Skytrans hiring again.

[Flying Bear]

Aimpoint,

Remember that those who tell you why some individuals are no longer with the company also have their own agenda...

Everyone has their own agenda, whether it supports your argument or opposes it. I, for one, am no exception and mine is easy - there are some great people at skytrans - but the ones at the top either can't sort significant issues or won't. There are also some rats in the bunch, that should not be hidden. Believe me, I tried my best to help out - got smashed by said rats.

[Aimpoint]

Their agenda is just to do a good job at work so the company can be successful and they can continue to get paid. Time for you and your mates on the thread to leave your issues in the past. Throwing stones on pprune isn't going to change anything for you, and is unlikely to do anything but hurt the reputations of those with the company's best interests at heart.

This thread's run it's course, don't know why it hasn't been locked yet...Not really about Skytrans hiring is it?

[Flying Bear]

That depends if you are interested in finding out about a company before applying - both good and bad stuff.

Easy for you to be sanctimonious, but this particular company's best interest has often been to treat staff in a less than honorable way (examples previously given), and their intent to destroy individuals who, as you say, just want to do their best and get paid.

I have moved on and repaired my life, but that doesn't mean that I would forgive certain individuals at skytrans for their conduct. I originally suggested here that those seeking career progression could do heaps better than skytrans. However, for those that go there - you need to be an unquestioning yes man and heaven help you if you make a mistake.

Skytrans supports these individuals in management that play power games and backstab other managers and has never, in my observation, followed due process when conflict or error comes up. Sacking a pilot "as an example to others" (quote from one particular long standing manager) is just a rubbish act. That was not me, by the way, but I had the misfortune to watch it firsthand. Did I agree? Well, that should be obvious, as I got ousted.

I just don't want to see others suffer the same fate as me with this mob, and don't believe everything they (or their lackeys) tell you.

[Justa Dash]

APNG management to Skytrans

CASA will watch the transfer of said Kiwi to Skytrans with vigilance. Skytrans has been a great business for many years. The transition from GA to Regional aviation went well once SW stepped back from it. The senior team have done a brilliant job taking it from a single dash in 2005 to the dozen or so today. This includes securing long term contracts with global miners and the Qld Govt, Amazing growth in a relatively short period of time which demonstrates the commercial acumen/experience within. Think this should be considered by the critics. If SW forces the team from APNG CEO,CCO,COO onto Skytrans he will get the result he now has with APNG. Burnt out airline guys spending big delivering way short. They have got him tied up contractually no matter how poorly APNG performs lawyers and accountants don't last in senior roles but can as demonstrated reap incredible damage. Doubt he will do that

[Cactusjack]

Skytrans firing again?

Any comments made about Skytrans tends to get filtered, a curious thing indeed? However, several sources have told me of a number of issues occurring of late, these are people who are in the know.
So:
COO sacked on Friday May 2013 (staff are still celebrating)
In the past 12 months there has been:
In-House legal counsel March 2013 - walked only a few weeks after a restructure, however the rumour is he was sacked
Safety manager June 2012 - ywalked, rumoured to have been sacked
HOFO x 2 - one pushed over to APNG (October 2012) and the next one resigned due to lack of support (January 2013)
Operations manager - resigned (November 2012)
CFO - shafted sideways (September 2012)
CEO - pushed sideways and sent to manage APNG (November 2012)

The company has been on a slice and dice diet since losing Rio contracts to VA and QF group, mining work has been drying up and there are a host of other issues but I won't mention them because anything negative said against this lot tends to get moderated or locked.
They recently refinanced and have been paying off some debts in instalments, so who knows what that is all about?

[my oleo is extended]

Finance issues??

I heard a very reliable rumour this morning that they just sold a Dash to pay some bills? If this is true then it doesn't sound good.
Also heard a rumour that the spending spree on Congo purchased old Dashies has come back to bite them, especially since the Rio contract has been significantly downsized.
Another restructure is apparently imminent and the Head C & T Captain has pulled the pin and is heading to QLink. That, along with cactusjack's comments earlier on the turnover of key people would surely raise CASA eyebrows?

