Virgin Australia Cadetship 2012 & 2013
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 65
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From: Sydney
From the Flight Deck Consulting link a few posts ago..
"Successful candidates, upon completion of their course will be offered First Officer positions on the ATR 72 with partner airline Skywest. Following a two year internship with Skywest it is expected the cadets will move to the companies fleet of 777-300ER as Cruise First Officers."
IF this is how it eventuates, the good thing here is the opportunity for progression (something others don't seem to offer), but looks like 4-5 years of fairly ordinary income. Not bad though if you are young and single.
And as for Cathay, there is a very interesting thread about life as an SO on Fragrant Harbour Wannabes - worth a read.
"Successful candidates, upon completion of their course will be offered First Officer positions on the ATR 72 with partner airline Skywest. Following a two year internship with Skywest it is expected the cadets will move to the companies fleet of 777-300ER as Cruise First Officers."
IF this is how it eventuates, the good thing here is the opportunity for progression (something others don't seem to offer), but looks like 4-5 years of fairly ordinary income. Not bad though if you are young and single.
And as for Cathay, there is a very interesting thread about life as an SO on Fragrant Harbour Wannabes - worth a read.
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 84
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From: Hong Kong
That seems a bit backwards doesn't it? The right hand seat of an ATR in heavy icing conditions and multiple sectors is far harder and requires a lot more for a newbie than being a second officer in the cruise of a jet. Plus the ATR Captain would have a high workload as well. Jet first then turboprop.
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 318
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From: Wherever the job takes me...
That seems a bit backwards doesn't it?
Jets may be easier to fly than props, so long as it's under optimum conditions. But the increased levels of automation can be just as much a trap as a help (if you don't have a solid understanding of the numerous modes of operation & how they interact), & with regard to the other stuff, as soon as ATC start dicking you around & messing up your game plan, props start looking a whole lot easier to manage.
Whilst I have no problem with cadets, I would not want to see one thrown into any seat of a jet (including the jumpseat) without first having gained some consolidation experience in props. That's just the way it is.
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,381
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From: Somewhere
Additional to bunglerats comments is the fact that in australia domestic jets operate into ctafs class G non precision 30m rwy approach aerodrome which just quadrouples the workload. Trying to avoid traffic/airspace whilst getting the approach sorted whilst running two freq is a high workload in a jet. Cadets should be in GA doing charter somewhere but thats another story all together
Joined: Sep 2009
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From: Australia
is certainly easier than ducking & weaving around traffic & weather OCTA & at CTAFs
My experience a few years ago with TFC OCTA was that most pilots dealt with TFC threats very badly. Especially in the West.
Very true about Automation and energy management: High levels of automation, paradoxically, often need a high level of operator knowledge and situational awareness to use properly and safely. Unfortunately, automation is often complex to understand and serves to degrade SA
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 84
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From: Hong Kong
I agree with the above. Hence why I was saying being a second officer on inter-continental flights in the cruise only is far better. They wont be required to do as much as a Capt or FO at each end of the flight. Works for QF et al. Cheers
Joined: Nov 2008
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From: The Shire
It's exactly what QF did for all those years in their very successful cadetship that generally only the most intelligent guys got into.
They flew a metro or the like with skippers, pearl, Airnorth, macair etc and when they had been there for a couple of years with over 1500TT they were offered a backseat in the 744.
Whilst the flying is more complex in a turboprop due to the nature of the flying, they are easy to slow up and don't have a couple of hundred people plus behind you.
You can do amazing things in a turboprop, 1:1 decents, barbers pole at 5nm and land with a stabilized approach.
You can't do that in a jet!
They flew a metro or the like with skippers, pearl, Airnorth, macair etc and when they had been there for a couple of years with over 1500TT they were offered a backseat in the 744.
Whilst the flying is more complex in a turboprop due to the nature of the flying, they are easy to slow up and don't have a couple of hundred people plus behind you.
You can do amazing things in a turboprop, 1:1 decents, barbers pole at 5nm and land with a stabilized approach.
You can't do that in a jet!
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 651
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From: A house
You can do amazing things in a turboprop, 1:1 decents, barbers pole at 5nm and land with a stabilized approach.
The thing that makes this idea crazy (yes i know qantarse did it before) is that the cadets will be sent to a differnt company for a very short period of time-leading to 'stuff this, ill be on a jet in 2 years time'. Where does that leave the Captains of Skywest who have to fly with this attitude in the RHS?
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,520
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From: Living next door to Alan
You can do amazing things in a turboprop, 1:1 decents, barbers pole at 5nm and land with a stabilized approach.
Let's say VREF is 120kt. That would require a ROD of 2000fpm. Can't see how one could be stable if flying a constant 1:1 profile.
What turboprop aircraft would that be in? I really would like to know
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 369
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There has been talk of having 2 types of cadets. Zero time cadets would go straight to the 777 as CFO's and advanced ( ie already have a CPL or higher) would go to the RH of the ATR for a few years and RH seat of the Ejet/737.
As for the ATR captains, if they want to fly jets for Virgin Australia they will have to apply just like every other pilot. No short cuts for them. They had a chance to open doors last year and they blew it!
As for the ATR captains, if they want to fly jets for Virgin Australia they will have to apply just like every other pilot. No short cuts for them. They had a chance to open doors last year and they blew it!
Last edited by GAFA; 1st February 2012 at 11:28.
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,386
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From: Your Grandma's house
As for the ATR captains, if they want to fly jets for Virgin Australia they will have to apply just like every other pilot. No short cuts for them. They had a chance to open doors last year and they blew it!
I wasn't aware that the ATR Captains PERSONALLY vetoed any VB pilots moving. Furthermore, I would have put money on those 'doors' being one way, with no progression guaranteed from Skywest to VB.
j3
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 48
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From: ML
Any idea on what type of cadetship this will be?
I was personally speaking to an employee from one of the training organisations who are fighting for the tender that it was rumored to be an ab-initio cadetship. This organisation at the time was in their 4th round of negotiations with Virgin.
On the other hand I personally spoke to a guy in an australian based aviation consultancy company who said word on the street is its meant to be an advanced cadetship, much like QLinks traineeship.
All rumors though so I guess this post means nothing hahaha.
I was personally speaking to an employee from one of the training organisations who are fighting for the tender that it was rumored to be an ab-initio cadetship. This organisation at the time was in their 4th round of negotiations with Virgin.
On the other hand I personally spoke to a guy in an australian based aviation consultancy company who said word on the street is its meant to be an advanced cadetship, much like QLinks traineeship.
All rumors though so I guess this post means nothing hahaha.
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 767
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From: Australia
Biggles
My sources tell me that it is to be an all ab-initio cadet ship initially.
As has been pointed out, Virgin is currently in the process of selecting its training provider with further interviews being held only last week.
First course is programmed to start in the last quarter of 2012.
More to Follow
The Kelpie
My sources tell me that it is to be an all ab-initio cadet ship initially.
As has been pointed out, Virgin is currently in the process of selecting its training provider with further interviews being held only last week.
First course is programmed to start in the last quarter of 2012.
More to Follow
The Kelpie
