Air Pacific and FAA license

[tomcat21]

Hello, I am currently flying the B737-800NG and wanted to know if anyone had info on the t and c at Air Pacific as well as what needs to be done for a conversion from FAA to a Fiji license. Thanks alot.

[VH-WASA]

Mate, I wouldn't go there if I was you. Read all the other messages, re Rishworth contract and the Air Pacific working environment. It's not all that it's made out to be. The back stabbing local pilots just hate the contract pilots with a passion. The indigenous Fijian pilot is mothered and can do no wrong so I believe because the chief pilot is Fijian and the deputy chief pilot is so weak he can not do anything because he lets the Fiji Pilots union walk all over him. There is absolutely no discipline within the Airline.
Good luck anyway.

[tomcat21]

Any chance you could give me some examples? Have u heard if any yanks have ever gone there?

[Warhawk]

Dear Tomcat21,

Have a look at the CAA Fiji website (CAAFI).

http://www.caafi.org.fj/contact.htm

They have contact details for your questions. They have taken FAA licences in the past, although preference is traditionally for Australian, New Zealand and UK. To be honest the FAA licences are not that highly regarded in this part of the world (ie Australasia, SW Pacific), but they should let you through!

There are not so many yanks but a few Canadians come for the float planes every season. So culturally speaking no problems for you.

BTW the posts on this thread concerning Fijian aircrew politics does have some thruth (IMHO). Their stds can be low, they can be "slow", have poor CRM etc, but as long as they are Fijian its OK (from my experience anyway). Some of the locals I had as F/O's when I was there would never make the grade anywhere remotely first world, but if you're an ethnic Fijian (or better still a Ratu {A chief or son of}) then no worries! To be honest thats my experience of aviation culture in other developing countries too - Fiji cannot be singled out in that respect.

Havings said that its a cruzy place and the people are friendly. My memories of flying in Fiji are happy ones - despite the low pay and silly politics. You just have to remember where you are and accept it, then you can enjoy the WX and the beaches, scuba diving etc. Its a low stress place thats for sure. :p

[tinpis]

:p

Paul McCartney UKCAA Airworthiness Advisor

[hoggsnortrupert]

FAA Licence,

Ask for a Mr J Edwards, he will give you the gen.

His predecessor Mr JackS, would not issue a FeeG Licence unless you have 500 hrs on the FAA ticket?

As a kid I use to watch a program on TV called the adventures of the sea spray.(an idyllic family life cruising the FeeG sea,s and
visiting the surrounding islands)

I had this missguided love of a place I had never visited, a place I wanted to live and fly.

I realised this dream ,I carried into my aviation career,and went there in 89.

left in 97, Bitter,sick of the racial bs, sick of the national vs's expat,sick of the gutless individuals employed in CAAF,sick of the favouritism, and the corruption, and watch out for the engineering lack of standards.

The treacherous ones are the the fijians,be they ethnic,white or Indian,and equally treacherous is the management at the helm of the airlines, be that Air Pac,Sunflower(SunAir)and Air Fiji.

If the cane fields of Fiji where burning, I would willingly pay for a aerial tanker, fill it with avgas, fly it up there and donate it to the cause.

Go there, enjoy the woman, the beaches, the sea, and the beer,
go to the bounty bar and enjoy the atmosphere over your watered down beer.

But there has to be a certain irony in the fact that so many of the so called nationals,that would write letters to the dept of immigration, in objecting to another white face in there midst, yet when they get a bit of experiance, they show their other passports that they have kept real quiet about,whilst knifing you in the back, then move to your country fly for your airline,and great you like a long lost friend on the ramp when you meet years later.

It is an experiance like none other you will ever experiance.

Try if you are Idyllic, Romantic,Bold, or just stupid, it doesn,t matter which.

Bitter???.

Two F---ing right, and would just love to meet a few in a dark aley outside of FEE-G.

:ok:
Cheer's
HogR

[Flight Detent]

Hi Hoggsnortrupert,

I agree entirely, spent some time on the '74 Classics there, but with the combination of the fijiian attitude, APs attitude and the effects of working for IAC, I also left, and as it turned out, was much better off for it!
APs crewing department, (I'm sorry if that implies some sort of expertise, it shouldn't), went out of their way to make things difficult for us expats.
Their ground 'engineers' are very good with 'alternative' ways of doing things, or not do, and use the usual ways to try and fix problems with the pen instead of the spanner. I found them hopeless!

Finally, IAC went back on its word once to often, and I departed.

My advice - don't go there!

Cheers, FD

[tomcat21]

Thanks for the info. Can anyone be more specific on how expats are treated there? I have heard alot of negative things and want to make sure I make the right decision. Can anyone give examples of how IAC didnt hold up its end. Thanks in advance.