various
G’Day Ocker, yes there is ample evidences that the largest percentage of the EMS are as sharp a mob of drivers you’ll ever get, as well as many of the EMS outfits being likewise. Unfortunately possum you brought your own argument undone with the gem,
“What is a potentially risky region of the industry.”
Why is it risky and not merely routine ops? We hear about the pressure of the golden hour, probably no more than an excuse to throw caution and intelligence out the window with baby, bathwater, regs and all. Could you tell us why, with such a low number of machines in the overall fleet, there has ever even been an accident? Please don’t blame ground borne taskers who haven’t the WX training that pilots have to judge such matters. How can EMS ditch your “potentially risky” attitude or are you a loner?
Hi OOGLE, too late mate, been here done that, life’s too short for vitriol, contemplate instead while you dwell over a glass of red, or are you still on lemonade, the philosophy that fulfilment is much more likely from a position of cautious optimism than one of radical pessimism,
CC, they reckon up to ten times the drivers more than machines, I think they are counting all of the OZ pros who are working around the world as well and indeed pro pilots skills are a world currency are they not, the fires season proves that, so supply at the top end should never be a problem as long as the willy is there.
P68, very good point and overlooked, and with no ideas, kids just find other jobs with better cash much more attractive, everything is about lifestyle nowadays at that age!
KP, I should have qualified the cops and robbers a bit more, and the banter in Melbourne is just that, good for a laugh, but all of the state Govt’s have been out of cash, Victoria for the first time for a long while turned 330 million surplus to budget, South oz has only just started looking at black figures after a very long while, WA is stressed, NT, Tas and Qld are all nearly broke and NSW just gets going and along comes the fires and soaks up all the loot for good solid police and EMS work in one big fireball. So I think it’s a matter of lobby as much as possible and keep the reputation of effectualness by getting the frivolous work off the sheets.
Big Mike, that’s right, but hard to believe and onto a 206 or B2 with an endorsement thrown in. seems 1500 is the magic number for insurance and as PA says, attitude is attractive. If you’re younger <30 and someone will pay you 10 to 12g more and you don’t have to live in a swag all year looking at cows backsides, there you go.
Another sector I should have mentioned is the Ag. guys who are also slowly on the way up. Story goes these blokes picked themselves up from under the grinding heel of the insurance companies, joined up with the F/W Ag. mob and became an effective very professional outfit known as AAAA. Old style honest lobbying has got them a rapport with CASA probably unique amongst our fraternity in any country. Their on board gear and chemical science is becoming mind blowing. They have come a long way from not so long ago when one Ag R/W outfit started the year with seven machines and pranged twelve in twelve months, three on badly set up autos, thus vindicating one of Nick Lappos’ points recently on another thread.
TET