Pilot Numbers
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Planet Earth, Down Under
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Truth Seeker. I think you'll find that there is no bond or paying for endt with Skywest. Probably the last real bastion in Aust of realising what worth a pilot is and how to treat one too!
p.s D Dan, don't forget drivers required for Skywest and Alliance! the shortage just keeps getting bigger...!
p.s D Dan, don't forget drivers required for Skywest and Alliance! the shortage just keeps getting bigger...!
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Darwin
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Lets see if I've got this right (or nearly right).
Rex- looking for 30 pilots over the next 12 months.
Qantas - 12 per month starting late April.
Virgin - 140 short now + 90 for the E jets and say 70 for the 777's.
NJS - about 30 short now and say another 25 for the 3 extra 717's.
Qantaslink - reckon on 64 pilots this year for the D8.
Jetstar - 300 ish between now and end 08.
******, Skippers, Aerorescue, Surevillance Australia etc desperate for DE Captains.
Any updates on this chaps - and if its about right are there enough card carrying ATPL holders to fill all the seats once the merry go round stops?
Rex- looking for 30 pilots over the next 12 months.
Qantas - 12 per month starting late April.
Virgin - 140 short now + 90 for the E jets and say 70 for the 777's.
NJS - about 30 short now and say another 25 for the 3 extra 717's.
Qantaslink - reckon on 64 pilots this year for the D8.
Jetstar - 300 ish between now and end 08.
******, Skippers, Aerorescue, Surevillance Australia etc desperate for DE Captains.
Any updates on this chaps - and if its about right are there enough card carrying ATPL holders to fill all the seats once the merry go round stops?
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Perth, Western Australia
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A small percentage of their requirement will be Virgin Blue boys. (and I do mean boys, their first fairer sex pilot is yet to materialise)
Yousef,
I know of ONE female FO for Virgin. I don't know if there are any others.
I doubt if she would want to be called a boy!
Sprucegoose
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Hughes Point, where life is great! Was also resident on page 13, but now I'm lost in Cyberspace....
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He means at Emirates Mr Racer, there are quite a few women at Virgin, many are Captains even! What is the world coming to?
short flights long nights
Well, if he means EK...he is wrong as well, there are a few ladies on the flight decks of Emirates as well
Join Date: Nov 2006
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Definitely not VB - There have been female Captains there for at least four years, and there are numerous female F.O's too. In fact, there have been quite a few all-female crews. 
Join Date: Apr 2001
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I think the 500 Hours is required for the ATPL, and given that at least VB and QF (don't know about J*) need F/O's to have command endorsements I think that means you will need an ATPL prior to joining (or in QF's case prior to upgrade from S/O).
Might be wrong, but that's how I remember it.
Might be wrong, but that's how I remember it.
So in actual fact 500hrs Multi IFR is not a CAO requirement for High Capacity operaters such as QF, DJ & J*.
Not sure why they make it a requirement.
Join Date: Oct 2006
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Riddler,
How bout the insurance companies - I think its them that require that pilots must have the min 500 hours. The majors have to satisfy CASA and Insurance so whatever is highest is what the mins are for the pilots.
How bout the insurance companies - I think its them that require that pilots must have the min 500 hours. The majors have to satisfy CASA and Insurance so whatever is highest is what the mins are for the pilots.
Join Date: Apr 2001
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Bok,
I am sure your right.
QF applies the 250hr however. This is how the Cadets can achieve Command.
DJ must have taken the cheapest insurance policy hence the 500hrs.
I am sure your right.
QF applies the 250hr however. This is how the Cadets can achieve Command.
DJ must have taken the cheapest insurance policy hence the 500hrs.
With those VB numbers being close to the mark, the current new hires are not even covering those that are heading off shore. Add to that the difficulty of obtaining a 737 endorsement, period, and the chances of those numbers being realised are remote in the extreme. Alteon is booked solid with oversease and RAAF operators. I know they aren't the only option but it makes things difficult.
With virgin requiring what equates to almost a pilot a day, they will be struggling just to get one a month!!
With virgin requiring what equates to almost a pilot a day, they will be struggling just to get one a month!!
Gidday aircabbie,
Probably the best way to get a real idea of this industry is to simply get out amongst it.
I first learnt to fly 22 years ago, (Christ! has it been that long?), and I was driven by one thing only; The overwhelming desire to fly. Of course I knew what an aeroplane was, how it worked, all the histories, countless models when I was a kid, you know, typical stuff. I did not however, have a clue as the nature of this industry, and our profession. That was something I learnt along the way.
What sustained me through the years of crap conditions, periods of unemployment, and dodgy operators was the satisfaction and indeed the thrill of finally going to work and flying an aeroplane.
If you have that, then you will persevere, and the worm will turn. Get that first job, grab it with both hands and keep your ear to the ground.
There will be amazing opertunities over the coming years. When the time comes you need to make sure you are in a position to take advantage of them.
