Mustering Pilots Imformation !!!

[Fly Jimmy]

Hi everyone,

I am soon thinking about going out and trying to work on a station as a musterer. Ive heard that this definately makes a very good pilot and wouldnt mind heading away from the city for a while and out to the bush. Just wondering if anyone has any tips, stories, knowledge etc etc about being a mustering pilot?

Also are there any real dangers to this sort of job or are these myth?

Id like to hear from people that have previously worked on stations, whats it like, whats expected of you, what other jobs had to be done, are there any low level or mustering endorsments that are necessary? etc etc etc etc.

How many hours would a typical year be, what would the typical pay be, ever any accidnets? Why is it looked favourably upon on completion? etc etc.

Very keen to hear any imfomation anyone has to offer on this subject. Thanks in advance!

Jimmy!

[4SPOOLED]

A bloke i know works up there every season. 172 motors strapped in 150's add to the exitement, plus you mainly conduct low flying ops, pretty dangerouse with the sinks around the place, especially when you dont have much height if anything goes wrong.

Would love to do it myself, but 150 time isnt really sought after in the log...but geez it would be a ball!!

[185skywagon]

There are not many larger pastoral companies in queensland that still use fixed wing for mustering.
stanbroke still has a couple of machines. Neil Bates is the CP.
SK Kidman and Co, still use Cubs and C172/182 for mustering.
head office is in SA.
Deb and Ash Dowden are the the only ones i have heard of in mid WA. i don't of anyone else.

To do the endorsement, you need to have over 100 hours in command plus 100 hours in the type you are going to muster in.
some companies look after their own endorsements. there are not many people that you can get a mustering endorsement from on the east side.
Rob Glenn at Parkes NSW, and Sandy Kidd at Windorah Qld.
both these blokes have hands on aerial stock mustering experience.
185.

[tinpis]

And watch out fer rum sodden ringers trying to get in yer swag at night.

http://www.augk18.dsl.pipex.com/Smileys/cowboy.gif

[Fred Gassit]

The job is as safe as you make it, a more accurate description of the job is probably spotting, which doesn't generally require super low level all the time. Lots of fun but long days and does become quite boring after a few weeks on the one place. The murchison/gascoyne is a big area for it and the dude in Geraldton with company bearing his name does ratings (or used to) also Arnold Black in Albany used to. Most prangs Im familiar with were either caused by clowning around (youngsters) or apathy (older guys) Most important I think is to make sure you get rated

[matana22]

mustering is great.

I was offered a job with just over 300 hours total. Almost 0 experience on stations. The endorsement was all paid for by the company. I was given a house to live in. Food and power free. the only expence is phone and beer.
The mustering side is kinda seasonal a days muster could be anything from 2 to 7 hours. It then may last 1 to 5 days.
It will depend on the size of the station, terrain and amount of cattle.
When not mustering checking the waters on a station over 2.8million acres will take a couple hours. then if it rains and the road closes it's into town to get mail and veges.
All of this is done in a 182. I started with only about 10hours on type.
The rest of the time it's fencing, pulling bores, drafting, station stuff.
The hours aren't great about 20 when it's wet to usually 40-50 per month. but 1 hour mustering cattle 150ft above the ground is worth 3 in the kimberley, I've done both.
Am happy to go into more detail if you want just PM me.

[185skywagon]

from CAO 29.10.
7 AERONAUTICAL EXPERIENCE 7.1 An applicant for approval to conduct aerial stock mustering in an aeroplane, a helicopter or registered gyroplane shall have gained the total number of hours in aeronautical experience applicable to the grant of a commercial pilot licence. The aeronautical experience shall include: (a) 100 hours as a pilot in command of an aircraft which shall include at least fifty hours in command of the kind of aircraft for which the approval is sought; and (b) 5 hours low flying in the appropriate kind of aircraft in accordance with the syllabus at Appendix I; and (c) 10 hours training in aerial stock mustering operations in the appropriate kind of aircraft in the preceding 90 days in accordance with the syllabus at Appendix I;

185

[squidward]

I too started my first flying job as a station pilot, with a grand total of 200hrs. I know of someone who got a job with only 100hrs :oh: Everything said so far is right on the money. On the positive side, you'll get flying and experiences that money can't pay for, and you're stick and rudder skills should be pretty reasonable at the end of it. As far as I know, all the pastoral companies provide food / board. Some provide it free (stanbroke), some deduct a small amount for it each week from your wages (CPC).

