requirements to join SAA

[greaser]

Could anybody inform me as to what the requirements are for joining SAA,
Thanx

[BAKELA]

Greaser,

Not the normal stuff any airline would look for...for sure. :sad:

Do a search on SAA on PPrune and re-evaluate whether you think your question is still valid. :E Nobody with half...I've been told to stop!

[FuelFlow]

BAKELA. Your a big :mad: ENIS

[fluffyfan]

Bakela........glad you're not here anymore, have fun wherever you are.

Greaser, there is a lot of SAA bashing in this forum, its obvious why so I wont go into it, putting the politics aside, its a great company to work for, we have our probs like all airlines, do a search on pprure, look who is not complaining, not many.

The requirements change all the time (sorry I cant give you numbers, I will ask though and get back to you) if you are "previously disadvantaged" with a com well you are desparately needed at SAA, if you are white male with 3000+ hours, an ATP and airline experience sorry to say but get in the que with hundreds of other guys from all over, If you have a degree or something extra that will help you alot. The Government has to approve the hiring of all white males, because they are desparately trying to find affirmative action candidates, truth is there does not seem to be that many out there, so SAA has its Cadet program but that does not yield the numbers required so if you are a white male there is hope, SAA just hired 60 or so the other day, and I hear they are still short of pilots.

[Beta Light]

Not S.A.A. bashing Fluffy Fan. Most of it fact. Face the facts, even your union admit it is all screwed up.
I was good enough to fly as a commander on an aircraft leased by S.A.A. for a couple of months, with S.A.A. callsign, cabincrew, pax etc. but not good enough to be a "boy pilot".

[beechbum]

Just want to add my five cents worth. Fluffyfan don't know where the 60 guys you mentioned that were hired the other day have gone but i don't think it was SAA. Last intake was February and that was only three or four guys. There's a short list up the ying yang at the moment and I'm certain that those guys have not got the call yet.....cos I think I may be one of them and have heard Jack. As far as the cadet scheme is concerned.....there isn't one anymore. The last ones are going through the system at the moment (I could be wrong here though!!!) as SAA does tend to change their minds on a regular basis.
Fuelflow......ha! ha! nothing like chirping the SAA bashers!!! Good one mate.....will catch you soon!!!!!
Otherwise I think regarding the recruitment story it has ground to a grinding halt with a long queue!!!
Why not try One Time, Comair and the likes they're also looking for suitably qualified guys, for those who don't want to rush off to the national carrier at the drop of a hat!!!
Good luck though........!!!!!!:cool: ::ok:

[fluffyfan]

according to an internal bulletin the Cadet scheme is not dead, just on hold for now, as you know the new boss is trying to save the airline to a profit while everyone else expands go figure, I am not defending mamagement in any way, just letting you know that its a great place to work if you forget the politics, most of the guys are happy with conditions of employment, aircraft etc, a few guys coming back from Singapore (were on contract) not happy over there, with the rand where it is not that great any more, also the local aircrew over there treat you like sh_t as an expat pilot, If you want to go to the sandpit well good for you, I have flown contract work and you can keep it.

With the Cadet scheme on hold and our current shortage (fact) it has got to be only a matter of time before they start hiring, remember not too far back during the old regime, SAA went through an 8 year period of not hiring anyone, definitley not that bad at the moment...........Hope this helps, for those of you who want to come to SAA, to those who dont well there are many others out there, just dont expect same pay, benefits, modern aircraft, etc (wait for all the replies now with "the poor tax payer blah blah blah" give it a rest have heard that one before)

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Heard it all before, eh? Why hasn't it sunk in then?

SAA survives because their competition and Joe Taxpayer are forced to keep them afloat.:rolleyes: When that umbilicus is severed, the thud they make as the lead balloon hits the ground will be deafening.

[fluffyfan]

ok Pal..............we'll see dont hold your breath

Have fun flying your twotter

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Show me where my post is incorrect before spitting your dummy.

Can't?

Thought so...:rolleyes:

[boyracer]

Lets face it boys and girls if you want to fly for an airline with the best pay by far and the best perks with the latest greatest aircraft and stay in this beautifull land of ours then SAA is the only place to be, I agree it's not that easy to get into but show me any airline that is , im sure its very frustrating for you guy's on the list but hang in it will be worth it, i've been with a few airlines and SAA is a fantastic place in comparison, most of the pilots, if not all, really love flying for SAA, we have our problems but they pale in comparison to some of the other world's airlines, show me an airline in SA that has a pilot's assosiation as strong as SAA's.
So to those SAA bashers stop being those jelous types, get off you backsides and do something about your sorry lot in life.
To those of you who keep trying to get in, hang in there it's truly worth flying for SAA.:ok:

[Togolosie]

How to get into SAA ?

