Png Trip

[YELOSUB]

Gday all.
I am heading to PNG next month to look for flying jobs. Mainly Single turbine or piston twin. I will be in PNG for only 5 weekdays. Please share any tips or advice.

[AQIS Boigu]

Whats your experience???

I would email all the companies NOW and tell them that you are keen and coming up for a few days - if you dont know anyone in Moresby I would stay at the Hideaway Hotel near the airport. It's not too expensive and close to the airport; they also have a free airport bus.

At around 4-5pm (preferably on a Thursday or Friday) you should head down to the Aeroclub on the eastern end of the GA area and start talking to a few of those grey haired pilots - they might give some good advice - listen to their war stories from the seventies and eighties but make sure you get some good info out of them which is useful for your job hunt.

Here is a list of all the companies I can think of...

North Coast in Lae/Nadzab Airport (Islanders, C206 and PAC750)
Airlines PNG in POM (Twin Otters and Dash8s)
Transair in POM (Citation II and a Caravan)
Tropic Air in POM (Caravans and a King Air)
Hevilift in POM (Twin Otters and King Airs)
MAF in Mount Hagen (C206, Airvans and Twotters - bible school required I think)

Good luck! :ok:

AB

[Chimbu chuckles]

Don't go wandering around on foot after dark...its not safe.

Used to be (at the old Deroclub) that EVERYDAY at 4pm was the go...and lunchtime onwards on Sundays.:}

Good luck:ok:

[YELOSUB]

I have 1100TT , C208 endorsed, Do you think i stand a good chance. NCA have said that i am most welcome to come and stay in Lae with them for a few days.

[AQIS Boigu]

well...with your experience you should aim for Tropic Air... as far as I know they want 1000TT for the insurance...C208 endo is certainly a bonus...the operation is also a bit safer and the strips are nowhere near as hard as what the guys at NCA do in their Bongos....(I have a lot of respect for everyone who used to work at NCA...by far the toughest ops in PNG - besides MAF)

good luck and let us know if you got any more questions...

AB

[YELOSUB]

The one question that i have tried to research and havent found the answer to is how much money can i expect to earn flying the Van or the bongo. Is it likely to be more than the AUS award.(35k)

Do you know anything about Island airways in madang and Central Aviation in MT hagen. Would it be worth visiting Madang and Mt hagen.

Does Airlines png hire any 1000TT AUS pilots or do they usually select pilots from the existing pool of PNG pilots.

Do the airlines and RFds recruiters really value and respect png experience or are they mainly looking for Lots of ifr time.

[Torres]

Since when has 4 pm been important Chuck? :E

PNG experience was highly regarded in years gone by - in the 60s and 70s many Qantas Cadets gained their experience in PNG - but standards have changed and recent PNG experience is not so highly regarded.

[Captain Nomad]

Plenty of ex-PNG drivers in RFDS :);) Airline recruiters these days would probably not know what 'PNG experience' means whereas RFDS probably values/understands/appreciates a bit more.

Island Airways has faded somewhat. I think they are only operating x2 C206's these days and no where near as busy as old times. Central Aviation run PAC750XL/C206 - don't know how well they are set up for C&T these days though. They are in Moresby very regularly so worth a call and they might even catch up with you in POM if they are interested. If you do get up to Hagan you could also check out Trans Niugini Tours - PAC750XL/B58 (private ops). Don't expect that you would see the inside of Bob's Baron too often though (no offence intended).

Since you are new to PNG, if you have to go somewhere by taxi in POM (go by the airport pick-up vehicles where possible - they are free and probably safest), use Scarlet taxis as they have meters (no fights over fares - if the meter is working!).

With your experience and type endo I would probably be endeavoring to make a good impression on TropicAir :)

[YELOSUB]

Are the local niugini resonalbly friendly or is it better to keep my distance. Just heard on the news that an aussie got shot in Papua. I know that the tribes in the highlands have guns but they wont intimidate Pilots or other working foriegners with them would they.

[Torres]

Are the local niugini resonalbly friendly or is it better to keep my distance.

Certainly they are friendly, however if you do not have PNG experience, best to keep your distance.

Just heard on the news that an aussie got shot in Papua.

That was in the Indonesian Province of West Irian or Indonesian Papua - not PNG. Different place.

I know that the tribes in the highlands have guns...

Everyone has guns. The biggest worry is the Police and Army also have guns.......


