Merged: QANTASLINK Crewing Crisis!
Given the nature of regional flying, QantasLink also offers a lifestyle that caters to all needs.
Bwahahahahaha. All needs as long as that need is to do minimum 900 hrs pa, min rest overnights, 10+ hr duty days etc. etc.
I was really sad in a way to have to leave Sunnies but alas it really is no more - the carcass has been frankensteined with EAA and the mutant Qantaslink is what now lives. Many good people still in both brigades (SSA & EAA) but all is subsumed by the evil empire.
Cairns base will NOT close. The QLD government has awarded Sunstate the restricted routes including YHID and YBWP. The are serviced by the Cairns base.
If any base will close it will be Canberra. In my opinion, whe the rumoured number of crew go to Virgin, they will have no choice but to close the base.
If any base will close it will be Canberra. In my opinion, whe the rumoured number of crew go to Virgin, they will have no choice but to close the base.
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I have heard a similar thing also. Canberra base could be re-organised out of Sydney quite easily, if Eastern can expand the Sydney base from the Sunstate AOC.
The resistance lies with the pilot council and the AFAP who are trying to secure the Canberra base from this threat.
I have also heard through the mill that Canberra will become an embarressment to Qantaslink in the next few months when they have no crew left down there.
The base is so tight at the moment, even a small/ or large recruitment strategy from a competitor, will cripple it!
The resistance lies with the pilot council and the AFAP who are trying to secure the Canberra base from this threat.
I have also heard through the mill that Canberra will become an embarressment to Qantaslink in the next few months when they have no crew left down there.
The base is so tight at the moment, even a small/ or large recruitment strategy from a competitor, will cripple it!
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There has been a large number of f/a + t/c leave cns base recently to go to DJ and JQ. Flights are getting cancelled and it has been poorly thought idea to get the Q400 to go to HID.
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Ah yes people, but let's put this in perspective please. Things may be grim on the regional front but QANTAS has won the prestigious 'In Flight Wine Award'!
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Aircraft orders, post #93
Going Boeing, post #93
Lovely calculations, but i would have thought that some of the aircraft orders are to REPLACE existing aircraft, so they don't all need new crew. From what i've read, seat replacement ratios of 1:1 (no growth) to 2:1 (2 new for every 'old') are usually considered.
I also read that the average age of the Qantas fleet is 9-11 years old, so it makes sense that they would be ordering to get newer, more efficient aircraft to reduce costs.
For the guys who haven't done the sums, think about the following:-
Qantas has ordered 65 firm B787's + 20 options (which in reality are firm orders) plus 30 "expressions of interest". The additional 30 aircraft will be B787-10's (if Boeing get their act together before management lose their patience and order A350XWB's). Of the 85 "firm" aircraft, 15 will go to Jetstar and, for mainline, there will be 15 B787-8's requiring 83 Captains & 83 F/O's, plus 55 B787-9's requiring 385 Captains, 385 F/O's & approx 700 S/O's. That's over 1600 pilots before we consider the B787-10 (210 captains, 210 F/O's & approx 400 S/O's) (not including training captains/F/O's). That totals almost 2500 pilots, ie more than the current Qantas pilot establishment.
If you look ahead to 2015, in addition to the 115 B787's mentioned above, there will be 20 A380's, 9 B744's, 22 A330's, and 65-70 B737's - another 1900+ pilots. Qantas mainline is screaming for pilots and will take every one who meets the minimum standards (They won't admit it but they have lowered the Phsyometric Aptitude score that is acceptable). With 200 retirements in the same period, that means that 2100 pilots will have to be recuited in that period - ie 300 per annum through to 2015.
I haven't touched on the huge demand that Jetstar have for the large number of A320/1's plus B787's that have been ordered.
What I am trying to say is - Oz pilots are in the strongest industrial position that they have ever been in. We are over due for having a Qantas Group pilot career progression which allows individuals to choose the type of flying that suits their lifestyle. It's great that the Jetstar pilots rejected their EBA and consequentially they will achieve a higher remuneration in the long run.
Qantas has ordered 65 firm B787's + 20 options (which in reality are firm orders) plus 30 "expressions of interest". The additional 30 aircraft will be B787-10's (if Boeing get their act together before management lose their patience and order A350XWB's). Of the 85 "firm" aircraft, 15 will go to Jetstar and, for mainline, there will be 15 B787-8's requiring 83 Captains & 83 F/O's, plus 55 B787-9's requiring 385 Captains, 385 F/O's & approx 700 S/O's. That's over 1600 pilots before we consider the B787-10 (210 captains, 210 F/O's & approx 400 S/O's) (not including training captains/F/O's). That totals almost 2500 pilots, ie more than the current Qantas pilot establishment.
If you look ahead to 2015, in addition to the 115 B787's mentioned above, there will be 20 A380's, 9 B744's, 22 A330's, and 65-70 B737's - another 1900+ pilots. Qantas mainline is screaming for pilots and will take every one who meets the minimum standards (They won't admit it but they have lowered the Phsyometric Aptitude score that is acceptable). With 200 retirements in the same period, that means that 2100 pilots will have to be recuited in that period - ie 300 per annum through to 2015.
I haven't touched on the huge demand that Jetstar have for the large number of A320/1's plus B787's that have been ordered.
