V-Australia 777 - Update [Photo Included]

[Taildragger67]

Woftam,

Sorry mate - I seem to have had a humour bypass lately. I tend to be posting first and asking questions later.

Might take the chill pill you suggest - I'm getting to be a cranky old git. (Tinpis had better watch it, I might nick his signature!).

Right - off to the mods to self-report. Earlier post deleted.

[woftam]

No worries Taily, I get a bit trigger happy myself in my old age.

[Jabawocky]

Nice Green 744F there I see.

A little birdy and occassional ppruner tells me only a couple more to come through the jigs and its about 6 months till the 748 rolls into the assembly line at Everett.

J

[Sir Donald]

Forgive my reticence Krusty,but it all comes down to the individual on the day.My fellow pilots could avail themselves quite easily should they chose to do so without allowing''this is your opportunity to return home''argument to cloud their judgement.What most people fail to realise is that employment is a two way street between two parties and not a fratenising day out.For me to give up my present position purely for lifestyle is pure nonsense.What lifestyle?Who's going to be paying the bills of the so called lifestyle option-is living in Mount Druit a lifestyle option?And thats what I asked the panel.
Hence,its for that reason why V are having trouble attracting experienced FO's.

[Stubby]

Sir Donald,

Could you fill us in on the style questioning at the I/V what to expect etc?
thnks

[KRUSTY 34]

Thanks Sir Donald.

I agree with everything you said, except your notion that the two way street between employer and employee should be between an individual pilot and the full weight of the company. The fact is, not everyone is equally savy when it comes to "negotiating" a deal. I would feel very uncomfortable working with pilots of equal rank and service who were being paid more, or even less than me, based on some sort of secret deal. I have seen this sort of environment before, and I can tell you it has the potential to be nothing short of poisonous! I think it would be safe to say that your current employer has transparency with regard to Wages and Conditions. So why settled for anything less? If I am off the mark I do appologise but your reticence to share the outcome of your discussion with the panel is what I find perplexing.

So having said that, the question still stands.

• What did they agree to, if they did agree to anything?
• What was your reaction to their answer?
• Did you acept, or didn't you?

By sharing this information with the forum, you will allow you fellow pilots to have a greater understanding of what is possible. There is an old saying. United we stand, divided we beg.

Let's face it we're all on the same team, aren't we?

[KAWOBAT]

A little birdy and occassional ppruner tells me only a couple more to come through the jigs and its about 6 months till the 748 rolls into the assembly line at Everett.

Jaba

You are correct. The final 747-4 has begun making its way through the production line. The Everett factory is sure to be busier than ever with the -8 being readied for it's turn down the line.

[7378FE]

Just out of the paint shop

VH-VGA

[Eastwest Loco]

Pretty looking aeroplane, but that is a bloody long way to go on 2 mills.

Best all

EWL

[DUXNUTZ]

Hawaiian do it in the 76 3x a week. Plane not know what its flying over.

[peuce]

I wouldn't be too sure of that ...

If my little Cessna starts sounding a bit rough as soon as I leave Gippsland to cross Bass Strait, I'm sure a brand spanking new B777 has enough Black boxes to detect the Pacific beneath it

[esreverlluf]

'Tis true Duxnutz. Qantas also do Sydney-Honolulu 4 times weekly on a 767.

What is probably more relevant to this thread is that Air Canada do Sydney-Vancouver direct on the 777.

[EngineOut]

CX do HKG-JFK and HKG-YYZ 21 times a week in the 773ER which is further than SYD-LAX and flies over the pole. I can tell ya there aint to many suitable airports up there. Continental also do HKG-Newark in a 777.

You'd be better off than a 17 year old -400 with a hole in it.

[ACMS]

Yes the ER is a really beaut machine to fly.

Now if V Aus had offered better T and C's I might have applied.

Shame really.

I guess it's their loss and not mine.

[Taildragger67]

ANZ and UAL operate long Transpacs on 777s. I think there are lots of suitable divert runways for a ETOPS a/c between east coast Australia/NZ and Hawaii (eg. Nadi, Noumea and some of the smaller ones in an emergency pinch) and then the tracks between Hawaii and the North American west coast are as busy as Pitt St.

Pity they closed Johnson Atoll...

[2dotsright]

2dots

I can't work out how it's "their loss and not yours" ACMS...... I hear that they have more than enough 'qualified' pilots ready and waiting to fly their lovely new airplanes. If you don't want to work for them then you can just say "no" I guess. Many people would think that $200K is pretty good doe for doing bugger all though. 1000 hours a year sleeping and reading the paper for that. (here it comes, I'm ready for it)

[ACMS]

do they, really? well good on em.

Don't know much about long haul flying do ya.

Ignorance is bliss I suppose.

[evyjet]

2 Dots right......more like 2 cents short!!

[Jabawocky]

Many people would think that $200K is pretty good doe for doing bugger all though. 1000 hours a year sleeping and reading the paper for that.

Got to agree, its not a bad start! For an F/O

Thaat kind of long haul

Maybe for half the hours or there about!

Certainly would not inspire me into the game!