Qantas Link in Crisis again....now its for Captains!
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Flying any modern airplane is easy. Crosswinds and thunderstorms should be considered all in a day's work for any competent pilot. Stuff that should not even raise a sweat - if it does, consider a career change. Accounting, perhaps?
The hard part of a modern pilot's life is all the latter-day bolt-on bullsh!t. Getting a bloody ASIC in the first place but STILL having to strip almost butt-naked for the security nazis, being handed reams of useless paperwork to digest and sign your house away as if it will make aviation safer to do so. Briefing your co-workers on everything from minimum coffee temperature to max pushback speed. Mandatory courses every year in how to kill terrorists with your bare hands; and on and on. All designed to take the fun out of what used to be the best job in the world. Despite all, still marginally better than actually working for a living.
The hard part of a modern pilot's life is all the latter-day bolt-on bullsh!t. Getting a bloody ASIC in the first place but STILL having to strip almost butt-naked for the security nazis, being handed reams of useless paperwork to digest and sign your house away as if it will make aviation safer to do so. Briefing your co-workers on everything from minimum coffee temperature to max pushback speed. Mandatory courses every year in how to kill terrorists with your bare hands; and on and on. All designed to take the fun out of what used to be the best job in the world. Despite all, still marginally better than actually working for a living.
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bythenumbers,
Burger61 used the words "cushy job" for an airline pilot.
I disagree with the use of the word "cushy".
The Oxford Dictionary defines cushy as "EASY and UNDEMANDING".
I have worked on an industrial factory floor and as an airline pilot; both very different in the skills needed and both definitely NOT cushy.
Just because you like your job doesn't make it intrinsically cushy. Yes, I have flown in the northern hemisphere for years; frontal CB's running in lines hundreds of miles long, blizzards for days, severe icing, severe CAT, traffic all over you it makes you claustrophobic, fog; yes, I have flown years of GA flying as well, inflight engine shutdowns and even a belly landing in a light twin when the worm drive gear got jammed totally;all part of the routine of the job. I liked the challenge of it. On the good, unchallenging days, very ROUTINE but certainly NOT CUSHY. Yes, as a general statement, flying in Australia has been the easiest I have had. And yes, I enjoy flying so much it is not only my occupation, but it is my passionate, enjoyable past time as well. The rest of your rambling comments I really couldn't follow your line of thought.
gas-chamber,
I would hope the word "ROUTINE" is more descriptive of your opinion, not "cushy". Airline flying is designed to be routine. The only similarity between being an airline pilot and burger61's desk job is that we both sit to do most of the day's work. Sitting does not equate to being cushy. Your aggravation over the "recent" bolt on bullsh-t seems alittle extreme.Calmly walk through it all, and it takes on its right position of being "small beans" in the overall day's work. It certainly isn't the "hard part" of my day, as it is of yours. I can't help but get the feeling that you have the 1,000 hour pilot syndrome; all the answers now but no real flying experiences yet to base yourself on. Good luck on the rest of you flying days, may they all be routine
Burger61 used the words "cushy job" for an airline pilot.
I disagree with the use of the word "cushy".
The Oxford Dictionary defines cushy as "EASY and UNDEMANDING".
I have worked on an industrial factory floor and as an airline pilot; both very different in the skills needed and both definitely NOT cushy.
Just because you like your job doesn't make it intrinsically cushy. Yes, I have flown in the northern hemisphere for years; frontal CB's running in lines hundreds of miles long, blizzards for days, severe icing, severe CAT, traffic all over you it makes you claustrophobic, fog; yes, I have flown years of GA flying as well, inflight engine shutdowns and even a belly landing in a light twin when the worm drive gear got jammed totally;all part of the routine of the job. I liked the challenge of it. On the good, unchallenging days, very ROUTINE but certainly NOT CUSHY. Yes, as a general statement, flying in Australia has been the easiest I have had. And yes, I enjoy flying so much it is not only my occupation, but it is my passionate, enjoyable past time as well. The rest of your rambling comments I really couldn't follow your line of thought.
gas-chamber,
I would hope the word "ROUTINE" is more descriptive of your opinion, not "cushy". Airline flying is designed to be routine. The only similarity between being an airline pilot and burger61's desk job is that we both sit to do most of the day's work. Sitting does not equate to being cushy. Your aggravation over the "recent" bolt on bullsh-t seems alittle extreme.Calmly walk through it all, and it takes on its right position of being "small beans" in the overall day's work. It certainly isn't the "hard part" of my day, as it is of yours. I can't help but get the feeling that you have the 1,000 hour pilot syndrome; all the answers now but no real flying experiences yet to base yourself on. Good luck on the rest of you flying days, may they all be routine
As an interesting aside ....