Grrrrrrrrr!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

Repeated "Could not connect"!!! :{ :{ :{

[Metro man]

The girls up there are VERY friendly to young white boys. You can go and collect your "black wings" in any night club, same day you arrive.:E

As for the rest of the population, poverty and unemployment are endemic. Your wallet is the difference between dinner and going hungry, your life means nothing if you resist. The Highlanders are particularly beligerant and regularly engage in tribal battles. Cities such as Moresby and Lae make Redfern look like Toorak . Have a look at the Australian High Commission in Moresby, it's more like a military bunker than a diplomatic post.

Costal towns and the islands aren't as bad but you still need your wits about you.

Get some local knowledge very quickly if you want to survive on the ground.

As to employment, try for right seat on a turbine. Driving Islanders in the highlands isn't good for life expectancy.:uhoh:

[AQIS Boigu]

The one question that i have tried to research and havent found the answer to is how much money can i expect to earn flying the Van or the bongo. Is it likely to be more than the AUS award.(35k)



well...there is no award as such but you can expect anything from AU$23k to about AU$35k depending on who will give you a job (and thats before tax paid in PNG kina in your PNG bank account)...accommodation, transport to and from work is normally included and also a shared car with the other pilots...you won't get rich but it's enough to buy you food, beer and get a few gins every weekend... (and I am not referring to the alcoholic beverage)


Do you know anything about Island airways in madang and Central Aviation in MT hagen. Would it be worth visiting Madang and Mt hagen.


Captain Nomad is spot on...nothing to add

Does Airlines png hire any 1000TT AUS pilots or do they usually select pilots from the existing pool of PNG pilots.

it all depends on what's on the market...200TT is enough for a Twotter FO job...for the D8 you need more time...not sure what they are looking for at the moment...but in my days 200TT was fine...


Do the airlines and RFds recruiters really value and respect png experience or are they mainly looking for Lots of ifr time.


I was lucky at my airline interview...the sim dude, the guy who gave us the briefing about salary and so on as well as the guy who interviewed me used to work in PNG long time ago (yep...ALL three of them)...but in general you will get some sort of respect if you have worked there for a while...at least it will give you a few good stories to tell when trying to "break the ice" during an interview...

Driving Islanders in the highlands isn't good for life expectancy

can only agree with the metro man...nothing worse than flying a fully loaded bongo in the Highlands with a single engine ceiling of 5000ft whilst your lowest terrain is about 9000ft...thank $%^& I survived it and dont have to do it anymore...but it was good fun...

[D-J]

can only agree with the metro man...nothing worse than flying a fully loaded bongo in the Highlands with a single engine ceiling of 5000ft whilst your lowest terrain is about 9000ft...thank $%^& I survived it and dont have to do it anymore...but it was good fun...

Where do I sign up! :E:E......:eek:....:E

[Chimbu chuckles]

Lowest terrain 'above 9000' in the highlands?

Come on boys - the place is plenty exciting enough - no need to get carried away.:rolleyes:

The bottoms of the valleys are all around 4500'-5500' amsl. Goroka, Chimbu and Hagen are all around 5300 amsl elevation.

Yelosub as far as personal safety is concerned;

1/. The people out in the jungle villages are wonderful friendly people.

2/. Young women in the towns love a bit of white meat...A few probably don't have a nasty dose of something for you:hmm:

3/. The Older People are wonderful and friendly

4/. Coastal people (as opposed to Highlanders) are great people. More than once (ok the first time I was VERY pissed and took a wrong turn in my car leaving the yachty) I ended up in Hanuabada (the big village on the water in Moresby) late at night to be welcomed with big smiles - the were all out socialising - there was even a street cricket match on. Watched the cricket, grabbed some 'take away' (and she was cute too) and drove out...no problem:E

3/. Young Highland men in the cities need to be treated with UTMOST caution - you will soon enough learn to recognise an ethnic Highlander. They live in the squatter settlements around Port Moresby, are usually unemployed and a large % are rascals. Its the old story of 3rd world urban drift of uneducated young men who then get bitter and angry, drink too much etc etc. Its certainly not particular to PNG.

Unlike the Coastal people, who are gentle and friendly, highlanders are warriors raised on tribal fighting and 'eye for an eye' style justice. If they are of a mood/opportunity presents to attack you and take your wallet they just will and if you end up dead they won't be at all worried and have no fear of the police. In fact the next off duty policeman involved in rascal activities won't be the first or the 101st. A drunk highlander is 5'4" of gelignite with a lit fuse.

I lived/flew in PNG for 14 years and love the place deeply...but even 20 years ago we NEVER walked anywhere at night and were very bloody careful where we DROVE at night. The comment above re Port Moresby/Redfern/Toorak is VERY accurate. Don't think either that all the crime/violence is directed at expats - the locals cop it 50 times worse.

