V Australia commenced BNE-LAX today
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Australia
Age: 63
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Amazing!!! I am always amazed by people who have nothing to do with an airline that are always so quick to comment on it.
I have been with Vaustralia now for 8 months and it has been absolutely fantastic.
The easiest job in the world. Those who think "long haul" is difficult are misguided. Get in the aircraft, work for an hour, go to bed for 6 hours, work for 6 hours and then go out and have a fabulous time with fantastic crew. 50 hours of rest and relaxation and then do it all again back to Australia. A 2 hour nap when I get home and then back to normal. 7 days off before I do it again. Fantastic....those that aren't a part of it don't know what they are missing.
Fantastic crew, fantastic aircraft, fantastic time. You are a bunch of wimps!!!
I have been with Vaustralia now for 8 months and it has been absolutely fantastic.
The easiest job in the world. Those who think "long haul" is difficult are misguided. Get in the aircraft, work for an hour, go to bed for 6 hours, work for 6 hours and then go out and have a fabulous time with fantastic crew. 50 hours of rest and relaxation and then do it all again back to Australia. A 2 hour nap when I get home and then back to normal. 7 days off before I do it again. Fantastic....those that aren't a part of it don't know what they are missing.
Fantastic crew, fantastic aircraft, fantastic time. You are a bunch of wimps!!!
Take the bait!
Christ Sam, you must have been hovering for weeks waiting for the opportunity jump on Krusty. And all he did was make a one line tounge in cheek remark! Predictable and puzzleing, as there has been ample scope to debunk all manner of critisim from other posters in the meantime.
I should say I'm honoured, but in fact it's just downright creepy!
The truth of course, is that it's all been said. If VA is a sucess, I will happily acknowledge the decision made by all the people that have worked so hard, and just as happily commend Virgin for pulling off what many on this forum see as nothing short of a magic act. If VOZ does not suceed, then I will say nothing, because as I have stated, it's all been said before.
Whatever reason the pilots at VA (especially the CFO's) have for accepting what are arguably the lowest 777 wages in the world, at the end of the day it's their decision. The fact that people choose to comment on it, well that's their choice.
I should say I'm honoured, but in fact it's just downright creepy!
The truth of course, is that it's all been said. If VA is a sucess, I will happily acknowledge the decision made by all the people that have worked so hard, and just as happily commend Virgin for pulling off what many on this forum see as nothing short of a magic act. If VOZ does not suceed, then I will say nothing, because as I have stated, it's all been said before.
Whatever reason the pilots at VA (especially the CFO's) have for accepting what are arguably the lowest 777 wages in the world, at the end of the day it's their decision. The fact that people choose to comment on it, well that's their choice.
Last edited by KRUSTY 34; 19th Apr 2009 at 15:03.
Pilots can't spel.
V-SFO
I guess that as much as you are entitled to criticise the comments of other posters, it is the entitlement of other individuals to have their own opinion.
I'm glad that after 8 months with VA you speak so highly of the operation.
In that 8 months how many trips have you actually done?
You criticise others with "nothing to do with an airline" yet your vast experience as a Long Haul pilot allows you to tell us how easy the job is.
Sometimes it's just better to STFU.
I genuinely hope that the operation flourishes but your enthusiasm might be challenged a bit in the future when the accountants start demanding their pound of flesh.
I can assure you that your week long rest at home and the 50 hours in downtown LA will take a hit when VA have more than ONE destination.
As for the "easiest job in the world" - does your Captain sleep much on these flights?
By all means enjoy the 'FANTASTIC' times but I would suggest that you're in for a very rude awakening.
I guess that as much as you are entitled to criticise the comments of other posters, it is the entitlement of other individuals to have their own opinion.
I'm glad that after 8 months with VA you speak so highly of the operation.
In that 8 months how many trips have you actually done?
You criticise others with "nothing to do with an airline" yet your vast experience as a Long Haul pilot allows you to tell us how easy the job is.
Sometimes it's just better to STFU.
I genuinely hope that the operation flourishes but your enthusiasm might be challenged a bit in the future when the accountants start demanding their pound of flesh.
I can assure you that your week long rest at home and the 50 hours in downtown LA will take a hit when VA have more than ONE destination.
As for the "easiest job in the world" - does your Captain sleep much on these flights?
By all means enjoy the 'FANTASTIC' times but I would suggest that you're in for a very rude awakening.
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Casablanca
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Yeah, thats right KRUSTY, you guys did, and still do sh!tcan VA....on a public forum and under the guise of a made up name..how very professional and brave of you guys.........
sorry V-SFO I have to comment on your reply.
After you've done ULH for 10 years, including minimum rest at outports, big time zone changes and crap flights where you couldn't sleep in the bunk for that wopping 6 hrs ( turb etc ) THEN you can comment.
