starting job in Australia

[alpar80]

Where would be the best place to look for a starting job in aviation in Australia??? I've heard that it is diffacult to find a job in Aus... From Florida US looking to relocate..!!

[Woomera]

There is a plethora of threads on this very subject in PPRuNe. How about you do a little homework first - start here. (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=135040)

And how do you expect any advice or suggestions if you don't provide any details? PPL wannabe or a B744 check captain??

Woomera

[alpar80]

working towards Multi engine commercial with CFI, CFII, and MEI ratings per FAA U.S. will need to do an Aussie conversion. :ok:

[Fly Jimmy]

too many umemployed pilots already in australia
try somewhere elase like new zealand
that might furthur your chances. good luck

[Poita]

I would have thought the flying scene would be a lot better and easier over in the USA with faster progression. Wanna swap?

[LateNightOps]

I seem to recall a saying about grass and always seeming greener on the other side.

alpar80 I must admit I know next to nothing about the industry over in the States, but i would be very wary about relocating to another country if indeed you are a low time guy. Are you aussie with dual citizenship or are you wanting to come over and get a work visa?

Sure Australia is a great place to get your hours up, but in most cases its alot of hard work with right place right time opportunities. And if you were serious about breaking into the GA scene look forward to packing up and moving to the middle of nowhere...usually up to northern WA, the NT or far north queensland (and i dont mean a smaller city or country town on the fringes of a metropolis, but seriously the middle of nowhere where you, and a few council workers may be the only non-indigenous people there for hundreds of kilometres).

So all im saying is be careful about not giving your own local industry a good crack first since it aint all peaches and cream down under.

LNO :cool:

[alpar80]

LNO,

The word that I have been hearing lately is that it is extremely diffacult finding work in Aus. I am not a citizen and would be coming over with about 800-1000 hours, not too much. What you are telling me is to stick around here build my hours then look to re-locate? I am interested in checking out what Australia has to offer, even if it isn't the ritz... Any suggestions on where to look for work??

I know that this website has some good offers...

Alex


P.S. how bad are you talking about the middle of nowhere??

[ovum]

ummmm, I'll just repost what LNO said as you don't seem to have read his post..


(and i dont mean a smaller city or country town on the fringes of a metropolis, but seriously the middle of nowhere where you, and a few council workers may be the only non-indigenous people there for hundreds of kilometres).

and if for some reason you don't believe LNO, PM Transition Layer for more info, he's done a long stint in the true middle of no-where...

[Transition Layer]

Mine was absolutely nothing mate in comparison to some. Guys in arnhem land (g'day BD!) have done massive stints in aboriginal communities.

I was soft and did much less than that and besides, I had it easy, the town I was in at least had a hospital and a pub ;)

Cheers,
TL

[locusthunter]

Alpar80,

You've got to remember that Australia has not quite 20 million people and most of those live in the main cities (Melbourne (3.4 mil), Sydney (4 mil) Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth combined another 4 mil, etc.)
The size of the country is 7.68 million square kilometres (the U.S. is 9.63 million sq km in comparison). But these numbers mean nothing when you really see how far away civilisation is...

So when ovum and LNO are talking isolated - they are talking ISOLATED... think Antarctica...think remote Canada...

The working conditions may be poor and Aussie dollars are not great if you want to convert back to US...also I honestly don't know how many operators would be happy to employ an american (I hate to say that but there is probably some truth in it).

Come for a holiday...check out the top end, the centre and the great beaches!! Bring your logbook and resume, you may strike gold...but don't expect too much....






:ok:

[ovum]

TL I seem to remember meeting you for lunch at the Hogs Breath that time with you trying to order Avgas off the menu and telling me the only reason you used the hospital was to get treatment for callouses on both hands (I think you're dreaming)...

You were in the crack for too long ;)

[LateNightOps]

I agree with locusthunter, if you really want to see how you'll go then a holiday/job search is a good way to do it. 9 times out of ten jobs are obtained by fronting up to potential employers and literally hanging around.

I was based out in an aboriginal community for over a year (before that was a tiny country town) and it still remains one of the hardest things i've ever done. Although with 1000 hours you may get lucky?!. (although i personally know a couple of guys that were out there for a while with well in excess of 1500 hours flying busted ass C210s)

To reiterate my earlier point, a friend of mine still flying in the NT is looking to use his US passport (he has dual mostly grew up here) to see if the can do better over in the states. So before fully commiting to any move really research your own local and regional options.

PS. Transition Layer

The only time TL went to the hospital was to see how the birth of his love child little 'clearprop' went... brought a case of red can for the mother and everything.... such a thoughtful young man.:oh:

LNO:cool:

[alpar80]

I lived in an area of the U.S. which is quite desolate near the Canadian border where there was not much work besides logging timber and lobstering, so I can relate to what you guys are saying about the sparseness, not everything in America is stripmalls and McDonalds as the media stereotypically depicts. What I would like to know, would working in the bush still be manditory to rack up hours even if I have a mulit engine opperators licence with a Flight Instructor/Instrument Flight Instructor rating and about 500 hours?? I would be coming over with some backing behind me. Also if I decide to do this how would one find work, even in the bush? Is there a publication or forum where I could research oppertunities or is it more like pack my bags and embark on a pilgrimage into the wild blue yonder?? I am completely ignorant to the world of aviation in Australia however, am very interested in it... Any info helps out!! Thanks for all that has been shared thus far.

Alex
:ok:

[LateNightOps]

alpar80

check your PMs mate

LNO

[alpar80]

Yo LNO,

Threw you a PM back regarding your message.

Al


P.S. any recommendations on company names in some of these areas that were spoken about???

[locusthunter]

apar80,

LNO is right about the 'hanging around' business - and it works quite well for some people. I have a mate who had about the same amount of experience as me, at the time, and he hung around one particular operator like a bad smell- suffice to say, 3 years later, he has progressed a hell of a lot further than I have... Some people rock into town and get a job within the 1st 3 days of looking... Another mate of mine reckons that if all the planets line up, you can get called in for a job flying supermodels out of Alice Springs in a Lear!! (He's still pouring beers in a bar somewhere.)

A few phone calls wouldn't hurt though- if you are planning to go to a particular area, use yellowpages.com.au and look up some companies under aircraft charter or flying schools. The call/resume/arrive within a week, technique has worked well for me in the past.

Keep in mind that the conversion to Aussie licence, work visa (if needed) etc, could set you back some time and money. Sometimes it's a case of asking the question: Is it worth it when the opportunities in the US may be as good or better?
But if you are having fun hanging around downunder? Who cares?

If you are hanging around backpackers, sooner or later you may be asked to work as a meatbomber (skydive pilot) - but be careful about the working conditions and renumeration. (There are quite a few old threads in this forum that you should see before you consider this).
Hope this helps...

Cheers,
locusthunter:ok: