Jet Connect Questions

[757manipulator]

Honest thoughts and opinions please.

Currently flying 757/767's in Europe, the old ball and chain wants to head back to godzone, and Im looking at options.

Air NZ is a known quantity and as such the company culture and equipment is something Im interested in exploring.

Jetconnect on the other hand is a place I know very little about, any idea on bonding arrangements, company morale, culture etc, D/E minimums, and persons to contact via the phone..email for a chat.

Present Jetconnect flightcrew I'd appreciate your input.

Thanks in advance


757:D

[TOPC]

Thought I would post what I was told by an Auckland Jetconnect Captain (friend of mine that recently stayed with us.)

The pilots are a great bunch of guys and everyone gets along.
Pay is woeful and often these guys are referred to as the lowest paid 737 drivers in the world.
New Zealand is a VERY Challenging place to fly (Terrain /Weather ).
Flight attendants same.,great staff only embarrasing wages.

Morale is bad because 10 pilots to be retrenched .Reason :-Jetstar awarded Jetconnect Tasman Flying and Jetstar will only take 4 Pilots from Jetconnect. THE RUB IS.. The guys that want to join Jetstar still have to 1) Pay to be interviewed .2) If they pass the Qantas selection they will be allowed to pay $26,000 (I think AUS) to do the endorsement .3) have to live in CHC.
The crazy part is that they are all flying Qantas Tail Now.....I believe Impulse pilots did not have to go through the same hoops. to join Jetstar . Dont gorget some of these guys recently parted with $25000 to fly a 737 for Jetconnect.

Massive turnover of staff . Huge turnover of pilots . Lots of EXPERIENCE leaving . NO respect for the Manager there who does not care how many people resign.
He takes pride that HIS staff has very little / No staff travel. Doesnt look like giving any either.
Chief pilot is new there and the jury is still out.
Check and training out of control.Training manager Sounds very old school and OLD Ansett .All checking and NO training..Very disappointing to hear in this day and age.

Anyhow food for thought . Maybe some of the pilots there could confirm / deny or add to this.
My friend used to enjoy working there but now I am not so sure.

757manipulator,hope this helps you.:ok:

[J430]

I am booked for at least one Jetconnect if not more flights next year, QF have just changed one to J* back to Sydney.

From what I read here I should change all the flights to QF mainline or J* or swim......

Is it really that bad?

J:ok:

[Cloud Cutter]

Are Jetconnect pilots contractors or employed? Gotta feel for them, they work equally as hard as their Air NZ counterparts for much lower pay. On the plus side, 737 time has got to be pretty usefull for jobhunting.

[jarjar]

757manipulator

have you thought about applying to a couple of regionals? I know its a big step down from heavy jet, but it may be a good start if your looking at getting back into oz. You never know, you may really enjoy it, my understanding is that the regionals in Australia tend to have a better working environment, morale etc than the majors, some of you regional drivers shed some light on this?

:ok:

[757manipulator]

Thanks one and all for your time and effort:ok:

[Cloud Cutter]

I think that applying to ozzie regionals is prob not the best way to get back to NZ;) But Mount Cook would be a good option.

[stillalbatross]

New Zealand is a VERY Challenging place to fly (Terrain /Weather ).

It's not too cold (not the -30 in some places), it isn't too windy (not the 30 to 60 knots in other places), LWMO is unheard of, highest mountains are 15000ft (ish) and you don't ever cross them. Aside from boosting up the egos of NZ pilots (who already think they're gods gift to aviation) what exactly is challenging about it.
The small minded mentality is a bit challenging, I'll give you that.
They should go fly in northern Europe or Canada if they think lil' NZ is challenging.

[tinpis]

I think he means chalenging in a 737 stillalbatross.
If you blink you gonna miss it.

[757manipulator]

I agree NZ is a challenge..(did all my training..and first job etc)

I dont think its anymore challenging than anywhere else, going to Turkey tonite...17500ft MSA....ISA+15(usually!)...VOR/NDB approach...night..blackhole approach(no lead-in or centreline lights)..and tankering fuel to land at max landing weight..ish, onto a runway 70degrees off the prevailing wind. Probably "give" the sector to the Captain!!

:uhoh: ;)

[Cloud Cutter]

I have to partially agree with stillalbatros, I've never flown outside NZ, but it doesn't strike me as a particularly challenging environment (at least not the places you would be taking a 737 into). We do have changable weather, but I've never even seen a runway covered in snow or slush (it may happen occasionaly down south), and our thunderstorms are usually tame by American standards. The possible exception would be Wellington which can get tricky on a bad day (some of you may be interested to see how close the ILS puts you to the houses on the northern hills) - there's some good footage here (mms://ds9.dhsnow.com/AirsideTV2/windywellington.wmv).

When NAC first purchased 737-200s the Boeing instructor was riding in the jump seat on the way into Wellington one night. There was a 60 kt Northerly, and after they landed, with white knuckles clenching back of either crew seat, he was heard to remark "well, that was interesting, wasn't it" :uhoh: