Coastwatch/Surveillance Australia
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Received a call in the last couple of days, currently interviewing for Dash F/O's, Darwin base with a potential CMD upgrade in 9-18mths. Training commencing the end of Jan 06, all interview slots now filled. 12 being interviewed, potential positions well that’s anyone’s guess. Had to decline on this occasion
Last edited by Chilli Tarts; 17th Nov 2005 at 02:19.
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Generally they will hire around 4 pilots per course, which is historically every 3 months. I would not hold your breath for a large number of direct entry Dash FO positions, just one or two here or there to satisfy succession planning requirements. Even then you would need some serious multi command or turbine experience to be considered.
They seem to hire primarily Bongo pilots with a relatively quick progression onto the Dash or F406, depending of course on movement within the company together with your bidding preferences.
Whilst i am no authority on the matter i would expect that there will be dribs and drabs hired for Dash and F406 but primarily Bongo drivers. Also, with the new contract in the wind there will be no Bongo or F406 as of July 2007, meaning that all of those already within the company will be offered an opportunity to upgrade onto the aircraft being used on the next contract (rumours all around about what the type would be but you would have to guess Dash 300's).
Certainly wouldn't be a bad company to be associated with in terms of progression. Heard they are great operators to work for.
Fly safe.
Ratter
They seem to hire primarily Bongo pilots with a relatively quick progression onto the Dash or F406, depending of course on movement within the company together with your bidding preferences.
Whilst i am no authority on the matter i would expect that there will be dribs and drabs hired for Dash and F406 but primarily Bongo drivers. Also, with the new contract in the wind there will be no Bongo or F406 as of July 2007, meaning that all of those already within the company will be offered an opportunity to upgrade onto the aircraft being used on the next contract (rumours all around about what the type would be but you would have to guess Dash 300's).
Certainly wouldn't be a bad company to be associated with in terms of progression. Heard they are great operators to work for.
Fly safe.
Ratter
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Surveillance Australia
Recently got the word that I will be accepted as an observer (pending security clearances) for a possie hopefully in Darwin. As for a non-Australian company getting the contract (Surveillance Australia preferred tenderer), I work currently with defence and most of the contracts are held by non- Australian contractors ie Boeing, Sikorsky, British Aerospace, Raytheon just to name a few. The bid for most Government Contracts includes a fairly large Australian content but does not have to be Australian based. They look for the corperate backing of a company so the successful tenderer wont go bust if everything goes bad!
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Re: Coastwatch/Surveillance Australia
Surveillance is now the preferred tenderer for the Coastwatch contract! Rumour has it that Surveillance will be using only Dash-8's, smaller aircraft phased out. 10xDash-8's (7x200's and 3x300's) with no change to bases. 4 in Cairns, 3 in Darwin and 3 in Broome, with one of the Cairns ones spending most of it's time in Horn Island.
HID will see lots more of surveillance Dash-8's in the future, with CRW deploying from Cairns and overnighting on the Rock. So make way! where will it park?
Good time for those to start with Surveillance Australia as pilots or observers as the progression will be quite rapid onto the Dash-8 as all pilots on the Islander and 406 have to be given a go at the Dash-8 before the end of the current contract. If they don't succeed then will be given a wave good bye. If you are fortunate enough to get an interview make sure you practice your IF skills, I believe that is what they use the small sim in Adelaide for and could tend to be quite qicky, I haven't heard of them using the Dash-8 sim in Sydney over the last couple of years. Oh and be well dressed, they prefer a suit but you don't have to wear the Jacket and the Cheif Pilot does not like people chewing gum in the interview. It is an interview! Oh and I hear they like asking questions on Take off performance requirements etc.
I believe they will take direct entry First Officers on the Dash 8 if they have the requirements for Command so that they can be fast tracked. 6-12 months for a Command after Check to line (which would normally take up to 6 months to achieve) so that they can see a couple of good simulator proficiency checks and get you used to the Dash 8 and Surveillance proceedures.