[Chocks Away]

Just to set some records straight (F-Bear & J...Dash)

The small band of crew who started QRA (nee Skytrans) back in late 2005/6 started with 1 Dash and purchased 8 from Easterns for 5 mill (at the time it had merged with Southerns). Mostly the "WZ series from Melb base but also TQ series from Sydney... all high time a/c. All were taken up through Moresby heavy maintenance, great jobs down inside and out, "VH'd" and then returned throughout Australia and the Pacific on various wet & dry leases... as QRA had both a Domestic and International AOCs then. The International one was lucrative! The sideshow began when Corporate Air Services bought Inland Pacific (TL); also the well known C404 Cairns operation -Skytrans; bought in a new Chief Pilot (that wasn't a scratch on the previous) and then also shunted the pioneering crew as well as dropping the International AOC. Many "show cause" events then followed and the rest is history. They have survived despite the stupidity.
So yes, they maybe providing a better regional service to remote parts of QLD and that is great stuff. Sad to say though, the company is half the size it could have been and not even half as successful, compared to if they had retained and followed the advice of experienced crew all along, right back from it's pioneering days.
Pulling back it's operations to QLD only is coming back to bite, it seems.

[Cactusjack]

Chocks away, that stupidity you mention hasn't changed a bit and continues to this day. A Driver who works there told me in his honest opinion that they should have never been handed any AOC certificate above GA status.
Also if you take a look on the CASA register you will see they have grown to 15 Dash 8's. The last few purchases came from third world countries not famous for their standard of care. Some of the machines are amongst the oldest remaining in the world.
And as for potential, I agree with chocks away, they chose to successively cut loose any good decent knowledgeable people and keep only those who prostrate themselves on one knee before the throne of Wild. Maybe some dejavu, karma, or just good old what goes around comes around?

Regardless, hang in there my pilot friends up north.

[Flying Bear]

Chocks Away - no need to set any record straight for me, I agree with you completely! I am one of those who would not prostrate myself before the "throne of Wild" that Cactus refers to - hence I got the boot. The company has great potential, but the management has a pathological style.

With multiple HOTC either resigning or being sacked over the past two and a bit years, certainly that's got to be an indicator of something - for a while there I was thinking it was just me...

Nevertheless, happiness for me is Skytrans in the rearview mirror - but if it comes unstuck, I hope the good people that I know there aren't hurt because of it.

[Cactusjack]

Planes sold, COO gone, now GM Engineering gone.

Flying bear, the rear view mirror concept is certainly a great mechanism. I know several guys trying their damnedest to get out and follow in the shoes of a number who have departed in the past year, they are disgusted.

There is a rumour circulating that they are struggling to pay bills, maybe that is why QQE was sold in March this year? Considering the aggressive buying splurge since 2010 through 2012, plus the cost cutting taking place at the moment, there could be some truth in what is rumoured?
I also heard the MD is desperate to inject capital and do what they did with APNG, but with their primary profit source of mining contracts drying up plus only being able to lease hangar space in Brisbane on a monthly basis, a float is becoming a challenge. Besides, why would anyone buy into an outfit like them anyway? Aeroplanes between 19 and 27 years old, a revolving door of management and declining contracts?

And the latest person to be shown the door is the GM Engineering! Oh boy, the wheels have well and truly fallen off.

CASA, are you listening?

[Cactusjack]

Wild times in FNQ

A source just gave me a chronology and a detailed rundown of the unbelievable stuff that has been part of the shenanigans at Skytrans over the past year. I won't post the intimate details out of respect for some excellent hard working pilots trying to eek out a living in the tropics. The departure list in just 12 months and in order goes like this;
• Safety Manager
• The former HOFO from 2011 (was Klinging on like a pest)
• CEO
• Human Factors Manager
• HOFO from 2012
• Legal Counsel
• COO
• GM Engineering
• C&T Captain has tendered his resignation and leaves soon
• This list doesn't include the CFO from 2012 pushed sideways and various other lower level departures including operations managers etc.

Wonder what the old FNQ CASA boys think of all this?

[Defenestrator]

Wonder what the old FNQ CASA boys think of all this?

Nothing at all I reckon. FNQ is a GA office. Skytrans would be with the airline office in Brisbane.

D

[Cactusjack]

CASA FNQ oversight engineering, while CASA BNE oversight flight operations and undertake the annual AOC and COA audits. It is a mixed bag.
Of interest, the CASA BNE field office manager 'visited' Skytrans CEO Tuesday, less than 72 hours later the Skytrans GM Engineering was gonski. Coincidence? Who knows, but my source says that staff are still partying in the hallways and that departure, including the COO's, has created an atmosphere of what has been described as 'joy'.
Perhaps a case of too little too late?

[bagthrower]

Another one Gone?

Heard this from the person direct just on Friday, that Steve B------ has also resigned! Dont know whether he is mentioned in the previous posts, however it seems as though people are voting with their feet at Skytrans...

