Merged: Senate Inquiry

[The Kelpie]

PLovett

The 1,500 hour requirement that was introduced in the US was most probably introduced, not because of the Colgan Air tragedy in isolation but done because the US Senate could not comprehend as a result of the inquiry what a mess that safety regulation and the structure of the US aviation industry had become in the US. They most probably resorted to a safe political solution after all it would be them that had to answer should a similar event happen in the future that they could have, and had the opportunity to be seen in the eyes of the public to be doing something about.

I am in very broad agreement with what you are saying in places but what do you propose we do when all training programmes develop a multi crew / SOP bias aimed at airline work but there are not enough vacancies within the airlines?

These guys will have to go up north where they will undertake single pilot ops for which they will find the multi crew and SOP training about as useful as tits on a bull! This training model works in Europe because there is practically no GA.

By the time they achieve enough hours for direct entry they will be classified as contaminated by ga and will need retraining in any case to get rid of any bad habits.

Australian pilots are regarded by many to be amongst the best in the world - who knows what effect introducing cadets will have on this track record. For me if it ain't broke, why fix it?

These changes were sold to the Australian Airlines by Petteford from Oxford. Until Oxford bought GFS the only cadet scheme in Australia was run by Qantas...and it was a good one that was well structured, substantially funded by the airline. Do you think it is a co-incidence that the arrival of Oxford in Australia and the emergence of these cadet funded slavery schemes is a co-incidence??....and the Qantas Cadet programme ceased??

Ask the stressed out unemployed ex Oxford Cadets that were attracted by glossy brochures, posters all showing shiny white jets and smiling pictures of airline pilots on them - only to be dissapointed by the reality that there are not enough jobs for all the cadets that Oxford spits out. Many write on PPrune about being made bankrupt, or those that are on the verge of it with massive debt. These guys are not trained to seek decent salaries elsewhere.

This practice of selling flight training with pictures of shiny white jets has to stop. If it was any other industry the advertising standards would be pursuing actions of mis-selling as this ideal outcome only finds its way to a few and not everyone.

Another point.....The banks have strict guidelines as to what they consider is responsible lending for both unsecure and secured debt. Pressure groups campaign about responsible lending because they know, only too well the misery and potentially devastating consequences that overstretching yourself financially can have. Do you think that encouraging young people to get themselves into $200k of debt is a responsible thing to do given there is no job guarantee and that once the FEE HELP limit has been obtained there is no further funding available to retrain and develop a 'plan B' for the rest of your life? This should be regulated!!

At the very least these courses and the financing of them should come with a Product disclosure Statement' spelling out the risks to the Gen Y's who remain blissfully ignorant about what they are getting themselves into. Such documents are mandatory for any loan or financial products!!

......also Cadets should be familiar with the company 'mybudget'!!!

Unfortunately for the young men and women that these schemes are attracting have not yet learned the value of money and how it is hard earned and easily spent. Once this reality hits them the misery of financial stress will be obvious perhap to themselves and the many thousands of people that have entrusted their lives to them!! (although I hope not).