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Quote:

767's in for back to back C check

Who is the Maintenance Provider?

Regards to ya all. Big E

Duck Pilot,

Yep, I understand that, what I am saying is that while just about everyone (apparently) has a application in to just about every other airline in the World, am saying that it is it not a point of just packing up and moving...there is a a time factor in the exodus.

Mates tell me that the next round of resignations (after their last abysmal contract) is starting.

Though not convinced about plenty work in Aus.

To Goat Rider's comment..."they have fallen in love with their captors" hahaha, hahaha, hahaha, ROFLMAO, Double ROFLMAO. MMMMM, Lets see....No Way Jose!!!

The Big E...Mates tell me that it is in Guangzhou...who, sorry haven't any idea.

Good luck to all effected. I'll buy any of you guys/girls a beer or two any day.

It is now official that Alabaster is the new GM of Link PNG as of 2 May 2016.

Next court case sitting is Friday 9:30am.

Who is BA?:confused:
AC

PX have just advised all staff that parents are no longer entitled to concessional travel unless they are proven to be financially dependent on the employee. This is also now limited to 2 travels per year.

There are further restrictions but this is the one that is causing the most concern.

Things must be getting a bit tight with the reducing Kina.

PX have also advertised for external FO's. You have been warned!

Asked a former colleague about the current adverts for direct entry Fokker FO's

Quote:

Saw the PX ad you were talking about. This is what I reckon.

“A competitive salary package will be provided to attract the right candidate”.
The current contract for a F100 FO is: PGK 249,888.
On today’s exchange rate of .42 c this equals: $AUD 104,952.
PNG Tax is high, out of this expect to pay: $AUD 39,000.
Yearly take home will be around: $AUD 66,000.
AND THERE IS NO SUPERANNUATION.

Comparing apples and oranges I would have to compare it to what you would get in Aus, (Don't know US) say you earned about $AUD 87,000 in Oz, you would pay $AUD 23,000 in tax/medicare, so your take home pay would be the same BUT you would receive an extra 9%+ in super, about $AUD 8,000. Prob get the same as an FO on a Turbo prop on Aus. So Competitive is prob stretching the truth, especially for having to live in PNG and having to pay bills in a 1st world country. Prob ok if you were just starting out but. And heres the kicker, the Kina has gone from .47 to .42 in very short time; there is no real commitment from the company to keep the salary tied to any currency other than the Kina. So say the kina dropped to .30 the salary in AUD salary will drop to around $AUD 45,000. Check out the XE website, scary stuff if you are getting paid in Kina and paying the mortgage and kids school fees.

The positions are Moresby based. There has never been a commuting contract, but there used to be offshore basing but that has changed now; it is all POM based, but PX has made up this term “Domicile offshore”. Up to two tickets will be provided for you to travel to either BNE or CNS (if Australia is your Domicile). Ten days off a block are given, but really the best hoped for visiting Domicile would be either 2 breaks of 4 days, or one break of 7 days (the remaining days off need to be used to give 7th day off in country). You will be have to travel in you own time so your days at home will be not be much…4 days off = one day to travel home, two days at home and one day to travel back. Of course you could move your family to POM…(but personally I sure as hell wouldn’t contemplate that). And there is only 4 weeks annual leave, they took two weeks to make up the extra two days off a month.But whether this will apply to any new guys being hired I wouldn’t have a clue. When in POM the “offshore domiciles” will live in this new Accommodation Block being built at the airport, right where the Management will work. Imagine coming back from somewhere like the Derro and seeing the COE or Board Member in the lift, haha.

The Future
PX really is no longer a career airline for an expat as it doesn't require to offer it. it has a very big Cadet system…it even has a self-funded Cadet system. Promotion to the left seat for any joining right now would have to thought unlikely. Really, Expats are only to fill the seats until the cadet system reaches self sufficiency.

In the in-flight magazine “Paradise” the Chairman when talking about the airlines routes stated “that a significant number of services are unprofitable, whilst others are at best marginal. No less than half of these services fall into the unprofitable category”. With the Government having financial problems of their own, one has to worry when the PX Chairman starts using that unprofitable word,… wonder where the money will come from if a large portion of the routes is unprofitable.

Endorsement
One upside of the contract is that the endorsement is provided. There is a $AUD 30,000 bond for it but that reduces equally over 24 months. From hire to first Revenue flight will be about 4 to 6 months and add on the 500 hours to be employable will chop that bond in half. But nobody working at PX knows anybody that ever paid the bond, (PX might withhold any monies owing to you when you leave though) so it would be a cheap way of getting a jet endorsement if you weren't getting any bites from anywhere else and nobody would disrespect anyone for not paying out a bond and simply leaving. This is because there is no respect what so ever from Management to the Pilots and cause of this neither the other way. As soon as guys get checked they forward of their updated resume to every airline they can think of, good on em.

