GA OZ Jobs

[JohnnyK]

Evenin All,

Well, after a couple of years in Africa racking up a few hours in 206's,210's and Islanders I thought I was all set too find a job here in NZ. Got 1700 hrs, got 350 twin, Got my IF renewed(goodbye savings), knocked on Doors, talked on phones, emailed,and did all the usual things you do to get a job. Had a few hopeful leads and one or two well intentioned but ultimately unhelpful promises but nothing really eventuated. I love this career-its the only job I ever want do to, so, ironically enough, here I find myself pulling 12 hour shifts in a Foundry(spelt hell on earth) in order to cash up to head to the other side of the Tasman, to the big brown land of milk and honey or at least a flying job that pays a living wage. Have put a small rainforests worth of applications to get my licenses and rating transferred to the OZ cpl, not to mention security cards and what not and, in a couple of months, shall be heading there along with long suffering wife and eternally cheerful small boy. I am thinking of heading to Cairns as they seemed to have a few promising sounding operators there but that is the only place I have really checked out. Has anybody else out there got some handy OZ job clues/tips/advice/locations/local knowledge for yet another struggling pilot living the, not altogether pleasant at the moment, dream and heading into unfamiliar terrain and not entirely sure where to turn to next? Suggestions?

Thanks Folks.

John.

[pilotads]

G'day mate
I'm not in the same experience level as you so I can only tell you what I've heard. You have the hours to start at Cairns but you will have a lot of other pilots the same numbers going for the same jobs the islander experience might help. for a better chance to get a job is to get away from the paradise that’s cairns and try Darwin, Broome, Tas
That’s my uneducated 2 cents but I'm interested in heading off the Africa soon probably late this year early next year. Where do you recommend to start looking for work and what sort of hours are needed over there

[tinpis]

Kakadu Air advertising today in NT NEWS for single pilots

Dont PM me look up the number in the phone book and talk to Bob

Oh..... yer need 900 hours with a bit of time on singles over 300 HP

[metrosmoker]

900 hours you say. You must be talking about a 900 series of some type,(one that I have never heard of). However if it is total time, then they have gone up 450% from a few months ago. Pilot shortage? Not with those requirements. And yes absolutely go to Darwin where NO ONE operates an Islander except Surveillance Australia. Cairns son!

[ABX]

Got to love people spending all that hard earned cash coming to Oz looking for flying work.

Har har har.:E

[I spy]

And yes absolutely go to Darwin where NO ONE operates an Islander except Surveillance Australia.

And only after you've served time on the Rock........................

[Islander Jock]

Kakadu Air advertising today in NT NEWS for single pilots

Discrimination based on marital status:E

[TwoHundred]

Johnny K

Give Aero Tropics a try. They are predominantly YHID based, but have several BN2 types.

Based on your 1700/350 i think they would be your best shot. Skytrans also operate the BN2 at YHID and would be worth sending your CV to, but they may require more hours.

Hinterand Aviation also operate a BN2 out of Cairns, but will be as per Skytrans for hours.

Is all your 350 Multi on Bongo's?
What is yr NGT experience and how many CIR renewals have you had? Anyone running RPT will usually want at least 50hrs night.

200

[FullySickBro]

G'day Johnny,

With your hours Cairns sounds like a good option. It has a well established GA scene and for the missus and ankle biter is definitely a far more liveable place than some of the more remote parts of Oz.

As mentioned numerous times on prune, you can sacrifice a small rainforest on sending out resumes but you won't really get any bites until you front up personally on their doorstep.

From the sounds of your post you are articulated and mature enough to get where you want to be so just keep your chin up because something will turn up. Don't listen to any jibes against Kiwis, there are plenty of Aussies in NZ and the rest of the world so its a two way street. Happy job hunting!!:E

[JohnnyK]

Folks,

Thanks for all the helpful replies and the pm's. It seems there are some options out there and I fully expect to make the best of them. Bags are almost packed for the lucky country where the cricket is good.

May all your beer be free and cold.

John.

