Extraordinary Qualification????
 

Does being able to juggle 7 balls whilst singing inkosi-sikileli(in all 11 official languages), balancing on one toe and a sword clamped between my other toes(sharp end up) count???:D:ugh:

No-no-not having a dig at those blaubosbokkies at all. Just made comment on the fact that in the minds of some to employ demographicly suitable outlanders at the expense of indiginous irradescent inlanders might be excused if the cosmopolitan face of the crew was enhanced by the perceived ability to speak foreign languages-an ability not usually found in South Africans of the white variety, or the Anglo Saxon in general I quickly say.
I can remember when it was no good applying for SAA unless you spoke Afrikaans or had an Afrikaaner name or were ex SAAF or had a personal from one or two of the senior training captains or came from Safair. Whatever turns on the big Marshmallow at selection board is okay but the bias thing has seemed always an integral part of SAA selection - narrow minded and bigoted? Well why not?

Sorry to burst your bubble but I am Afrikaans, SAAF trained and knew some people in SAA but annoyed a particular Mister Aviation in SAA. Trying for 12 years and even made it all the way through till a sudden third interview brought me face to face with said person and was shown the door again. Still happily flying outside of SAA. The moral of the story, don't p:mad:ss off the powers in SAA. To everybody good luck

Ermmmm.....yeah, that's pretty much happening all the time. It's all cool though, it's called affirmative action, so everythings all good and legit, no irony or failure of morality or anything like that, no sir...

Straight from the horse of the chief of the selection board at SAA's mouth :-

(1) The rumour that SAA will be looking for pilots outside of SA to fill the BEE gap is not true. Anyone that is not a south african citizen will not be considered. The only foreign pilots that will be flying for SAA are contractors on a wet lease over the world cup on foreign aircraft to help SAA with the excess flying demands.

(2) White females are no longer considered 'previously disadvantaged'.....so this will make it harder for them to get into SAA.

(3) There are 47 SAA cadets that need to get into SAA before SAA will even consider looking at any other pilot applications and at this stage there are too many pilots in SAA so its not looking good for folks that are hoping to get in this year.

(4) The previous number of 231 pilots needed for SAA's expansion from 2011 to 2013 is not going to happen anymore as SAA have cancelled their order of 4 long haul A/C and 4 shorthaul A/C. The only A/C SAA are still getting are the 330's to replace the 340-200's that are leaving.

So Cizzy...is that a no then???:zzz:

The previous number of 231 pilots needed
 

231 Pilots for 8 aircraft??????????/

No wonder SAA cant make money!

You need to take retirements, of which there are going to be a lot in the next 2-3 yrs into account as well. Around 55 guys will be retiring in the next 3 yrs.

Just got the latest Seniority List from a mate of mine in SAA, and we worked out:

10 retirements in 2010
14 in 2011
22 in 2012.

That is 46 in the next 3 years, 47 cadets and who know how many EE pilots out there, so I am sure not much will happen until at least 2013 or even 2014.

Come and join us in the sand-pit !!!!!

:*:*:*

TT

Funny that for 8 aircraft they needed 231 pilots, OR could it be, that the SACAA WAS going to enforce a mandatory age 65 retirement for domestic commercial operations??? Heard the age 65 rule for domestic has now been canned again. Funny innit???

Greetings, new to the Forum...so be gentle!

I have a question concerning SAA and if they still have cruise relief pilots on the long haul a/c who also fly F/O on a narrow body a/c. I recently read some data that indicated that SAA mainted about 120 pilots in a dual qual status on the 737/A320 and CRP on the 744. This data is about 10 years old. So I am curious if that is still a crewing scheme at SAA.

Thanks for any help.

Hi Helios SAA no longer allow "cross-manufacturer" IFR flying (i.e. A320/B744). The A319 pilots though are rated on and fly as IFR on the A340 and the B738 guys on the B744.

