MungoP, be careful, there is a camera in your keyboard....(only he and I would understand that).
Ahh, what can I begin to say about ASI.
The 500 time on type issue is absolutely insane. Not as ASI policy, but rather (from what ive been told) an old number set up on a former 737 contract, and applied to this gig for some reason, by the U.N. They wont even accept BE300/350, C90, B1900 time. ????? THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LET THE PENCIL MONKEYS GET AHOLD OF THIS TYPE OF ISSUE!!!!!
But on the salary issue, yes, we all know its pathetic. But, for starters, I do not make a big stink about it, because I KNEW WHAT IT WAS WHEN I SIGNED THE DOTTED LINE. And I have run the numbers, and ASI vs. NL actually isnt that big of a difference, if you factor in certain things. It seems most people just look at the base salary number and just go off that. You cant do that.
Lets put it this way----i am actually making/saving more money working here, flying my little kingair, than I was back in the states flying for a part 121 carrier. Thats how pathetic salaries are in the US right now. And its TPIC time to boot.
Most of the south africans I work with thought I was absolutely insane to leave that to come "downgrade" and fly a kingair. Let me tell you, there is more to life than being an "airline pilot" in this day and age. I imagine your going to get to your new airline gig, and after the honeymoon ends, youll be wishing you were back in the bush. The PanAm Clipper days are over my friends.
In the U.S, we dont have many companies at all doing this type of work. And I realize there are quite a few SA companies out there, but in our sheltered world in the U.S, we would never have a chance to run across that info (except on pprune). This is a way to break into this type of operation, etc. And I see people saying, well why not just get hired by a SA operator.? Like they are actualy going to want to put in the effort to hire some guy from the states, and all the monkey-motion that goes along with it, when there are guys in SA for the job. Get real.
The best part of this gig, aside from TPIC time, are the connections, let me just put it that way.
All in all, ive enjoyed my time here. Met some really great guys from SA, for some reason they have put up with me, flown with me, even pretended to laugh at my jokes, and my attempts to speak Afrikaans. (but for the love of god, do something about that music you all play!!!!!
) The next engineer is bringing me an afrikaans study guide, so ill be able to converse.
But in the end, there is A LOT airserv will have to work on to improve things. If they would just change a few basic things, the turnover rate would not be there, people would actually be staying, training costs would be lower, happier employees, etc. See----so simple and logical, that it actually makes sense. But, we'll leave the "important" decisions to the pencil monkeys.
But I figure, in the next year or two, not much will have changed. Only time will tell I suppose.