Regional Airlines Expanding in October

[fritzandsauce]

Many airlines are dropping routes but in October regional airlines are adding more routes in the first fornight of October we'll see:

Sydney to Mudgee 12th October Aeropelican
Townsville to Mackay 1st October Rex
Adelaide to Portand 12th October Sharp Airlines
Melbourne to Griffith 9th August (reintroduce) Rex
Adelaide to Avalon (via Portland) 12th August Sharp Airlines
Brisbane-Moranbah 28th Sep close enough to Oct (thanks Going_Nowhere:ok:)
Darwin to Mt Isa Airnorth 8th Oct
Darwin to Gold Coast Airnorth 8th Oct

[Going Nowhere]

Add to the list

QantasLink
BNE-Moranbah from Sept 28th.

[JohnnyK]

And Tasair recently added Hobart-Devonport thrice weekly on the J31.

[KRUSTY 34]

God help them (and their pax) when the majors start hireing again.

They'll be cutting their services just as fast:ooh:

[nite-freighter]

even up in asia my gig is now lookin at stealing more aussie pilots
dunno how these regionals are gonna cope in 12mths time

[White and Fluffy]

The regionals don't have to worry too much. Most of their pilots are now locked in by cadetships for a very long time! Most of them don't have the hours to meet the minimum requirements anywhere else.

The better charter companies are the ones that should be worrying as their pilots actually have some hours and experience.

[Bo777]

White and Fluffy
Most of their pilots are now locked in by cadetships for a very long time! Most of them don't have the hours to meet the minimum requirements anywhere else.
Yeah right!:ugh:

[bushy]

Is this a normal seasonal increase??

[neville_nobody]

bo777 do you know something everyone else doesn't? I am of the understanding that REX is talking about ICUSing up people just to meet the minimum requirements for command. Qlink a year ago was struggling to find anyone who actually met the minimums who wasn't leaving. I think you will find that if there is another recruiting drive anytime soon the regionals may have a hard time finding people who are experienced enough to be a captain.

[rmcdonal]

QLink was also looking at the ICUS road. But there are plenty in there with the hrs to go elsewhere when the big boys start recruiting again. By this time next year there will be plenty of pilots with 1500hrs ish FO Turbo-prop from both REX and QLink looking to head onto bigger money.

:ok:

[tsalta]

Yeh Bo777...what the hellareyathinkin? You must have been hanging out with Buster and his mates gettin all blue in Wagga.

[Bo777]

Sure the regionals are bottom heavy with green pilots. But come 12-18 months when recruitment starts up again and they'll have meet the requirements of the majors (VB and Jetstar 1000 hours TT and 500 hours on a multi engine QF 500 TT) it will be bye bye:p ... You can stick your bond where your head is :eek:

[White and Fluffy]

BO777, I think the magic words are 500hrs "COMMAND" multi engine!!!

Anyway back on topic, I hear Sharps are also adding some new routes as are Westwing and Skytrans.

As for seasonal increases, I'm not sure. Not many of the new routes are really holiday destinations or summer vacation locations. Maybe local governments are offering good incentives in these times of financial hardship. Or in an effort to drive down charter costs some regionals are opening up mining/business charter into RPT flights to fill the extra seats with the general public.

[j3pipercub]

500hrs "COMMAND" multi engine

That wasn't the case last time VB were hiring from memory. Happy to be corrected though

[newsensation]

Look out for Cathay early next year.... time to update :ok:

[KRUSTY 34]

Little bird told me that REX are in talks with Aeropelican to offload Taree. If that happens I can't see Grafton surviving on its own. Rex may be looking at expanding into QLD, but it will be at the expense of operations further south. Simple numbers.

Mind you, if Taree-Grafton does go, there'll be few tears shed amongst the pilot group. Crappy shift!:)

[itssallyb]

All are expanding except Air South :( who are ending RPT ops mid October

[Bo777]

white and fluffy VB, J* and QF have certain requirements. None of them include 500 hours multi "COMMAND" !!! I recommend you visit their websites.

[Cpt Link Hog]

Just a question for those in the know.. did the last drain of pilots from the likes of Rex, Qlnk ect help the Lads up the T&C's
Hows things looking at VB, J* once things come right many heading for the smog or the sand?

[neville_nobody]

That wasn't the case last time VB were hiring from memory

All operators required 500ME command. Don't start up about how you don't need it above 5700kg etc etc it's been done to death. Heard of people who came from Europe with time on type and bugger all command time not even getting a look in due to the 500ME command requirement.

[Kangaroo Court]

A good discussion. Can anyone who really "knows" what the minimums are publish by asking their own HR?

[Bo777]

I am amazed at how many incompentent :mad:kers there are on pprune. I have a number of mates who fly for Qf, Vb and jetstar who didnt have the 500ME command when they started. At the very beginning both Vb and J* required 500ME but that was dropped ASAP when a shortage seemed imminent. You usually find that there is no requirement to have 500ME command with companies that have high capacity AOCs. How do you think Qf cadets with just the command from CPL training become captains? But people with a little bit of industry experience would know this. :ugh:

[The Green Goblin]

It is true, you just need 500 hours multi engine experience now which can include Copilot/ICUS/Dual/Command or a combination of all of this.

Having said that once you have the 500 multi engine command you get a BIG tick in the box. Yeah it was not required in the last couple of years and guys were going straight from pistons to jets, just don't expect this next time! There will be plenty of turbine guys ahead of the piston guys filling the slots on jets and to get a slot on a regional turbine you're going to need 500 multi command :ok: (if you ever want a command)

When there is a shortage you will see the minimas come crashing down but when there are experienced folk out there they will get picked up first.