And for the mathematical sceptics who were quick to divide 231 by 8 you need the full story: The plan was for 3 widebodies over 3 years (not happening) and 2010 4 narrow bodies (not happening) 2012 6 A320/A321 (still on) 2013 2 A320/A321 (still on) So that's 15 a/c over 3 years plus 68 retirements by the end of 2013. Also not all pilots go to full retirement age (only about 80% actually) Notwithstanding the above I heard at the new CEO's briefing she said the 2 biggest challenges facing SAA are the balance sheet and the need for growth. So I'll hold thumbs for all of you out there, don't give up yet. SAA is a great place to fly.

Hi Helios SAA no longer allow "cross-manufacturer" IFR flying (i.e. A320/B744). The A319 pilots though are rated on and fly as IFR on the A340 and the B738 guys on the B744


Thanks FMGEC!

Interesting, there are plans afoot to let the freighter pilots (B732 and B733) already rated on the A340, do P3 flying again.

Hey, got word SAA is looking at pale males. Any info for us in the sand pit??????

Too late man those that have been selected have already been called and the sim rides are done/being done. My advice get you CV in and hope and pray (like i am doing). I wasn't called though so clearly its not working.... :)

Good Day Guys

Could some one please tell me whats the correct email address to send cv`s to for SAA and who should one contact with regard to this matter

thanks

The way to go is via the website - if the link is not active, there is no current demand.

hey

Thanks for the reply

I think there should be some sort of a address one could submit a cv to keep on record and review for future purpose,Is there perhaps a number or contact person some member has who i could speak to with regard to this matter

thanks

SAA is notoriously......unprofessional (my choice of words, but thats what I think of it) when it comes to handling CV's. I'm sorry, but it's like sending a message into a black hole - nothing comes back out. There's no feedback, or way that I know of to track your application, nor is there an easy way to update your details. It seems that you must hunt for the non-available excel file, then send repeated volumes with certified copies of everything. I'm sure there are others who know the process better than I do, but that's the way it seems to be. There will never really be a shortage of applicants, so they feel no need to improve on this behaviour. Also, their choices seem random. Grade I, DE, brilliant guy, tertiary qualifications, excellent experience levels on a wide variety of types? Hmmm...no, we'll take the other guy with none of that thanks!

I can only go on what I've heard, since I've only applied twice - this is what I pick up from those who've made it their ambition to be part of SAA. Information directly from SAA is hard to come by. I think it should be said out loud - SAA, your recruitment process seems chaotic and lacks a degree of transparency that should be there, IMHO.

SAA is about to hire 25 pilots this year and 20 early next year. These are rough figures. Many of the new hires are highly experienced white males with a minimum of 5000 hours total time and command time at one of the other local and regional carriers in SA. The biggest stumbling block for many of them is the notice period they are required to give to their current airlines.

The majority will be direct entry FO's, specifically where they are already rated on similiar types to those operated by SAA.

There are cadets being hired but only those who are ready to move to SAA and who pass the selection process. The cadets generally go straight into the right seat on a domestic fleet primarily because of historic issues with sub-standard PDI's who occupied the P3 seat for a few years and then failed their P1 (FO) ratings. Now they can wash them immediately and fill the seat with more deserving candidates.

Life, unfortunately, is not fair. If one looks at the seniority list at SAA there are many PDI and female pilots whose age is way out of sync with the white male pilots of similiar seniority. Then there is the black Captain who took SAA to the CCMA and had his seniority backdated to when he had a CPL and 300 hours.

However, once you are in then I will be the first to admit that there is no better airline in the world to work for. If I was offered a direct entry Captain position with any airline in the world, I would turn it down, and I am still an FO at SAA with 13 years of service as a pilot.

All I can say is keep trying and keep sending in those CV's. If you are struggling to get your CV to SAA, PM me and I will give you my email address and will print out and personally hand deliver your CV to the right department.

jbayfan,
An amendment to your last, no cadets have been invited to these interviews..........literally all pale males, 5000 plus hours.....and probably a handful of PDI's with similar experience!!!