Dear joaocastro
I have read some information about these two agencies, but establishing
contact with some one that currently is in the program it's different
Sorry but i can not help you here, i see lots of cadets comeing from indian MSD as well but i don't know how to contact any agency.
Did the company helped you finding an apartment or house before you arrived
at Jakarta, or you had to do everything by yourself?
you will deal everithing by yourself, local agencies speak english
How much is an average rent in Jakarta?
Good solution is Serpong, one hour motorway south the airport, 3 bedroom house fully furnished in a good cluster is about 12000 euros a year ( contract are not less than 1 year in serpong ) , best solution is Central Park complex in west Jakarta, 30 minutes from the airport (no traffic of course), 3 beedrom is approx 17000 euros a year but very nice place and you can get a six months contract with some agencies, Thamrin city in Jakarta Centre is a little bit cheaper but crazy traffic to go there, sometimes 2 hours stuck in the traffic when you come back from the AIRPORT !!
I personally share an apartament with another Pilot, all inclusive ( electricity, water, paytv and crapy internet) we share about 1000 euros a month but is really a decent place.
you can find a lot of cheaper accomodations in jakarta but you really have to be carefull where you go to live , this place can be dirty far over your expectations ....
How have you solved the transportation issue? The airline company provides
transportation for it's pilots?
Transport is not a total crap, 40% is ok, 30% is late , 30% does not come at all so you take the taxy to go work.
when you finish working you have to wait for a driver ( captains, local FO and sometimes even Flight attendands get trasport before expats of course ) but usually i wait no more than 40 minutes....
From January with the new contract no transport anymore
, all the expat FO (not the locals of course) will have to moove in Ballaraja !! (a complex about 1 hour and 30 minutes east of the airport ) the complex is massive, divided in male and female area, will take all The expats FO, Flight attendands , manteniance, ramp and office workers, busses every hour day and night for the airport, you'll have to sign every time you go out or you get in so they will know exattly witch door to knock to wake you up and send you at work when they need....
Sounds really in the chinese Lionair owner stile, work 25 hours per day....
Do you know what is the average waiting time? I know that every case is
different, but some people wait less than others.
I don't know exatly about time after application, i heardis about 6 months to come in jakarta, after you're in jakarta it can vary a lot, you could start after 5 months or after 8, everyone ha different problems and different storyes (i was Grounded more than one month waiting for my yearly license verification as the demand was very high ), last bathc did not start ground school after 2 months, every line training captain has 2 trainee in the cockpit, now i see the sistem is really saturated of wannable FO , it will be better maybe next year, and anyway when the glass is so full they cut a lot on the simulator , i heard a lot of them don't pass the checkride as the standards are now very high !!
What do you think it would be the best solution?
I really have no idea my friend, i wish i could answer this question to myself as well, i think the autorities have to stop this, FAA in America has now a kind of protection against agencies an flight schools speculations, 1500 for the atp and for passenger transport, so you estabilish again the natural order of things, i heard o lot in US going for regional after beeing flight instructors an upgrade for a major airline after some experience without pay anithing !! not even the type rating, i'm not sure about this , but i think once again the Americans are doing the right thing.... i hope JAA will copy and paste as well....
Please feel free to ask more...