Taking a job in WA, what are some of the cons
 

Hi All ,

ive just completed my CPL about 200 hours logged, have a night rating , twin endorsement and in the process of completing IREX.

Have been offered a job in WA doing scenic flights to get some hours up , what are some of the cons to watch out for with operators , this guy is paying around $20 per hour on wages.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

depends on who your working for. $20 PH is pretty poor unless your getting a retainer and some accom as well.
PM me for an honest appraisal.

My first paid work as a commercial pilot, in late 1984, paid $20 per hour ..... airborne, it was also joy-flying.

No flight for the day, no pay for the day.

things haven't changed much. :ugh:

The cons - 2 x Derby based operators for a start.

$20 per hour is a slap in the face after the events of last year, unless of course it is based on 45 hours duty per week which is then a reasonable first aviation job.

My first job was $35 per flying hour with retainer.

Back in 93 I was getting 150 for a days work 3 to 4 hours flying and around 6 hours duty on average.

"$20 per hour is a slap in the face after the events of last year"

Totally agrees with this comment. Also, you need to look at whether you are hired as a casual pilot, or "sub-contractor". If you are hired as a subcontractor, then really, it's actually less then 20 dollar because you'll have to pay tax yourself.

Also, is it 20 per flying hour? per duty hour? per "working hour"<-- sounds silly, but some company expect you to do work/maintenance job around the premises, and you won't be paid!:mad:

Now, how many hours are they promising you'll do? Are they providing accommodation and food? Because if not. Then you'll be hard done in trying to support yourself if they are paying you flying hour. Just imagine you get only 3-4 hours worth of flying that week. In a remote area, that is pretty much all your groceries pay!!!:ugh:

HHOOOOWWEEEEEVVVEEERRR!!......

At the moment, the industry is again, not the same as last year. So, given the work opportunity is very sacred at the moment. You'll need to make the choice yourself and weigh up the short term benefit and cons.

Hey 'Avant'.....

You don't say where you're from - e.g. I would not transfer to WA from anywhere for a job paying $20 per hour - unless it was for a 40 hr week.

AS has been pointed out, if your 'job' is $20 per flying hour - then stay where you are and try and find something closer to home, where the 'board' is cheaper than trying to pay rent elsewhere.

Most 'scenics' would run for only an hour or so....(City and beaches, etc)
If you get only one 'scenic' a day/week - you'll starve.:eek::eek:

But, if you can afford to, and want to come over for a holiday - its a GREAT place!!!:ok:

Award rate:

See Clause 13.2 (which includes minimum hours per job etc.)
Salary for a full time pilot, aircraft up to, but not including (UTBNI) 1360 kg is $31,489.

( $31,489 / 800 ) times 1.25 = $49.20 per hour.

As you're new to aviation, I thought that you would like to know what the legal minimum rate actually is, before you decide to accept a job like this.

Checkboard, Now you brought this up. This actually reminded me of something I know. With that award wage, Western Australian isn't included in that award (not legally upheld in WA). Rather, they have their seperate system, in which, they don't have an actual "pilot award wage". Which means, under their system you are actually just a non-award worker.

And I believe the number is like 13odd dollar as a casual person. (That is just my poor memory has an impression of, if it is wrong. Please someone correct me).

Give ATO a call, to find out the exact number and entitlement. But, I was in a similar situation before, and that above, is what I got told...

I pay my house cleaner $22/hr.

Wages for an apprentice AME
 

Hey guys, you reckon $20/hour is bad... some companies in WA are still paying their 1st year apprentices around $9/hour. In fact that very same company started me as an AME just after the last recession on $12.65/hour! Needless to say I didn't stick around for long. There are some real cockroaches out there (those in WA will know who I'm talking about) that don't care about attracting and keeping good staff, they just want to line their own pockets and try and conquer the world... or so they think :eek:

Find an operator close to home that's going to look after you mate, not just try to sc**w you over.

End of rant :)

And a tip in case it hasn't been covered already - $20 per flying hour, may mean wheels off to wheels on time. Not engine running time.

Just clarifying for avantgarde in case they may not have been aware of this technicality.

Geez, in 1990 I was getting paid $36/hr peddling a C402 around as a casual pilot on charter work.

The industry has come a long way in 18 yrs!

Dr :8

Hmmmm told by your employer? :hmm:

I haven't lived in Australia for six years now, but as I recall the Pilots award was a federal award arbitrated by the Industrial Relations Commission - and as such applied to the entire country. Unless the new workchoices legislation has changed that (or WA has finally seceded from the Federation!) it should still apply.

correct rate:

( $33,148 / 800 ) times 1.25 = $51.79 per hour.

I thought so too. So before I went to my boss to try and work out a better deal, I thought I'd give industrial relations a ring (think its called fair pay commission or something now). They said that no aviation company is boud by the award unless they are a signatory to it. In other words, they dont have to pay you the GA award unless they have signed up with the AFAP to say that they will pay the award. :ugh:

If they haven't agreed to pay GA award then you just revert to the standard fedral minimum wage which is pretty easy to find online.

Suffice to say my pay negotiation didn't turn out as well as i'd have liked. :{

Disclaimer:
I'm no lawyer and I could be very wrong.

gettin' there,

is there anywhere/anyway you can find out who has agreed to pay the GA award and who hasn't? Do AFAP or someone keep a list/database?

Would be interesting to see and quite handy when it comes to job hunting

The respondents to the Award used to be listed in the Appendix of the paper copy. You could always join the Union, $5/week, and you will get copies of the Award and advice, legal protection etc. If $5/week is too much for you, you can resign after you have the info you need (not saying that is a particularly moral course of action. :hmm: )

Bit of feed back from the lads in KX along with a few in the know hiring them, lots of newly minted pilots hanging around up there right now waiting for work, so leave the egos behind and let the good 'ole games and dirty tricks begin :{

Just the kind of good news I was looking forward to hearing. About a week away from leaving for KNX.

Gotta be in it to win it! :}