Tune Air / Air Asia

[CAPTAIN WOOBLAH]

Chaps,

Heard that Tune Air has signed a S&P agreement to buy out Air Asia.

It also seems that they may be buying B737-200's and a few of them too.

So Chaps any news on employment ect ect.

Seems really quiet here on this subject.

Capt Wooblah. :cool:

[BorneoPilot]

Hello Captain Wooblah,
I've finally got all my basics done. =)
CPL/ME/IR (Canadian) Would really love to work for any airlines, fly anything. What's the situation in Malaysia/Asia now? Reason being, I've got a job offer as a flight instructor here, should I just throw everything away here and risk my neck back home?

desperately needing advice!

[Bob Hawke]

Boeing announces a mystery order of 20 new aircraft in the Asia region, no names given. Could this be the one?????

[QNH1013]

Tune Air is going to be oficially taking over with the day to day running of AirAsia on December 1st. Things are still finalising but going well so far. 2 737-200's will join the fleet by end November and another 3 by early next year. 1 current 737-300 will remain indefinitely. AirAsia's name will be maintained but a whole image revamp will take place as you will soon see. AirAsia will be heavily marketed this time with the new management and also the airline will offer a low cost no frills airline service similar to the low cost operaters in UK such as Ryanair, easyjet, GO etc...
Lets hope the Malaysian public is ready for an idea like that.

YES, there will shortly be an advertisment in the local press for Pilots for the 737-200 and also cabin crew and as far as I know you will have to have hours and I "think" also be type rated (for pilots of course). The exact figure of hours going to be asked for I am not sure. Things can change all the time. As expected I know alot of applications from operators like Transmile are already on the desk. As a new company set up by Tony Fernandes, AirAsia will start with the 737-200's to make money and within an initial 5 year plan my change to newer 737's. AirAsia aims to always be a 737 operator in line with the sucess of other low coast airlines that run the 737. There is the plan to have a maximum of up to 17 aircraft in the next 5 years and hopefully maintain operations from Subang Airport, subjet to the ministry and other powers that be.

I know the first few aircraft are coming from ex airlines so no, the mystery order of 20 aircraft from Boeing are not coming here. I would guess they are going to China? The 737-200's will also be RSVM compliant. Requirements for pilots will include being Malaysian. The new boss is not going to take advantage of the current situation in the States or Europe to bring in Expats and disadvantage current and local crews. AirAsia will be a domestic and regional operator only expanding the network fully within 5 years.

As I said, things may change as it's still in the finalising stages. But there'll be more news as it comes!

Hope this info helps.
Regards.

[Iso]

Q, one question springs to mind, if you are a Malaysian and "typed" on the B73?, then you would more than likely already be employed by MAS or Transmile. Other than those at Transmile, where else are they going to come from. What you take from Transmile, will only cause Transmile to recruit ex-pats. So this means, you may well have to pay for some training as well if you want Malaysians to fly for you. How about it?

[QNH1013]

Iso,
I agree with you. I don't know if they will ask for rated pilots. But more so sure that they will ask for hours. This would give alot of opportunities to many malaysian pilots. We'll have to wait and see in the advert. In turn, pilots lost from Transmile to AirAsia may not necessarily cause the recruitment expats, but just train local pilots low houred or not. But I'm certainly not in the position to know for sure, only speculate.

[CAPTAIN WOOBLAH]

QNH you are very well informed, do you happen to work for Air Asia?

Well all that was said seems to be what will happen as Tune Air take over the day to day running of Air Asia.

I also heard that they have a pretty solid team at work in their office in MUI plaza downtown KL. On the issue of rated 737 pilots I guess this will have to do with the availability of locals with the rating and experience levels to maintain a safty balance. I believe that currently Air Asia is generally run by ex RMAF pilots, well need I elaborate further. I fighter pilot I fly F5E I know it all. Yeah, what's this got to do with civilian airline ops.

Did some checking on the senior pilots and check and training all ex RMAF. Thus, I reckon that standards may need some audit to ascertain if the pilot is in control or the FMC is the only thing keeping the aircraft in the air. Or perhaps it is the DCA contacts, yep, all ex RMAF too. I have seen the standards in flying ability of the RMAF pilots in my stint in MAS and boy 1% excellent 99% hopeless. As for DCA well they can only do base checks with their friends because most would fail if they flew with ordinary AE's.

On a closing note, I wish the new management the best of luck and I hope success is theirs, all it takes is prudent management. Get rid of all the politics and lazy fellows and keep it simple and profitable. Unfortunatly, the slack attitude and ex airforce mentality are the real stumbling blocks to be overcome.

Make it work boys,

Captain Wooblah.

[QNH1013]

Taken from Tune Air/Air Asia's website; www.tuneair.com (http://www.tuneair.com)


A. CAPTAINS

Malaysian citizen
Age 50 years and below and medically fit
(a) Malaysian ATPL/Command Instrument Rating
1,000 hours Command B737
Total aeronautical experience 3,500 hours multi engine minimum

or

(b) 500 hours Command Jet aircraft or 500 hours Turbo Prop aircraft MTOW in
excess of 20,000kg. Total aeronautical experience 4,000 hours Multi


B. CO-PILOTS

Malaysian citizen
Age below 40 years and medically fit
Malaysian ATPL or frozen ATPL or ATPL subjects in TOTO
Instrument rating