Pacific Blue screening

[Deep fried dumpling]

Gidday all,

I have a screening with PB next month and just looking for some info on the interview and sim ride...I have got some info from pprune from Feb 08, much/anything changed?

Thanks in advance:)

[puma pants]

Try and make less than two spelling mistakes when signing your name and you should be pretty well OK:ok:

[booskins]

Just wondering what your experience is please. And also why go to Pac Blu, when you could go to VB instead. Many people left PB to go elsewhere as they are still contractors, even after being told from day one that they would be under direct employment.

[Mr.Buzzy]

Don't forgit your vilcro gloves bro!

bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Deep fried dumpling]

'Booskins' I have 5000TT with 900hrs NG. Sure VB your are on a better wicket but I am flying overseas now and want to go home - although Aussie is a great place it ain't home.

[assymetric]

Hey friend,

I know you may get homesick but before you leave a perfectly good job you need to be aware. Others have left good jobs thinking coming home (kiwis) was the way to go, however they soon realised that was not so and headed overseas
again.

All I am saying is don't let emotions rule your brain.

Assy

[LeanRod737]

Havent read the post from feb but someone I know who did the interview was questioned on the procedure / the process of handling an engine fire in the cruise. also asked what was N1 setting and attitude expected single engine on final, and also the landing distance required on one engine (distances from the abnormal section of QRH). In short, i guess you should know the NG really well.

[yerex]

Good contribution! If you are with PB is there any upgrading going on? and how do the pilot (F/O) group feel about DEC's. I notice Rishworth advertising for same.

[haughtney1]

I sniffed around this a little while back......I got told to come back when I had 500hrs multi PIC:mad:
Oh well, it seems 3000hrs in Boeings over a 100 tonnes doesn't appear to count as much as 500 hours of Chieftain time :ooh:

[Jackaroo 2]

Tiger - Palm
Tttoooooooooooo Right mate. I heard of a Kiwi Capt who has 5000+ on NGs, (10,000TT) flown them in Europe, Asia, USA, Africa, ME AND Aust/NZ/Pacific, but not good enough for PB. :bored:
Mind you - he doesn't drink - that could be the reason ?:hmm:

[Cpt Link Hog]

Guys Just a heads up. Type rating cost 737NG

33k AUSD (Alteon) = 41K NZ! (nz.798cents) plus Accom, food, rental car, plane tickets ect ect 5k NZD

To join PB you will need 46K NZD

[Cypher]

The price of the NG rating has gone up.. it ain't 29.5 K AUD anymore!

Try $33K AUD

[Chocks Away]

Have you ever thought of why so many Checkies, Capts and now more F/O's have/are leaving?
I suggest you compare the T&C's (it doesn't even match lesser operators:rolleyes:).


"The grass looked greener over there, until they realised it was spray painted." :}

[Fijibitter]

FACT : Management - or lack of QUALITY management DESTROY airlines.

PB is just another case that will follow on down the tube.
:suspect:

[yerex]

Hard to sort the wood from the vitriolic foliage in this thread. If any of the contributors are PB employees, did you not sign a contract, don't you have a published roster conforming to CAO flt/duty limitations. Is the crossbar set too high re flight standards? can't you just do your rostered duty and then enjoy your leisure time? I am a prospective entrant and am curious as to where the real problem is. On-guard where are you!!!!

[Bulabandit]

Best you learn some manners before heading out of the front gate and down the path of life. :}:ok:

[Corkey McFuz]

Anyone going to any of the open days they have coming up ?

[mattyj]

what kind of Biscuits are they having?

[yerex]

Which query struck the raw nerve? R---orth was'nt mentioned.:ok:

[empacher48]

I'm going off to have a nosey at the one in CHCH later this week, see what they say.

[Cloud Cutter]

Hi all

Just a word of caution for anyone considering Pac Blue. If you're after a quick start on jets and plan to move on as soon as you've got some experience, it could be a go. But if you're looking for a career, I would look elsewhere. Be prepaired to effectively give your life to the airline. At times you will be in 'zombie' mode for weeks on end without a chance to recover.