PNG is one of the most beautiful places on earth, the flying is UNBEATABLE and the vast majority of the population is great...but you WILL, eventually, be exposed to violent crime there - I guarantee.

And for those flying there now/last 5 years or so who :rolleyes: about the old PNG pilots and their stories of the 'good old days' - well you have NO IDEA just how bloody good it was...it was BRILLIANT. Hell until the early 90s there were even young white girls (Peace Corp mostly) scattered all over the joint living in remote villagers as teachers etc....and they LOVED Talair pilots:ok:

[Pinky the pilot]

and they LOVED Talair pilots

Yeah, You Talair mob got the best of everything! Us Douglas blokes got the dregs.:{:{

YELOSUB; Chuckles knows of what he speaks and you would do well to heed his words.:ok: I was only there for a short time (18 months) back in the early 90s and it was the best time of my life! I have no idea what some air headed academic would make of it, but I found that all the blokes I worked/drank/partied with in those days simply enjoyed being there and lived life to it's fullest.

I will always regret the manner of my departure! But at least I survived, whereas others did not.:sad:

[Sexual Chocolate]

I hear you can still check out the manner of pinky's departure, diving off a tinny a couple hundred meters from Madang with a scuba tank! If you drop by NCA, just ask that Winfield Blue smoking fat bastard about it...

[Captain Nomad]

SC - if you are referring to the 402 under water off Jais Aben you don't need a tinny or a scuba. You need to be able to hold your breath and know where to free dive though... I could get more than about half way down and see it well. Used to be a recreational swimming pontoon anchored to it but it is gone now.

[Xcel]

yellosub...

just follow what most have said here...

lae is a bit out of the way with your hours... as above try tropicair...

NCA at last count were paying 60k local which is like 28k aus at todays rate...
but that includes accom. and if your up the other end of the country with them would include accom. meals and some piss (get the barries to jot them down as softdrinks) muahahahaha

dont forget the mozzie spray and doxy for such a short stay last thing you want is to get back to aus and the doctors look at you not understanding whats wrong with you. Png doctor smells ya and tells you you got malaria... :hmm:

[AQIS Boigu]

Lowest terrain 'above 9000' in the highlands?

The bottoms of the valleys are all around 4500'-5500' amsl. Goroka, Chimbu and Hagen are all around 5300 amsl elevation.


Chimbu... well...when you go through the Tomba gap you might struggle in a Bongo on one engine...tasol mi tokim...

I had the time of my life as well (just under four years) and I was lucky and almost honoured to have worked and flown with a lot of ex-Talair blokes (CC, you would know all these guys - Butler Geeves, Drew S, Shaaags, Charlie vH, JT...) :ok:... I do realize that it wasn't the same what "you old farts" experienced but Madang for example is still pretty good in this decade.

Sadly I can count the single white girls I met up there in my days on one hand and I wasn't as fortunate as you...:{...(no peace corp)

[Chimbu chuckles]

Yup all good guys:ok:

And Madang was always a nice spot...not a patch on pre Volcano Rabaul but nice anyway.

[tinpis]

Keep us informed yelosub if you make the trip. So many stick their head up on this subject here and we never hear from them again

Stangely enough in my day we went to PNG not for adventure, but because it was the only place most of us could get work. But it was FUN :E
Amazing to think you can possibly run into some of the old pisspots from 40 years ago in the Dero today :uhoh:

[the wizard of auz]

Keep us informed yelosub if you make the trip. So many stick their head up on this subject here and we never hear from them again
Thats because when you get here, it cost a bomb for internet access. Daltron sux.

[AQIS Boigu]

what about datec???

YELOSUB...good luck and make sure you keep us posted...sorry if the majority of us hijacked your thread just to reminisce about our PNG days...I hope you will be able to give your advice about PNG to a young and keen aviator in a few years time...

[YELOSUB]

Thanks everyone for all your posts. They hve been very informative. I am to head up in 3 weeks. I will keep everyone posted. Have my fingers crossed.

YS

[Xcel]

If you drop by NCA, just ask that Winfield Blue smoking fat bastard about it...

lol poor old mike hey... is that opposed to the skinny smoking bastard in town...

haha all champion blokes imo... :ok:

[Sexual Chocolate]

We used to have a running competition on who was going to drop dead first... Mike due diabetes, potts due lung cancer or the boss man from a rampant STD. Testament to the strength of the human body that any of them still alive!!