'Paying to Play' in Australia

[PosClimb]

In the US there a lot of 'pay to play' programs where you basically pay to be an FO. Very controversial stuff.

Do you have these programs in Australia, too?

Or is the shortage of pilots so acute in AU that these type of programs are no longer attractive to low hour pilots?

G'day...

PC

[tail wheel]

Very controversial here too. Not to mention, contrary to current industrial relations legislation.

[Launchpad McQuack]

That notion can go to hell....things have really turned to :mad: when us newbies have to consider paying to be an F/O....on top of CPL, MECIR, ATPLs...and expected to pay for an endorsement :yuk:

Then PAY for the privilage of doing the job!!!! WTF??? :confused:

I don't care if it's just to get experience...that's bull:mad:, and if it ever comes to that then I'll only be flying weekends at the local aeroclub after finding another career.

LP:*

[Zhaadum]

Fer Chrissake SHHHSSSHHH!! Don't give the management types any more bad ideas!

Z.:ugh:

[bogdantheturnipboy]

I know there was an outfit in NZ that were charging pilots to be the F/O which resulted in really cheap airfares. I think it was between Wellington and Nelson. My memory is so bad these days I can't even remember the company's name.
But they went bust - thank goodness!!:D

[PosClimb]

Doesn't Skipper's offer a FO hour building (pay to play) program?

[DeltaSix]

PosClimb, paying for the endorsement is bad enough, let alone paying to work as an F/O. To answer your question, NO - we don't have these "Pay to Work as FO" hour building programs ( or whatever they call it in the U.S.) . It's not acceptable here and never will be.

As you've mentioned, the U.S. is the place BUT I think you've misconstrued what the programme is. You pay for the F/O programme ( type rating and others) and you GET PAID to work as an F/O in a B727 on freight operations to get your initial 500 jet hours. They have this in Miami, FL. but you need U.S. residency to work. Not everyone in the world can qualify for this.

I can't speak for Skipper's but you will still need Oz residency or citizenship to work and live here but this is the first I've heard of this.

Hope this helps.

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

My understanding is that "pay to play" has been alive and well in the land of Oz for some time !

Dr

[DeltaSix]

Alive and well in GA maybe but is PosClimb after GA or airline ? He is referring to something similar to the FO hour building programme in the U.S. on turbo-props and jets.

Would the likes of Skippers, Rex, Jetstar or Virgin would have FO hour building programmes where the FO pays to work ?

ICUS is one form in GA flying Barons, Chieftains, etc but I'm not sure that's what he is after.

[27/09]

bogdantheturnipboy

City Jet was the outfit.

They charged $20,000 for a type rating on the Bandit when in reality the price should have been about $5000. BUT they generously gave the "Victim" 100 hours co-pilot time. So, in essence it was "paying to play".

That wasn't the only dodgy practice that they tried. Thank God for the industry they didn't last. Unfortunately the founders of the operation did OK, thanks very much, one of whom starred on the "Lions Den" as one of the panel of successful entrepreneurs.