I should have made the point (in fact earlier I did make the point, but some people can't read my poor English, it seems) that whatever the activity, it should be a paid activity. At sweeper/cleaner/gofer level it will probably only pay about the same hourly rate as a job flipping burgers at Maccas, but being in the hangar puts you close to the action, should a pilot quit, or extra flying come in.
From the employer's angle, it is a good way to suss out whether this wannabe is worth the risk before turning a relative unknown loose in a light aeroplane with his valuable customers. Nothing wrong with that, as long as the operator pays the Award once actual flying duties commence.
Many years ago, a famous company called Connellans operated a variety of Beech and Heron aircraft out of Alice Springs. Long before the concept of air conditioning, so it was tough out there back then. Even the flies were bigger and badder. To get a start there you normally learned to fly with them while you worked as a bag snatcher then graduated to the Heron as a radio operator in the air and loader on the ground. This apprenticeship took a couple of years, then you got a gig in the Beech and moved up to the left seat of the Heron and eventually out to a real airline job.
I have some experience of the Ice Pilot thing and noted in the recent TV series that their guys start in similar fashion, for the very good reason the operator can't afford to put unknown quantities into aircraft as demanding as a C46 or DC3 in Arctic flying conditions. But for those that cracked a window seat - definitely an experience worth all the crap to get there. Those that were bypassed - who knows why? Bad attitude? Lazy? Couldn't even drive the forklift competently? TV treatment does not always give the full picture.
Last edited by Mach E Avelli; 6th August 2012 at 03:06.