You cannot blame QF pilots for being just a 'little' pessimistic. Previous statements by GD such as:
'Jetstar will not expand beyond 23 aircraft' and
'Jetstar will not cannibalise mainline'
or the Chief pilots mantra in 2003/4 of
There will be a great deal of promotions, particularly on the 767
followed by the 2006 comments to the effect of
If a QF pilots 36 year career was spent 12 years as an s/o and 12 as an f/o etc then that would be reasonable, however noone has spent that long to command...............yet.
At the end of the day, despite Going Boeing's comments (which do not realate to the Dixon letter anyway as they refer to the 787), I for one would like to know how approx 1000 initial commands will be issued in the next 5 years.
Thats 200 INITIAL commands a year. assuming only 1 consequential up the line then that is
400 Total command training experiences PER YEAR.
PLUS s/o's to F/O's ateven the same rate is another 400 upgrades, plus 500 intake s/o's over 3 years (166 per annum)
TOTAL = 966 pilots undergoing training PER YEAR for the next 5 Years.
(as far as I can see the above is conservative)
That would make even Emirates flinch.
This from an airline which has upgraded at most 150 per annum for the last 3 years.
So has anyone else in Qantas not noticed the 640% increase in training resources?
Where are all the FSO's looking for hundreds of Check and Training pilots?
Where are the new simulator instructors?
Where are the new simulators?
Where are the aircraft orders to justify this?
Hey - where are all the pilots coming from??????
I would say to Mr Dixon and Mr Manning - If you want us to consider staying then justify your statements - Money talks, bullcrap walks.
At the end of the day I can see a lot of dissappointed and dissolusioned pilots standing around without LH or Window seats in 5 years time. I can also see two managers who will be long gone, but still counting bonus money earnt off the back of YOUR retention.