Virgin skywest ties go deeper
 

As per JB today in the senate enquiry... Announcement on the way for Virgin to start a cadet sheme in the coming month with a general statement that it would likely tie in with Skywest.

Early 2012.

Also looks like possible progression from Sky West to Virgin.

With progression from Skywest to Virgin you will not need a Cadet scheme!

A cadet program into Skywest would work well. A trained low time cadet goes into Skywest in the right seat of the most junior fleet and over time builds on the experience and makes his/her way thru to eventually progress to Virgin mainline. At that point having all the real world experience as well as the initial cadet training. This by far will produce the best trained and experienced pilots!!!!

Thats not what JB said.

What was said was cadets across the whole group. This one would assume will include direct entry onto 737 and E190.

You might be getting a little carried away cynphil.

has anyone got any idea when skywest would start interviewing candidates for the ATR.All I got was the email confirming that I have the minimum qualification required to get a gig with them .That doesnt say much does it ??

Out of curiosity , how many ATR pilots are still around Oz waiting to be hired by Skywest.Have they got any indication from skywest at all as when the whole operation under VB/Skywest would eventually take Off

Thanks in advance.

There is a bunch in NZ with many thousands of hours on type who haven't heard a peep.

Hanz there is no money to be made out of employing experienced people.

I rate this as similar to the Carbon Tax, the 'people in charge' have found a way to tax/make money from the necessities in life. Carbon Tax is pretty much taxing us for the air we breathe, the self funded cadet cancer is a way to make money out of a pre-requisite for an aircraft to fly- Pilots. :ugh:

Well lets look at that a bit deeper, ANZ & Virign into bed on Trans Tasman routes, ANZ a substantial shareholder of VBA.....

Do you really think Borghetti is going to poach drivers from a major shareholder.....

Nope.... neither do I, maybe as contract trainers but I think that the Mt Cook guys will not hear a peep from the west island.....:E

Serious question.....................so what are my chances as an existing employee and someone who is keen to fly but has zero experience gaining a cadetship???

I guess it depends VPCGUY on how valuable you are in your current role?

cynphil:

Just how demanding or less demanding do you think flying a 70 seat Regional Turbo-prop is? The main impetus for the current Senate enquiry has been the accident in the US involving a similar aircraft and type of operation. The notion that these ops are an ideal training ground for the main event (a Jet job) may not sit too well with the Politicians who just may expect a similar level of experience up front as they travel between Sydney and Canberra, be-it in a Dash 8 or an E-jet or a B737 or an ATR. Get the picture?

With a little luck the outcome of the Senate inquiry will put an end to Cadetships, at least for the purpose of providing cheap labour for the RHS of RPT aircraft over 5700kg, where frankly they neither belong or are needed.

I think before that happens you'll see 'arrangements' with charter companies that will see cadets flying 1500 hrs worth of scenic charter flights in light SE aircraft.

Reality is flying an RPT turbo-prop is more difficult than a modern jet. If for no other reason... a jet has an autothrust system and significantly more automation. A little research on the number of low-time jet accidents vs low-time prop accidents illustrates this clearly.

Psycho Joe

If that happens then so be it.

3 years in the bush will sort the men from the boys (no offence intended ladies)

This will be enough to turn the Gen Y's off as things will get too hard whilst drowning under a significant debt on casual contracts!!

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The Kelpie

Im not irreplaceable but if there is any remote chance of fulfilling a dream of being a pilot, then I have to go for it. For me its the whole expense and outlay and I would have to leave VB altogether, this is a perfect opportunity to avoid all that.

VBPCGuy

Details of the programme have not been announced yet so so not know whether there are multiple entry paths at this stage.

...and the lack of a salary for 18 months.

Good Luck with it all

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The Kelpie

With all due respect, what exactly do you mean by this.

I spent almost ten years in 'the bush' in various parts of the world and can honestly say that whilst it was all very interesting, virtually none of it was relevant to flying a glass jet. Along the way I've also met plenty of people who were quite frankly incapable of flying a kite whilst chewing gum, yet some of those people are now check captains on Australian jets. :eek:

VBPCGUY, you will have to go thru the same selection process as everybody else. At this stage it looks like it will go via Skywest so I doubt your vb current gig will make any difference.

If its what you want back yourself and have a go. You could try for the other cadetships as well. Up to you.

Psycho Joe

Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, that was certainly nor my intention.

Flying is the easy bit.

The hard bit is living either in a **** hole for up to 3 years and only being paid for the few hours you get to fly each week or if you are lucky enough to get a gig in Darwin with a few more casual hours each week then you live in one of the most expensive places to live in Australia.... And don't think 'I will get a part time job in woolworths or Coles' because you will never get the shifts to line up with the unpredictable hours you will be flying, you will get fatigued, and you will start letting people down. This is not a good attribute for a pilot to have.

Poverty is a real problem up north and I have seen many have to throw the towel in, go back to a city for a while and earn money before returning. Some do not return as it is just too hard!

Please do not under estimate how tough living up north and flying in GA can be! Having said that I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I did it, and I have to say surviving financially was very very tough, and I did not have a massive debt round my neck with substantial repayments to make.

I sincerely wish you well

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the Kelpie