Surveillance Australia
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: In the circuit of FAWK
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Prospects
When it comes to prospects on the Dash 8 with Surveillance the only way to describe it is very good. They are converting to an all Dash 8 fleet for the new contract and at the moment like everybody else are having problems getting pilots - especially with the right experience for the Dash. Once your on there they look at your performance and if you do well you effectively put your hand up for a quick command. Training is very good and thorough, while at the same time adding the challenge of adopting to the Coastwatch procedures.
Now I have not mentioned any of the stuff that goes with the job. When I left there were a few things that I thought were unacceptable and I have told their consultant all about that when he called me. Needless to say, like most companies there are a few things that the staff (pilots and observers) are not happy with at the moment. For me personally it was being away from home a lot, constant roster changes and a base manager that seemed to go out of his way to make your life a misery (he has left in the meantime).
So don't get me wrong, one of the best jobs you will ever get to do - it just depends on if/how long you are prepared to put up with all the stuff outside the cockpit.
Cheers
KE
Now I have not mentioned any of the stuff that goes with the job. When I left there were a few things that I thought were unacceptable and I have told their consultant all about that when he called me. Needless to say, like most companies there are a few things that the staff (pilots and observers) are not happy with at the moment. For me personally it was being away from home a lot, constant roster changes and a base manager that seemed to go out of his way to make your life a misery (he has left in the meantime).
So don't get me wrong, one of the best jobs you will ever get to do - it just depends on if/how long you are prepared to put up with all the stuff outside the cockpit.
Cheers
KE
...They are converting to an all Dash 8 fleet for the new contract and at the moment...
Whaaaa? I find that VERY hard to believe, or at least the statement lacking qualifiers (e.g. replacing the 406 only).
http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=5789
http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?c=6805
What about littoral surveillance? The Dash is certainly not going to do that.
More BN-2Bs, or perhaps a replacement - but replacement by the Dash? I'm surprised that the Coastwatch section aren't up in arms. The dash is an excellent platform - but there is no way it is going to do littoral patrols. If that is what they are claiming, then someone has sold them a bill of goods.
More BN-2Bs, or perhaps a replacement - but replacement by the Dash? I'm surprised that the Coastwatch section aren't up in arms. The dash is an excellent platform - but there is no way it is going to do littoral patrols. If that is what they are claiming, then someone has sold them a bill of goods.
but it is true
The Dash is great for AFZ / EEZ patrols, but it is lousy inshore where you have reefs, etc. We proved that time and time again. As a visual platform, it is a massive waste.
Does this mean that they are going to abandon Green Zone patrols?
Does this mean that they are going to abandon Green Zone patrols?
Evilroy, SAPL will be entirely Dash 8s. This is a requirement of the contract (that there be no visual aircraft,) so Coastwatch have no problem with it, it is their idea!
We are all saying the same thing, clients will still have a requirement for visual taskings and the Dash won't do it very well. On the other hand, the new FLIR/DTV and Radar are supposed to be pretty good, negating the need to fly a litoral flight route, and instead cruising a few miles offshore. No one really knows how it will pan out, but the crews are certainly curious about how it will work, or not.
We are all saying the same thing, clients will still have a requirement for visual taskings and the Dash won't do it very well. On the other hand, the new FLIR/DTV and Radar are supposed to be pretty good, negating the need to fly a litoral flight route, and instead cruising a few miles offshore. No one really knows how it will pan out, but the crews are certainly curious about how it will work, or not.
AFZ = Australian Fishing Zone.
EEZ = Australian Economic Exclusion Zone.
The AFZ is the area Australia has declared for exclusive use of fishing resources (i.e, other countries may not commercially fish in the AFZ.) The EEZ, which encompasses the same area as the AFZ (from the coastline to 200nm offshore,) has been declared for exclusive use of other resources such as gas, oil etc.
Littoral surveillance is surveillance of the coastline where you stick to the coast as well as you can allowing the observers to check beaches for anything interesting.
Green Zones are areas around the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park where certain activity is prohibited (fishing for example.) I don't fly the area so I'm not sure of the details.
The Dash 8 is well suited to the EEZ stuff as its medium speeds are good for radar operation and it has fuel for about seven hours plus reserves (nine hours on the Dash 8 300s
.) It is not so good for littoral surveillance as it takes too much room to manoeuvre.
Having said that, the Dash 8 200 can comfortably slow down to Reims F406 speeds, and where've been doing green zone and occassional littoral work in that for years.
EEZ = Australian Economic Exclusion Zone.
The AFZ is the area Australia has declared for exclusive use of fishing resources (i.e, other countries may not commercially fish in the AFZ.) The EEZ, which encompasses the same area as the AFZ (from the coastline to 200nm offshore,) has been declared for exclusive use of other resources such as gas, oil etc.
Littoral surveillance is surveillance of the coastline where you stick to the coast as well as you can allowing the observers to check beaches for anything interesting.
Green Zones are areas around the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park where certain activity is prohibited (fishing for example.) I don't fly the area so I'm not sure of the details.
The Dash 8 is well suited to the EEZ stuff as its medium speeds are good for radar operation and it has fuel for about seven hours plus reserves (nine hours on the Dash 8 300s
.) It is not so good for littoral surveillance as it takes too much room to manoeuvre.Having said that, the Dash 8 200 can comfortably slow down to Reims F406 speeds, and where've been doing green zone and occassional littoral work in that for years.
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: scotland
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Thanks for the info guys.
I see on their web site that they are looking at pilots from SA / UK / Canada - is this a new thing? Do they offer visas only or the chance to take up residency?
I see on their web site that they are looking at pilots from SA / UK / Canada - is this a new thing? Do they offer visas only or the chance to take up residency?
When I joined you had to be a resident. Then more recently you had to be a citizen. Now they're taking overseas pilots, I'm not sure exactly what the status is.
Thanks for the diagram Icarus2001. Would you believe that when arriving into Sydney from Dubbo and having called visual at 30 miles some pilots end up vectored into the Exclusive Economic Zone!
Serious.
Serious.
