What to do?
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Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Australia
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What to do?
Question: I am a Grade 3 instructor who is getting about 2 hours flight time per week, and this is my first flying gig. This minimal amount of time is hardly enough to supress my craving for more flying (let alone pay the bills, though I appreciate in aviation that's not going to happen for another 35 years) and I would also prefer to be flying the aircraft myself rather than watching somebody else do it. Also, the CFI has just hired another bloke to also do some instructing which further reduces the likelihood of picking up any more work. Do I pack up and move away (which, by the way, I'm more than happy to do) or do I accept that for a first job, in the current aviation climate, the job I have is worth sticking at for a while.
Thanks for any help in advance,
Coastal.
Thanks for any help in advance,
Coastal.
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: AUSTRALIA
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I would be enclined to move north. I could be wrong here but as an observation with the current climate, potential flyers my see that with the slow down in movement, aviation may not be a good choice at the moment, which inturn reflects on instructing. ie No student, No flying for you. If you can, move on, you'll probably find better opportunity's up north.
My Advice is not to get settled into the Instructor role for too long anyway! If you stick at it too long Charter companies unfortunately tend to think of you inferior and lacking experience.
I found that if you head north with too many hours they deem you overqualified or less likely to stick around and do your mandatory 2 or 3 years service with them.
I did find that most companies that I I spoke to wanted Pilots with a CPL with an instrument rating with 200-300 hours.
I found that if you head north with too many hours they deem you overqualified or less likely to stick around and do your mandatory 2 or 3 years service with them.
I did find that most companies that I I spoke to wanted Pilots with a CPL with an instrument rating with 200-300 hours.
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Santiago, Chile
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coastal route, get yawself up north. personally, i believe that darwin is a prime place to look for work and from there, you can expect a basing in arnhem land or somewhere equally as isolated. the weather, the strips, the passengers, it all makes for interesting days. go and get em tiger.
Join Date: Dec 2001
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thats funny, I am in Darwin with a MECIR and 202 hours and I don't have a chance in hell of getting a job. two hours a week would be a dream come true. Try and get a Instructing job somewhere else. "going north" is not all it's cracked up to be.
best thing is I have run out of money too. looks like I am about to become another statistic.
best thing is I have run out of money too. looks like I am about to become another statistic.
Join Date: Nov 2000
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Two hours a week of instructing and the CFI puts on another instructor!
Given as stated I am of the view that there is barely enough work for one instructor much less two more.
Two hours a week instructing probably means lots of unpaid telephone answering 'to catch those student enquiries' or other unpaid jobs like washing and cleaning etc. etc.
And then you have to go out and do a second or third job or have relations with Centrelink.
You are not going to make much flight time at this location and are being exploited with a capitol E.
Move on.
Given as stated I am of the view that there is barely enough work for one instructor much less two more.
Two hours a week instructing probably means lots of unpaid telephone answering 'to catch those student enquiries' or other unpaid jobs like washing and cleaning etc. etc.
And then you have to go out and do a second or third job or have relations with Centrelink.
You are not going to make much flight time at this location and are being exploited with a capitol E.
Move on.
Join Date: Feb 2000
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Guys! Hate to put a downer on the forum, but the state of things in Darwin is not good at the moment.
Don't come unless you can support yourself for a while! If you want to come anyway and work whilst you look for leisure (flying) - then I'll see you in Mitchell St.
GOOD LUCK - I was where you are about 2/ 1/2 years ago ! Keep trying and never give up !
Fizzzzzzzzzzzz
Don't come unless you can support yourself for a while! If you want to come anyway and work whilst you look for leisure (flying) - then I'll see you in Mitchell St.
GOOD LUCK - I was where you are about 2/ 1/2 years ago ! Keep trying and never give up !