[Cactusjack]

Smokescreen

Bagthrower, don't be so sure about that. Nobody in that position leaves overnight 'to spend more time with family', that old chestnut. My very reliable sources report a much different story.
You should examine that individuals record of sudden overnight departures from other companies. And although the individual also claims to be spending more time with his 'business' it is interesting that his business was only registered on April 17, just prior to the 'sudden' decision to move on. One could speculate the individual became aware of a giant hammer that was about to be dropped on him.
On a lighter note and under the same circumstances I guess the GM Engineering wasn't quite as intuitive was he when he 'left' last week.

Also interesting how with both these individuals suddenly 'deciding to leave' the company saves around $500k per year in salaries, not to mention no longer having to pay their bonuses at the EOFY! Add that saving to the sale of the Dash 8 in March and perhaps the books look better ?

[Dash8capt]

CJ

Cactus,
All this "information" you have seems to be coming from the source. If you are this close and unhappy, why not leave?

You talk about CASA having an interest, Are you saying that Skytrans poses a threat to public safety? Do you have this little faith in your colleagues?

Many a company has been improved by a thorough clean out in the management ranks with fresh introductions. And yes maybe there is a bigger plan on the horizon.

Would the public float of Skytrans affect you personally Cactus?

It would appear to some that there was a few individuals here with small chips creating some bias.

Happy flying

[Cactusjack]

Threat to safety? I don't recall saying that? Now now, don't make assumptions. I was merely curious from a regulatory aspect what CASA would think of all the changes? Not a loaded question, no accusation.

Faith in my colleagues? If I were a pilot with Skytrans I would have complete faith in my fellow pilots But again, if I were a pilot with Skytrans I would have no faith in any other part of the organisation.

I agree, many companies do progress after a good enema, I hope for the pilots sake that the events of the past 12 months puts many of the issues to bed.

Would a float of the company affect me? Umm, let me think, nope not in the least, why would it? I won't be investing one single cent in the place, so who cares? Tell you what though, if VA and QF are flat out holding share prices at $1.00 and $2.00 respectively I can only imagine what a Skytrans float would be worth? Something tells me some giant ego's there actually believe they are a big time high end top value outfit, hahahahaha.

Regardless, stay safe and fly safe Dash8Captain and enjoy the FNQ winter

[Cactusjack]

Abandone ship abandone ship

Jeez, this saga gets worse! The rumour sweeping BNE this morning is that the safety manager and his deputy resigned on the weekend. If true that would make 3 safety managers in 2 years, and just as many HOFO's. Should this rumor be confirmed then some serious questions need to be raised, especially considering the number of other senior resignations and sackings of late.
Considering that a change of key personnel is considered to be an area of 'high risk' one can only wonder effect all this turmoil is having on overall levels of safety and compliance? I have heard that morale is decimated.
I also find it interesting that the new CEO with no prior airline experience has opted to be the AOC holder?
Lastly my source tells me that all of these 'issues' commenced the day that the previous and short lived COO started with them. They were allegedly warned what would happen. Oops, seems like things are coming back to bite them in the ass. I hope they can at least hang on to the current HOFO who is a good no nonsense bloke with a sharp head and good rudder skills, then again the Titanic still sank even though it had some good people onboard.

And they still want to sell/float this outfit?

[SIUYA]

Interesting comparison with the Titanic CJ...

Because, the Titanic:

1. had a double bottom and was built to remain afloat if as many of 4 of its watertight compartments were flooded - but after the collision, 5 flooded.

2. didn't have enough lifeboats to carry everyone onboard.

3. had some lifeboats that couldn't be used due to the way the ship was sinking.

4. was given 6 messages to warn it of its approach to the ice field, but all were disregarded.

And the reason why the Captain chose the more northerly course sailed and maintained high speed, was allegedly because he'd been invited to set a speed record for its maiden journey between Southampton and NY in order to increase the profit of the investors.

In other words, schedule ahead of safety.

Sounds depressingly familiar with what's being reported on this thread, doesn't it?

[Cactusjack]

SIUYA, very astute account of history, which often repeats itself. One could say the Captain was an egotistical fool who thought much more of his ability than what it actually measured up to, he had a complete disregard for the safety of those he was entrusted with, he ignored warnings from others better positioned to understand all the facts and in the end all of those factors came back to bit him in the ass as well!
Problem is, some good people went down with the ship and rode it the bottom of its watery grave. That is the random nature of unfortunate events isn't it?

I eagerly await the next instalment, the next resignation, the next dismissal!
We know who the new GM Engineering is plus their is a competent HOFO which is a good tick in the regulatory box. However the behind the scenes safety compliance, human factors program, AOC accountability and other matters could be in for closer scrutiny one imagines?