Put the 500 multi command in the bank, it's there for good and you have many more options once you have it!

[neville_nobody]

I have a number of mates who fly for Qf, Vb and jetstar who didnt have the 500ME command when they started

I find that a little hard to believe to be honest.

You usually find that there is no requirement to have 500ME command with companies that have high capacity AOCs.

Last time they recruited both VB and Jestar had this requirement even though it wasn't a 'legal' requirement. I believe there were posts on here done to death about the issue.

[Bo777]

Nev Nobody
I find that a little hard to believe to be honest.
O doubting Thomas ... believe!

The GG
Yeah it was not required in the last couple of years and guys were going straight from pistons to jets, just don't expect this next time!

Will have to disagree with the latter statement. In another 1-2 years the next big wave of recruitment will be bigger. Just look at the stats of new student pilots in comparsion to expanding fleet orders, expected retirees, and projected economic growth. You dont have to be a rock scientist to do the calculations. I expect the regionals will be desperate ... to put it mildly.

[The Green Goblin]

You're obviously the CFI of a flying school then mate.

Yes there will be some hiring going on, but the factors that drove the last boom will not be repeated.

Last boom we had Virgin expanding, Jetstar starting out and in rapid expansion (at the cost of mainline I might add) coupled with a mining boom fueling fly in fly out operations.

Commodities are likely to crash or demand reduce signifigantly once the stimulus stops in China and when the global economy is back on track the growing oil problem/prices will only continue to hurt the weak.

What happened here in recent times with Pilot recruitment was unprecedented and sure, there will be hiring again, but not like we have seen!

Yes there is a global shortage of Airline Pilots still - but not of tyre kickers with a CPL.

[Bo777]

GG
You're obviously in some form of managerial role. What happened here in recent times with Pilot recruitment was unprecedented and sure, there will be hiring again, but not like we have seen! Keep on saying it and you'll believe it. I guess time will tell.

[mdk_evil]

I didn't think airnorth had aicraft that could do a drw-ool direct service?

[bubble.head]

I think the recruitment level will ramp up again once everyone's balance book is in order. However, I don't see it happening for another two to three years. I think as a "breed/professional pilot" that is going out in extinction, it would be wise to improve our game, and get a better T&C for the regional guys! Afterall, it's the regional guys that do the hardest work!

[KRUSTY 34]

When, not if, "experienced" pilots become an endangered species (in fact it's well and truely begun), the operators will finally have no choice but to increase T&C's. They've tried just about everthing else, everything but the only thing that will work long term! Either that or they will have to severly reduce their services, and in some cases go out of business altogether. It really is as simple as that.

Flying in Australia is approx half the cost of what it was 10 years ago. Not bad Mr/Ms travelling public. Part of that reduction has been a steady decline in the Terms and conditions of professional pilots, with a comensurate reduction in the participation rate.

Pax will now have to pay a little bit more in future if they want a modern and reliable air services. Otherwise, get ready to catch the bus!:rolleyes:

[flying-spike]

Try DN-MA-OOL then back

[Mr. Hat]

Flying in Australia is approx half the cost of what it was 10 years ago. Not bad Mr/Ms travelling public. Part of that reduction has been a steady decline in the Terms and conditions of professional pilots, with a comensurate reduction in the participation rate.

Couldn't agree more Krusty but I can't see conditions improving in regional airlines one iota. I actually see it going the way of the US system where abinitios are paid 18-24k to sit in the right seat. I think the last of the experienced pilots will retire, change careers or leave for better jobs.

[Arthur Boy]

The new Airnorth E170 is an Advanced Range (AR) model and as such has an approx 4 plus hour range DN to all mainland ports in Oz with a full payload.

Not too shabby......

[Mach E Avelli]

And all that will happen when the experience dries up/retires/drops off the perch is that the airline recruiters will move the goal posts out much wider. ATPL+ 1500 hrs tt and a pulse for command. A basic CPL & MECIR for F/O. The law requires no more, so all they have to do is cut a deal with their insurers to accept whatever is available on the market at the time. Wages won't rise because there will always be enough wannabes who will take whatever is on offer just to fly with an airline. Which is how it's always been. Airline managements know this.
On the other hand, the resources charter business may feel the crunch first because aviation advisors appointed by mining and oil companies can be quite picky about experience, and if that experience defects to the airlines it will hurt for a while. Until they too are forced to take a reality check.
How will this impact on safety and standards? Harumph. But the show must go on.

[Dog One]

Any one know how AN's proving flight went last week? Saw the E170 on the bay at CG Thursday lunch time.

[ozangel]

DREADFUL radio ad's abound on the GC - for GC airport and Air North.

The scheduling is a bit of a shocker - quite clearly one of those brash management decisions (guess thats why they're paid the big bucks!) wherby through lack of imagination and ability to apply reason leads them to 'up the utilisation' of an aircraft on the wrong day to the wrong place. Someone high up must have rellies down this way?

Bit like Norfolk Air and the NTL/OOL services.

[Bo777]

16AoA
For those of you that are in the know...It's called "CAR 217".
What providing a training and checking organisation??? :hmm: Please elaborate.

"Over and Out"... Obviously you've been watching too many police shows from the 50s.

[Dog One]

Heard Air North's jet on descent into Ambon the other day. Have they commenced a service Darwin - Ambon?