Are Skippers planning for their next mass exodus?

[Mecarsa Bitrusty]

From the Australian 9th Oct 2009

Skippers WA’s Truly Regional Airline
Dash 8 Check Pilot
Skippers Aviation Pty Ltd, a WA based regional airline, is seeking a full time endorsed Dash 8-100/300 Captain to join our Flight Standards Department for aircraft and simulator Check and Training duties. Previous experience as a Check Captain is desirable.
In addition to Perth’s spacious and relaxed lifestyle, we offer excellent facilities, great career development opportunities and competitive salary packages to quality candidates.
All applications must include a covering letter of introduction. Only applications addressing the required experience will be considered.
Please visit our website for further information ********** To apply, please submit an application online to **********

[the wizard of auz]

Woot woot....... another Skippies thread.... wheres me popcorn?.... :E

[VH-UFO]

Oi Wiz, you supply the popcorn, i'll get the booze.

This is gonna be fun!!!:ok:

[Joker 10]

Ground hog day

[Ixixly]

I got me some of those fancy deckchairs with drink holders attached, mind if I tag along?

[Skippers Pilot]

Have I missed anything? Oh good!

By the way, we have a good bunch of solid crew at the moment, I don't expect any movement in the near future. This is a good company to work for, ok its not perfect, but I'm home every weekend and every night of the week.

I love my job!

[KRUSTY 34]

Oh dear!

We've got a couple like you over here on the East coast.

Be prepared for lots of overtime. :E

[myshoutcaptain]

do you get overtime at ski##ers?

[MitchelB]

Hello everybody,

I have spoken to this company about comming out to Australia and working for them and they were very nice to deal with, but after reading this and another post about Skippers, I am having second thoughts. Is all of this negativity true or is it just an unhappy few. Are there any other regional airlines that people would recommend?

MB

[j3pipercub]

Ask KRUSTY, he luuuuurves REX :}

[Cessna Capt]

Are there any other regional airlines that people would recommend?

Sure there are other regionals arround, however they probably won't be as desperate as Skippers too help sponsor a work permit for you mate.

That said, Skippers may have its problems, but Perth is a great place to live and you can only spend so many hours at work.

[Long John Silver]

Stay clear of this company!!!

...otherwise you may find yourself working 3-4 days per week (mon-fri), having to go to sleep in your own bed, having to go to a bbq with your mates on the weekend, and trying to survive in Perth on 90k....

What you really want to do is fork out 30k for a shiny jet endo, pay for your own coffee and never see the family....


wtf???

[KRUSTY 34]

Genuine question Long John. Did Skippers take the unusual step of competeing for it's pilots, not only in monetary terms, but also perhaps by a co-operative and mutually respectful approach.

I ask, because if they did, and what you say is true, then it's one of the few sensible approaches to the recent crewing crisis' that I have heard. The real test of course will be just how many choose to stay when the major airlines come calling again.

While some are lured by the pospect of flying the big jet, I think many more (certainly more than many regional airline managers give credit for) feel that pound for pound, regional flying has a lot to offer. Provided of course you can comfortably raise your family, and not face the prospect of having to eat cat food in retirement!

[Skippers Pilot]

otherwise you may find yourself working 3-4 days per week (mon-fri), having to go to sleep in your own bed, having to go to a bbq with your mates on the weekend, and trying to survive in Perth on 90k

........and driving home at 1130 in the morning to make my 1300 Tee off with the boy’s really pisses me off!

[neville_nobody]

Is this 90k actually salary now or is it still a 'bonus'. If it's salary that's awesome:ok: If it's what I think it is then you may have the rugged pulled from under you as soon as it's convenient

[Skippers Pilot]

Is this 90k actually salary now or is it still a 'bonus'. If it's salary that's awesome If it's what I think it is then you may have the rugged pulled from under you as soon as it's convenient

As I am not on a command package I cannot confirm or deny the actual details of the contract, but I am lead to believe it’s still a bonus on top of the standard salary for the Braz and Dash captains only.

[KRUSTY 34]

Nev's right guys. Unless it's in the EBA, then it's at the Guvners' pleasure. As I said, I hope that Skippers mangement have gone down the long term path. God knows, it'll pay dividends in the not too distant future.

If not, then we all know what will again happen. Time will tell!

[Long John Silver]

I hear the current terms still include a 'bonus' rather than a fully incorporated salary. So I agree not the most stable of terms. However if they've kept it in play the whole way through the GFC you'd think management must be taking a long term view of it.

Main point I was trying to make is that there is a real valid choice in choosing a regional operater. If the conditions are right, and they are paying ok money then its probably a much better long term lifestyle than getting in with a long haul operator or domestic LCC.

[Mr. Hat]

So conditions would be better in a GA charter company than a domestic airline? Times must have changed.....

[MitchelB]

Hello everybody,

Thanks Cessna Capt, fortunately I don't need sponsorship for a work permit to work in Australia.