And how you can be back to normal 2 hrs after getting home is amazingly good stuff!!
You, my 777 friend are very much in the "Honeymoon" stage at VOZ.
Good luck, you're gunna need it in the future if VOZ survives because as ad-astra said "when the accountants start demanding their pound of flesh"
After you've done ULH for 10 years, including minimum rest at outports, big time zone changes and crap flights where you couldn't sleep in the bunk for that wopping 6 hrs ( turb etc ) THEN you can comment.
And how you can be back to normal 2 hrs after getting home is amazingly good stuff!!
You, my 777 friend are very much in the "Honeymoon" stage at VOZ.
Good luck, you're gunna need it in the future if VOZ survives because as ad-astra said "when the accountants start demanding their pound of flesh"
Join Date: Feb 2008
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Absolutely amazing!!
So we actually have a Ppruner that's come out and stated that based upon his own personal experience - he is actually happy with his lot and enjoy what he does for a leaving and you f%$#ing morons STILL can't help yourself, but shoot him down in flames telling him he's got absolutely no idea what he's talking about. Well i say good onya V-SFO - I can't wait to join you in VA, starting my course in May. Honeymoon or not - heck I've been married for 15 years and it still feels like I'm on my honeymoon, but I suppose I shouldn't say that here, 'cause there is bound to be someone telling me that I'm actually wrong and that Mrs. Red Jet is no good and I must be deluded or something.
Let's make that honey moon last
Why don't you trolls try to ask yourself why the heck you got into into aviation in the first place?? Life's too short to be so negative guys!! Rant finished.
So we actually have a Ppruner that's come out and stated that based upon his own personal experience - he is actually happy with his lot and enjoy what he does for a leaving and you f%$#ing morons STILL can't help yourself, but shoot him down in flames telling him he's got absolutely no idea what he's talking about. Well i say good onya V-SFO - I can't wait to join you in VA, starting my course in May. Honeymoon or not - heck I've been married for 15 years and it still feels like I'm on my honeymoon, but I suppose I shouldn't say that here, 'cause there is bound to be someone telling me that I'm actually wrong and that Mrs. Red Jet is no good and I must be deluded or something.
Let's make that honey moon last
Why don't you trolls try to ask yourself why the heck you got into into aviation in the first place?? Life's too short to be so negative guys!! Rant finished.
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Thanks Redjet...
For the record I am not a newbie at the airline game, nor at long haul. I have 30 years of flying experience and about 6 years of medium to "ultra" long haul. I have worked for 6 major airlines in that time, including the 3 biggest in the world.
I am built for long haul....pure and simple. I am also realistic about how things are and how things can be. So far, Vaustralia has lived up to all that they have promised me and more. Is the salary crap??? YES!!! But as I get older I realize it is more about loving the job and less about getting rich. My kids go to private school, I have a house, a boat, a motorcycle and no debt besides the mortgage.
I believe that my Captains sleep extremely well, and that is the direct result of the experience that I and the other First Officers bring to the cockpit (most of us have been 737 or A-320 captains in the past). If they don't sleep well they shouldn't be a captain.
Will VOZ survive? I believe that if any airline will survive across the Pacific we will. I have worked for both our rivals on that route and can guarantee that we are head and shoulders above one and at least equal to the other. As I stand at the door and say goodbye to the passengers I have heard the "way better than Qantas" at least 20 times.
I have done 6 trips in the past two months. Really that is all you can realistically do and it has been very easy. How do I recover so easily? Because I never leave Sydney time. We depart Sydney in the evening, I usually get the first rest as I am a early to bed, early to rise guy, I sleep from about 10 pm to 4 am Sydney time, which is just about my normal sleep pattern. We get into Los Angeles at 1630 local, late morning on the body. I stay up until about 4 am local/9 pm Sydney and sleep till noon local/5 am sydney time. We depart for home 50 hours later in the Los Angeles evening, but afternoon on the body. Most captains do a 2 rest period on the way back, usually 90 minutes - 2 hours on the first rest and then 4.5 to 5 on the second. I usually watch a movie and eat dinner on the short rest and sleep on the 2nd. Get into Sydney at 7 am, get home by about 10:30 am on the commute. Have a sleep for a couple hours if the kids are in school, don't sleep if they are home. Go to bed that night around 9-10 pm and sleep a little extra than nomal, maybe 9 hours and I am"back to normal".
Compare this with my last airline, where at times I would have to get up at 2 a.m. drive 2 hours and 15 minutes to work for a 5 am sign on, Fly 4 sectors (boring sectors!!) with a hurry hurry hurry attitude, block in 9 hours after our first block out, and drive 2 hours home in traffic to get home around 1700, in bed by 8 pm to do it all again the next day. Way less money to do that as an F/O and after the government takes there cut, only slightly better salary doing it as a Captain. So for me, easy decision.