Fizzzzzzzzzzzz
Join Date: Jan 2002
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Everybody goes on about heading north with their 200 odd hours to find their first job....whats the go with places down south like tassy, SA and the like. Is there anybody out there that tried down south when they first started off? Any suggestions on places to look?
cheers
gi
cheers
gi
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Join Date: Aug 2000
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Thanks for all the advice - I guess that's what I was thinking, I just needed to hear it from others who had been there themselves. I'm heading off to Tasmania next week to check out the situation down there, visit a mate, and dish out some resumes, although I understand that this isn't the best time of year to head down that way. Seconding Giddy's question, does anybody know why low timer's don't head that way. Are there no low time jobs like scenic work? Having down some research and made some phone calls it doesn't look that bad.
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: NSW, Australia
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I used to DREAM about a job in Darwin....
I don't know, but in my opinion going to Darwin is not really "going north". With low hours you need to get yourself out into the real launching pad for GA. Places like Katherine, Kununurra, Broome, cattle stations, communities and other sh*tholes are where you have to go to get that elusive start.
Darwin is where I go for holidays!
I don't know, but in my opinion going to Darwin is not really "going north". With low hours you need to get yourself out into the real launching pad for GA. Places like Katherine, Kununurra, Broome, cattle stations, communities and other sh*tholes are where you have to go to get that elusive start.
Darwin is where I go for holidays!
Join Date: Nov 2000
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Giddy Up and all others looking for work.
Rather than ask others about where work is, and tell everyone else, do a little homework and start with the Cast of Thousands, the yellow and white pages phone books for whatever state you choose, and look up Flying - Charter, and Flying -Schools. Make up a list and start to chase up those firms on phone or better still in person.
You never know, that first job that you are seeking could be closer to home than you think!
And not every first job is in north WA or the NT.
Rather than ask others about where work is, and tell everyone else, do a little homework and start with the Cast of Thousands, the yellow and white pages phone books for whatever state you choose, and look up Flying - Charter, and Flying -Schools. Make up a list and start to chase up those firms on phone or better still in person.
You never know, that first job that you are seeking could be closer to home than you think!
And not every first job is in north WA or the NT.
Join Date: Dec 2001
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good call Curtis.
admittedly, I can be found further up asking for advice, but it is worth noting that since leaving Bne to move to Darwin, my best two chances for work have been in Townsville, and about 1 hour from where I left from in Bne.
tell me that doesn't suck...
admittedly, I can be found further up asking for advice, but it is worth noting that since leaving Bne to move to Darwin, my best two chances for work have been in Townsville, and about 1 hour from where I left from in Bne.
tell me that doesn't suck...
Join Date: Jan 2002
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Hey Curtiss,
I think i've come across the wrong way. I have just spent 3 months chasing up my first job, which i have recently started, and it happens to be down south. Was just seeing if there are many others out there who went looking for work down south when they first started off, rather than heading to Kununurra, Darwin, Broome and the like, which is what i have seen the majority of my mates and others do.
gi
I think i've come across the wrong way. I have just spent 3 months chasing up my first job, which i have recently started, and it happens to be down south. Was just seeing if there are many others out there who went looking for work down south when they first started off, rather than heading to Kununurra, Darwin, Broome and the like, which is what i have seen the majority of my mates and others do.
gi
Join Date: Jan 2002
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okay, darwin can be fickle. i remember walking into one company and they told me that they were already overstaffed. next monday they hired me. things can change by the day and sometimes it is a matter of being johnny on the spot.
the general aviation apron in darwin is huge and somebody has to fly those planes (not to mention all the aircraft out at satellite bases). admittedly, things have probably slowed down over the last few months cos it is a bit hard to move up through the industry at the current stage.
i feel confident to say that northern australia has got to be where most general aviation takes place (apart from instructing).
the general aviation apron in darwin is huge and somebody has to fly those planes (not to mention all the aircraft out at satellite bases). admittedly, things have probably slowed down over the last few months cos it is a bit hard to move up through the industry at the current stage.
i feel confident to say that northern australia has got to be where most general aviation takes place (apart from instructing).
Bad luck about your new colleague CR - it seems the Furry Logbook strikes again!
TL
TL
