The state of GA

[hobo335]

G'day lads and ladettes!

Just was curious what the current GA climate is like in the opinions of those of you who are currently working in it? Are you seeing much turnover or hiring of pilots at your company?

Speaking to friends about the place there are varying opinions that GA has never been slower/less work/less demand for pilots to just being business as usual.

I have been looking for a new gig for some time now and by no means am I gods gift to aviation but think I have some fairly decent hours and twin time under my belt without so much as a nibble so has just got me curious and thinking on how others are seeing things and finding things at this time?

Cheers! :}

[Radix]

...........

[Pinky the pilot]

I once heard Aussie GA described in Latin;

`Cacti Fuktum Rutii`:}

At the time I thought it slightly over the top. Now I`m not so sure.:hmm:

[Horatio Leafblower]

...and I may not be a visionary, I admit it, but I fail to see who or what will replace mining as GA's main driver :suspect:

[Dick Smith]

Becoming the world leader in flight training would. Was in the Coalitions policy election before last but Mr Truss deleted it in the following policy paper that he got elected in on!

I despair for our industry. It could be booming. We are the best country in the world for flying.

[hobo335]

Hoping you run for the next election Dick, you have my vote!

[justinga]

Just out of curiosity, does anybody remember a time when GA was healthy and and owners or operators where throwing big $$ at crew.
It's "generally" a dodgy business controlled by blokes in long socks, sandals, short pants and clip boards with a pen holder in there shiny white shirts trying to control blokes with shiny white teeth, mint overtures on there breath, white shoes and a slightly dated sports car.

[Hasherucf]

Woke up to this on my feed this morning. Informed reporting. Pity training schools are going the way of the dinosaur


Australia urged to train 261,000 pilots for Asia Pacific by 2034 (http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/onus-on-australia-to-train-261000-pilots-for-asia-pacific-by-2034/story-e6frfq80-1227399225485)

[alphacentauri]

I heard a vicious rumour recently.....something about China going to build 1500 airstrips in their part of the world in order to develop their own GA industry.

Long term plan is to do all training in China. I have no fear that there will be a pilot supply shortage. The numbers in that article will be met....but it won't be done in Aus. In the not too distant future, if you want to learn to fly, you will need to head to China.

Probably true for engineers as well.

The upside is, you will have internationally recognised qualifications....the downside...well they are numerous.

So now for the hypotheticals....if I own an aviation business, what is stopping me from operating N-registered aircraft provided I have FAA certified engineers? Why can't I get an FAA AOC and operate in Australia?

From a private operator point of view (or even homebuilt). Why not build and register under the FAA, and follow their rules?

I know it may not be that clean cut...but there has to be a way. Imagine if VH regsitered aircraft were leaving the register en-mass and showing up as 'N" where CASA have no jurisdiction. Pretty hard to justifying the existence of a regulator when there is nothing left to regulate. Meanwhile GA happily goes about its business under FAA rules...which are simpler, and cheaper.

Or if doing all this under 'N' registration is too difficult, what about 'ZK' registration?

[Tidbinbilla]

Folks, before this thread heads off on a tangent, let's stick to original poster's question.

That is pilot opportunities in Australian GA, crew turnover etc :)

Thanks.

[Left 270]

I'm seeing a fair improvement, mostly from the CX hiring, but it's looking the most positive I've seen.

[Clare Prop]

I only run a small operation but I haven't employed anyone since 2008 and not planning to. I have had staff levels up to 12. This is mainly because of the woeful standard of instructor training and the unrealistic expectations they have due to slick marketing of flying courses.

It's just easier to do the job myself than mentoring a new instructor for months to get them able to actually do the job and who will then get snapped up by one of the airline training schools as soon as they get a Grade 2.

I do know that Jandakot is very quiet at the moment compared to say 5 years ago but I also know that it goes in cycles and the businesses that have fallen by the wayside have either had incompetent or dishonest management and/or just haven't adapted to the way the industry is changing. It's very convenient to blame CASA/the Iron Ore price etc but being a dinosaur doesn't lead to a bright future either.

[LeadSled]

I heard a vicious rumour recently.AlphaC,
Nothing rumour or vicious about it, it's all in the 10 year plan, announced at the International G.A Conference and Exhibition held at Xi'an two years ago.
I must say the simultaneous translations were most impressive, and the inevitable powerpoints most instructive.
Most of this is actually directed at developing Private and Recreational GA, with the US GA as the model, it is not particularly directed at supplying pilots for airlines.
On thread, there will be quite a few opportunities for ex-pat contract pilots.
Tootle pip!!

[flyinkiwi]

On the subject of recreational flying, GA has been in decline for years. Micro/Ultralight flying has snapped up a lot of the would be weekend warriors as they offer a far cheaper pathway into the skies and not a lot of those people decide to fly GA later.

And the compliance and fuel costs are strangling those of us who fly GA casually into grounding ourselves because we can barely afford to stay legal let alone current in anything.

That's the situation on this side of the ditch, and on reading other threads on the subject it seems to be the same in the land of Oz as well, except your regulator is even more hostile than ours.

[Clare Prop]

Absolutely. It's impossible to compete with the recreational schools on price.

[Frank Arouet]

Of note in the recent free trade agreement with China was the mention of flying training in The House of Representatives the other day. I'm unsure however, if the reference was for Australian involvement in China or Chinese involvement in Australia. It's hard not to reflect on that GA conference in Xi'an a few years back attended by LeadSled and what seeds were planted then. His attendance would be an opening to the old Chinese proverb, "to know the road ahead, ask the man coming back".