[Nokuya]

Hey John,

I am not Australian, but I have also been looking for GA Jobs in OZ too....Flying in PNG on the Twotters at the moment, but check this site out:

http://www.afap.org.au/html/s02_article/article_view.asp?id=98&nav_cat_id=127&nav_top_id=73&view=&history=1&gback=home&dsa=182

If you manage to land one, please let me know? Thanks...

N-Man

[bushy]

A while back I employed a bloke who had been flying in Horn Island. He had an Islander endorsement.
I paid him the award wage, and he told me that was double what he had been getting at his previous job.

[bullamakanka]

Mate, go for it. There are some good opertunities in OZ these days. Sure it will still take some effort and work but there are jobs around for guys with your hours. All the usual stuff still stands, be a good worker, present well (it is amazing the amount of guys who came in to drop of a CV in shorts, a t-shirt, and thongs), get to know a few of the locals, know all the regs etc, and you should be ok. RTG, are you serious? or are you really that much of a tosser?? Bulla...

[Lefthanded_Rock_Thrower]

Bushy has hit the nail on the head regarding wages with the organisations you'd be looking at in Cairns, you'll probably be standing in a que for a while.

West Wing at Mount Isa is definately worth consideration, a solid company that pays well (award) has solid contracts and based in a largish city, fleet of B58, C310, C402, C404, PA31, B200, probably something bigger if the new Zinifex contract advertised in todays Australian come off.

I've lived in worse places than Mt Isa and i'd reckon there's more Kiwis in Mount Isa than the whole of NZ.

Do not ever work for less than you are entitled too.

[DUXNUTZ]

Mount Isa is a fantastic place. Be sure to hop on the tourist bus to see the sights. The people and natural wonders are truly a sight to behold. I highly recommend a tour of the copper and lead smelters.... Absolutely gorgous!

Its true what they say, There IS something in the water.

[OpsNormal]

Mount Isa is a fantastic place. Be sure to hop on the tourist bus to see the sights. The people and natural wonders are truly a sight to behold. I highly recommend a tour of the copper and lead smelters.... Absolutely gorgous!
Its true what they say, There IS something in the water.

The (any) place is what you make of it. Not everything might be in town but there is enough to do around the place to keep most happy.:=

Lefty. Dunno what the score is with that mine we spoke of that day that QF 73 taxied out on us, but all the locals refer to it as George Fisher, even has that name on its front gate. You never dropped-in after either.....

OpsN.;)

[bullamakanka]

RTG,

I am having a go because its a very broad, and imature, generalisation you are making about kiwi aviators. There are many of our stange sounding cousins in GA in OZ and all the ones I have come across have been great fellas. You may have come across the odd bad apple by the sound of it, build a bridge. No I am not a kiwi either.

They are welcome to come to OZ for work just like you are welcome to go NZ for work. Good luck to them!

If there was a **** load of work in NZ and none here I bet heaps of us would be there in a heart beat.

Unfortunatelly I have never had pax who paid to jump out of the aircraft. Its quite a novel concept though. However some of the aircraft I have flow are well worth jumping out off.

It sounds like you have a similar opinion of instructors and sky dive pilots as you do kiwis? So what if some one takes a different career path to you mate.

Did you vote for One Nation a few years ago?

Any way back to what this post is all about...

There is a lot of work about in GA these days. It looks like another good year for airline recruiting in OZ, which will keep the flow through GA moving. You may end up in a few strange joints but as Ops say, its what you make of your time there.

[Lefthanded_Rock_Thrower]

Ops normal:
"Xstrata's George Fisher/Hilton zinc, lead and silver mine"
http://www.coordinatorgeneral.qld.gov.au/workliveplay/nth_west/work.shtml

It would appear some recent brown nosing has been accomplished by changing the name from "Hilton" to "George Fisher", a former Chairman of MIM, bet someone got a promotion and pay rise for that.

JohnnyK, incase you haven't worked it out, sending Opsnormal your resume for said company might be helpful.

[bushflight]

Reef Flight is loking for an experienced float driver based in the Kimberley WA. Don't PM just looke them up.