ABUSE of low time Pilots

[LOAC]

Many companies south of the equator use low time pilots to their own benefit. Amongst other things like ridicuously low salaries, they ignore flight and duty times and if any of the pilots dare complain, they are without a job instantaneously.

My question: Is this standard practise worldwide?

[Ascend Charlie]

Zero-timers are desperate enough to work for @rseholes like that. As long as the zeros keep knocking on his hangar door, he will keep treating them like that.

Answer: boycott the mongrel.

But there will always be somebody who will put up with it.:ugh:

[deeper]

There is a Pastoral company in Queensland that generally, and usually, only hires Private Pilots.

As there are no flight and duty times associated with private flying on private property the pilots are called on to do massive hours per seaon. The season goes from March/ April to Oct/Nov. These pilots fly in excess of 1500 regularly. Work that out. The wages are not that hot either, one bloke worked out he was on $7 per hour. Supply and demand, exploitation, call it what you will but i have never heard a pilot complain about it.

At the end of the season the company sends a nearly time ex aircraft, on the way to be traded in, to a school along with a few ringers and round we go again.

They are operating legally with regard to the pilots who often brag about the hours they fly.

[Av8r]

Deeper, if their getting paid, it ain't private. Phone through some details to CASA and do the industry a favor please.
But then again...whilst on that subject, speaking with a FOI at yet another CASA audit at one of our bases, I asked him why the 'big boys' are almost continually audited and the operators such as the one Deeper pointed out, probably have never been.
He said those guys are just one up, and can only kill themselves. An interesting comment I thought. I half suspect it’s more a case of a lot of hard work to investigate, coo berate evidence, charge and prosecute, and for what gain? There's always another 50 pilots waiting in the wings to do it all again. Yep, too much time tied up not being seen. Easier to be out and about in capital city sipping on a Cafe Latté staying at Hilton on the Park and pointing out that paragraph 34 of Vol 10a of your ISO2004 ops manual is missing a full stop.
Have I been in this industry too long?

[paco]

That happens in Canada, too, but not just for low time pilots and with the help of the authorities - a day not flying is officially a "day off". This was supposed to be for remote places, but is now used universally. That's how I managed to do almost all of Summer 2003 fire season without a day off at all (driving spares and pilots), though it looked fine on paper.

The answer to your question is - yes, it happens all the time, and don't talk to me about JAR "standards"! It's just as ridiculous to be away from base and forced to sit around most of the day - you'll be more tired from boredom than doing too much flying. A better way to manage it is to limit the number of days on duty in a row, then while you're away you can do some work, then enjoy yourself *at home*.

Low timers get the short end almost anywhere, but ultimately because they let it happen - as another poster said, there'll always be someone who will do it.

Phil

[Aser]

LOAC,maybe the equator has been changed , for sure you are talking about Spain :yuk:

Don't blame the low timers , you guys inside the company with thousands of hours have the force to change things.

I have JUST two options:
1- work as a miserable copilot hoping to gain enough experience and hours to improve my situation as soon as possible
2- go back to my previous job

As a low timer I'll choose 1 thanks.


Regards.

[B Sousa]

Consider this little tidbit. What are the high timers doing. After years of picking S:mad: with the chickens they have set themselves up to work for company after company. Many have no retirement or money set aside to do so.
Yes a few have good jobs and with their times can be hired with companies that pay well and have benefits. I think though, you will find that the majority of Helicopter Pilots at the upper end have to fly till they die as they have no solid future. Where did it start? Allowing companies to use you like a whore when you were low time.
Lets hear the flak from that...........

[B Sousa]

Selfish is right on the skydiving issue, although most I know in the U.S. do require a commercial. Bare minimum time would be OK though. There is a thread on the African Forum some time ago about folks working as Meat Bombers with PPls and getting paid. Cant remember the outcome but Im sure in all cases there is no paper trail and Cash is King.........