You have two choices :

1) Get yourself some breast implants, sever you manhood
and change your name to FiFi....

2) Buy lots of shoe polish, curl your hair and call yourself Moses...

The choice is up to you....

[BAKELA]

im sure its very frustrating for you guy's on the list

Boyracer,

Just FYI, never applied, never wanted to be and have no intention to EVER be on any SAA employment list. You are making some very fluffy :p assumptions and fanning them around here.

BTW, any connections with Michael Jackson? :}

[fluffyfan]

Solid Rust..............your last post
Show me where my post is incorrect before spitting your dummy.

How many times must I say.....forget the politics....its a great place to fly, just giving you my opinion, take it or leave it either way makes no difference to me.

I will try explain it again, SAA has its problems, so do most Airlines, look for threads on Virgin, BA, most Aussie airlines, most US Airlines, Air Mauritius the list is endless..........the one thing we all seem to have in common is the fight the pilot body is having with management in some form or the other. All I am saying is that from a pilots point of view, SAA is a great place, and trust me we dont much like our management either but we dont have much choice now do we? I do have friends in Nationwide, Comair, 1 Time, SAX and Airlink......and compared to these SA Airlines by far the best to work for is SAA, why, because the pilots make it a great place, Our Union is very powerfull and we stand together unlike some of the others, our Union SAAPA is constantly fighting management to improve our and the companies interests.

Now before you say I am going off on a tangent, let me just say that this thread was started by someone asking what the requirements to join SAA are, suddenly all sorts of posts "SAA...got rocks in your head" "SAA.....dont bother etc " Its obvious where these sentiments come from, some people dont like SAA for various reasons, I suspect the major reason is that these people are jealous that they are not in the airline. If SAA is such a terrible place, why do so many pilots from all the other airlines want to join us? how many SAA pilots do you see leaving SAA for Nationwide, Comair, etc......Yes a few do leave now and then for the likes of Emirates, All Nippon, to my knowledge mostly for financial reasons or reasons relating to the country ie the crime, but I doubt if its because they dont like working for SAA.

For your Info, there are approx 800 pilots at SAA, 90% of that number is white males no wonder the Government is having a heart attack......but what can they do? there are just not the numbers out there to change the situation

[Beta Light]

Boyracer,
The point is not the guys working for S.A.A. Most of my long time friends / mates is with S.A.A.

It is the uneven playing field that pi$$ us of. Gov. funded , loss making airlines should go.

Some very dynanic guys in lower management and SAAPA, but will never go higher and make it the airline it can be...THAT IS WHAT PI$$ ME OFF.

They should recruit on merit, not politics

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Fluffyfan

Apology accepted.:E

As long as you realise the perks and the great opportunities at SAA are sponsored by the competition and other taxpayers. I agree that the majority of people there are a good crowd and that the airline is a great place to work because of that, but the same can be said of a lot of other airlines. Of course, like all groups of people, you do have your fair share of @rsehats, but that's to be expected.

The salaries and perks are what makes SAA stand out from the crowd, as well as good benefits. Things may change somewhat when SAA has to compete on an equal basis with all the other airlines in SA.

[BAKELA]

Fluffyfan.

Your last post makes great sense, even though I hate to admit it.:p I also know plenty of guys flying for all the local/regional airlines and have to agree, if the pilots and the unions did not keep it together, the wheels would have been off totally many moons ago. However, its bloody high time that SAA starts playing to the same rule as the rest. However, with SAA, Transnet, the CAA and the NDoT, I cannot see this happening. Protectionism is the name of the game.

From what I gather, the rest of Africa's aviation industry is just as gatvol of SAA (and BIG BROTHER South Africa in general- poking their noses in everywhere) as us"SAA bashers". I can see SAA and SA in general heading for a snotklap or two in the not too distant future.

[fluffyfan]

Solid Rust

The salaries and perks are what makes SAA stand out from the crowd, as well as good benefits. Things may change somewhat when SAA has to compete on an equal basis with all the other airlines in SA.

In my opinion, SAA is probably the only airline paying its pilots properly in South Africa, is not the SAA salaries and benefits that must come down, its the other airlines that must increase theres to world norms.....................not likely though

[Solid Rust Twotter]

The difference being that if the others don't make a profit they go out of business. If SAA doesn't make a profit, Joe Public takes up the slack.

[Dr Know]

This strong union I hear so much about, did they keep the seniority intact when it came to commands or are you guy’s content with the fact that you get bypassed?

It was just a thought that crossed my mind....!;)

[fluffyfan]

Dr Know

Dont know what yoyu are refering to......nobody been bypassed, unless you are talking about the copilot who won the discrimination case, then yes, he has been promoted..............he is the one, only one, dont know what you have heard .

