Low Hour Work

[stormywx]

I was talking to a few other guys who have also recently gained their CPL's and between us we have covered basically all the bases. There have been trips to North Qld, North West Qld, Perth, Broome, Darwin, Melbourne, Brisbane, Ayres Rock/Alice Springs and just about everywhere inbetween by all of us and we still haven't found anyone interested in us since we have under 500-1000 hours.

Some are interested in instructor ratings and some arent.

So to all those other low hour guys out there or to those already working in places who may know, we'd love some ideas on where we can go for charter work. We are willing to travel just about anywhere. Any help you can give us would be really appreciated...

Cheers
stormy & co.

[Capt L]

You say

There have been trips to North Qld, North West Qld, Perth, Broome, Darwin, Melbourne, Brisbane, Ayres Rock/Alice Springs

Did you stay in any of these places? You probably need to set up in one of these places and let employers know that you are hanging around. Pop in and see them every now and then, DON'T annoy them, but make sure the CP's know you're still in town and looking for work. Get to know the local pilots (employed and unemployed).

That being said always be ready to move at the drop of a hat. You never know when a job might come up and they want you there ASAP.

Keep in touch with the CFI and instructors at your flying school, you never know when someone might get in touch with the looking for a pilot.

Most of all, enjoy your flying and stay positive! It will happen!!

Cheers L :D :D :D

[Islander Jock]

That being said always be ready to move at the drop of a hat. You never know when a job might come up and they want you there ASAP.

Keep in touch with the CFI and instructors at your flying school, you never know when someone might get in touch with the looking for a pilot.

aint that the truth CAPT L ;)

[the wizard of auz]

AAAAAAhhh, stuff em, anoy the hell out of em. If they are going to prey on young low time comms and pay the skin and bone award wages you may as well give em the ****s coz if you dont get the job your probably doing yerself a good deed.






(can you guess I'm slightly peeved with the industry):mad:

[Islander Jock]

Gee Wiz,

Who peed in your cornflakes thismorning?

[the wizard of auz]

Certainly wasnt the skimpy I was hoping for. :D

[druglord]

Yeah I agree with ISlander jock...I don't know of anyone who's pulled a job by driving around from one town to the next and just getting a job on their big 'see Australia trip'. I had collegues who did the exact same. Visited Qld. NT. and WA in 2 weeks and came back witht the 'their ain't no jobs out there' story. You gotta pick your spot and then move there. Preferably in the Feb march. just before the season starts. The jobs will come up soon enough. Hopefully won't have to wait like one guy i know up in YPKU...2 years. My hat goes of to that sorta guy...

[sporty]

The problem is you guys are doing everything the same way everyone else is and waisting money in the process.
typical low time pilot:
CPL
200 hrs(there abouts)
CIR ( pointless- what operator is going to let you fly around with his passengers in cloud with 200hrs?)
MER ( advantage but not necessary)

You have to think of some endorsements that will make you different from eveyone else. For eg in my situation I have been offered 2 flying jobs in the past month (had to knock them back)

My qualifications
300hrs (all single)
tail wheel endorsement
Aero endorsement
low level endorsement
A lot of persistance ie visits/phone calls and you will get a job for sure!!!
Why am I giving away these secrets???
Just finished ADF recruiting and waiting for enlistment!!!
Best of luck!!!!

[batch]

stormywx,

dont lose all hope. I had similar experience, i went north and set up shop, got a job that payed rent (pulling pi$$) and went and saw the CPs every couple of weeks. I saw some mates get jobs because they knew someone in the company, good on them, try and hang out with other pilots, it certainly helps if you know people. Then the one day when i was thinking about leaving after about 6 months, a guy walked into my bar and said he was looking for a casual pilot. 2 days later i was over 1000km away and starting my 1st charter. I agree with all that has been said getting yourself to look different, ie tail wheel, aeros, have heard this from a few CPs. There is often no rhyme or reason as to who gets the jobs, just right place, right time. So be persistant and in it for the long haul, good luck:)

[eggs]

sporty.
great to here that you were offered 2 jobs, however you forgot to say what they were and why you were offered them.


and by the way who were they with???????????

[Aviation_sl#t]

seriously good advice sporty,

You need to make yourself different from the standard 200 hour, MECIR, grade 3, AV Degree UGAL and get other endorsments that may actually be useful in the real world...

Eggs, whilst not meaning to be rude, do you want him to dish it up to you on a plate?


A.S.

[Rich-Fine-Green]

Sporty;

Having sat on both sides of an interview desk......

No.5 has the most significance.

Persistance, phone calls, visits is what often gets a pilot the nod.

Don't forget NETWORKING. Sorry, I will say it louder NETWORKING.

Small aviation companies often fill positions by 'who you know'.

Don't forget to keep in contact with ex-instructors, ex-classmates, colleagues - even the guy/girl standing next to you at the airport cafe.

Collect emails, mobile numbers etc.

It's a small industry. Your ex-instructor may one day be a Chief Pilot somewhere (or if the gods are smiling a CASA FOI). You never know.

[druglord]

Stormy,
Despite what some people are telling you I'd highly advise that you do your CIR if you haven't done so already. You'll find if you get a full time job that it's mighty hard to fit that CIR rating in the mattter of 4 weeks before you have to get back to work. On top of that, when you're scaring yourself silly in the wet season with CB's and have 3 ft visisbility due to smoke in the dry, you'll be thanking your lucky stars for that CIR. I'm not sure who flies tailwheels in the bush, but I'd try to get some 210 or 206 time before I blast off.

