Australia, New Zealand & the Pacific Airline and RPT Rumours & News in Australia, enZed and the Pacific

Pilot Shortage (Down Under)

Old 9th Oct 2022, 09:55
  #21 (permalink)  
 
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That Saab gig is in Tonga. $82k NZD for LHS.
Has to be lifestyle based as that's quite literally half of what a Rex Captain gets paid and still seriously less than an FO would get paid.
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Old 9th Oct 2022, 12:12
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Originally Posted by Trevor the lover
Wanna be Biggles
so was it not like that when you joined, or did you just not do research as to whether the job was right for you before taking it?
You obviously didn't bother to read the thread, Biggles wasn't complaining about his conditions, he was refuting Lucille's comment that his job was a "nice & easy gig" for a former LH'er to continue their career in.
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Old 9th Oct 2022, 20:46
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Originally Posted by 43Inches
Has to be lifestyle based as that's quite literally half of what a Rex Captain gets paid and still seriously less than an FO would get paid.
120k is a 10 year captain base at rex so 160 assuming a considerable amount of overtime. That being said there's plenty of positions available at Rex currently. So many Saab drivers walking out the door from both seats.
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Old 9th Oct 2022, 21:00
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Fair cop - my apologies.
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Old 9th Oct 2022, 23:47
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They are offering AUD$130k to one candidate.
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Old 10th Oct 2022, 00:45
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120k is a 10 year captain base at rex so 160 assuming a considerable amount of overtime. That being said there's plenty of positions available at Rex currently. So many Saab drivers walking out the door from both seats.
DTA and allowances like claiming every meal entitled will easily net you $20k+ then a few work on AL, crewing stuff ups resulting in extension payments or days off possibly another $10k-$20k without breaking a sweat or even cracking 700 hours for the year. The point was that its half of the AUD value, so only $70k a year. If you hit the Casual work hard you will easily crack $200k and still not hit 900 hours, and if you do they can't work you any harder but you can still do more casuals as they come up, or end up with several weeks of forced leave while you flight time recovers, depending on how good you are at swinging the numbers. I've seen this happen back when they first brought in the casual day payments, everything has just gone up since then. Some pilots had it so worked out they were working casuals to be taken off regular duties and worked no harder than someone just line flying the roster, just keep pestering crewing to give you the work and they did, CAO 48s and you worked for triple the pay one day and got the other off, no net gain in workload. BTW heard from a mate that the latest EBA offer will be a significant improvement. So that $120k might soon be well into the $130ks. Nothing huge compared jet jobs, but for the lifestyle options for some it sounds pretty good, especially if you want to live country.

I think the story of the day was a certain captain that made $160K in six months then one day didn't show up for work. Legend has it he put the money into his yacht and when crewing finally caught up with him he was half way up the coast on some round the world tour. When asked where his priorities lay he parked up and returned to work like nothing had happened.

Last edited by 43Inches; 10th Oct 2022 at 01:03.
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Old 10th Oct 2022, 01:30
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Originally Posted by 43Inches
DTA and allowances like claiming every meal entitled will easily net you $20k+ then a few work on AL, crewing stuff ups resulting in extension payments or days off possibly another $10k-$20k without breaking a sweat or even cracking 700 hours for the year. The point was that its half of the AUD value, so only $70k a year. If you hit the Casual work hard you will easily crack $200k and still not hit 900 hours, and if you do they can't work you any harder but you can still do more casuals as they come up, or end up with several weeks of forced leave while you flight time recovers, depending on how good you are at swinging the numbers. I've seen this happen back when they first brought in the casual day payments, everything has just gone up since then. Some pilots had it so worked out they were working casuals to be taken off regular duties and worked no harder than someone just line flying the roster, just keep pestering crewing to give you the work and they did, CAO 48s and you worked for triple the pay one day and got the other off, no net gain in workload. BTW heard from a mate that the latest EBA offer will be a significant improvement. So that $120k might soon be well into the $130ks. Nothing huge compared jet jobs, but for the lifestyle options for some it sounds pretty good, especially if you want to live country.