90 thousand per year sounds good, how about the bonus, is it for a particular performance or fuel saving etc. I have never worked under a bonus system.


MB

[G Limit]

Bonuses paid to Dash and Bras will go along with the ITEA's on 1st Jan to make way for the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Without the bonus, it's less than award T&C's (fact from Workplace Authority) so read the fine print MitchelB. There is no mechanism for the bonus to be paid or not paid. It can be taken away any day.

Anyone care to guess what percentage of Captains are applying elsewhere?

[Mecarsa Bitrusty]

Bonuses paid to Dash and Bras will go along with the ITEA's on 1st Jan to make way for the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Well that will go down well!

G Limit

60% actively looking if not already in discussions!
20% thinking very hard about their future!
10% too lazy to move on!
5% still think there is light at the end of the tunnel and their input will save the company!
4% unemployable in the real world!
1% actually happy!

[the wizard of auz]

Bwahahahaha. noice stats. :E

[MitchelB]

Is the bonus paid ontop of the salary? I mean if the salary goes, will the base stay 90K? If so that is still pretty good compared to what we see in the states.

MB

[vee tail]

The 95K is inclusive of bonus and super:ok:

[metrodashbrazconkie]

I hear that by early next year that almost half of the crews at skippers will have left. and by the sound of it, most will be going at about the same time :eek:. Management better start shakin the tree i recon.

[Mr. Hat]

Not only at skippers its about to happen elsewhere to. Lot a guys hve got the suit laid out on the bed and polishing the interview shoes.

The GFC was a good time for some the tide is turning now..

[Soar2384]

Anyone know when Skippers will be recruiting their next metro drivers?

[Ref + 10]

Mecarsa. How many pilots are there now? 50 - 75 maybe?

That mean that three quarters of one pilot, maximum is "actually happy"

Seems not much changed after all. At least Networks 80k salary (figure a couple of years old) was a true salary and not some pie in the sky bonus scheme that existed on the whim of some manager who may or may not like you this week... I never liked the bonus scheme concept that they implemented as people seem to flow in and out of favour so quickly that it would be hard, if not impossible to bank on receiving the bonus.

Not exactly what I would call a salary package. I'd like to know how many pilots received the bonus as a percentage of the eligible candidates.

It is good however to see the airlines starting to recruit again. How will Skippers fair this time around?

[G Limit]

If you sign up to the 90 days resignation notice period then generally you get the bonus. BUT, as was hinted in the internal newsletter recently, if you fail a check then your bonus will be withdrawn. F/O's need to sign up to the 90 days to get a job and no bonus is paid.

Any word on the Enterprise Agreement payscales yet?

[Soar2384]

Has it begun?! AFAP shows captain positions available across all the Skippers fleets! Has Skippers already lost pilots or are they just preparing for the future?

[Mecarsa Bitrusty]

5 have departed since the beginning of the year, 4 captains and 1 FO, from across all fleets.

Skippers
DASH BRASILIA METRO & CONQUEST PILOTS

Skippers, WA’s Truly Regional Airline, are seeking suitably experienced Captains to fill vacancies on our Dash 8, Brasilia, Metro and Conquest fleets. Only endorsed applicants with a minimum of 2500 hrs total time & 500 hrs on type should apply.

Plenty of opportunities for piston drivers on the horizon, safe to say they won't fill many slots with endorsed drivers.

[KRUSTY 34]

Direct Entry Captains eh!

So what's the go? Are Skippers unable to upgrade their F/O's (none now meet the min criteria), or are Skippers unwilling to upgrade their F/O's ( DEC's being a cheaper option)

And finally, what happens when they can't get em'? :E

[ForceFeedback00]

So Krusty, I decided to make a call and find out some more information.
Seems there is a flight standards position available in weeks if not days (this may be filled internally, this I was unable to find out), so this could be the reason they are only looking for endorsed applicants.
With reference to the crews leaving, there is 2 gone to J* with 1 (mentioned above leaving very soon), 2 gone to VB (with another 5-10 who have already interviewed with VB). There was mention of some heading to Skywest and others looking at Maroomba and Network. Although this is across all fleets it seems it is largely coming from the Bras and Metro crews.
Further more I was told in excess of 60% of the cabin crew have had it with 5 day weeks and doubles daily on less than 30k. There apparently headed off at a rate of 1 a week.
I mentioned the topic of upgrades, was told there are some upgradable FO's on each fleet.
Hope this helps.
Things arnt that much different over here
Welcome to the next national exodus! ;) Enjoy the ride :E

[vee tail]

So time has gone by and it seems YEP they are leaving:ok:
Lots gone ...... some goin......... and others lookin down the barrel.
Funny how forced annual leave can turn into EXODUS.:D(not meaning that is why crew are leaving but how sh*t changes in short time periods)

Gotta go and get my coffee

Some bored thoughts:ok: