Qantas Recruiting [Archive]

"Littlebird"

6th Jul 2016, 10:17

All the hype about 100 plus new jobs and then tumbleweeds... yes I know pretty normal in this business.

From a very reliable source, early to mid 2017 and only maybe then. Grab any decent job that presents now, and reassess when and if QF begin to recruit and offer you a backseat job ;)

Keg

6th Jul 2016, 14:02

Qantas has made no secret about seeking circa 70 S/Os in FY16/17. There are approx 100 former cadets and LOI holders who are going through the assessment process at the moment. If they're all suitable then obviously it's going to be at least next FY before DE intake pilot slots will become available.

Of course this is aviation and many things change. My understanding is that Qantas has multiple 787 slots potentially turning up 'much more quickly' from 2019 onward- almost one a month was a rumour I heard- IF Qantas converts the fixed date/ cost options into firm orders. Whether they take them, what aircraft they may retire in the interim, etc are all the great unknown.

So I'd take Littlebird's advice on this one. Continue with your career and if Qantas happens to feature in there somewhere then that's even better.

meatbomb01

7th Jul 2016, 07:59

Anyone hazard a guess/an informed idea of what kind of minimums QF will be looking for in S/O positions?

Going Nowhere

7th Jul 2016, 08:20

The ability to swim 50m and tread water for 3 minutes :ok::{

rmcdonal

7th Jul 2016, 12:45

Anyone hazard a guess/an informed idea of what kind of minimums QF will be looking for in S/O positions?
7th Jul 2016 01:02 Don't know, but I can say that once the cadets and LOI pilots get a seat you will be competing against pilots who have been waiting up to 9 years for the gates to open.

Roj approved

7th Jul 2016, 12:56

There's no such thing as a "former cadet" :O

Sorry, I'll get my coat

Keg

7th Jul 2016, 22:48

Anyone hazard a guess/an informed idea of what kind of minimums QF will be looking for in S/O positions?

That's still under review. I have a vague recollection of someone saying 'similar to The regionals' but not even sure where or when that statement was made or by whom.

dr dre

8th Jul 2016, 01:41

Anyone hazard a guess/an informed idea of what kind of minimums QF will be looking for in S/O positions?

Last period of recruitment minimums were roughly 500hrs command or 1500hrs turboprop FO. Link has minimums of 700hrs total and 250hrs multi. Plus the usual ATPL subjects, IR etc. No idea if that will be the same this time around.

bangbounceboeing

8th Jul 2016, 03:32

Will senior level maths and physics still be a requirement ?

dr dre

9th Jul 2016, 01:13

Will senior level maths and physics still be a requirement ?

Physics was removed as a requirement for the last round of mainline recruitment. Higher level Yr 12 Maths, English or an approved bridging course were still required or having any bachelor's degree would suffice. Again not sure if this will be the same this time around, presently Qlink doesn't have any education requirements.

engine out

9th Jul 2016, 05:14

The real question is not what are the minimum requirements, but what above that will be competitive to get an invite to stage 1.

Ten Two Hundred

9th Jul 2016, 11:28

This is excellent news that Qantas are hiring and shortly to go external. Without mentioning the words "pilot shortage", worldwide demographics are good for any pilot in GA, the regionals or even those flying a jet in Australia.

atlas12

10th Jul 2016, 09:43

Well I know for a fact that many pilots currently flying the RHS at airlines such as VA, Tiger etc are all interested in a QF seat if it were to become available. So you can bet the competition will be fierce since many have 1000+ jet hours.

Ten Two Hundred.... maybe.... depends on the working conditions and pay you have in mind. In reality, it isn't really that great unless you are already PIC on a jet.

"Littlebird"

10th Jul 2016, 11:27

atlas12 - competition will be tough, as it is for any decent job these days. This has very little to do with the amount of jet hours you have, number of type ratings you have, if you are a checker or trainer, or exceed the minimum requirements. The role is that of a second officer.
Most important will be that you are the right fit for Qantas. They know you can fly, you have a licence that says so, especially the back seat. Who you are as a person is where the focus will be. Online psych profiling, video interviews, and face to face behavioural interviews will no doubt be a major feature. All the best! :ok:

Cessna Jockey

10th Jul 2016, 21:24

I also know a few people who are currently flying in the RHS of jets with local Australian airlines who said they will be applying, and I think it's fair to say there will be a massive pool of jet candidates from Honkers & the Sandpit who will also be applying in the hope to get back home.

Oh and of course you have all the regional turbo-prop captains to compete with.

Whatever the minimums may be, if you fall just on them, I wouldn't be holding your breath. In fact I'd suggest aiming a little lower to fill some of the above jobs I just listed...

Keg

11th Jul 2016, 04:20

This is a personal opinion on hour requirements. I've not been privy to any discussion with those in charge or even with colleagues involved in the selection process about flying experience.

Minimum hours are simply that. At the end of the day it's the person behind the hours that Qantas is going to be most interested in. A 5000 hour 777 F/O may miss out whilst a 1500 hour Dash F/O gets through. It'll come down to the entirety of the assessment process (and that includes the psych, skills, group exercise, interview, sim, and medical) rather than simply prioritising the person with more hours on the basis of their experience. Probably the only place the extra experience could play a part is in the sim assessment where greater experience may potentially assist.

So I don't want those with either heaps of experience or very little to think that it's going to play a disproportionate role in the selection process. It should come down to whether the individual can do the job and whether they're the right fit. Anything beyond that is superfluous.

If I could sum it up this way. It's no good being an ace pilot with heaps of experience if you're a knob.

Good luck.

SpyderPig

11th Jul 2016, 05:18

If I could sum it up this way. It's no good being an ace pilot with heaps of experience if you're a knob.

Quite a few people in this industry should pay attention to that statement.

Hopefully there'll be spots for regional FO's (like myself) as well as the experienced jet jockeys. They better be ready for an avalanche off applications when they open the doors!

The Truckie

11th Jul 2016, 09:35

lee_apromise

11th Jul 2016, 10:05

When you hire a pilot, you want to hire someone that could become Chief Pilot or head of check and training in their career with you. So in today's world of Part 61 I feel Qantas will be taking a lot of people that have the appropriate instructor ratings so they can become flight examiner/management down the track when the company needs them rather than having to send people off to do instructor ratings and wasting the time and dollar of the Qantas purse.

No offence but seriously are you relating FI rating to TRI/TRE? How about someone with a bachelor degree instead just like they do in the states? Last time I checked, FI is not a requirement to teach (i.e line training) someone at airlines.

The Truckie

11th Jul 2016, 11:32

No offence but seriously are you relating FI rating to TRI/TRE? How about someone with a bachelor degree instead just like they do in the states? Last time I checked, FI is not a requirement to teach (i.e line training) someone at airlines.

Read Part 61 and 142 then get back to me. Line training you don't but endorsement, IPC, differences are all done by someone with the appropriate flight examiner/instructor rating.

rmcdonal

11th Jul 2016, 16:38

If I could sum it up this way. It's no good being an ace pilot with heaps of experience if you're a knob.
Bugger :E

That being said I know of plenty of knobs who have made their way into airlines over the years, I can only hope Keg you do a better job of sniffing them out than most airlines. There is nothing worse than missing out on a gig than to a pilot who you know should not be in the seat.

As for So in today's world of Part 61 I feel Qantas will be taking a lot of people that have the appropriate instructor ratings so they can become flight examiner/management down the track
BWAHAHAHA your thinking 20-30 years away. What good would an instructor rating do for you after 20 years of it sitting idle?

Keg

11th Jul 2016, 22:44

The Check and Training course at Qantas is essentially the same irrespective of whether you're a former military QFI, a former GA flying instructor or a line pilot with no previous flight instruction experience. The only difference i can see is that the person without the instructor rating already on their license needs to do the CASA PMI exam whereas the others do not. Cost saving? 1/100th of bugger all.

Popgun

12th Jul 2016, 02:26

That being said I know of plenty of knobs who have made their way into airlines over the years, I can only hope Keg you do a better job of sniffing them out than most airlines. There is nothing worse than missing out on a gig than to a pilot who you know should not be in the seat.

Indeed. Psychometric tests and face-to-face interviews will never be foolproof.

Psychometric psychologists are the first to admit that their tests are done a disservice when they are used as a precision tool.

Unfortunately, however, they are VERY cost-effective for modern HR departments when there are far more acceptable applicants than jobs available.

The tests will sometimes reject suitable applicants, accept less desirable ones, and often get it right by giving an acceptable candidate the green light.

Fair with desired outcome? Often not. But that's the rule of that game. Anyone applying would be well advised to be as prepared and as practised in the appropriate psychometric tests as possible.

PG

Capn Rex Havoc

12th Jul 2016, 04:08

Are they taking direct entry A380 captains? Slightly used, very experienced globally. ;)

ExtraShot

12th Jul 2016, 06:00

Are they taking direct entry A380 captains? Slightly used, very experienced globally.