What I am trying to say is - Oz pilots are in the strongest industrial position that they have ever been in. We are over due for having a Qantas Group pilot career progression which allows individuals to choose the type of flying that suits their lifestyle. It's great that the Jetstar pilots rejected their EBA and consequentially they will achieve a higher remuneration in the long run.
I also read that the average age of the Qantas fleet is 9-11 years old, so it makes sense that they would be ordering to get newer, more efficient aircraft to reduce costs.
Nunc est bibendum
GB's numbers are pretty close. He's already taken care of the fleet replacement figures by stating what the fleet will be in 2015- minus the 787- which includes retiring the classics and the 767. Note that he talks about...
This will be the mainline fleet and includes aircraft retirements. There will be more than 200 retirements in the next eight years....probably closer to 250 and even 300+ if the Labor government changes the super rules.
So you add the 1900 pilots required for the above fleet and add the 2500 required for the 787 and you're showing a total pilot workforce of 4400. A net increase of 2000 over and above what we have now. Factor in 250 requirements and we're up for 2250 pilots in the next eight years. So you're right, it won't be 300, it'll be about 280 per annum! Shame on GB for an error of less than 7%!
If you look ahead to 2015.....above, there will be 20 A380's, 9 B744's, 22 A330's, and 65-70 B737's - another 1900+ pilots.
So you add the 1900 pilots required for the above fleet and add the 2500 required for the 787 and you're showing a total pilot workforce of 4400. A net increase of 2000 over and above what we have now. Factor in 250 requirements and we're up for 2250 pilots in the next eight years. So you're right, it won't be 300, it'll be about 280 per annum! Shame on GB for an error of less than 7%!
Thanks for explaining it a bit better Keg.
pilotshorvath, the figures actually are a little bit higher because I didn't make any allowance for "Training Captains" and TFO's. Not an insignificant number but I was just keeping things simple as my intention was to show the huge numbers that QF would be recruiting over the next 7-8 years.
Back to the thread topic: I had the pleasure recently of conducting the training sectors for an ex-Eastern pilot who has joined QF mainline as a B744 S/O. I was impressed at how well he performed on what was his first ever overseas trip. His previous airline experience with Eastern showed through which meant that he had heaps of spare mental capacity to pick up the route knowledge of operating to Europe. Seeing pilots of this calibre coming from the regionals shows why Virgin Blue are so keen to employ them and makes a mockery of why senior QF management makes it so difficult for them to progress their career into mainline.
pilotshorvath, the figures actually are a little bit higher because I didn't make any allowance for "Training Captains" and TFO's. Not an insignificant number but I was just keeping things simple as my intention was to show the huge numbers that QF would be recruiting over the next 7-8 years.
Back to the thread topic: I had the pleasure recently of conducting the training sectors for an ex-Eastern pilot who has joined QF mainline as a B744 S/O. I was impressed at how well he performed on what was his first ever overseas trip. His previous airline experience with Eastern showed through which meant that he had heaps of spare mental capacity to pick up the route knowledge of operating to Europe. Seeing pilots of this calibre coming from the regionals shows why Virgin Blue are so keen to employ them and makes a mockery of why senior QF management makes it so difficult for them to progress their career into mainline.
Nunc est bibendum
Bidbook shows 164 that turn 65 in the next eight years- but obviously that doesn't include the 737 crew. If we're working on age 60 then that number blows out to 320 plus the 737 crew of which there would be quite a large number. The cat amongst the pigeons is who wants to continue!
Who wouldn't have their eye on the B787? It will be a huge fleet, flying to a large number of destinations, with a variety of flying varying from Short Haul, to Medium Range, Long Range and Ultra Long Range. You will be able to choose the flying that suits your lifestyle on the one aircraft type. Currently, you have to choose an aircraft type to get the flying that suits your lifestyle. It will be a fantastic fleet to be on, once the deliveries to mainline start.
Nunc est bibendum
WWA, my focus for the medium term will be on a different two holer- albeit a slightly older but ever faithful one. 787 is at least six or seven years away for me....if as an over priced QF mainline crew member I even get access to them! 
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Bit of a thread drift there, I think we were discussing QFlink, mainly EAA and Sunstate and the problems they are having.
With regard to resignations, I think we may be looking at the tip of the iceberg. What would QFlink management do if they lost a swag of captains as mentioned earlier.
My bet is they would suddenly find a big load of cash. But it is going to take permanent damage to the company and/or brand before that happens.
To allow the situation to get that dire is incompetent in my opinion.
Plenty more Q400s coming though! That'll make em stay!
With regard to resignations, I think we may be looking at the tip of the iceberg. What would QFlink management do if they lost a swag of captains as mentioned earlier.
My bet is they would suddenly find a big load of cash. But it is going to take permanent damage to the company and/or brand before that happens.
To allow the situation to get that dire is incompetent in my opinion.
Plenty more Q400s coming though! That'll make em stay!
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Gee,
even a QANTASlink rumour thread isnt safe from a takeover by our "big" brothers.
Why dont you let us play with your 787's. Well let you play with our Dash 100's maybe a 400 but that all weve got to look forward to.
even a QANTASlink rumour thread isnt safe from a takeover by our "big" brothers.
Why dont you let us play with your 787's. Well let you play with our Dash 100's maybe a 400 but that all weve got to look forward to.
