Building hours in Aus vs the UK

[dohsun7]

Hi Everyone,

I am from the UK and looking in to training from scratch to at least CPL in Jandakot and then possibly building hours as an instructor or working for a charter in WA. I have a few questions if anyone can help:

1. How do the job opportunities compare in WA to the UK? For example would I be better off training for a JAR license and returning to the UK for a job or staying in WA and transferring later?

2. How easy is it to get a visa for aviation training and eventually a job for Brits? (I am 31 so a bit old)

3. Are there good charter opportunities or would you recommend the instructor route? I have heard there are good job opps in Darwin.

For background, my ultimate goal (as I am sure it is for many) is fly wide bodies for a major, specifically CX or KA as I am from HK originally.

Any other info that people think is relevant would be great.

Thanks in advance.

Dohsun

[redsnail]

Gees, if that doesn't get them queueing up at Australia House for the visas nothing will. :ooh:

Job opportunities.
In Europe it's pretty dire for low houred guys. It's not so hot for experienced guys either at the moment. This will change as it always does. The key is timing.
Australia. Have to ask the locals.

Licenses. The JAA/EASA hoops are the biggest pain in the bum known. They make CASA's system seem positively streamlined and efficient. :ugh:
An Australian license is fine for Hong Kong, as is a JAA one.

Visas. You'll have to check out the Immigration website. I think it's immigration (http://www.immi.gov.au)

Jobs. Is it easy? Well... in Euro land most instruct then hop straight to a Dash 8 or "bigger". When it's booming, many go to Dash 8/ATR etc without instruction and the very lucky go straight to an Airbus or Boeing.
That is very rare in Oz. Most instruct & or head "up north" to go bush flying etc.

[tail wheel]

Unless you have dual citizenship or trade or professional qualifications in skills shortage areas and a sponsoring employer, forget about any hope of obtaining a Visa that would enable you to work in Australia.

[PlankBlender]

Tailwheel's spot on with the Visa caution, I've seen a fair few who came over on a student visa (the flying school will help with that, you need proof of funds among other things) who had to leave on completion of the CPL or after the year was over, whichever was earlier. You can drag the training out and possibly get a second year on the student visa if your aim is to get another kind of visa (e.g. a de-facto if you meet a lovely Aussie lass, but you have to prove you've lived together for a year before you can apply, and need friends' statements etc., not a walk in the park), but you'll have to play the immigration people's game which can at times be frustrating, you cannot work any significant amount of time so you have to have your funding sorted at the start, and even with a profession on the shortage list it took me a full year to get my independent (non-sponsored) visa, and most of that time the application gathers dust on a big stack; that time is set to increase now as they're slowing immigration to cushion rising domestic unemployment.

Forget it if you think any aviation business will sponsor your visa for your first job as a pilot in this country, I have not heard of a single case but will stand to be corrected on that one. Anyway, it would be close to impossible as there are enough people with a visa with the same qualifications, so why would a business bother? To quote Pulp Fiction, you'd "have to be one charming motherf%$king pig" :}

If you can sit out the visa thing and have sufficient funds, by all means give it a go, the flying is spectacular (I've been around the whole continent in a lightie, and I've got a list of tours I want to knock off), but you won't do significant mountain flying of course..

I'd consider the USA in your case, probably similar cost, great flying also, much much less bureaucratic in all things aviation, and by the time you're done with the training the job market will probably provide opportunities again. Consider also that Australia is quite remote from the major world markets for quality goods if that's relevant, it is in case you're looking at aeroplane ownership or have other expensive hobbies..

[PlankBlender]

Sorry, Owen, I have a tendency to ramble :}

I find that for someone not familiar with the local conditions, information is vital and most often welcome, that's at least my experience.. not sure how the presence of people urinating into one's own mouth would attract anyone but the severely disturbed who we can do without behind a yoke :rolleyes:

[Atlas Shrugged]

Building hours in Aus vs the UK

It takes much longer in the UK as they're only 52 minutes long over there :E

[Ozzie Mozzie]

If you have HK residency then Cathay have a cadetship programme, they do their training down in Adelaide I believe. Might be worth a shot.