruiting these days don't know where PNG is let a lone what the flying is like. This lack of understanding on their behalf leads to their reluctance to hire PNG pilots and it leads to some bizarre misconceptions. Some of these misconceptions that I've met in interviews recently include;
Pilot's only fly in PNG because they're not good enough to fly in Australia.
Like anywhere, occasionally you'll come across a guy who is as dodgy as a bamboo watch, but mostly the opposite is true.
PNG pilots are cowboys because they fly through valleys and around big hills.
That's usually the best thing to do with big hills. We don’t have big hills in Oz so recruiters can't fathom mountains at well over 10,000 ft.
You can't legally fly IFR in PNG.
You can, around half of PNG has a LSALT of 10,000 or less. So you can even fly in IMC at times.
There is no controlled airspace in PNG, and there is definitely no radar airspace in PNG.
Yes there is and Moresby (Jackson's) does.
Multi-crew flying in PNG on Twin Otters, Bandits, etc isn't really proper multi-crew because all flying is VFR.
Firstly, not only are "proper" multi-crew procedures used, but there will be times when you'll be working your collective arses off. And you'll fly with people from all nationalities and with a diverse range of experiences. Secondly, flying IFR is easy. Visual flying, down valleys in marginal weather to what are sometimes one way strips, and then getting out and into the next one, etc can be some of the most demanding flying that you'll ever see.
One other thing. If you go there, get the experience you're after and leave whilst you still can. It's one of those places where time stopped and it's really easy to wake up one day and realize that you've been there for twenty years....and probably still having to listen to stories about bloody Tal air
.
Oh, and be prepared for the fact that nobody back home will believe any of your stories.