Virgin Blue hiring
With regard to VA pilots flying flat stick, it tends to go in fits and starts. One roster you've got 60 odd hours and there are massive amounts of leave available. The next you're doing overtime and lots of it. I guess its all part of the economy and and consumer sentiment. With the Election bringing in the Liberals you might find there is an uptick in confidence and it all picks up. My gut feeling is that there will be some hiring in the next 6 months as a result. On flights I've done recently the loads have been MASSIVE. Add to that Jetstar are putting through 20-40 commands at the moment which indicates things might be turning a little. I haven't found however that callouts have increased at all really.
I think the merging of lists is being handled by the respective unions. Its all good and well for super senior guys to go chest beating but what people need to realise is that there are people from VA that would like to fly an ATR and there are people from VARA that would like to fly a 737 or an a330. Ultimately what you don't want is a Qlink Qantas scenario. As for people that think that they are going to walk into a 777 command or likewise take the next F100 command they need to get in touch with reality and/or seek advice from their medical practitioner on ways to deal with irrational thought processes. I think the best thing to do is for everybody to put aside ego and 'mine is better than yours' attitude and look at the big LONGTERM picture. As for staff travel, its very simple. Those that hold out will lose, generally the company holds the cards.
I think the merging of lists is being handled by the respective unions. Its all good and well for super senior guys to go chest beating but what people need to realise is that there are people from VA that would like to fly an ATR and there are people from VARA that would like to fly a 737 or an a330. Ultimately what you don't want is a Qlink Qantas scenario. As for people that think that they are going to walk into a 777 command or likewise take the next F100 command they need to get in touch with reality and/or seek advice from their medical practitioner on ways to deal with irrational thought processes. I think the best thing to do is for everybody to put aside ego and 'mine is better than yours' attitude and look at the big LONGTERM picture. As for staff travel, its very simple. Those that hold out will lose, generally the company holds the cards.
Last edited by Berealgetreal; 7th Sep 2013 at 10:37.
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Has anyone else applied and heard back about the ATR F/O "expressions of interest" posting? Just curious as to whether they're looking for people right now, or building a list of people leading up to actually needing pilots?
They are doing interviews right now for the ATR. A friend of mine did his a few days ago however I'm not sure when he applied. They definitely need more people so good luck.
Reliable source
Heard from a semi reliable source (brissie refueller) that he knows a close contact of Borghetti who says they are really trying to get ppl on the hold file a go and it's one of his kpi to at least diminish the hold file. The refueller tends to think there will be courses again in the next few months. I'm hearing the opposite though. I wonder how far the hr training projections go?
I got this from the Rockhampton refueller, no more 457 as they would want a DEC this is not possible no more because of a seniority list.
They are interviewing steadily as they will need around 100 pilots to crew the orders they want, but due to only 4, 500 sims and 2, 600 sims in the world ATR can't provide the capacity for training. So until ATR reach an agreement with an external provider or build another sim themselves could be a while before a 600 sim arrives in Australia or any where near Australia which will slow training new hires down as they still have to fit in checks etc of current crew.
They are interviewing steadily as they will need around 100 pilots to crew the orders they want, but due to only 4, 500 sims and 2, 600 sims in the world ATR can't provide the capacity for training. So until ATR reach an agreement with an external provider or build another sim themselves could be a while before a 600 sim arrives in Australia or any where near Australia which will slow training new hires down as they still have to fit in checks etc of current crew.
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3 ATRs due for delivery over the coming months have been cancelled, recruitment will therefore slow. ATR ops have experienced significant growth in the last 2 years and apparently all involved need to slow things down a bit while the organisation gains experience.
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how would a hold file impact on someone's kpi?
i think the likes of borghetti and his management have more important things to do right now than worry about clearing a hold file...
i think the likes of borghetti and his management have more important things to do right now than worry about clearing a hold file...
As far as I know Virgin doesn't do 457 visas. Never heard of them doing it for pilots anyway.
Many spare Aer Fungus Regional and Iberia crew on the ATR. Many.
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Email will come out within two to three weeks. There will be no thought given to hiring until next year: even though we thought it would be sooner, including myself 
Only possible light is movement caused by filling the currently advertised positions internally which were put out around Sep 4th
From what I have heard advertisements were for 2 A330 Captains, 4 A330 First Officers, 777 Captains and 777 F/O's numbers TBC
This may open up half a dozen or more cruiser positions.
Fingers crossed
There was a lot of speculation into how much of the hold file remained, but I dare say its getting smaller, I know of at least half a dozen guys that were on the VA hold that have since moved on to JQ, TT, Cobham and VARA
Fingers crossed for that also
Only possible light is movement caused by filling the currently advertised positions internally which were put out around Sep 4th
From what I have heard advertisements were for 2 A330 Captains, 4 A330 First Officers, 777 Captains and 777 F/O's numbers TBC
This may open up half a dozen or more cruiser positions.
Fingers crossed
There was a lot of speculation into how much of the hold file remained, but I dare say its getting smaller, I know of at least half a dozen guys that were on the VA hold that have since moved on to JQ, TT, Cobham and VARA
Fingers crossed for that also
Similar to what it was when I started out in the industry. I was told between Ansett and Qantas you could count the new hires on one hand year in year out. Basically it was down to retirements, deaths and people 'leaving'. I have to say I was pretty lucky with my timing although not as much as some!
Had it not been for the one-off artificial pre GFC boom the majority of us wouldn't be in the industry today. That boom won't be back and its back to a trickle. The music hasn't stopped but the neon lights are on and the cleaners are certainly packing away the chairs and tables. From what I hear however there are still jobs in GA. When I arrived in Darwin I was told 'there would be 30 pilots that have been hanging around for jobs for over two years..'. It was true. Back then getting a metro FO job was like winning the lotto.
Had it not been for the one-off artificial pre GFC boom the majority of us wouldn't be in the industry today. That boom won't be back and its back to a trickle. The music hasn't stopped but the neon lights are on and the cleaners are certainly packing away the chairs and tables. From what I hear however there are still jobs in GA. When I arrived in Darwin I was told 'there would be 30 pilots that have been hanging around for jobs for over two years..'. It was true. Back then getting a metro FO job was like winning the lotto.
380 and 777 skippers moving to the RHS.. By 65 I'd be over sims and eps..! That's just me though.
JQ are putting through a stack of commands.
1000 pilots at 2 percent growth (normal growth rates) equals 20 pilots a year at best. Quickest progression (like boom times) would have to be Tiger.
JQ are putting through a stack of commands.
1000 pilots at 2 percent growth (normal growth rates) equals 20 pilots a year at best. Quickest progression (like boom times) would have to be Tiger.