[429 CJ]

Druggy, it may not be "who flys tailwheels in the bush", but the attitude of some CP's that it can make for a more rounded manipulative skill level. Have heard it myself from a CP in Kununurra this year when discussing my logbook and it's contents.

The conversation went something like:

"A tailwheel rating? How much tailwheel time have you got?"

"About 160hrs"

"What types".

"Citabria, various Maules, C180 and C185".

"How much 185 time?"

"A bit over a hundred".

"IO-470 or 520?"

"One was a 520 sir, and the other a 550".

"Sh!t, how'd that one go?"

"Like a homesick angel!"

"That really brings warmth to my heart, you'll have no trouble at all with the 210 then, no trouble at all."

I guess it means different things to different people, but my advice is do it, if only to really sharpen your own skills. As it turned-out, I did have a small problem with the C210, overactive tailwheel feet! :eek:

G'day Batch, was good to say G'day yesterday, you flying or driving home when you go? :D

[drexel]

save your money guys forget about spending more money on flying

for now. What you need now is some hours (easier said I know )

tail wheel experience aint worth half apinch of s##t ! what you have to

do is camp somewhere for a while and be persistant . Oh yes you also

have to be able to fly .

[DIVINE WIND]

Nothing wrong with tailwheel experience

1:It can land you in a job (however rare it may be nowadays):p

2:Almost as much fun as burning around in a H-500D.:cool:

All depends on where you really wanna end up.Can't hurt if you have the spare cash though.
Good luck.

[Aussiebert]

this has been a very interesting thread

There is a lot of stuff floating round here bout the 'first job' stuff, but the idea of setting up camp is hardly raised. Thats what i plan to do (with the help of the old family network to cut costs)

Hopefully it will work out... gotta make it happen though!

I'm going to put a lot into getting my dream job (which thankfully is a slightly reaslistic prospect... i think)

[stormywx]

Thanks for the replies, its been interesting reading!

Just re Aussieberts thread, where would the best place to set up camp be... realistically Cairns, Darwin, Alice etc all seem to be 1000+ hrs.

[U2]

I spent a few years in and out of "several" commercial ops..not a good idea.

I found that experience at a maintenance organisation is valuable. Firstly you learn more about aircraft and engines than you do in an ATPL exam and you also gain hands on experience. You learn how much aircraft actually cost your employer and what not to break. Also, believe it or not you will probably get paid for your time in the hangar...unless you are doing it to get a few flying hours with the same organisation.

I think newbees often overlook (including myself) the benefits of private ops. There are many private ops whom employ pilots and do heeps of hours.


Do not fill the gas tanks up and drive for a month. Pick a place out bush that you would like to live and set up camp. Introduce yourself to the local operators and ask if there is any non-flying work available at the company or anywhere else at the airport. GET YOURSELF INTO THE CIRCLE OF EMPLOYMENT !!!!!
!!!!!!!...REMEMBER THIS...


Finally their maybe a job going soon, details via email. Anyone with 700 hours a CIR who wants a job .. email me.

U2

[drexel]

having 12 years of engineering experience i have to agree with U2

getting in the industry via the hangar will go a long way

in landing your first flying job. i have seen many guys and gals do this

and sometimes the things you learn while you are a hangar can be

very valuable once you start flying like changing tires,spark plugs and

fault diagnosis.ie where,s that smoke coming from?

[Aussiebert]

stomrywx,

i have yet to do it, so i dunno where the best place is

i'm simply going on a few assumptions:

to get a job you should be the best person for the job, not the 4th or 5th best for 100 jobs

the way i see it, say your going into places weekly. an airfeild a day gives you 7 airfeilds to work on getting a job at, assuming between travel and talking you only fit in one feild per day

base someone with about 7 different places in day trip or overnight range and you can focus on those places...

i may be way off the mark of course, but this is just my plan as it stands...

I am of course open to comments, ideas, rants about how much of an idiot i am

suffice to say where i plan to base is a secret (don't want too many copycats) but its not cairns, darwin or alice, or a capital city, its where i perceive my best prospects at work to be, where the aircraft and operators i want to fly with are and so forth

[grrowler]

7 different places in day trip or overnight range
the aircraft and operators i want to fly with

Well, it can't be in oz.... :p

[Aussiebert]

lol yes a slight exageration perhaps, but close enough to the truth. it all depends on what you consider day trip range

[chinese chicken]

good post and some good points to think of when going for that first gig, ie get get yourself establsihed somehwere,

(it all depends on what you consider day trip range), well i think in response to that comment that all depends on if you are doing it of your own back or someone elses?? :confused:

Most places up North are not really a short drive away, specially from the major pilot job opporutunity towns

cheers, good luck

howzit goin down therre grrowler?

[Aussiebert]

yeah the 'day trip' range thing was kinda a slip of my mind, what i mean is within a reasonable range.

i know the 'big drive' is the way to go is some ways, but i see the best option as being the best person for one job, rather then one of several many people going down teh same highways

plus having a base and a regular time there, means you can hold down a job. I've never gone on the dole, gotten austudy and so forth, and i don't indend to.

Besides, even with a base of some sort, you could go out every few weeks to the real remote places...

i dunno, its all theory till i try it