Observers are on between 30-50k depending on Qualifications, Islander pilots are on about 40k, F406 on about 45k, Dash FO on about the mid 40's and Capt around the mid 70's. All + Allowances. Well that's what the Rumour is!
If there are any other Questions about Surveillance Australia and it's near future I'm sure that they will be able to be answered or cleared up by Operations Normal or Aerocat or someone else! The Cobham Australia Website is http://www.cobham.com.au/ has Surviellance Australia's requirements and it looks like the hard limit for Night Command hours are 70. Or just get redirected there from the Surveillance Australia website.
I wonder what other Rumours are out there about the contract? I hear Raytheon are still emailling people, and Pearl are poaching from Surveillance for back enders.
Good Luck to all trying to get in!
Now is probably a good time if they do win, but that's your call! even if they don't, you could possibly get a free Dash 8 enorsement out of it?
I believe Surveillance Australia has gone for the Malaysian Surviellance Contract and they are the prefered tenderer for that as well?
Till next time, Giddyup!
HID will see lots more of surveillance Dash-8's in the future, with CRW deploying from Cairns and overnighting on the Rock. So make way! where will it park?
Good time for those to start with Surveillance Australia as pilots or observers as the progression will be quite rapid onto the Dash-8 as all pilots on the Islander and 406 have to be given a go at the Dash-8 before the end of the current contract. If they don't succeed then will be given a wave good bye. If you are fortunate enough to get an interview make sure you practice your IF skills, I believe that is what they use the small sim in Adelaide for and could tend to be quite qicky, I haven't heard of them using the Dash-8 sim in Sydney over the last couple of years. Oh and be well dressed, they prefer a suit but you don't have to wear the Jacket and the Cheif Pilot does not like people chewing gum in the interview. It is an interview! Oh and I hear they like asking questions on Take off performance requirements etc.
I believe they will take direct entry First Officers on the Dash 8 if they have the requirements for Command so that they can be fast tracked. 6-12 months for a Command after Check to line (which would normally take up to 6 months to achieve) so that they can see a couple of good simulator proficiency checks and get you used to the Dash 8 and Surveillance proceedures.
Observers are on between 30-50k depending on Qualifications, Islander pilots are on about 40k, F406 on about 45k, Dash FO on about the mid 40's and Capt around the mid 70's. All + Allowances. Well that's what the Rumour is!
If there are any other Questions about Surveillance Australia and it's near future I'm sure that they will be able to be answered or cleared up by Operations Normal or Aerocat or someone else! The Cobham Australia Website is http://www.cobham.com.au/ has Surviellance Australia's requirements and it looks like the hard limit for Night Command hours are 70. Or just get redirected there from the Surveillance Australia website.
I wonder what other Rumours are out there about the contract? I hear Raytheon are still emailling people, and Pearl are poaching from Surveillance for back enders.
Good Luck to all trying to get in!
Now is probably a good time if they do win, but that's your call! even if they don't, you could possibly get a free Dash 8 enorsement out of it?
I believe Surveillance Australia has gone for the Malaysian Surviellance Contract and they are the prefered tenderer for that as well?
Till next time, Giddyup!
Last edited by Slipri; 3rd Jan 2006 at 06:15.
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Re: Coastwatch/Surveillance Australia
A question for those on Horn Is. or those that have lived there. Wondering what the rules are regarding pilot's partners living on the Island as well? Is there any flexibility regarding this? If not, are there alternatives for accomodation (other houses on Horn or Thursday Is. etc)? Have heard that for people in the right fields there are plenty of jobs in the area. Have previously lived in remote locations. Cheers.
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Have spoken with some ex-employees that lived on Horn. As to whether a partner can live on Horn i am led to believe there are no issues if you find your own place. Not sure what the go is if you rent in the company accommodation. Generally there is work for nurses and teachers on Thursday Is.
Have heard there will be a big pilot intake over the coming months.
Fly safe.
Ratter
Have heard there will be a big pilot intake over the coming months.
Fly safe.