I think the story of the day was a certain captain that made $160K in six months then one day didn't show up for work. Legend has it he put the money into his yacht and when crewing finally caught up with him he was half way up the coast on some round the world tour. When asked where his priorities lay he parked up and returned to work like nothing had happened.
Not sure when you worked there but the average rex capt would be year 4-5, with a cadet loan. Also not sure how your mate thinks the new deal is good. It's well below cpi for the last 4 years with a very crude way to pay backpay. I also love people who say that to make good money you need to work annual leave. Stockholm Syndrome
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Old 10th Oct 2022, 01:46
  #28 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by 43Inches
DTA and allowances like claiming every meal entitled will easily net you $20k+ then a few work on AL, crewing stuff ups resulting in extension payments or days off possibly another $10k-$20k without breaking a sweat or even cracking 700 hours for the year. The point was that its half of the AUD value, so only $70k a year. If you hit the Casual work hard you will easily crack $200k and still not hit 900 hours, and if you do they can't work you any harder but you can still do more casuals as they come up, or end up with several weeks of forced leave while you flight time recovers, depending on how good you are at swinging the numbers. I've seen this happen back when they first brought in the casual day payments, everything has just gone up since then. Some pilots had it so worked out they were working casuals to be taken off regular duties and worked no harder than someone just line flying the roster, just keep pestering crewing to give you the work and they did, CAO 48s and you worked for triple the pay one day and got the other off, no net gain in workload. BTW heard from a mate that the latest EBA offer will be a significant improvement. So that $120k might soon be well into the $130ks. Nothing huge compared jet jobs, but for the lifestyle options for some it sounds pretty good, especially if you want to live country.

I think the story of the day was a certain captain that made $160K in six months then one day didn't show up for work. Legend has it he put the money into his yacht and when crewing finally caught up with him he was half way up the coast on some round the world tour. When asked where his priorities lay he parked up and returned to work like nothing had happened.
This was a cracker read.. I'll know who to ask when I need someone to write something on how to polish a turd.

You continue to go on about how this new proposed EBA is good, yet all I have heard is the contrary.
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Old 10th Oct 2022, 01:59
  #29 (permalink)  
 
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Mate you can fly a King Air doing half the work for more money than that.
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Old 10th Oct 2022, 02:28
  #30 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by 43Inches
I've done the turboprop life, it's relatively easy, definitely not luxurious. Weather in Australia is benign mostly would struggle to log 3 hours actual IF in a month if you are smart you just fly over, under or around the weather.

Don't have that luxury in the top end in summer. And it's not "austranaut" when someone corrects utter garbage
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Old 10th Oct 2022, 02:48
  #31 (permalink)  
 
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Mate you can fly a King Air doing half the work for more money than that.
Not going to say its great, but its way better than the Tonga offer and only flying a 34 seater. Lets face it, you only work 6-7 hour days and 4 days a week when its fully rostered. At the moment due to shortages yeah you work your arse off, possibly, still talking to guys doing less than 600 hours a year. Some parings have never allowed you to work much harder. Also compared to jet flying no back of the clock, mostly all 6am to 9pm rosters, really good crews to fly with everyone knowing each other, from all groups, not just tech crew. I mean as I said before courses for horses, you either like it or not, most there are wanting to fly jets and don't like the SAAB full stop, even if they paid double they would struggle to keep pilots that would still accept the same or slightly less to fly an A320 or 737 etc... In fact some have left higher paying positions for lower paying FO positions exactly for that reason, personal choice.

Not sure when you worked there but the average rex capt would be year 4-5, with a cadet loan.
You do realise is what you just said is someone with no experience from the start is now within 4 years a Captain earning $140k, with the ability to be hired by anyone. Some now taking that opportunity up flying for QF, VA, J*, Atlas, you name it. Considering most of those will be about 25 years old. The other part is that a lot have the finances to just pay out the loans rather than sit for 7 years, which is more the issue Rex is having, that the Cadets are not in the noose they thought they would be. And the Rex system is from start date at the company, not from position start date. So when you start as an FO whatever you are when you upgrade is your years in service Captain level.

Meanwhile somebody trained for GA as said in another thread is starving and squabbling for pittance to make some experience.

Don't have that luxury in the top end in summer. And it's not "austranaut" when someone corrects utter garbage
Why are you working in the top end then? move down south, plenty of jobs from jets to TPs to anything really for the last 15 years. Sounds like a life choice rather than a problem with the job. I've worked with plenty of guys who flew Turboprops and Jets in the Northern hemisphere, US, Europe, Asia, even Russia. I'll never complain about weather in Australia compared to their stories. Flying a Russian turboprop in a Russian winter for a few mere rubles, makes me shudder to think.