Closing
As an expat is a not a nice place to work atm (that is at the Management level, not grassroots or pilot level). Example a senior Expat Captain got “retrenched” recently way out seniority, the only explanation was that he was extra to needs, even though he was the only one. In the past Management has just not bothered to apply for an extension to guys work permit so off you go. No excuses are needed. Everyone wonders who will be next, who wont get a contract or who work permit lapses so you suddenly become an illegal.

Both Unions have taken to suing against ANG about the lack of negotiations for the last contract. This is in the courts as we speak. But the next conditions contract is due next year (less than 12 months away!!) and everyone believes/knows that will provide for even worse conditions.

Also politics bit messy at present. PNG Loop (online news mag) has fair bit on that Not sure how that is going to end.

All the best

Co-pilot time on a F100/70 - next to useless getting you a job anywhere outside of Australia. Certainly not worth the pain and suffering of spending 2-3 years in that sh*t hole Port Morbid.

If you have any self respect don't go - unless you like the concept of being a slave!

If you do go don't complain later - you have been adequately warned!!!!

So ANG replaces its modern Q400 fleet with 27 year old technology F70's, but PNG Air (AIRLINES PNG, MBA) gets new technology, brand new,of the production line, ATR72-600's.

Am I missing something here??

But, giving due where it is due, have to say, do prefer the passenger flight in the Fokker for its space and comfort over the turbo prop

For those of you about to apply for the positions recently advertised. Please rember that the pilot body is currently in an industrial dispute with ANG management and is spending vast amounts of money in legal fees, along with working strictly to contract( not working days off or overtime). The mear act of even applying for such positions undermines the cause of the pilot body. ( to create better conditions for all). So please before applying please think of the consequences of your action on everybody else.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCD (Post 9367964)

The 400s can't handle the terrain. Doing prop blades every few hours of ops isn't the best and all the ongoing gear problems with them!
Plus the 400 is different LRUs, tooling and licensing to the Dash classics. Whereas the F70 is similar LRUs, same tooling as the F100, and no licence changes so makes $$sense there.

PNG Air needed to go the new aircraft route and kill the APNG name at the same time to stay alive...now to get some work :/

Badengo

"The Q400's can't handle the terrain..." Mate have you ever flown a Q400? They pi** all over the terrain. Can depart Nadzab and be 6000 feet passing abeam the field and have made 18000 feet inside of 20 dme at pretty much MTOW without breaking a sweat...

Reasons for Q400 sale got NOTHING to do with performance.

Was told that the Q400 would initially out climb the Fokker so fortybelow has a point.

PX certainly had too many types, DH8 classics, DH8 400's, Fokker, B737, B767, so with all the required spares, maintenance and training must have been a killer expenditure wise, so the idea of reducing types was a smart move.

However PX airframes have become LG (last generation, with the noted exception of the 737NG).

The advertisement for PX has been removed from the AFAP website.

Quote:

The advertisement for PX has been removed from the AFAP website.

I wonder why?:hmm: And who was responsible for doing so?

They did the same in thing January probably for the same reason I am guessing.

Maybe they read this forum?

I thought ANG were considering ATRs as a replacement for all the Dash 8s, have they sill got the 72 freighter?

The ATR(XX)-42 Freighter crashed on take off and burnt itself out at Madang, the -72 went back to Europe not so long ago..end of contract type of stuff.

Was told that ANG were going to try a Dash Classic as a Combo for freight. No idea if it eventuated

Now, if there is a country that needs a dedicated freighter company..PNG is it.

How the big wheel turns... In the mid 80's PX took delivery of the only 3 Dash 7 Combi aircraft with a cargo door. They were used primarily for the Ok Tedi contract and doing freight around the country... veggies from GKA, beef from Lae, Goods for Bougainville Copper etc... Although expensive and received through a shady deal conducted by the Late Iambakey Okuk, I believe they paid their way and made money in the end. Great for high angle approaches and low level manoeuvring in the valleys but not much speed in the cruise. The only aircraft fitted with bird strike protection on the wing trailing edges. ;)

The Reconnaissance Squadron.........they were evidently great to fly and could be backed into a culvert (and a windsock) with the greatest of ease.

Tow bar bugger up Nogot brake pressure, emau

The Dash7 kept us employed as they were a very maintenance intensive aircraft, especially when the RH hydraulic system devoured its own pumps. Took a few days to fix. Then the fuel tank microbe issue, the engine control cables fraying through the firewall, the main engine elec harness plug in the engine intake.
How I can never forget them! The good days of ANG in POM

My first transport command at pixi.

I much preferred it to the Dash 8, slower but I felt much more comfortable in it around the highlands..the omega nav was something else..nine waypoints max but fun to fly..not as much fun as the F28 though..loved that aircraft.

