Australian B717's

[SPANISHPILOT]

Hi guys,

I have some question.s Which company owns and/or operates B717 in Australia? Is there a B717 pilot shortage?

Is it NJS, JetStar or QantasLink?

I fly a B717 in Spain and I would like to know some information about any company in Australia who could hire B717 pilots...Where can I send my CV?

Thanks in advanced

[Skystar320]

A search button is your best freind.

National Jet HomePage

[flighterpilot]

To calrify the previous post. National Jet - owned by UK group, Cobham, is Australia's only B717-200 operator. They operate 11 717 aircraft on behalf of QantasLink (Qantas's regional subsidiary).

Crew bases are Cairns, Darwin and Perth with majority of flights ex Perth to regional ports in Western Australia. Be aware National Jet pilots and Engineers have been involved in heated negotiations regarding pay & conditions in the past 12 months.

They are presently adviertising for pilots, so there is probably work to be found there. Good luck.

[SPANISHPILOT]

Thank you very much guys,

I hope to be lucky!

Regards

[RENURPP]

SPANISHPILOT,


Before you get too excited, you need to be aware that at best you will start as an F/O and start on $62K AUD. You will be bonded $15K AUD. The contract with Qantas only has a little over three years to run and there are no other 717's in aus at the moment.

You could live on $62K, but not overly comfortably, and thats assuming your single.
If you intend bringing a family with you I hope you either have money in the bank or don't mind a second job and not as a pilot.

[SPANISHPILOT]

Thank you RENURPP,

I am only rated in the B717. It's a great airplane but there are only a few of them in the world. I wouldn't mind to live in Aus with a low sallary but at least it should be decent. I didn't know they paid so bad.

62K AUD is aprox 46000 USA dollars a year?Is it very expensive to live in Aus?

It would be an experience and a dream to live and work in Aus. However I will try not to get so excited.

Thank you all guys for the information. I will get you informed

Spanishpilot

[teresa green]

Have a go young fella, its a good country for a young bloke, especially if you have a family. Eh, we don't have bull fights, if you run around in front of one the bulls here with a cape you will be taken away and fed pills (should you survive) but if you like footy, flying in beautiful WX (most of the time) the sun, sea and sand you won't regret a stint here.

[Skystar320]

SPANISHPILOT,


Before you get too excited, you need to be aware that at best you will start as an F/O and start on $62K AUD. You will be bonded $15K AUD. The contract with Qantas only has a little over three years to run and there are no other 717's in aus at the moment.

You could live on $62K, but not overly comfortably, and thats assuming your single.
If you intend bringing a family with you I hope you either have money in the bank or don't mind a second job and not as a pilot.

Where are you living,

I lived in perth and up until I changed jobs [24mths] ago I was living comfortable on $40k a year with a mortgage

$60k a year is fine, aslong as you dont live in Sydney

[Monopole]

I agree with Skystar. You can live in Perth easily earning 60 odd K a year. You may not be able to buy the perfect new home with all the fruit, close to the city on that money, but you can afford to live.

It wasn't until mid last year did I start earning over 50k, and I never struggled from payday to payday (although we are a two income family).

That is still not to say that 62 grand is good money in regards to the job that you are looking at.

Skystar320, I thought Perth now pips Sydney in the cost of living

[Skystar320]

I'm not sure, house prices here have taken a hit so I presume now we are roughly like Sydney?

[neville_nobody]

You can live in Perth easily earning 60 odd K a year.

You're not living on $60 000 a year you're really living on $100 000 plus a year!! I would suggest that if you lived in the eastern half of town with a mortgage and a family you would not be living easily on $60 000. Minus the tax and the mortage there isn't much left. Houses are generally over $400 000 everywhere. Armadale would be a little more affordable but that's a long way from the airport.

You could live in Cairns comfortably on $60 000, Darwin would be getting expensive now with the gas plant going in. Basically the cost of housing is eroding the National Jet Salary.

[tasdevil.f27]

Think the cost of living is eroding most salaries no matter which state your in, I actually found it cheaper to live on the Gold Coast than here in Tas now.

[Green gorilla]

The average house in Perth 30 minutes from the airport if you buy will set you back over 2000 a month if you have kids and a life outside of flying for a living 60 makes it hard.

[Skystar320]

Perth 30 minutes from the airport if you buy will set you back over 2000 a month

I get $1.500 a month from a house in Tuart Hill from realestate, newish house 4 x 2

[Led Zep]

Comfortable on $40k and a mortgage in Perth Skystar? You either must be DINK or have a ridiculously small mortgage!

[Skystar320]

Its an apartment, but it can be done if yuo dont go out eating every night etc etc etc.

P.S And was single, so saved $$$$$ on the girl

[RENURPP]

Guys, read what I said. You CAN live on $60k.
There would be considerable expense involved in moving o/s.
For $60K I would expect you could rent a unit or small house, if you had money in the bank you could buy a car, otherwise you will have to borrow to buy some form of transport.
You will ive fine but not like a king thats for sure.

If you have a family it will be very tight.

[Dogman]

On 65k in Perth.......live in the SE suburbs (approx 25mins from airport) renting. Wife and a few kids (kids attend public school. We manage ok, but won't be seeing any new car upgrades, overseas holidays, etc for a while.....at least until command which could be a little while yet.

But we still have lots of fun. Moneys not everything( i think only people who don't have money say that )

DM

[Aussie]

I think 62K for an FO on any jet is low, including the 717, regardless of the fact you get by or not!

[SuPeRcHaRgEd]

Yes 62k is a crappy salary to begin with but on your anniversary every year (for the first 5 years) it increases by about 5 grand and on July 1 every year it increases by CPI. Last year CPI was 4.2% which added another 3 grand or there abouts.