Information regarding the Top End
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Australia
Age: 44
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Making the trek up north...
OK - so it looks like I'll be heading up north in a few weeks to try my luck up there. Not an easy decision to cut loose on a career that pays multiples of what I'll be earning flying GA, but I'm still quite excited. I do realise that many companies up there are still holding back the hiring and taking the 'wait and see' approach, but hey, as the ad for the NT says, "you'll never never know".
So, anyone think I'm a total idiot?
OK - so it looks like I'll be heading up north in a few weeks to try my luck up there. Not an easy decision to cut loose on a career that pays multiples of what I'll be earning flying GA, but I'm still quite excited. I do realise that many companies up there are still holding back the hiring and taking the 'wait and see' approach, but hey, as the ad for the NT says, "you'll never never know".
So, anyone think I'm a total idiot?
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Australia
Age: 44
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...if it doesn't work out you can always go back to your day job.
Now need to decide whether I should drive, or sell my car and buy one up there.... not to mention the rest of the logistics of cleaning out a house!
Question for those who have 'been there done that' or 'currently doing it'. What is a typical salary/wage/casual rate for a brand new CPL working in a crappy little town in the outback? I realise it's peanuts, and I'm not expecting more - I'd just like to plan my finances from the start.
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: In the air
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Question for those who have 'been there done that' or 'currently doing it'. What is a typical salary/wage/casual rate for a brand new CPL working in a crappy little town in the outback? I realise it's peanuts, and I'm not expecting more - I'd just like to plan my finances from the start.
Moved up pretty quick and the longer with the company the more flights and $$ I got. After eighteen months was full time on about $40k.
Last edited by hardNfast; 22nd Jan 2010 at 03:47.
I wonder what became of my 1971 holden kingswood, bought for $750 with jesus loves you stickers on the back window and used on that first trek up to darwin in search of work(1981). If l recall , the gearstick broke in Alice so much time wasted getting that sorted. Got all the way north to be told to FO by a certain operator..and drove back to mel, to carry on cleaning factory shytehouses. Never gave up as an offer presented itself 6 weeks later in Dysart QLD on an aztec, so nothing changes!
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NT
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Its a long trek but by far the best way to get a job and some decent experience. Be willing to work remote, its a great start and good hours, and usually free accom and vehicle, which is a blessing when you only make $300 a week! Present well and be persistant, then hang on for the ride...
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Southern Hemisphere
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couple of questions
Hey I'm heading up from Perth up to Broome with a few stops in between. Looking like this March, not the best timing but had to apply for leave etc from my current job and cheapest tickets etc.. got a couple of questions for you guys (some of whom seem to be in the know about Oz - i'm a kiwi...)
Is the time of the year going to make quite a big difference??
Does having 500 hours make a significant difference to employment chances as opposed to a 200/250 hr fresh cpl?
MEIR will have lapsed...will this make a big difference?
Does it help to chat with them and see if there's a possibility that they'll give me a call if something comes up later in the year? Does this even happen??
Thanks for your help in advance, I'm trying to make the most of the time I have there so any advice is appreciated.
If i've posted in the wrong forum let me know and i'll remove and repost...
Is the time of the year going to make quite a big difference??
Does having 500 hours make a significant difference to employment chances as opposed to a 200/250 hr fresh cpl?
MEIR will have lapsed...will this make a big difference?
Does it help to chat with them and see if there's a possibility that they'll give me a call if something comes up later in the year? Does this even happen??
Thanks for your help in advance, I'm trying to make the most of the time I have there so any advice is appreciated.
If i've posted in the wrong forum let me know and i'll remove and repost...
(i'm a kiwi...)
Is the time of the year going to make quite a big difference??
Does having 500 hours make a significant difference to employment chances as opposed to a 200/250 hr fresh cpl?
MEIR will have lapsed...will this make a big difference?
Does it help to chat with them and see if there's a possibility that they'll give me a call if something comes up later in the year? Does this even happen??
Last edited by The Green Goblin; 6th Feb 2010 at 07:31.
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Behind you!
Age: 35
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Paperbag,
It is hard work mate, especially when you see some of the lucky ones get the dream run (9 months to C441 for example) but unfortunately its all about timing up in the top end.
Like so many people have said before me, your best best is to pick a location and settle in there, work a servo job or whatever to make ends meet, and keep pestering the operators until they give you a job...even an ops job is better than nothing some times because you have a foot in the door and you KNOW when they will recruit next.
Having less than 400 hrs is hard but there are operators that will hire you depending on their need for pilots. My suggestions for low time pilots:
Darwin:
Air Frontier
Barrier (maybe)
Charter (even less likely)
Jabiru:
AAA Charter
Kakadu Air Charter (Services maybe?)
Oenpelli:
Gumbulunya
Katherine:
Katherine Aviation
Hooker Creek:
Lajimanu (not the correct spelling)
Hope that helps mate. Chin up, we've all been there before but when you come out the other side you'll be better off for it and you'll have great stories to tell!
It is hard work mate, especially when you see some of the lucky ones get the dream run (9 months to C441 for example) but unfortunately its all about timing up in the top end.
Like so many people have said before me, your best best is to pick a location and settle in there, work a servo job or whatever to make ends meet, and keep pestering the operators until they give you a job...even an ops job is better than nothing some times because you have a foot in the door and you KNOW when they will recruit next.
Having less than 400 hrs is hard but there are operators that will hire you depending on their need for pilots. My suggestions for low time pilots:
Darwin:
Air Frontier
Barrier (maybe)
Charter (even less likely)
Jabiru:
AAA Charter
Kakadu Air Charter (Services maybe?)
Oenpelli:
Gumbulunya
Katherine:
Katherine Aviation
Hooker Creek:
Lajimanu (not the correct spelling)
Hope that helps mate. Chin up, we've all been there before but when you come out the other side you'll be better off for it and you'll have great stories to tell!
Ok well if anybody cares I'm making my drive up north from Melbourne on Monday (21st)... bit late I know but better late than never
Will probably go up thru the alice, KNX and up to broome and then I think I'll check out as much of the west coast as I can. I dont think I'll sit around in KNX and Broome due to what I've heard... so HOPEFULLY theres something out there in other places
Will post once in a blue moon on here advising of my failures and eventual success (hopefully!)
Will probably go up thru the alice, KNX and up to broome and then I think I'll check out as much of the west coast as I can. I dont think I'll sit around in KNX and Broome due to what I've heard... so HOPEFULLY theres something out there in other places
Will post once in a blue moon on here advising of my failures and eventual success (hopefully!)
