Enough really is enough
I normally wouldn’t reply to comments such as those made in the past on this subject however I’ve now taken offence at some of the things Captain Biggle84 and others have said recently.
If I may, I’d like to take a little time to correct some of the errors in statements made lately. It’s simply not possible to correct all the untruths spoken however below are a select few. You may ask how I know what I say is correct. Simple.. I’m one of the fast track students lucky enough to have become a cadet at Skippers. I’d like to point out a few facts so the opinions of others aren’t clouded by recent comments made in this forum.
Firstly, money. A subject everyone seems to have an opinion on. Captain_Biggles84 states cadets part with “pay up $55K for a Dash or Braz endo plus extra IFR training (this is ontop of CPL costs!!!).” This statement is simply incorrect. I’m not going to go into detail on figures in a public place such as this forum however the figure for an endorsement is nowhere near $55,000. Further, IFR training on top of CPL costs is in no way different to the cost borne by any other pilot out there with an IRCME(A). I’d actually be curious to know how much other pilots out there have paid for all their CPL and IFR training. Maybe someone would like to catch up for a drink to chat about it.
Secondly, and still related to money, are the statements made regarding things like not being reliant on “mummy and daddy”. I can’t speak for all fast track students or Skipper’s cadets, however I do know that alot of them are around the age of thirty, had decent careers outside aviation prior to pursuing a lifelong dream and had cut the apron strings quite some time ago. Financing of their training came from any number of places be that a bank loan, hard earned savings, refinancing of assets etc. Following training some of these students went bush in search of work (and by all accounts had a great time with the flying out there), some became instructors and others were restrained by finances and/or family and were therefore unable to commit to moving or further training.
Thirdly, the easy option. Please let me point out that post is not intended as a shot at Captain_Biggles84, it’s merely a reply to some statements he/she has made that I feel need to be corrected in this public medium. Captain_Biggles84 also makes the statement “These muppets have every resource (internet/other pilots etc) available to research and find out the career path a pilot can go down. Because this ( Fast Track) is the easiest option as it saves them from entering the real world, ..”
Fact: Fasttrack students (again I can’t speak for all, only the ones I know) finished their CPL in twenty weeks. As a reminder, that’s 11 theory exams, 150 hours of flying training and two or three flights tests in twenty weeks. Then it’s an instrument rating in one month. Some of them went on to complete all seven ATPL exams in a further two months. Some of them went through all that without failing a single test or exam. I don’t see how that sort of workload can be described as the easiest option. Some people out there are no doubt reading this and thinking that corners were cut in training and testing. Please remember that ALL pilots pass the same exams, sit the very same flight tests and are subject the same testing standards. I totally agree with Captain_Biggles84 in that these individuals had every resource available to research. These individuals then decided that Fast Track pilot training was quite simply the best option for them at that point in their lives. With the prospect of completing your CPL and IRCME(A) in twenty four weeks, plus the introduction to a regional airline, who would choose otherwise? Please note that the introduction to a regional airline is just that – an introduction. Not many people out there can guarantee you a job and jobs certainly weren’t guaranteed to any fast track students.
Finally, the title of the thread is “Exodus from Skippers” which is a subject many recent posts refer to. It’s worth noting that the first post in this thread is dated June 2007. That’s almost four years ago. The industry certainly seems to be alot different at the current point in time as far as opportunities for advancing a career are concerned. 2007 may well have been a year when the worlds airlines were hungry for pilots and pilots from regional airlines (be that Skippers, Qantaslink, Network etc) were probably the ones they targeted. 2010 was certainly a different year and, while I don’t have the exact figures in front of me, I can recall only a handful of pilots moving on from Skippers to other airlines since I started with the company. Hardly an exodus.
In summary, these cadets that people are bad mouthing are generally nice guys and they seem to be doing a good job. If you feel otherwise, and work for Skippers, I’d suggest taking the approach of someone in a professional industry in voicing your concerns to your company superiors rather than voicing your opinions in a VERY public domain such as this.
A note to Low and fast. For your own sake, please be cautious of accepting advice on your career from a forum such as this. Forums the world over seem to be a meeting place for people who have complaints to make**. I, and many people I know, will tell you that working for Skippers is great. I love flying and consider myself incredibly lucky to be where I am working for Skippers. The hours are good, the money seems ok (although I don’t have many terms of reference having not worked for a regional before), management are easy to deal with and the people I work with are fun to be around. What more could you want? Sure, there are small things that I might not agree with but that happens in any company in any industry. And I also see the irony in offering that advice on this forum.
There you have it. I’m not expecting feedback or replies to this post because to me this is simply a tool to point out a few facts so the opinions of others aren’t clouded by recent comments made in this forum.
Regards.
** Infact, has anyone noticed the caveat at the bottom of this webpage? It seems to confirm my advice to low and fast. Feel free to scroll down for confirmation but here it is:
"As these are anonymous forums the origins of the contributions may be opposite to what may be apparent. In fact the press may use it, or the unscrupulous, or sciolists*, to elicit certain reactions.
*"sciolist"... Noun, archaic. "a person who pretends to be knowledgeable and well informed"."