And don't worry about WynSock. A good mate of mine is a Captain with a major airline and his spelling is atrocious. I would have no hesitation in having my family travel in the back with him in command, which is more than I can say for some academic types I have met over the years!
Hope this helps.
Probably the best way to get a real idea of this industry is to simply get out amongst it.
I first learnt to fly 22 years ago, (Christ! has it been that long?), and I was driven by one thing only; The overwhelming desire to fly. Of course I knew what an aeroplane was, how it worked, all the histories, countless models when I was a kid, you know, typical stuff. I did not however, have a clue as the nature of this industry, and our profession. That was something I learnt along the way.
What sustained me through the years of crap conditions, periods of unemployment, and dodgy operators was the satisfaction and indeed the thrill of finally going to work and flying an aeroplane.
If you have that, then you will persevere, and the worm will turn. Get that first job, grab it with both hands and keep your ear to the ground.
There will be amazing opertunities over the coming years. When the time comes you need to make sure you are in a position to take advantage of them.
And don't worry about WynSock. A good mate of mine is a Captain with a major airline and his spelling is atrocious. I would have no hesitation in having my family travel in the back with him in command, which is more than I can say for some academic types I have met over the years!
Hope this helps.
Join Date: Apr 2006
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Krusty 34
Thanks mate,your a gentleman .
Wynsock , i should have stated currently attending Darwin Uni due to standard of English . Qantas wil not accept Bridging courses for Stage 1 or 2 cadet course , which is stupid concidering i have a Mechanical Engineering Degree through ADFA yet unable to apply to these cadetships due to not having actually completed Yr12 school . I only got into uni due to inter service transfer .anyway we are off the topic sorry gents .
Regards
Cabbie
Thanks mate,your a gentleman .
Wynsock , i should have stated currently attending Darwin Uni due to standard of English . Qantas wil not accept Bridging courses for Stage 1 or 2 cadet course , which is stupid concidering i have a Mechanical Engineering Degree through ADFA yet unable to apply to these cadetships due to not having actually completed Yr12 school . I only got into uni due to inter service transfer .anyway we are off the topic sorry gents .
Regards
Cabbie
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For airlines with a High Capacity AOC the requirement under the CAO's is for only 250hrs PIC.
I thought the QF cadets did have to get 500 hours before operating in command (i.e. on a 3 man crew with the Capt off the flight deck), but it is just that some of it is ICUS.
I certainly can't be bothered looking it up, but if anyone knows the lowdown I would be interested.
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speeeedy,
Actually they do vary depending on High Capacity or Low Capacity.
Requirements for command hours are less under a High Capacity AOC that has a CASA approved C&T cyclic training program.
The ATPL requirement is for 250hrs PIC which may include up to 150 hours acting in command under supervision.
This can be achieved on any aircraft type and does not need to be multi engine.
Therefore it is not a CAO requirement for QF, J* or DJ to have a 500hr PIC requirement as they are all High Capacity AOC operators.
As others have pointed out other factors such as insurance companies may come into play.
I don't think the ATPL requirements change because of the AOC of your employer.
Requirements for command hours are less under a High Capacity AOC that has a CASA approved C&T cyclic training program.
Isn't 500 hours PIC required for an ATPL?
This can be achieved on any aircraft type and does not need to be multi engine.
Therefore it is not a CAO requirement for QF, J* or DJ to have a 500hr PIC requirement as they are all High Capacity AOC operators.
As others have pointed out other factors such as insurance companies may come into play.
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Due to increased demand for pilots over the next 2 years and the drop off in new CPLs coming out of the schools do you think that VB and Jetstar will drop the cost of the endorsement and also is it likely that the total hours required will be reduced.
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Are we getting the aviation cycle mixed up with a Pilot shortage?
In the 80's there was a similar "shortage" as the airlines experienced a growth period.
At the end of the day, aviation's growth will be restricted by:
1. Airport capacity - mitigated by greater aircraft capacity eg A380, but does not create a need for more Pilots; or
2. Space in the sky - mitigated by RNP (refer above for the greater restriction); and or
3. Speed to build aircraft before the end of the current cycle.
So, will we have a Pilot shortage, or are we simply experienceing a tightening of the market as the current growth cycle reaches the top of the arc?
The Airline Manager's job is to navigate through this and ensure that their own operation has a sound policy for retention as much as attraction.
In the 80's there was a similar "shortage" as the airlines experienced a growth period.
At the end of the day, aviation's growth will be restricted by:
1. Airport capacity - mitigated by greater aircraft capacity eg A380, but does not create a need for more Pilots; or
2. Space in the sky - mitigated by RNP (refer above for the greater restriction); and or
3. Speed to build aircraft before the end of the current cycle.
So, will we have a Pilot shortage, or are we simply experienceing a tightening of the market as the current growth cycle reaches the top of the arc?
The Airline Manager's job is to navigate through this and ensure that their own operation has a sound policy for retention as much as attraction.