SIA pilot shortage
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Perth Australia
Age: 80
Posts: 280
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Expat F/Os and all that process, surely NOT AGAIN!!!!
From 1990 to 1994/5 they were hired, some on Expat terms (90??) and the rest of nearly 150 were on "local".
As there are less than 20 still there the process was to most not an easy one.
The reasons for leaving were many and varied, but I can site schooling, housing, PR status (for the kids this meant National Service), bias, unrealised prospects, time to command vs other Airlines etc etc.
At the latter end of the process when no more were being hired BECAUSE "they have proven to be unreliable" they went back to "more traditional sources" under some pressure from the Govt if all heard was correct.
Many were unable to take what came their way and feel that the process was worth the puss and pain, better prospects were in the main available, money was better by a country mile elseware, commands attainable on equal or better aircraft in quicker time.
SIA "lost" many valuable and worthy crew to this wastage of in the main excellent people. I saw most during the training process and can vouch for that.
Like all Airlines they will find a way of filling seats in the front row as and when they are needed by whatever means, contract, conditions work at that time of need.
Many sites on PPRuNe can be read for information as to how SIA goes from time to time, they are in the business of MAKING MONEY and all efforts are to this end.
Many of their "own" senior people have bailed out to Dragon, CAL and others, you will be a telephone number that does things to most people within SIA
There were and still are some great people in SIA, regrettable in smaller numbers than some other places, the opposite end of the scale is unfortunatly far too well represented.
It is not a "happy camp" at this time, I passed thru recently, old friends in the ground staff are not happy, pilots are wary of the future, pay is still cut, the Agreement has headed to Court, variable fortunes for the wanderers who take the bait I feel.
You take the path that suits at the time, dont be put off if it's the dream, but be informed of all the facts you can find.
C YA
From 1990 to 1994/5 they were hired, some on Expat terms (90??) and the rest of nearly 150 were on "local".
As there are less than 20 still there the process was to most not an easy one.
The reasons for leaving were many and varied, but I can site schooling, housing, PR status (for the kids this meant National Service), bias, unrealised prospects, time to command vs other Airlines etc etc.
At the latter end of the process when no more were being hired BECAUSE "they have proven to be unreliable" they went back to "more traditional sources" under some pressure from the Govt if all heard was correct.
Many were unable to take what came their way and feel that the process was worth the puss and pain, better prospects were in the main available, money was better by a country mile elseware, commands attainable on equal or better aircraft in quicker time.
SIA "lost" many valuable and worthy crew to this wastage of in the main excellent people. I saw most during the training process and can vouch for that.
Like all Airlines they will find a way of filling seats in the front row as and when they are needed by whatever means, contract, conditions work at that time of need.
Many sites on PPRuNe can be read for information as to how SIA goes from time to time, they are in the business of MAKING MONEY and all efforts are to this end.
Many of their "own" senior people have bailed out to Dragon, CAL and others, you will be a telephone number that does things to most people within SIA
There were and still are some great people in SIA, regrettable in smaller numbers than some other places, the opposite end of the scale is unfortunatly far too well represented.
It is not a "happy camp" at this time, I passed thru recently, old friends in the ground staff are not happy, pilots are wary of the future, pay is still cut, the Agreement has headed to Court, variable fortunes for the wanderers who take the bait I feel.
You take the path that suits at the time, dont be put off if it's the dream, but be informed of all the facts you can find.
C YA
Moderate, Modest & Mild.
SQ has employed expat F/O's for a long time, however they are employed on "local" terms - starting salary (as a S/O) used to be around SGD1,000 per month inclusive of everything.
As greybeard states SQ employed about 96 direct entry F/O's (mainly from Australia & the US) during the early 1990's, on expatriate contracts - the difference between expat & local contracts being a higher base salary, housing & schooling allowance, and 5 ID90 tickets for return to home p.a.
However being on an expat F/O contract meant that one was ineligible for upgrade to the lhs.
To qualify for upgrade, you had to spend a MINIMUM of 5 years on local F.O terms, with previous time (on expat terms) in the company not counted.
The reason for the requirement then, was that SQ had stopped their intakes of S/O's for a couple of years during the lean times, and when the local F/O's were ready for lhs upgrade, there was no-one to replace them, hence the decision to use the stop-gap measure of expat F/O's.
SIA quickly made up for lost time though, and recruited scores of expat S/O's from Australia, Europe & elsewhere (all on the initial $1,000 p.m.)....so many in fact, that those on expat F/O terms were told after about 3 years that they were no longer needed - unless they wanted to stay, or change to local terms to start the command clock ticking.
For the majority, most felt that they had already spent long enough in the rhs, and that better prospects were available elsewhere, and so left for greener pastures.
If you already hold an Oz ATPL, you will still be required to complete extra subjects before becoming eligible to start upgrade training, as an F/O with SIA.
As an F/O on expat terms with SQ, I enjoyed my time there - living in Singapore, and working for SQ - however I understand that there has been a BIG change in the way the company now treats their staff and that overall it might not be the best place to be looking for employment if it is your first job o/s, as there will be enough other "cultural differences" to contend with, without extra unnecessary aggro.
As greybeard states SQ employed about 96 direct entry F/O's (mainly from Australia & the US) during the early 1990's, on expatriate contracts - the difference between expat & local contracts being a higher base salary, housing & schooling allowance, and 5 ID90 tickets for return to home p.a.
However being on an expat F/O contract meant that one was ineligible for upgrade to the lhs.
To qualify for upgrade, you had to spend a MINIMUM of 5 years on local F.O terms, with previous time (on expat terms) in the company not counted.
The reason for the requirement then, was that SQ had stopped their intakes of S/O's for a couple of years during the lean times, and when the local F/O's were ready for lhs upgrade, there was no-one to replace them, hence the decision to use the stop-gap measure of expat F/O's.
SIA quickly made up for lost time though, and recruited scores of expat S/O's from Australia, Europe & elsewhere (all on the initial $1,000 p.m.)....so many in fact, that those on expat F/O terms were told after about 3 years that they were no longer needed - unless they wanted to stay, or change to local terms to start the command clock ticking.
For the majority, most felt that they had already spent long enough in the rhs, and that better prospects were available elsewhere, and so left for greener pastures.
If you already hold an Oz ATPL, you will still be required to complete extra subjects before becoming eligible to start upgrade training, as an F/O with SIA.
As an F/O on expat terms with SQ, I enjoyed my time there - living in Singapore, and working for SQ - however I understand that there has been a BIG change in the way the company now treats their staff and that overall it might not be the best place to be looking for employment if it is your first job o/s, as there will be enough other "cultural differences" to contend with, without extra unnecessary aggro.