There's something about this thread. Lately, visiting here makes me feel like I've entered the PX retirement village. Perhaps I should bring a cold 6 pack of SP or a bottle of Buka Meri with me.

SP thanks!
We are all lapun but we could tell some tales of, for a lot of us, some of the best and most challenging times in our lives. We were also totally professional as well.

Hey yupela, anybody in the loop on what happened at the planned May 5 court hearing? ... oh and my preference would be for the bottle of Buka Meri, sweet & strong!!

It was positive. The Judge wants to understand why mediation failed before he sets a trial date.

Been told the May 5 court hearing was held addressing "legal argument".

All parties to reappear early June (8th??) with responses. Case should then proceed according to normal protocol. But it is PNG.................:ugh:

Mangi, you need to understand...PNG is like herpes, once you have it, you have it for life, and you have to scratch it!! The only difference is that you can be proud of how you got it and grateful for the experience.

If we started breaking out the stories from the Islander, the T Lodge, the Airways and the Gateway, with occasional touches from the the Dero V1 and V2, the Yachtie V1 and V2, the Ela Beach H' House and the Aviat it would overload prune.
God even the rubbish dump has it its stories to be told.......maybe not!

ad-astra

Not so. There is a thread for all of what you say. Its called
PNG Ples Bilong Tok Tok. You can find it on page 5 of
The Pacific: General Aviation & Questions.

Happy reading, it's currently 207 pages long.

cheers, W

Back on track.

Update:

At the hearing on 6th May, 2016, the Judge gave both Legal Teams until the 8th of June, 2016, to define the legal issues and arguments regards the Legality of the 2015 Contract.

Also heard a whisper that the Industrial Relations Registrar may have expressed an opinion that the PNGA/NAPU have been treated unfairly with regards to the 2015 Contract. Rumour is that the Registrar is willing to give evidence to that fact.

While the entire pilot body is locked in the ongoing court battle with PX in the National District Court over the forced introduction of a non negotiated employment contract along with wrongful dismissals, the already strained relationship has soured even further.

On 17 May, during the PNG Human Resources National Institute national conference, the PX HR manager, Rei Lagona was awarded the best individual HR Practitioner for 2015.

One pilot is quoted - "Similar feeling to throwing up in your mouth and swallowing it"

For those interested the full report is here Air Niugini wins best SOE employer award | Loop PNG

The PNG Human Resources National Institute - a highly respected prestigious organization I'm sure!

I can just envisage the entire management team, Ray, Sam, that used car salesman accountant they use as a financial controller, all dancing around the boardroom table - Ray at the front arse slapping and yelling 'Whose ya daddy'!

More leaked news from the house on the hill.

PX did not receive any suitable applications from their last advertising campaign. They are going to re-advertise again very soon but you will not see it on the AFAP job board.

Another F70 is due to arrive very soon but crewing it will be very difficult. Latest F100 roster has many scheduled flights not rostered because of insufficient crew so crewing another F70 will be very difficult indeed..

Also heard the sc@b word is being used internally against those that are freely willing to work on RDO's to the detriment of pilot group objectives.

I hear 3 more added to the wall of fame today. Any news?

Fokker/Boeing crews having to pay for tickets to travel home on rostered days off will pretty much be an end to it. Not only do you deadhead on a rostered day off, now you have to pay for it.
Network applications close today.

Paying to "Deadhead" on a RDO? That's a new concept!

I'm supprised you guys are even allowed to be based off shore these days.

They're not. All expats are POM based. ANG provides SHARED accommodation to the expat pilots.

You can however choose where your DOMICILE is. In previous contracts your domicile was the place from where you were recruited. That was the place they paid for your removal and your yearly free trip home etc etc etc. in the 2015 contract it became a quasi off shore basing concept. However ANG never intended it to be that way. Their intention was always to have pilots based in POM. Due to the fact that a large number of expat pilots refused to sign the contract and left the company made some adjustments allowing pilots to visit their domicile two or three times a month. Initially travel was tolerated on working days before or after duty (some might say illegally) and the company provided tickets. Now it would seem the company is reverting back to their original intention of having all expats staying in POM. If you want to visit your domicile you have to do it on your days off and you have to pay for it. Believe me this was always the company's intention.

Anyone contemplating working for ANG should know they will be POM based - don't be cajoled by terms like offshore domicile. When the new prison block (whoops - I mean pilot accommodation) is completed (SOON!) you will be living at 6 mile right next to ANG house - no shops within 2 km - absolutely nothing to do but look out your window at the dirty dusty airport - or perhaps duck across the street to the Gateway to drown your sorrows - because ANG properties are all no drink zones!! The hard right Christisn evangelists who run the company have decreed that.

DONT DO IT!!!!!

You have been warned