SQ short of pilots

[FlyingCrew]

Always read from here that SQ is shortage of pilots. Here we are about 50 of us all Singaporean with licenses, some with jet and turboprop hours could not get a job with our national airlines,SQ.
Maybe we are not good enough in certain areas but if SQ should give us a go I think we are able to do well and be productive in the least time.

Otherwise, any takers out there? We are down, desperate for a flying job, don't mind where and what we fly, will never moan or whinge and are prepare to work very hard for those who are willing to give us a break. Also, willing to rob our DBS bank to pay for type rating if necessary.

Pls don't shoot me down for this posting!

Merry Christmas to all.

p.s. thread posted in "rumour and news" as well

[Gnote]

Yikes, I hate to think of what you started.

[WLT]

Think there will be something else you can do. Singapore is too small to vie for a flying career. Either SQ or the RSAF and pockets of BizJets. It really is a pity.

[EasyGo-Lucky?]

SIA is very short of qualified Captains not F/Os. Jandakot maintains a steady supply of cadet pilots for the Airline. SIA is currently not an attractive propostion to experienced Captains because of the poor pay and conditions and a very tarnished reputation.

[turbosheep]

Easy-go-lucky,
SQ is very short of FO as well.
Which is why the SFOs on command training are so few. Leading to the quick-fix solution, DE captains.
(Forget all the nonsense about lack of training captain, they can always appoint more).

[EasyGo-Lucky?]

Turbo,

Presently, with the majority of SFOs failing their Command training, a drop in F/O numbers is highly unlikely. What makes this hard to swallow is I doubt many of the DE Captains could pass the Command Training. Their passage to Command was probably a very well thought out and short course which most SIA SFOs could pass. Shame that those who designed the SIA course could not have made it as quick and as sensible as their own Command course was.

[turbosheep]

EasyGo-Lucky,
I agree with you on a new format of SQ command course, no other airline I know of put their F/O through a 6 month (minimum) command training program.

Aviation has come a long way since the Wright brothers, but it still has a long way to go. New developments on aviation come on to the world everyday, if SQ stick on to the "if-it-ain't-broken-don't-fix-it", SQ will look like a dinosaur before too long. (flight engineers are still being featured in the printouts and case study in the CRM course !!)

Happy Lunar New Year.

[This message has been edited by turbosheep (edited 22 January 2001).]

[flufdriver]

I think many airlines still have a long upgrade program, especially those that come from a 1950-60-ish british format.
In our outfit the course includes an official assessment in the SIM, then six SIM sessions in the left seat, then a airplane ride, thereafter 100-200 hours flying left seat under supervision followed by six SIM sessions & type rating ride then the airplane type ride and then route checks into certain types of airfields. Normally takes about a year.When you finally get to fly with a regular F/O on a regular flight, it is very anticlimatic and a big relief that it is over for 4 or 5 months.

Been there, done that.

I consider it a sign of a insecure training department.

[Farside]

I read the following in one of SQ's problem solving sessions update's

"It needs no further explanation that we are having serious problems in our selection and training procedures for direct command trainees.
Any organization that has a high failure rate in upgrades must review its system, especially if you consider the fact the these trainees have been in the system for at least 7 years, and therefore have conducted more than enough line. base and recurrent checks for management to form a solid opinion. However our current system requires another 8 month of “selecting” before the candidate finally fails his upgrade. Bear in mind that I say selecting, because this long process has nothing to do with training and is nothing more than an almost one year checking program.
Not only is this a very discouraging for future upgrades, it is also a total waste of training resources, where a proper selection and training would have resulted in an increase in the command pool and reducing the stress on the present scheduling requirements."

So someone knows what is going on. Will they learn??? Time will tell.

[titan]

Being in Command requires making decisions. Not only do the Singaporean pilots lack the experience of making aviation decisions due to them having been copilots their entire life (ie no time in the GA wilderness) but the entire culture of the country is based on keeping your head low and never making decisions.
What else can you expect!

[EasyGo-Lucky?]

The current ridiculous Command Course at SQ is actually based on the old Qantas Command Course. Qantas realised it was ridiculous and have changed the duration and format to something far more realistic.

In truth to qualify for Command in the minimum time at SQ does not require aptitude or ability, it requires carrying golf bags and attending last Friday get-togethers. The day an F/O displays any Command ability such as questioning a Captains decision is the same day his chances of selection are quashed.