Virgin Blue to train cadets....
Virgin Blue to train cadet pilots
AUSTRALIA'S second largest airline Virgin Blue will start training cadet pilots within the next year, a parliamentary inquiry into air safety has been told.
Previously, the airline had hired pilots from other carriers instead of training its own.
Virgin Blue's chief executive John Borghetti said the company would not rush into setting up the scheme, preferring to take "a good 12 months to get it right".
The airline's operations executive Sean Donohue said the proposed scheme was a long-term investment for the airline.
"With our pilot turnover of less than one per cent, it is not an urgency," he told a Senate hearing in Canberra today.
"Obviously it is to make sure we have a pipeline of skilled, trained pilots for the future."
Mr Borghetti said he placed a very high degree of importance on safety and being accessible to his company's pilots.
He told senators that he met with the chief pilots of Virgin Blue and V Australia on his first day as the airline's boss.
"The same day I sent an email to every captain in our group of airlines providing my work number, my email address and personal mobile number inviting their feedback and comments at any time," he said.
Virgin supported the immunity provisions for pilots reporting on safety matters in legislation before the Parliament.
"However, this would have to be subject to amendments that protect against the use of immunity for industrial purposes or protect against actions that are willfully reckless, negligent or non-compliant," Mr Borghetti said.
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