It's well below cpi for the last 4 years with a very crude way to pay backpay. I also love people who say that to make good money you need to work annual leave. Stockholm Syndrome
Rex pilots made a choice back in 2019 that would have covered them through to this point, they knocked it back. No one is going to get back pay for covid, you either had an EBA increase through it or not. That's the downside to EBA negotiations if you choose not to have an EBA change, it stays the same until you vote another in. You keep voting no the company just keeps paying you the same, there is no owing/backpay or any such thing. You negotiate the next EBA and keep going from there. As I said in the other thread, it takes years to build up conditions and one day to tear them down. I mean I hope you can get 20-30-40%, knowing management they will probably just stall negotiations another 5 years as they have already done. I'd love to see Rex pilots get a great deal, I don't think the offer worked up I've heard is that bad, for those genuinely in the regional game, it's definitely way better than anything that has been on offer before, which will make it hard to improve on.

Last edited by 43Inches; 10th Oct 2022 at 03:24.
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Old 10th Oct 2022, 09:38
  #32 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by Sector3
They are offering AUD$130k to one candidate.

Yep, got the same message today. $130k AUD with transport, accommodation and relocation tickets isn't bad at all. 3-12 month contracts too 🤷🏾‍♂️
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Old 10th Oct 2022, 09:58
  #33 (permalink)  
 
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Yep, got the same message today. $130k AUD with transport, accommodation and relocation tickets isn't bad at all. 3-12 month contracts too 🤷🏾‍♂️
Good example of why you want to be careful of going through contract companies for work, seems like they are offering different deals depending on where you are. Who knows what the top deal is, and possibly the lucky applicant will be the lower one on the list. At least under an agreement operator you know what the deal is before starting and its consistent to the end of the deal. Otherwise sounds like a reasonable gig for someone wanting to hide in the islands for a short while and is not really interested in long term job security.
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Old 11th Oct 2022, 00:11
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43, everything you are sprouting in here appears to be the opposite of what you’re saying in another thread. I thought people were supposed to be staying in GA until the SAAB or Jet job is paying $200+?
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Old 11th Oct 2022, 00:18
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Originally Posted by morno
43, everything you are sprouting in here appears to be the opposite of what you’re saying in another thread. I thought people were supposed to be staying in GA until the SAAB or Jet job is paying $200+?
Theres a big difference between stating what the problem is vs telling people not to progress. Problem, too many pilot applicants. Once they are there you can not tell them what to do, just what options they have. Highlighting the gross inequities in jobs is the main cause, such as pay for your own training/rating. When theres other avenues. Make it clear that when one does this other companies see a cost saving and follow suit. All Im saying is once you are in the industry think beyond now and look at where you want to be and more importantly how your own actions might jeopordise the very job you seek.
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Old 12th Oct 2022, 15:33
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Flying i Aussieland must be one of the easiest flying jobs in the world. 25 kts in Sydney, and you cancel everything and go home. Fond memories from my last trip down under. Terminal packed with waiting passenger due to «weather».
Where can I apply? And where is a good place to live for expats? Where we don’t have to mix with the locals?
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Old 13th Oct 2022, 08:01
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Originally Posted by ManaAdaSystem
Flying i Aussieland must be one of the easiest flying jobs in the world. 25 kts in Sydney, and you cancel everything and go home. Fond memories from my last trip down under. Terminal packed with waiting passenger due to «weather».
Where can I apply? And where is a good place to live for expats? Where we don’t have to mix with the locals?
you can go out to oenpelli and get some time on a 210.
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Old 13th Oct 2022, 14:53
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Elcho Island would be a better place, tropical island in the South Pacific.

And for those who have the guts, go and fly for North Coast Aviation in Nadzab PNG - that will toughen the green horns up quickly if they survive 6 months.
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Old 13th Oct 2022, 21:13
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Manada
Flights rarely get cancelled due to "weather". That is just the lie the airline gives you when they can't crew the flight, or the aeroplane is busted, or whatever custerfaack has stuffed the system.
If there's a puffy cloud in the sky the airline says we'll blame the weather and the dumb arse public will swallow it.
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