QANTAS recruitment advice

[Java]

Greetings

I am looking to get some advice from people who have gone through the recruiting process at Qantas.
I am wondering if there are many of you out there who are currently with QF who may have been in a similar situation to myself.

I am 30 with over 500 hours command required by QF and I have M\E CIR. I gained these hours from Bush charter flying in northern australia a couple of years ago. I also have a tertiary IT qualification. I am currently working in the IT industry for a very large international Professional Services firm. I am giving serious consideration to completing my ATPL and year 12 maths and physics and applying for Qantas. I understand there maybe a slow down in their recruitment process at present, but I am looking longer term and when the recruiting may get busier in the next year or two. I guess I am considering this, as even though IT is a practical career, my real love and passion has and always will be aviation.

Could I get some of your opinions and feedback to these thoughts, espeacially to any of you who didn't get into QF until you were older.


I appreciate you responses.

Cheers

Java

[Keg]

Do the ATPL stuff. QF will not even look at your application without it.

Stay current. You'll need the skills if you get to the sim and you need to show QF that you're keen on retaining and refining your skills.

Consider doing something else aviation orientated to show them that you're still keen on the aviation side of things. Consider an aviation degree by distance education (or at least start it!) or other types of 'management' courses that could be considered relevant to the aviation industry.

Lots of pilots in QF are over 30 when they join. Admittedly it puts you a bit behind in the seniorority stakes and may preclude you from ever holding an A380 command (or whichever is the biggest paying machine in the QF fleet in 25ish years time) but that doesn't stop most people who get into QF later in life.

Got to be in it to win it.

[shaablamm]

This probably doesn't help much and I don't in anyway want dampen your enthusiasm.

I am 32 and have applied to QA 4 times in the last 3 years. My 1st application went in immediately after doing the Maths and Physics courses in Perth. I have well above the requirements for them, sound results throughout and excellent references.

Each time my application has been immediately refused without even a sniff at the psyc/skills tests. Why? I have no idea and to this day I will keep applying but realistically don't hold any hope and am actively pursuing other alternatives.

I guess what I am saying is that if you love flying as much as you should if you want to fly as a line pilot then don't for once think that QA is the only option out there. Further to that be very careful with your decision re giving up an established cashflow.

[compressor stall]

It pays to try and check that your application details have been recorded correctly. I know of someone who was told that he did not have his year twelve subjects, therefore was ineligible, despite having included the HSC certificate with all his 80-98% marks for year 12.

No hint of an apology for the pen stroke slip up either.

[Java]

Cheers Keg, shaablamm and compressor stall I appreciate your time and for good positive comments. I have plenty to think about.

Thanks

Java

[PILAME]

QF

Don't let it get you down. If you want an airline job persistance usually pays off. I had another career before flying. Am now 33 just did QF recruitment process and got a letter to try again in six months. Apart from QF there are alot of other opportunities in the industry. ie regionals.

best of luck

[deckchair]

Am 36, went through the cadet application process
a couple of years ago and passed the testing first go,
but not the interview. Within a year finished my ATPL's,
Maths & Physics requirements, MECIR, and flying hours
to submit a DE application. Have kept in regular contact
with faxes and letters informing of efforts and achievements
which have rarely been responded to.

Do I give up?
Do I hold hope?
Do I gamble family & income?

If I could simply be informed of the truth I can move on.

[Beech Boy]

Hey Deck:

Never
Always
No

The yardstick for aviation success should not be measured by a position in Qantas. Qantas may not be needing pilots for a while, there are others.
Tapering your life on the possibility of getting into Qantas would be very unwise. Work your profession for a more personal gain rather than guessing when a slot might come up.

[notrouble]

In 1992 aged 33 I applied to Qantas with all the bells and whistles and they sent me a reply saying, "my experience was not commensurate with my age". 2500 flying hours at that stage. I wonder if they still get away with that line.

[deckchair]

Thanks for the pep up Beech Boy.

Sometimes I think if we 30 somethings (with other industry experience and knowledge) got together and competed against those 'commensurate with age' mindsets we would be a powerful and highly motivated force.

[SniperPilot]

notrouble. The line now is 'application not competitive'. You've got to admit that one is brilliant - completely and utterly non specific. In fact I think that they use it for all rejected applications.

[Mr Garrison]

Hi Java,

Are you a Java programmer?? If so - me too!
I am in a similiar situation to you but am 5 years younger.

I do know a bit about the Qantas recruitment process because a friend of mine successfully passed all the exams and is now a 2nd Officer on the 400.

