Hey JTN747,
Here's a piece of free advice u may or may not want!
Get your ass down to the local aeroclub, ask the nice instructor for a
CPL/IFR rating. Then call in to see every G/A operator u can think of and beg them to let u wash their aircraft. After a while u may even fly them, give yourself a few scares, get a thousand hours in your log book!
Then rock yourself down to Nelson, fly a dash 8 for two years
( if you've got half a brain you'll stay well away from Eagle )
Then AND ONLY THEN, try your luck with Air New Zealand or the equivalent of and those of us that have had to do exactly that, may just have enough respect to let you touch more than just the push to talk button!!!!