Typical Hours for First Job

[pilot4life]

There has been soo many posts about "Where are the first jobs in Australia?", "Do I have a chance in Australia?", "When is the best time....?" etc.

Question: "How many hours does a pilot, on their first job, attain during their initial employment (dry season etc.), and after the first job where do they typically progress (a/c type, twin, turbine etc)?"

My question is perhaps more directed to those who have gone balls to the wall and headed up north or wherever over this great land of ours and have scored that all important first job in whatever area of GA (ie: Charter, drop-zone, pastoral or other).

For serious info. no smart arse responses please.

Cheers,
p4l

[redsnail]

I was in Kununurra in 1994. Most of us who got taken on in the earlier part of the season, that is, May/June had +400 hours or so. The guys that got taken on in the latter half of the season had 250-300 hours BUT had been there all bloody season and had worked on or near the airfield and were good guys.

The lower your hours the earlier you want to arrive. I turned up in early Feb 1994 with about 450 hours or so.
You get established. Find work and get a reputation as being a person that is reliable. Remember, you are being watched all the bloody time. The smaller the town the greater the scrutiny. Don't blow it by being a smart arse.

So, make those phone calls ASAP. Don't expect miracles but base yourself where you think you have the greatest chance of scoring work. It may not be Kununurra, it might be Halls Creek.

Make sure you have your DG cert up to date, all medicals etc up to date, first aid certificate is useful. Be positive cos you'll need it.
Bus drivers licence.... Keep ahead of the game and you'll win.

In other words, know your targets. Know the markets they operate in. Know what they want versus what they desire. Languages, electrical trades (doesn't have to be LAME standard), computing, mangoes, have those skills and sell them.
Good luck.

[drshmoo]

If you can get a gig in KU then you will do heaps of hours if you want to. I did just over 420 hours in 5 months last dry season. By making it clear that you wannna max out it and pushing for it, you'll do some long hours but it keeps you doing things that you went to KU for ie: fly, not sitting in a hanger weilding a screwdriver in the stinkin heat.

[pilot4life]

Cheers guys - both solid answers. Drshmoo, is it possible that you could tell me whats hours you had, employer, time you arrived in KU? Cheers.

[snoop doggy dog]

I got a start with an operator in Fitzroy Crossing last season.

Be prepared to go the extra mile and show them that you are a good person.

Best of luck.