If you want some info then go ahead and list your questions.


Mr Garrison

[mathewb]

Mr Garrison ,

I am also a compudork who has a passion for flying,

I should have my CPL in the next fews months and interested in any info you may have on the Qantas cadet program.

My concern is if my degree in Info Tech will have a detrimental effect my chances at getting selected as a Qantas cadet. Also what age bracket is the is Qantas looking for CPL cadets, I am 26 and i bet you all the other guys are like 18 or something.

cheers

mathew

[Keg]

Comments deleted due to no longer being relevant. Some would argue that this should go for any comment I ever make!

[flightfocus]

I have a few related questions that someone out there may be able to help with:

1) What is the oldest person that anyone knows of that has been hired by Qantas (or Virgin for that matter). I am talking "new to airline" pilots here not experienced guys moving between airlines.

2) With the "commesurate with age" line what is generally considered to be the hours per year formula that the powers that be use?

3) Does anyone know of any Air Traffic Controllers that have "jumped ship" and succesfully become airline pilots?

4) With only an Australian Passport (ie: no European Union working rights etc) where can us Aussie pilots work in the world? We all know about Hong Kong and Cathay and Sing Airlines but are there others out there?

Cheers

FF

[scud_runner]

At the moment there are alot of guys 30+ who are ex Ansett pilots. So if you are that sort of age and not flying you probably won't get far with QANTAS because they think you are not keen enough. Not saying that's right/wrong in each instance however that's the line they're pulling.

I know people who have either stayed on the east coast in a cushy well paid office job or those who have put the life (and family) on the line and gone bush for a few years earning next to nothing.

The guys who went out flying both got in to QANTAS and the other guys are still sitting in their cushy office jobs. If you want to get into QANTAS as a direct entry I would suggest that if you are not in a flying job you are basically wasting your time.

However as with any issue with QF recruiting who really knows what the go is??

[Java]

Mr Garrison

Mr Garrison Check your PM's

Java

[mathewb]

Cadet Stuff <reply>

Hey Scud_runner, thanks for the tip and i need to make it clear that i have BIG respect to those pilots who are doing the hard yards out in the country. I am putting my name in the QF lottery for a cadet entry however I have finally enough money to complete my flight training b4 i go bush. I dis-agree that all city people somehow have a cushy life here if you look at what some of the guys i know have to put up with to save money for air time.

Also

Keg i would hope that this is forum that people could speak their mind, Mr Garrison may have information that is absoluting BS however i think that with alot of rumours here info needs to be taken with a grain of salt.

I would hope that if anyone has some useful information on cadet programs ie QF or Turbine First officer programmes

.... that they post them for the benefit of younger pilots that are currently pondering over their next step and hopefully though others guidence that they dont make the same mistakes.

cheers

mat

[Hugh Jarse]

Which fantasyland are you living in?

I know people who have either stayed on the east coast in a cushy well paid office job or those who have put the life (and family) on the line and gone bush for a few years earning next to nothing. The guys who went out flying both got in to QANTAS and the other guys are still sitting in their cushy office jobs. If you want to get into QANTAS as a direct entry I would suggest that if you are not in a flying job you are basically wasting your time.

The above has to be the biggest piece of misinformation I've ever read.

I take it you are talking about CPL's in the above quote and have not considered our ex-military aviators that have been successful in gaining positions.

Sorry, but the perception that putting your life and family on the line to go bush will get you a job with QF over somebody that doesn't is a crock. If you apply for a direct entry position you are considered on your merits regardless of where you gained your experience, providing you meet the experience and education requirements as well as pass the aptitude/psych etc.

I know of just as many colleagues over the past 15 years who have flown almost exclusively on the eastern seaboard who have gained positions as those who have worked out bush.

Another example: Most of the Cadets that trained in the late 80's and early 90's have seen no more outback than Ceduna or Kingscote or Broken Hill during their training, and have gone straight into Mainline quite successfully. What effect has not "putting their lives and families on the line" had? Not much, I'd say...

Don't forget, QF doesn't do much "putting the life and family on the line" (I take it VFR) remote bush flying. Most of it is IFR isn't it?

I rest my case......

Keg, I'd welcome your comments here

[WhiteRat Wannabe]

Forget about the hours and where you got them, it's the PERSON they're interested in!!

As long as you meet the requirements and can jump through the neccasary hoops, i'm sure they don't care if you've been flying bush, instructing, or flying a friggin' kite!

I guess what i'm trying to say is, if you are the kind of person they are after, you're going to get in regardless of your background.