Ratter
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Shouldn't be a problem with a partner. Just be aware that it most likely would be shared accom with other employees and you would have to pay for her living there too! just ask them if/when you interview/start!
Apparently Surveillance won't know if they have actually won the contract until the end of March.
Until then though I'd still be applying!
Apparently Surveillance won't know if they have actually won the contract until the end of March.
Until then though I'd still be applying!
Last edited by Slipri; 30th Jan 2006 at 23:36.
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Thanks for the replies. Does anyone know how long the crews are currently spending on HID before transfer to base of preference? I assume this will probably change anyway if SA wins the contract. Thanks again
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? I have heard about people being on Horn Island for between 6 to 12 months. But no more than 2 years when or if they win the contract, they will most likely be overnighters from Cairns in a Dash.
Any one would think that they would be recruiting or conducting interviews every couple of months. I think that there is another interview in the next couple of weeks sometime.
Any one would think that they would be recruiting or conducting interviews every couple of months. I think that there is another interview in the next couple of weeks sometime.
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How did anyone who went for the interviews this week go? Is there still more early next week? Were they hiring for all 3 aircraft types? I have heard it takes about a week for them to call you back, and then 4 weeks before start date with heaps of paperwork for you to submit before you start! Apparently they have upgraded a couple of Dash F/O's to Captains that have worked their way up from the Islander, and a few F406 pilots moving up as F/O's onto the Dash. So there is movement and they still have the need to hire direct entry Dash pilots. 
Last edited by Slipri; 11th Feb 2006 at 01:33.
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Does any one have any idea how many people were interviewed, and how many places they have for next course? How much notice do people usually get for an interview? just want to know if i've missed out again!!
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I believe that two or three Eastern Captains are watching closely for an announcement on the contract renewal, as they are ready to leave the masquerade and swap 120 sectors a month for 15 or so as well as see bit of different scenery.
If they do jump, they will probably be pleasantly surprised to find that management has a more humanistic approach to getting the job done, the ops man. is much thinner and doesn't grow like topsey and the flying is far more interesting than hauling SLF about the countryside.
We will have to wait and see, the end of Feb is the latest tip for the big announcement.
If they do jump, they will probably be pleasantly surprised to find that management has a more humanistic approach to getting the job done, the ops man. is much thinner and doesn't grow like topsey and the flying is far more interesting than hauling SLF about the countryside.
We will have to wait and see, the end of Feb is the latest tip for the big announcement.
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I think people get between one to two weeks notice for an interview. With start date 4 weeks after the interview. Surveillance is the prefered tenderer, does that not mean that they are now working out the finer details and that they really have to stuff up now to lose it?
Sometimes people have to take that jump when they're not sure of the future, but how many times is the offer going to be there for you?
Sometimes people have to take that jump when they're not sure of the future, but how many times is the offer going to be there for you?
Last edited by Slipri; 17th Feb 2006 at 02:16.
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Gidday Funnelweb,
Last I heard, there were at least 6 having a crack....And they're only the ones I know of
I wonder why?
AerocatS2A, the grass is brown on both sides of the fence
Last I heard, there were at least 6 having a crack....And they're only the ones I know of
I wonder why?
AerocatS2A, the grass is brown on both sides of the fence
True Hugh Jarse, also the grass is partly what you make it.
You can piss on your patch of grass and it'll just get browner, or you can sprinkle fertiliser and water on it and make it greener. Unfortunately, sometimes you've just got a piece of crap grass and there's nothing you can do about it other than find some different grass.
There also seem to be some people who can be placed on a nice patch of freshly mown, green grass, but it dies and turns brown as soon as they touch it. Stay away from those people
.
You can piss on your patch of grass and it'll just get browner, or you can sprinkle fertiliser and water on it and make it greener. Unfortunately, sometimes you've just got a piece of crap grass and there's nothing you can do about it other than find some different grass.
There also seem to be some people who can be placed on a nice patch of freshly mown, green grass, but it dies and turns brown as soon as they touch it. Stay away from those people
.