Mainland Air

[seneca208]

Gidday Guys,

Have done a search, but there wasn't a recent thread.

Going in to have a chat with the blokes at Mainland Air, Dunedin, in a few weeks time. Anything I should know or expect?

Im interested in the Dip Aviation course, and wanted to do it somewhere a little bit smaller than the major centres; AFS, CTC, IAANZ etc. I've also heard they only employ people that train at their school, any truth to this?

Cheers,

[SystemsAreGo]

A good bunch of people in a good spot (lots of drunk uni chicks in Dunedin)

Rates are quite reasonable as I recall. Only thing you need to do is take responsibility for your own learning - a quality I think all pilots should have anyway.

CP and CFI are top blokes. In short, I would recommend this place..

Good luck

[c100driver]

AFS, CTC, IAANZ etc. I've also heard they only employ people that train at their school, any truth to this?

Ben this is the same as most places and Mainland is the same in that they will only hire from those they taught. They use this as the big hook to get people to sign up. Remember all Mainland has two ATO twins and all the current instructors what to fly it, so how long do you think it will take to get to the top of that heap?

When employment outside training is high they may look at outsiders, but when it is slow they close up shop. So be very careful were you take that first step.

[seneca208]

Thanks mate, will definitely keep that in mind. Makes my decision a whole lot harder though

[RadioSaigon]

Originally Posted by c100 driver

...this is the same as most places and Mainland is the same...

Really, that's it in a nutshell. Mainland is no different to anyone else in their employment practices. No more needs be said.

Ben 093: I know both the CP and the CFI personally and can assure you, you will find it nearly impossible to find 2 more experienced or as highly regarded pilots in the country. Should you choose to train at Mainland, you will be with the best. Further, you'll be training in real wx conditions -not putting the aircraft away when the wind gets to 10kts. Your training will see you operating in areas where you will be exposed to a variety of commercial operators and operations in a variety of terrain. All of the operators and operations are known to both the CP and CFI intimately -in many cases they do the C&T for them. Make a good impression in a place like that, many doors may open for you.

[mattyj]

Does the wind ever get less than 10kt at DUD

or is that crosswind?

[RadioSaigon]

Originally Posted by mattyj

... wind ever get less than 10kt at DUD...

You really don't want me to tell you any yarns about where they go from NZDN do you???

Couldn't risk making you delicate wee N island fella's feel a bit pale, could we???

[seneca208]

Thanks guys, that gives me a bit more of an insight. Now, living conditions in a Dunedin Winter

Does the fact that Mainland only have 2 multi aircraft a problem? I guess their whole fleet is relatively small.

Also, in regards to the weather, I am vaguely aware of the poor weather in Dunedin, will this affect my training at all, particularly in the Ab-Into stages of flight training? I was planning to enter the course with a PPL, but not sure I can afford it at this stage.

[c100driver]

So Radio Siagon,

Mainland are open to employing people they have not trained, this is great news as any C cat trained at any other organisation in the country are open to be employed by them?

I dont recall saying anything bad about the training quality in my post?

[Steve Zissou]

Mattyj! Where have you been all this time? I'd begun to think you'd left flying and got an office job somewhere ...

[RadioSaigon]

Originally Posted by c100driver

Mainland are open to employing people they have not trained, this is great news as any C cat trained at any other organisation in the country are open to be employed by them?

DON'T try to twist my words to something that isn't there c100driver -you'll only make a fool of yourself. I said -quite clearly I thought- that Mainland's employment practices are no different to any other training organisation in the country. Your initial post seems (to me anyway) to suggest that other organisations do things differently, when you say:

Originally Posted by c100driver

They use this as the big hook to get people to sign up. Remember all Mainland has two ATO twins and all the current instructors what to fly it, so how long do you think it will take to get to the top of that heap?

In exactly what way is that any different to the practices of any other training organisation in the country??? As I've said earlier it is no different. As to your comment re having only:

Originally Posted by c100driver

... two ATO twins...

and:

Originally Posted by c100driver

...how long do you think it will take to get to the top of that heap?

again, I fail to see in what way that is significantly different to any other training organisation in the country. The major point of difference that I see is that those "two ATO twins" are used daily on ATO ops -not just training- and because of that, candidates and students are being taught their craft in a commercial operation, rather than a purely training environment. I'm pretty sure that's something an employer would look upon favourably.

In conclusion then, my reading of your post was that it sought to illustrate this organisation as offering something less (or less honestly) than other training organisations. In my opinion, it offers far more. In fact from your post it seems likely you have never even darkened Mainlands door, far less had anything to do with them, but are posting from perhaps hearsay but more likely supposition, with little if anything useful to add to the discussion.

[c100driver]

RS I am not sure which post you read of mine but it is must be another one in a parallel world. So I am not sure how you got the idea that I said they were somehow dishonest?

All flying schools that I know of use a "hook" of if you fly here we may also have a flying position available, or we only employ pilots we trained, or xxx airlines only employs our pilots etc. Mainland is the same.

Where have I said that Mainland has the same flight standards as other training organisations? It actually has a good reputation in the training industry but I was out not advertise that for them.

The caution to Ben was that be careful where you place your money if you are expecting a job afterwards as he asked

Im interested in the Dip Aviation course, and wanted to do it somewhere a little bit smaller than the major centres; AFS, CTC, IAANZ etc. I've also heard they only employ people that train at their school, any truth to this?

In summary
Is Mainland a good place to spend your flying money - Yes
Do they have a good reputation for pilots - Yes
Do the use the hook of only employing pilots they trained - Yes, the same as most other flying schools in the country.
Have I ever been to Mainland Air - Yes
Have I talked to is pilots and instructors - Yes

[glekichi]

I trained with Mainland and started working for them straight afterwards, and have to say it was a great place for both.

Yes, there is a lot of competition for the twins there, and for jobs at all for that matter. That is not any different to any of the bigger schools though.

But, if in your 18 months (or 12 if you pull finger) of training you can show that you have the right attitude, this will be duly recognised and you will either have a job or a fantastic reference from the two very respected blokes that RS spoke of.

The biggest difference from other schools is, as others have pointed out, not that they hire their students, but rather, the real commercial environment that you will be exposed to and the experience of JP and PK.

Listen to (and digest) what these guys have to say and you will go a long way

[seneca208]

Thanks heaps guys, it sounds like it certainly is worth checking out!

Yeah, the first reason I actually looked at Mainland, was the good hearsay I had heard, and that they ran a charter operation, which is what I would really be looking for in a first job, as apposed to flight instruction.

Thanks again,