On the negative side.... If you're from the city get ready for a big culture shock. Station life is pretty much the same as it has been for at least the last 60 years... Be aware that they will likely work you anytime of the day or night, doing any damn thing they ask you to. You will be expected to fix fences, drive a tractor/truck/dozer/forklift, dig holes, clean out cattle water troughs, pick up rubbish, mow the lawns etc etc. This can wear pretty thin after a while if you were expecting to be flying all the time. Typical hours would be breakfast at 6:00am, finishing up around 5:30pm. You would be expected to work 7 days a week if they need you to fly. Some places pay the same salary regardless of how many days each week you work. Others will pay you for the actual days worked. The aerial mustering approval is usually arranged and paid for by the company after they employ you.

Most of the planes are maintained reasonably well, even though they may look a bit beaten up. How well they are maintained is often up to how picky you are with telling maintenance about defects when you go for the 100hrly. Engines are usually pretty good, but don't expect to have any navaids, (maybe or maybe not a GPS), and definetly not an autopilot. For basic station flying and mustering you won't need this stuff anyway - except for the GPS.

Get used to being told how to fly the plane, how to load it, what weather to fly in etc by station managers who don't have a pilot license. Diplomacy and learning how to operate safely whilst dealing with pressure from these guys is something you will need to learn quickly otherwise you will surely come to grief sometime soon.

Types of flying include mustering, bore inspection, moving people & parts from station to station, fire spotting, fire bombing and the most fun of all..... :yuk: 1080 bait dropping.

Make sure you hang around during the wet season, as it's great experience and will help you get your next job when it's time to move on. Most companies will expect you to stick around for 12 months.

PM me if you have other questions.

Squid

[compressor stall]

G'Day 185, how's things?

at least fifty hours in command of the kind of aircraft for which the approval is sought

My interpretation of that reg is a type is "airplane" or "helicopter".

As such, anyone with a CPL(A) and 95% of PPL(A)s would qualify? :confused:

In any case, where are you and what you flying these days?

CS

[185skywagon]

CS,
I think that can interpreted which ever way suits.
Type could come down to CSU or T/W etc. or it could be under 5700 kg s/e land.
The point is that, you need to be familiar with your beast, so that you are not having to think about systems etc, when you should be concentrating on the task at hand, ie low level stuff.

There is a pilot job advertised in the QLD Country life paper this week. Colonial Agricultural co.

Still in SWQld now flying a A185F . Sold the old 185

Back into the baiting after doing some roo survey in SA, last month.

cheers
185.

[vh-oja]

Jimmy,
I spent 2 years on stations getting up my first thousand, looking back on it I think it is the best way to truly discover all the stick and rudder skills. without offending all instructors and A to B pilots, you truly earn your hours. Everything is handflown, low level, lots of turns, speed, power and config. change, you work bloody hard, and at 100' it is very unforgiving to any recklessness or complacency.

As for the people, it can vary. I went bush from the city at the tender age of 18, the first two weeks was a big culture shock, big days, hard men and big meals (steak 3 times a day!). Do not expect any admiration to your piloting skills from the managers,, jackeroo's etc... thaey believe that the plane is the same as the land cruiser, it does a job and you are just the operator. When you aren't flying you can expect to be working in the shed or in the yard with the cattle. The most important thing is to be putting in 100% all day long and show interest in learning these bush skills, it will earn you a hell of a lot of respect and make your time on the stations much more enjoyable.

As for inherent dangers, being low will make stall/spin recover impossibe, so keep the speeds up. A strong willy willy (little tornado) will flip the ole 150 on her side and bump the 182 around a bit, birds can also be a hazard at waterholes, rubbish dumps and fires. Keep your equipment running well (oil up, windscreen clean, belly degreased etc...) and you won't have many drama's. As you will most likely be running full rich down low it can be benefical to clean the spark plugs every 50 hours or so (pilot maintenance in the CAAP's). Worst I ever had was a magneto sh!t itself over a waterhole at 50', no drama's if your initial response actions are drilled in to you.

As for pay, about 20k a year, may sound crap but as your food and accomm are paid for, it's all pocket money really, not much to spend your cash on until you get into town.

Without further ruffling feathers, I think mustering pilots are held in high regard for jobs due to the high degree of handling skill they have, it really does become second nature after a while, also with the country work ethic in you you stand out from the crowd. The genuine references you will get to put on your resume can make the difference with future employers too.

You will need a Mustering endorsement, 15 hours total (first 5 are just low level flight, the other ten are actual mustering). Most of the bigger ag companies have an approval to give you the rating.

As the hours per year, could vary between 300 - 800 per year. Keep in mind that if you are employed by the ag company the flying will be a private operation, therefore you can fly NVFR with pax, no duty time limits and the like.

Hope this helps you out, best of luck
:ok:

[scrambler]

185

from CAO 29.10

2 Definitions

kind of aircraft means 1 of the following, an aeroplane, a helicopter or a registered gyroplane.

Looks pretty clear to me

[185skywagon]

whatever.

familiar and current are more important anyway.

[the wizard of auz]

P.M me if you want some more specific details. Have a little experiance on the subject. ;)