Yep! Directly into the Second Officer Seat down the bottom of the Seniority list like everyone else!

das Uber Soldat

12th Jul 2016, 07:12

Hopefully there'll be spots for regional FO's (like myself) as well as the experienced jet jockeys. They better be ready for an avalanche off applications when they open the doors!
J* just hired a bunch of turboprop Fo's recently, so I don't see any reason why Qantas wouldn't. I assume it was reasonably competitive for that position too?

SpyderPig

12th Jul 2016, 10:32

Extremely so I believe. Everyone I know is still "under review"

hotnhigh

12th Jul 2016, 20:18

What about all candidates turn up for a pub lunch for a few hours. It would become pretty obvious who is a knob, a right fit, and or, who might be the next chief pilot in the following hours and the process would be complete in half a day. HR not invited.
Good luck everyone.

mrdeux

13th Jul 2016, 06:53

If you don't hire knobs, how would you ever get any management pilots?

Derfred

13th Jul 2016, 07:47

If you don't hire knobs, how would you ever get any management pilots?

:D

Ahh, but like everything, there's a fix... They just need to do the "knob course"...

Keg

26th Jul 2016, 13:26

Email today confirms the first 10 new recruits start on 16 August. Welcome aboard to those crew.

The original forecast was for circa 70 pilots to be recruited this year. There are rumours (I've heard nothing official though) that it could be as many 10 a month for the foreseeable future. There are also rumours of additional command and F/O slots on the A330 to be advertised to crew shortly and may be related to the rumour of accelerated delivery of the 787s.

Maybe we'll know more about these rumours at the annual results announcement in about a month.

Aviatrix91

29th Jul 2016, 14:27

Thanks for the updates Keg, much appreciated!

mohikan

31st Jul 2016, 11:49

If I could sum it up this way. It's no good being an ace pilot with heaps of experience if you're a knob.

Good luck.
Couldnt agree more on the 'knob' comment. Some recent examples from the line:

- An A330 Captain elects to 'hand fly' the downwind component of the BOREE arrival onto 34L at the last moment without pre-breifing his F/O. ATC have him cleared to 4000ft. Whilst hand flying, he busts that altitude by 200-300 feet and once called on it by the F/O corrects it eventually. No report on the alititude bust is submitted and as the Captain is one of the training sections 'golden haired children' no action seems to be taken against him.

- A relatively new A330 Captain has taken it upon himself to conduct in depth debriefs of F/O's after each sector. The problem is the 'points' he raises with said F/O's are actually wrong in fact in terms of SOPs, and the F/O actions were actually correct. When the F/O's get out the books and point this out the Captain just shrugs his shoulders.

- Another Captain is a devout Christian and mentions the bible continuously to the F/O's he flys with. This makes many F/O's feel uncomfortable as they do not share his beliefs.

- Finally another Captain is actually despised by nearly every other pilot on the base. Unfortunately because he does not have a peer group, no-one has the heart to tell him the truth....

josephfeatherweight

31st Jul 2016, 12:06

and mentions the bible continuously
If there's one thing that gets my goat...

Keg

31st Jul 2016, 22:26

If there's one thing that gets my goat...

Depends on whether you find that worse than a crew member anonymously slandering others. I'd much prefer a fellow crew member talking honestly about a subject that I've little interest in and managing that appropriately face to face than someone who tells lies behind a colleague's back and doesn't have the cojones to say anything to their face.

Every day of the week I'd take an honest crew member who tells it how it is about what they believe (even if I disagree with them) than an anonymous troll spreading lies.

I'm done reading your lies Mohikan. You can continue to attempt to malign people (and me) with your BS but I won't be reading it anymore. I'll stack my history and record here on PPRUNE (and in Qantas if you're actually a Qantas pilot) against yours anytime. Ignore list it is. My humble thanks to a good mate who reminded me of that function. :ok:

Tankengine

1st Aug 2016, 01:33

Depends on whether you find that worse than a crew member anonymously slandering others. I'd much prefer a fellow crew member talking honestly about a subject that I've little interest in and managing that appropriately face to face than someone who tells lies behind a colleague's back and doesn't have the cojones to say anything to their face.

Every day of the week I'd take an honest crew member who tells it how it is about what they believe (even if I disagree with them) than an anonymous troll spreading lies.