As for the meals....I don't know what class they come from but they are better than my last airline, worse than the other airlines pre 9/11 but better than post 9/11. The bottom line is I don't worry about it. The coffee is good, if I want fresh fruit it is available and the meals are good. I got bigger issues to think about than that.
Lastly, the hotel has been extremely good. They bend over backwards to keep us happy as once we start MEL-LAX we will take about 40% of their capacity everynight. Although a bit far from the shopping and such, there are great restaurants and bars a short walk away. I also puchased a 150cc motorscooter that they let me keep in the basement garage so I can get out and do things all around the southland. I am trying to get a group of pilots to go in on 4-8 scooters that we will have available. Transportation is key in Los Angeles!
So keep slagging. I am old enough now that I don't succumb to peer pressure. I love the job and the people I work with and will continue to have a positive attitude until I see a reason not to. If we make it we do, if we don't, we don't. I have been around the game long enough to know that their is always another flying job and you make it what you make it.
There are risks in everything you do....take them when you can, hunker down when you can't.
For the record I am not a newbie at the airline game, nor at long haul. I have 30 years of flying experience and about 6 years of medium to "ultra" long haul. I have worked for 6 major airlines in that time, including the 3 biggest in the world.
I am built for long haul....pure and simple. I am also realistic about how things are and how things can be. So far, Vaustralia has lived up to all that they have promised me and more. Is the salary crap??? YES!!! But as I get older I realize it is more about loving the job and less about getting rich. My kids go to private school, I have a house, a boat, a motorcycle and no debt besides the mortgage.
I believe that my Captains sleep extremely well, and that is the direct result of the experience that I and the other First Officers bring to the cockpit (most of us have been 737 or A-320 captains in the past). If they don't sleep well they shouldn't be a captain.
Will VOZ survive? I believe that if any airline will survive across the Pacific we will. I have worked for both our rivals on that route and can guarantee that we are head and shoulders above one and at least equal to the other. As I stand at the door and say goodbye to the passengers I have heard the "way better than Qantas" at least 20 times.
I have done 6 trips in the past two months. Really that is all you can realistically do and it has been very easy. How do I recover so easily? Because I never leave Sydney time. We depart Sydney in the evening, I usually get the first rest as I am a early to bed, early to rise guy, I sleep from about 10 pm to 4 am Sydney time, which is just about my normal sleep pattern. We get into Los Angeles at 1630 local, late morning on the body. I stay up until about 4 am local/9 pm Sydney and sleep till noon local/5 am sydney time. We depart for home 50 hours later in the Los Angeles evening, but afternoon on the body. Most captains do a 2 rest period on the way back, usually 90 minutes - 2 hours on the first rest and then 4.5 to 5 on the second. I usually watch a movie and eat dinner on the short rest and sleep on the 2nd. Get into Sydney at 7 am, get home by about 10:30 am on the commute. Have a sleep for a couple hours if the kids are in school, don't sleep if they are home. Go to bed that night around 9-10 pm and sleep a little extra than nomal, maybe 9 hours and I am"back to normal".
Compare this with my last airline, where at times I would have to get up at 2 a.m. drive 2 hours and 15 minutes to work for a 5 am sign on, Fly 4 sectors (boring sectors!!) with a hurry hurry hurry attitude, block in 9 hours after our first block out, and drive 2 hours home in traffic to get home around 1700, in bed by 8 pm to do it all again the next day. Way less money to do that as an F/O and after the government takes there cut, only slightly better salary doing it as a Captain. So for me, easy decision.
As for the meals....I don't know what class they come from but they are better than my last airline, worse than the other airlines pre 9/11 but better than post 9/11. The bottom line is I don't worry about it. The coffee is good, if I want fresh fruit it is available and the meals are good. I got bigger issues to think about than that.
Lastly, the hotel has been extremely good. They bend over backwards to keep us happy as once we start MEL-LAX we will take about 40% of their capacity everynight. Although a bit far from the shopping and such, there are great restaurants and bars a short walk away. I also puchased a 150cc motorscooter that they let me keep in the basement garage so I can get out and do things all around the southland. I am trying to get a group of pilots to go in on 4-8 scooters that we will have available. Transportation is key in Los Angeles!
So keep slagging. I am old enough now that I don't succumb to peer pressure. I love the job and the people I work with and will continue to have a positive attitude until I see a reason not to. If we make it we do, if we don't, we don't. I have been around the game long enough to know that their is always another flying job and you make it what you make it.
There are risks in everything you do....take them when you can, hunker down when you can't.
Yeah it might be great at the moment while things are a little under utilised but just like Virgin Blue; wait until it ramps up and you start getting pushed a little more with more flights and maybe some domestic flying. I think that is when the EBA conditions might start to bight a bit.
So you call 13 hours over water with nothing out the window interesting?
Fly 4 sectors (boring sectors!!)