I had a line in the water, just south of Darwin a few days ago, had the trusty scanner tuned into either BN CEN or DN DEP (flipping between the two, can't remember which freq. i was on @ the time) and an outbound 717 (don't remember exact callsign) reported:
NXA : "NXA maintaining 6000""
CEN : "NXA short delay at 6000 due company traffic"
Looked up to see the outbound 717 heading south and an inbound QF mainline 737/767?? pass each other. Shortly thereafter :
CEN : "QANTAS 123 descent 5000"
CEN : "NXA climb FL330"
I'm presuming they were traffic for each other, which asks the ??, is the QFLink jet operation part of mainline domestic and not regional services like the Q400's ??
That would make sense to me. I would hardly call YPDN-YPPH a regional service.
NXA : "NXA maintaining 6000""
CEN : "NXA short delay at 6000 due company traffic"
Looked up to see the outbound 717 heading south and an inbound QF mainline 737/767?? pass each other. Shortly thereafter :
CEN : "QANTAS 123 descent 5000"
CEN : "NXA climb FL330"
I'm presuming they were traffic for each other, which asks the ??, is the QFLink jet operation part of mainline domestic and not regional services like the Q400's ??
That would make sense to me. I would hardly call YPDN-YPPH a regional service.
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At that Alt it would have been DN Dep. You are now presuming that a RAAF controller would know the difference between QF Mainline, QFLink, and National Jet (flying QF aircraft with QFLink colours, and crew in Nat Jet uniforms).
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I'm presuming they were traffic for each other, which asks the ??, is the QFLink jet operation part of mainline domestic and not regional services like the Q400's ??
Join Date: Jun 2002
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Now with the SAME livery and the SAME uniforms(pilots and flight attendants) and the SAME security ID cards comimg (rumour), the SAME fu*kedup type of management (NOT a rumour), ALL QF INTRA-STATE flights will go to Qantaslink in the next few years with regional jets (rumour). Bne-Isa, Bne-Tsv, Bne-Cns, etc. What else is there elsewhere intra-state? QF domestic will ONLY be City Flyer. Cost reductions continue...(few years =?)
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Hope there is enough money left in the kitty for the retention bonus.
Understand staff are being laid off to finance this.
If the cuts continue, I would be worried as a junior Capt.
Believe one base is running around 15 Captains for just 1 Dash 8. Rumour has it they are being rostered about 3 days work a month. Now that sounds like efficiency - but good work if you can get it. Where do I apply?
Look out MIA / MML - crosshairs are on you now
Still, sure the books are being made to look good, EOFY now so all managers will be sitting back awaiting their bonus and thinking how good the company is being managed.
Understand staff are being laid off to finance this.
If the cuts continue, I would be worried as a junior Capt.
Believe one base is running around 15 Captains for just 1 Dash 8. Rumour has it they are being rostered about 3 days work a month. Now that sounds like efficiency - but good work if you can get it. Where do I apply?
Look out MIA / MML - crosshairs are on you now
Still, sure the books are being made to look good, EOFY now so all managers will be sitting back awaiting their bonus and thinking how good the company is being managed.
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ALL QF INTRA-STATE flights will go to Qantaslink in the next few years with regional jets (rumour). Bne-Isa, Bne-Tsv, Bne-Cns, etc.
Only a rumour, and hoping it stays only a rumour...
Join Date: May 2007
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qlink cadets
G'day all,
Does anyone know what the go is with the Qlink commercial cadet program returning in 2010. Tossing up between staying in YBBN and doing ATPL's for a shot at the big game or packing up shop and heading west to build hrs??
Does anyone know what the go is with the Qlink commercial cadet program returning in 2010. Tossing up between staying in YBBN and doing ATPL's for a shot at the big game or packing up shop and heading west to build hrs??
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Clinty
Get your ATPL subjects out of the way, regardless of any rumours you may have heard.
Being at the right place at the right time with the right qualifications is important.
DIVOSH!
Being at the right place at the right time with the right qualifications is important.
DIVOSH!
Try going to work with a bricklayer for a week and see how you pull up, no meal trays! No pay for roster changes.
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doing the ATPL's ASAP was my plan regardless. but no one has heard from anyone on the inside that it'll kick off again next year??
neville_nobody sounds as though your on the inside. I'd kill to be in qlink stuff xmas stuff nye if im in the air who cares what day it is. just want a chance to operate those machines
my application is in the sysytem and have all but 5 ATPL's to do.
neville_nobody sounds as though your on the inside. I'd kill to be in qlink stuff xmas stuff nye if im in the air who cares what day it is. just want a chance to operate those machines
my application is in the sysytem and have all but 5 ATPL's to do.
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clinty83 are you referring to the traineeship? The link is still there on the Qantas Recruitment website but after clicking it, you get the message "Job not currently open." So how did you send in your application? 
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Friend from link speculates that there might be another course for new entry by the end of the year. However. as they are not as desperate as previously, you would most probably require much experience to be considered.