I'm done reading your lies Mohikan. You can continue to attempt to malign people (and me) with your BS but I won't be reading it anymore. I'll stack my history and record here on PPRUNE (and in Qantas if you're actually a Qantas pilot) against yours anytime. Ignore list it is. My humble thanks to a good mate who reminded me of that function. :ok:

I suspect the guy referred to about the Bible is not you Keg, but someone about a foot taller than both of us who is very "out there" with his views and I have had a number of F/Os mention his name. (Management are watching him too) I don't know about the others, we do have a range of "characters."
T

josephfeatherweight

1st Aug 2016, 11:34

Depends on whether you find that worse than a crew member anonymously slandering others.
Sorry Keg, not sure exactly your angle with reference to my comment, though I think you are referring more to a previous poster. I think I'm too polite to explain that I don't share the same beliefs or interests in the bible with those who (very occasionally) "bash" me with it - I believe it would actually hurt their feelings too much. But, as I said, it really gets on my goat and I will discuss it with others - though not anonymously.

Regardless of the subject, one needs to have sufficient SA to realise when the conversation is a one-way affair. In my personal experience, it is often those who are keen on Jesus, who are least aware of this... Just an opinion/observation and not meant to cause offence. Cheers.

Back to Qantas Recruiting?? Sorry for extending the sidetrack...

Keg

8th Aug 2016, 05:25

Another clown wants to take a pot shot instead of contributing anything positive. Awesome. What a wonderful image for our airline, region and industry. :rolleyes: :ugh:

It is important to acknowledge one of Mohikan's points. That is that there are knobs already out there- from Mohikan's numerous previous attempts it appears he or she considers me one of them.

I can't talk to past recruiting practises and their success or otherwise of preventing a 'knob' from getting through. Clearly Mohikan feels we have a few flying for us now and I'm under no illusions that the recruiting process will avoid all of them from getting an offer in the future.

The point I was making back in that earlier post was that the current recruiting process is designed to look beyond stick and rudder skills or flying hours and look to the person first. A low time Dash driver shouldn't feel significantly disadvantaged up against someone with heavy jet experience. The fact the assessment centre day occurs before the sim assessment bears that out.

So I hope those on the outside find that useful. If not, no harm done. :D :ok:

neville_nobody

8th Aug 2016, 06:32

So how do you actually not recruit so-called knobs?

From what I have experienced the these types tend to be technically proficient, knowing everything, usually have a good skill set and often highly qualified just seeming to lack empathy or an ability to fit in socially. Others actually have had diagnosed pysch conditions:ugh:

In this day and age digging to much into their background or preferences in an interview is nigh impossible as everything is off limits because of discrimination. Military can get away with it because they can do whatever they like but not so for civy street.

In short the only way would be with a exhaustive Pysch Test and a followup interview with a properly train Psychologist. Somehow I don't think any airline in Australia is willing to spend that sort of money, so how do you go about ruling out people who are otherwise perfectly acceptable?

I'll add to that we actually have to define what a knob is, just being Puritanical, much to some of the posters above disliking, I don't think would rule you out of a job.

dr dre

8th Aug 2016, 07:49

So how do you actually not recruit so-called knobs?

Well you'd need to go well beyond the normal interview/sim ride/psychometric assessment method of recruitment. You'd need to monitor the attitudes and behaviours of the potential recruits over a long period of time in a range of flying and non-flying situations that would give an accurate assessment of how these potential future captains would exhibit their range of non technical skills.

Or also called a "cadetship" ;)

But in all seriousness I've heard plenty of tales of people who started their careers being regarded as generally good people who changed into the so called "knob" type over time, so maybe it's not something that can be discovered at the recruitment stage. I've also heard of "knobs" who've pulled their heads in and changed their behaviour over time so it works both ways

Derfred

9th Aug 2016, 01:35

Ahhh, yes... Some actually choose to be knobs, others can't help it.

SandyPalms

12th Aug 2016, 04:44

With the first batch of recruits set to join next week. How is the rest of the year shaping up? Flood gates, or just a trickle?

Keg

12th Aug 2016, 11:39

10 a month for foreseeable future was one rumour from a couple of weeks back.

That's contrary to the previously stated public requirement for 170 over 3 years.

I hadn't heard anything official so didn't post it previously.

_gazelle_

12th Aug 2016, 23:35

Presumably that includes the previous LOI holders & cadets. Best guess on when new externals will be in with a shot Keg?

Keg

13th Aug 2016, 03:05

This is a personal assessment of the info. Have heard nothing official- or unofficial. This is just my reading of how many cadets, LOI holders, etc.

IF the 10 a month turns out to be true then we'd are looking at externals with start dates about April/ May next year. So perhaps opening up applications in December/ January.

If it's a rumour and doesn't come off then that will slide back towards applications in April/ May and starts in August/ September next year. The annual results announcement on August 23 should give a bit more insight.