Well, Solenta is up an the bashing list all over again!!! I guess this speaks for itself about the state of the morale in the company and the general well being of those who have to work there. In my years of aviation experience let me tell you a few things that I have learnt.
1. Pilots will never stand together!!!, because there will always be some idiot who thinks that he can kiss ass with management by nailing his buddies.
2. When it comes to money or peoples lives and careers with management, money wins hands down every time. ( thats not right though!! )
3. Regarding ex SAAF pilots versus's civies, well being an ex SAAF pilot myself I have seen the standard that the SAAF can train there pilots to, but after flying with civie guys ( and now girls) I tell there are some extremely talented and professional civie trained pilots out there who have taught me a thing or two. I tell you what makes a good pilot, not so much his or her background but what they do with their skills they have and how they use these skills to improve themselves. Let me tell you one truth, bad attitude has killed more pilots then bad flying skills.
4. Regarding the new cadet scheme that Solenta is initiating, of which there are now quiet a few programmes in place around SA, I am sure that knowing managent at Solenta and what I have read and heard about them, this programme is being instituted for one reason only, POLITICS!!. I am pretty sure that they are not doing it out of the love for the community and goodness of there hearts. Hell a cadet scheme always looks good for window dressing especially in SA, can you imagine the good will they will receive from goverment, CAA, ALPA, etc, etc ,etc. (NB!! tHIS IS NOT A POLITICAL STATEMENT ABOUT THE MERITS OF CADET, AFFRIMATIVE ACTION SCHEMES ETC!!!)
5. My flying carreer has also had its ups and downs, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose but you will eventually get there in the end especially if you have a vision of where you want to be. Those of you though who screw you fellow pilots beware this industry is small and the person you screw, laugh at, or shoot down will proberbly in the future be your Captain, Chief pilot or be on or know some one on the interview board of an airline you want to work for, seen it happen in the past I am sure it will happen in the future.
6. Seeing is believing, especially in aviation, too many people with big mouths and no brains in this industry ( a lot of these people tend to be management types).
Well good luck to all of you out there, take the advice to heart and just remember your come first in your life, not management, jobs or money.
