Work Wanted

[ifylofd]

Can anyone in this forum advise of any work going in Scandanavian region for a current F50 captain? Contract preferred between 6 and 12 months. I know of Skyways but which other operators have these aircraft?

Any replies or information appreciated :)

[flyingviking]

Ifylofd,

Anther F-50 operator in Scandinavia is Norwegian Air Shuttle, but I´m not sure they hire captains for temporary contracts.

Visit them at: http://www.norwegian.no

Good luck.

Flying viking.

[Kaptein Max]

Think you can forget about Norwegian Air Shuttle. Try NewAir of Billund, Denmark.

[Nick Figaretto]

Try SAS!

SAS Commuter operates F50s out of Tromsø, in north Norway. -And they are in desperate need of FCs!

SAS Commuter is currently wanting to hire FCs directly. This is however stopped by the unions. What they can offer is a position as an FP in Tromsø, with a guaranteed FC course after three months.

What you'd have to do is to go through the "regular" SAS recruiting process. Normally SAS are not hiring pilots on limited time contracts, but with the current FC-situation in Tromsø, they just might do that.

I suggest you try to call SAS Commuter's main office in Copenhagen, Denmark, and get in touch with the Manager Flight Standard named Øivind Rønning, who surely will be able to answer all your questions.

(SAS Switchboard CPH: +45 32 32 00 00)

Nick.

[KADS]

...and if you do get hired on the described conditions, please write here and let us know because that would be a first. Very interesting!! Best o'luck!!!

[LimaNovember]

Is this typical or what? SAS Commuter badly in need of captains in TOS, but the union say no to direct entries. Why not wake up to reality guys and do as the rest of the world when needed; hire contract pilots for a time limited period. This will give the first officers time to gain experience. Try it you`ll like it. :eek:

[ 06 August 2001: Message edited by: LimaNovember ]

[Nick Figaretto]

KADS: There really are no "conditions." The current situation is that there are NO applicants for FC positions in TOS. The FO with the longest seniority at TOS has only about 2000 hrs, and there really aren't many FOs in SAS Commuter who have the required 3000 hrs to become an FC. And they will all go to SAS by the time they have.

What SAS Commuter wanted to do, was to offer an FC course straight away for applicants who have more than 3000 hrs. (And preferably a certain amount of FC experience.) They would still have to start on year one on the seniority list. And they would also still have to go through the regular SAS recruiting process.

This was stopped by the unions. Or rather: stopped by the agreements that SAS/SAS Commuter have already made with the unions (Kollektivavtalene).

Since seniority is not limiting, the only difference is that a new applicant has to go through the "regular" FO course, and then, more or less, go straight on to an FC course.

When it comes to time limited contracts (Lima November), SAS (and most SAS applicants, I believe) have always wanted stable, "life long" employments. It hasn't been considered wise to go to an SAS interview saying that you only want to work for SAS for a limited peroiod of time.

If an applicant pass the SAS tests, and starts as an FC in TOS (after being FO for a couple of months), he will be on the combined SAS/SAS Commuter seniority list with all the rights an privileges that all the other pilots in the system have.

The only "special treatment" SAS could offer (considering the situation in TOS) for a Captain who wants to fly a F50 out of TOS for a limited period, is to give him a job despite the fact that they know he will quit in a year or two. If they don't offer that deal, why say that you want a time limited contract?

In other words: Only thing he has to do is to say that he'd like an FC position in TOS and work for the rest of his life for SAS. If he doesn't want to continue his employment, after a year or two, all he needs to do is quit.

Nick.

[ 06 August 2001: Message edited by: Nick Figaretto ]

[pot]

New air in Billund, Denmark had announcments in the newspaper :eek: for captains on f50 the other day. You may have a big chance there!!

[LimaNovember]

NF,

I think you misunderstand the term contract pilot (?) A contract pilot does not go to an airline interview offering him/herself for a time-limited period (may be some do, but I doubt it). A time-limited contract is offered, most of the time, via a Crew Leasing Agency on behalf of the airline. The reason for an airline to do this can be lack of qualified pilots for a peak period (summer season for charter operators) or like for SAS Commuter; lack of qualified FCs.

Your comment about the need for a secure environment; I left one of Europe`s most secure environments 6 years ago for a career (if that what you call it)as a contract pilot, and I have never looked back. Honestly.

Another side to a base in TOS. May be the location is a reason for lack of FCs? If so, may be SAS Commuter and the union should put their heads together and do some fire-fighting until they have enough qualifed FO`s to fill the gap? :confused: As long as a contract pilot does not stop any of the permanent employed FOs from promotion (and in TOS that is not the case), what is than the problem? The Union?

[ 07 August 2001: Message edited by: LimaNovember ]

[Nick Figaretto]

LN, I see. What I am trying to say is that if ifylofd (what the h@ll is ifylofd supposed to mean?) wants a time limited contract on a Fokker 50 in Scandinavia then F50 in TOS might be worth checking up.

But I guess by "Scandinavia" he doesn't necessarily include the area north of the polar circle. :)

And you are quite right: The fact that the base is in TOS is one of the reasons for the shortage of FCs. But over the last 10 years, about half of the pilots at the TOS base have been commuting from southern Norway, and it is still possible.

But having to go through a full FP and then a full FC course will make this option less attractive.

I, and especially the TOS pilots, also wonder how SAS and SC will solve the FC situation in TOS.

A question out of curiousity: What is the benefit of being a contract pilot? It seems undoubtedly (as you say) more insecure than being a "regular" employee in an airliner. Is it just the flexibility and possibility of getting various jobs and interesting flying experience, or are there additional reasons that make pilots want to become contract pilots?

Nick.

[LimaNovember]

NF,

If you want to know more about being a contract pilot, I can recommend www.cockpitforum.com (http://www.cockpitforum.com)

[Nick Figaretto]

Interesting pages! :) (Did you make them, LN?)

Nick.

[Kaptein Max]

LN

The Cocpitforum pages are good. That a contract pilot can expect only 8-10 days off a month is all the information I need to stay in my job. You have had 6 good years, but now that the economy is set to contract in USA, Europe, and most of Asia at the same time, the number of contract pilots is likely to drop.

[ 10 August 2001: Message edited by: Kaptein Max ]

[LimaNovember]

Kaptein Max,

8-10 days rostered off per month is the standard minimum around the world. Add to that 2,5 days per month accumulated towards vacation, which you are supposed to take out at the end of a 6 or 12 months contract. In many cases these 2,5 days will be given as off days every month. Last, but not least; when you have finished a contract you can take off as long as you like. The time is yours. And since the salary for a contract pilot is slightly higher (risk factor build in for not being able to pick up a new contract straight away) than for a permanently employed, most colleauges set aside a little bit (I hope) for the time in-between contracts.