Where to now? Rex, Qantaslink, VB or Qantas Mainline???

[lil_blueberry]

Hello All,

Trying to decide on where to step up to next (or at least try...) I have interview with Qantaslink soon I also imagine Rex as well.

Status: TT: 1700Hrs, 580Hrs M.E.P.I.C, very little turbine time <20Hrs (C208), and 32 Y.O

I think the regionals will be the best choice based on easier entry level to RPT but which one? What are the details? Pay, roster, management treatment etc. I am thinking to join Qantaslink and stay for a couple years then transition to bigger things (Qantas mainline?/Jets)....does that sound smart people?

Then a friend throws a spanner in the works and says go for VB or Qantas mainline..........:ugh: Certainly probably a lot harder for me as I maybe competing with regional pilots for those places but still I don't know what Pay, roster, upgrade time,EBA. is like...........

Any stories on selections for the regionals/jets would also be appreciated as well as any knowledge/advice!

THANKS IN ADVANCE! :)

[OhSpareMe]

Aim High my friend by going straight to the top and apply for QANTAS.

After that you can work your way down the list.

[Transition Layer]

It's a pilot's market! Great to have some options isn't it!

Don't lock yourself into endorsement costs at QFLink or a bond (Rex) when your ultimate aim might lie elsewhere, i.e. VB or QF Mainline.

Have you applied to Mainline? Recruiting is going crazy and doesn't look like stopping anytime soon...guys with Zero multi time and around 1500hrs total are getting starts, so get amongst it!

Don't know much about VB recruitment but can't really understand why anyone wouldn't try for Mainline first up these days. Despite some of the moaning on here (and we all love a whinge from time to time), it is still a bloody good gig.

Cheers,
TL

[lil_blueberry]

Yeah thats what I though, Big boys first then go down the list!

Its kinda scary having options I tell ya, after all its like being a seagull fighting for some scraps then finding the banquet is being served!

Thanks again for the advice :)

[DeafStar]

Moral in QLink (QLD anyway)is at rock bottom. Everyone there is trying to get gigs with either Jetstar or VB. Even the more senior guys who do training are putting out resumes to the majors. Couple that with STILL having to fork out an endorsement and you would be mad to join Qlink. It used to be a great company but is know riddled with disease from Sydney.

[R.Cruizo]

Hi Deafstar,
I think morale at Qlink QLD started to plummet when " The Duck" and his Regime returned. The Sydney disease only added to the demise.

Your quite correct though. Shelling out money for a Dash 8 rating is madness today.

Sad to see, once a happy company.

RC

[Keg]

Two years to command for J*? I suspect that is hyperbole. J* has 24 A320s and 4 A330s. Over the next four years the fleet increases from that to 33 A320s and 15 787s. A net increase of 20 airframes. That doesn't quite double the size which means unless people start leaving (which is always possible with the crap terms and conditions) then not all current F/Os are going to get upgraded to command in that time frame unless even more aircraft are ordered. This is quite a different picture to the one that promises upgrade in two years.

Of course there was much comment in the REX threads over the potential threat to standards with such a high turnover of crew and with people coming from a low experience base and being rushed to command in such a short time. I'm not convinced that going from GA to A320 (or 737 or 767 at QF) command in two years is something that I'd be advertising as a good thing for the industry. A year or so after that and those people are the Check and Trainers as well. Sounds like a great idea. I guess in the world of the blind the one eyed man is king! :rolleyes: :ugh:

(Before anyone gets too wound up, this isn't an argument about J* standards, this is a point about the standards of any airline that thinks that going from the 'street' (and quite inexperienced as the street is showing at the moment) to command in a very, very short period of time is a good thing).

[mr.tos]

If you meet Qantas mainline minimum requirements then go for it bud. If you don't J*, VB, Qlink, REX. Best of luck.

[blow.n.gasket]

Right on Keg,
don't forget to figure in all the Direct entry Captains JetStar are after as well.
How long to command for an F/O then?:eek:
It really will then be
"All Day, Every Day ,**** Pay"
For Ever and Ever.

[QFinsider]

As was alluded to me by a current J* pilot, the only attraction is the potential for the command, with it's moderate increase in rumeration.
If the carrot isn't dangled and the so called expansion stops when for example;
1.Contribution margin actually revealed, indicating J* costs profit not
makes it
2. An economic downturn, with the highly elastic target market of J* in
decline
3. Bypass DEC entering on substatinally better T&C

Then it is a very shaky proposition to be stuck at J*.
To paraphrase EGM Qantas people (whatever that means)
when asked about pilots and their gripes at Q
he said words to the effect of.
"what is the matter, the pilots will still get to fly the new jets?..."
If the "oldmeadow" model is flawed, then what....

it's all about choice Geoff and Alan......:E

[Duff Shark]

im in the same position as you mate, i was told by inside sources that piston drivers are very much at the bottom of the food chain in recuitment with J* VB, i think they are mainly recuiting from those with some turbo prop time, heard from a friend he was told to "go to rex for 6months then apply with us" , i dont really agree with that ..... Im waiting on mainline but dont want to be the only one standing without a chair when the music stops, im sick of living remote but i guess i can hang around a bit longer.

[bushy]

I do not think there is a shortage of pilots. But the huge pool of CPL holding wannabies is smaller and training costs more. So the airlines are trying to pass that training cost on to the government, or the pilots, or the RAAF, or GA, or any other fool who will accept it.
At least we have some progress, in that some cadet schemes are tied to particular airlines, and will probably result in employment with that airline. This is better than spending your own money to train with no connection to or commitment from any airline. I never could understand why intelligent people would do that without first doing proper research. Thousands did it and most never got that airline job.
When our airlines sign up unqualified wannabies, pay them and train them, like the real airlines do, then we may be able to suggest we are approaching a shortage.
We are a long long way from that.