[Dr Know]

Its starts with one....:D

[APR]

He was turned down in 1993 because was not a RSA citizen. Guess what 'country' he came from - Transkei! I think thats a valid complaint.

[jbayfan]

He was actually turned down at least two times after 1994 as he was found to be unsuitable for SAA. Nothing to do with "citizenship". This when SAA was, as they still are, desperate for PDI's. Then the CCMA decided, in all their infantile wisdom, to back date this guys seniority to 1989. This would give him command seniority when he has only been in SAA for a few years. However, he does not meet the minimum experience level at SAA which I believe is somewhere around 9 years of active SAA service for command. So he is now on B744 course for a FO position, although rumours are he has had to have significant extra training and is not yet on line, while the other far lower seniority number FO's who were on the same course are already flying the line!!

[BAKELA]

From reading Jbayfan's post,

I rest my case. :sad:

[fluffyfan]

Greaser

Re : your Original post, as you can see anthing to do with SAA, the public watchdogs leap out the wood work "how dare SAA........." ...."SAA, public money....how horrible"

These guys are saviours, they are here to show us how evil an organisation can be, they deliberatley refused entry into SAA because they could not take the horrifying corruption. Well back to your original post.

I would suggest if you want to join SAA just look at what the anti-SAA gang have written, then work backwards and dont do what they did...........good luck.

[Whereyouwannago]

Hey Mr Fluggy, you sound like you are on the inside. I am happily employed kinda close to you too, and all I got to say is that SAA boasts one modern fleet. What they lack though, is the ability to let go of the reins of Apartheid, and don't tell me is doesn't exist. I see it daily with your crews waiting for the arrival of your flights at a crew changeover stop.

I've told you - cut the black - white chat - take a yellow card 4HP

[I.R.PIRATE]

Let me TELL you where you can go, you blithering idiot...............Same goes for you - no further reference to skin color until this whole thing settles down. 4HP

[The Claw]

"These guys are saviours, they are here to show us how evil an organisation can be, they deliberatley refused entry into SAA because they could not take the horrifying corruption. Well back to your original post.

I would suggest if you want to join SAA just look at what the anti-SAA gang have written, then work backwards and dont do what they did...........good luck."



fluffyfan

I guess being thick is a requirement also:confused:
As already stated most of the guys are ex-SAA, therefore they speak from experience! The term "EX" implies that they were in the employ of SAA! But I suppose SAA being so good and them being so bad is why half the world has now employed them :confused:

[BAKELA]

I know the diffs between chocolate and s:mad:t. What's that song by CCR (Creadance Clearwater Revival)...I See A Bad Moon Rising.

Cool down guys and gals. Been heated up myself a couple of times and made posts that embarrassed me and the mods (I've been told that and shown that! :O ). I'm still a "SAA basher" I suppose, I still have my principles, my beliefs and the rest of my feelings, but lets see all sides of the 10-sided coin we encounter from day to day and that we have in our diverse society - and I'm talking about Africa not South Africa only.

Nobody said it was going to be easy - and; Africa's not built for sissies! :ok:

[Whereyouwannago]

I'd like to know why I.P Pirate thinks someone is a blithering idiot for expressing their views. I don't need you to tell me where to go. I am a grown-ass man !!

The truth hurts doesn't it ??:ok:

HP4 or 4HP.........That was my first or second post in this thread. That is/was the first time you told me anything about black and white????

Point taken however !!

[boyracer]

hey Beta Light, Mate I agree with you SAAPA are always having to defend the pilots against the dirty tricks and I truly think the writing is on the wall, I would be stupid not to be looking around unfortunatley that will make me a refugee so to speak, The sad thing is Most if not all the pilots love SA and SAA but the way things look like they might go there will be a mass exodus from the pilots and the only loyalty that SAA had will be gone then it will be RIP SAA. What is the solution. i dont think any of us anywhere will be able to defend against the rotten cancer of affirmative action....... what a tragedy:{ :{ :{

[Kep Ten Jim]

I don't know. Difficult one this!

Let's face it, things are going to change. As much as we would like to keep the old standards up, it aint going to happen. Just look at Zimbabwe - there's no reason why SA should be any different - this is Africa. The same scenes have been played out time and time again when another African country gets its independence. They want payback - pure and simple - and payback is what they'll get. Standards is not an issue. When a goverment minister has a nephew who wants to be a pilot with SAA, then he will be a pilot with SAA. If he isn't good enough now, then retrain him until he is - end of story, finish and klaar.

My advice to all the young pilots who had their hearts set on joining SAA - forget it, you're too late! Start looking North

[TooBadSoSad]

Folks, see my post in The Campfire section responding to "Black Pilot's" post!! This will give more insight into the state of affairs within flight ops at SAA.