I don't like to get involved in the slagging matches you often see here, and I've all but retired from posting because I'm sick of all the bull****. But I feel it would be selfish not to share my genuine experiences. Of course, this is just my opinion and there may be others that find Pac Blue more reasonable? Just try not to be blinded by shiny jet syndrome, or you may find yourseft missing your Dash 8 or 1900 gig.

[DeltaT]

I'm interested to hear more from you on this Cloud Cutter

[startingout]

would aswell cloud cutter as will be looking to fly for them in the next year and a half.

[Cloud Cutter]

No big secrets guys, and as I said I'm not getting into a slagging match. It really comes down to what sort of person you are, and what you're looking for in a job. If you enjoy being away from home a lot, and you are OK with constantly shifting sleep patterns you may find it alright. If like me, you need some sort of routine to acheive adequate rest, you will struggle.

I don't want to sound too negative, but for me it's just not the sort of lifestyle I'm willing to accept long term, and many of the others at Pac Blue feel the same.

Some cosiderations:

- You are rostered 9 days off per month, that's effectively the same as a 9-5 office worker, but you will spend a lot more time away from home (not saying that's bad, just something I don't like).
- Unlike other airlines, there is no distinction between a rest period and days off, eg. if you do a back of the clock duty and require 30 hours rest, you are just rostered days off and expected to recover in you're own time - this is bad no matter who you are.
- A day off is classed as finishing anywhere up to midnight, and starting next duty after single day off at 6 am, or after multiple days off at 5 am. Not only is this insufficient time, but it is an example of the very poor understanding/regard this airline has for fatigue management (constant skipping from late finish to early start and back). Not to mention the possibility of having two lengthy tours of duty seperated only by a single day off.
- There is no formal protection of your right to plan your life. Duties can be changed without bounds as long as days off are not affected. You can be changed off a late report to an early with less than 24 hours notice, and you have no right of refusal.
- If you're paxing after flying, you can be rostered a duty of up to 16 hours.

I'm not going into pay issues because for me, that's far less important than quality of life.

The simple fact is, for most people, it is imposible not to suffer the effects of accute and cronic fatigue when subjected to some of these roster situations. It's not fair to be told you must report for duty unaffected by fatigue, and then be put in a situation where it's impossible not to be fatigued.

If anyone has some more positive points to add, please do. I just want to give these guys a balanced picture.

I'm happy to try and answer any other questions anyone has.

Cheers

[DeltaT]

Thanks for that, a bit more of a deeper meaningful insight.
I have experienced something similar myself to what you describe, and I know it is a killer.

Surely someone has had a wee whisper in the ear to the CAA about this?

Do you think PB are trying to do something about it given their current recruitment drive for more pilots? i.e I know a lot of pilots have left, but are they simply replacing them, or now getting more numbers than before to also give a better roster pattern?

[Cloud Cutter]

Apparently CAA don't care. They just approve whatever is put to them.

The reason for the recruitment drive is predominantly to crew new aircraft which seem to arrive thick and fast.

Pac Blue did try to improve things after it got really bad end of last year, and things got a bit better for a while, but a fundamental shift is still sorely needed. They don't seem so worried about the huge moral problem now that recruitment of other airlines like JetStar has slowed.

The basic idea seems to be to do as little as possible to slow attrition to an acceptable level. I understand they are running a business, and it's a competitive market, but this is an example of commercial considerations being weighted heavily against conditions of work. The way it is at the moment is just blatently unsafe, and that's no way to run a business, particularly an airline.

[startingout]

Thanks cloudcutter :ok:

[horserun]

Cheers CloundCutter:ok:
So whats your next move?

[Cloud Cutter]

No worries fellas, hope that's of some use.

Let's just say my next move doesn't involve Pac Blue ;)

[haughtney1]

So CC, are we gonna see you flying a Koru tail? sweating in the desert, or up here in the credit crunch world of europe :E