Where to head next?
 

Hi all,

Well i've been sitting around with my fancy piece of paper telling me I have a CPL with an MECIR for about 9 months now. Have moved at the drop of a hat to Kununurra after being offered a free lift there to try and search out that ever elusive first job and spent over 2 months there hoping for the best with no real results as the season this year was pretty quiet in terms of pilots being hired and I was realistically too far into the dry season!

As such I decided to try and find some sort of balance between civilization and available jobs and landed on Darwin where i've been for the last 4 months trying to gain employment as a pilot without a lot of luck, albeit one small 4 day job which I haven't quite been paid for yet!

I've come to the conclusion that perhaps another change of location is in order to keep with where the jobs are and am hoping that some of the wise hats around here can point out some possible locations and what the prospects are like in the next 6 months or so. I'm considering adding an Instructors Rating to my piece of parchment but am hoping that it won't come to that due in part to money.

I'm considered a hard worker and as mentioned am willing to drop everything at a moments notice to be where I need to be and to tough it out as long as I can see that carrot being dangled in front of me and to travel as far as is required.

Any leads on jobs coming up in the near future or your best bets on where the jobs will be available during the next dry season would be greatly appreciated!

Darwin or the West would probably still be your best bet, as soon as airlines and regionals start moving again then things will start moving in GA. From people in the know and recruitment, things should hopefully start picking up late this year/early next.

The way things are, i imagine having an instructor rating will be the best way to get your first job like it used to be a while back, but im not saying you should definitely get it, it all depends on what you can afford to do. A lot of fresh CPLs are getting MECIRs when in my opinion it would be wiser to get an instructor rating and take care of the CIR a little later. Fresh CPLs arent going to need the MECIR initially in most cases anyway.

Sit tight and with luck things should start moving soon enough, and keep your eyes open for jobs on afap.org.au too.

my friend I know your pain, took me 7 months to land my first gig. Stick it out here in the topend, rumour has it things will start moving soon and your already in the best place to get that first job.

Stick it out mate and good things will come.

Only another 4 months until you can hit Kunus for the start of the 2010 season and Kakadu just took on a few blokes although the operators seem to want over 500TT right now (cause they can get it!)

2010 will be a year of correction as there are many blokes waiting around for a start. I think there will be moderate movement next year followed by a period of stagnation. If you are just entering GA you will be there for a while. If you are wanting to get out, next year will be your last chance for a while.

Those that leave GA next year for the Airlines better have a backup plan because the airlines are all hurting from recent events and when the world economy hits the go button again the price of oil will soar. This will not be good for many airlines and I would not be surprised to see a local casualty.

Those already living the dream should consider distance learning and other post graduate options.

The up swing is starting to happen as have seen Cathay and South Africa airlines and I thought I saw Tiger as well advertising for crew somewhere recentley. Intrest rates went up yesterday all these are positive signs. It may not happen over night but it will happen. GG Fuel will go up as you said but it is just a fact of life and people will still travel.

The Airlines and their staff have been subsidizing travel in Australia for over a decade.

You don't see a train or bus ticket changing prices everyday?

Airlines need to think long term and charge the consumer the real cost of travel. If that affects their cash flow and shrinks the business so be it. The staff that are left will enjoy proper wage increases for inflation and the industry will eventually be stronger. What other industries have the type of cash flow an airline does with the minuscule margins that seem to be the norm?

A ticket should be one price to one location and everyone pays the same rate, obviously the cost of business products etc will be greater.

You hit the nail on the head GG

Ix (et all those winging mo-fo's out there) get some mungrel about you and have some flare!
Great you've got there and moved as you've said, WHICH is a hell of alot more than the mo-fo's winging on the East Coast have done!
YOU are there!
You are "Johny on the spot"!
YOU are where aircraft are needed to travel as a necessity, so suck it in, be creative... start a business for yourself, work whatever you have to do to get the baked-beans on toast on the table, WHILE you network for jobs coming up.
YES- Network, create contacts & circles of mates, stay in one place and work it, become know as a "serious stayer". Don't move around because you'll be a drifter. By all means keep in contact with Kuntanurra to let them know "you're in the area" and still serious.
What you guys are going through isn't a scratch on what those before you have gone through, so stick it out because I can tell you first hand, you will be so much the better for it... and it will stand out!

GG, sorry to say you're way out of touch with post 4.
The Industry has turned around and majors are looking right now.
China is back on double digit growth already and 5 USA Airlines just reported major positive increases in Pax numbers!
Comb the recruitment websites for jobs going right now and you will see a big shortage.
Australian Regionals and Airlines (bar Tiger) have been reluctant to admit their very poor management of staffing levels and poor recruitment foresight & planning ahead.
I know of many majors about to ramp up their recruiting, which very quickly occurs through GA in remote places like Darwin.
Get yourself know (as a good bloke that shouts a beer and that's a stayer), have a laugh and enjoy the Top End, while watching

atwonline.com
peanuts.aero/low_cost_airline_news/
flightglobal.com
air-scoop.com
aeromorning.com
shephard.co.uk

Ther you go... you got some of my Gold nuggets right there. Use them. Be smarter, be more up to date and educated so you can make informed decisions and know whats going on but above all: keep smiling and Happy Landings, as the Indos say.:ok:

Heh, should have mentioned folks that i have definitely dug in my heels here, got a place and a good steady job, so its not like i'm running low on money and/or ideas!

I have originally planned to wait it out liked most of you have recommended so i've set roots here, was just putting out some feelers to see what else is out there and make sure i'm making the best decision I can with all the info available to me!

Appreciate all the responses folks. Was pretty sure I was going to stick it out so will consider to do so until I get a better deal somewhere else. Thanks for all the responses, keep'em coming, I can only make a decision based on what information I have after all!

GG

I agree with your comments to a certain extent with regards airline pricing and subsequent small margins that follow as a result.

However, in reagrds to:

[QUOTE] "You don't see a train or bus ticket changing prices everyday?"

IMHO I cannot see this ever being possible whilst there is a significant competition in the market place. There is generally speaking only one train operator that services their routes as well as one bus company that services Government contracted routes. Therefore, they have the luxury of charging a set fee and making set margins. These modes of transport can predict their costs with greater accuracy and may not be subject to to the same dramatic fluctuations in fuel and maintenance costs that an airline is.

It would seem then for an airline to contend in a market place with signficant competition and a requirement to get punters on seats they would have to do all sorts of creative things with their pricing models.

That is a very basic look at it as I am sure managing the pricing of an airline would be a very complex business, especially in these times, whilst I would imagine that bus and train operators would do very well.

Just out of curiousity, when's the best time to be up in Kununurra if your on the job hunt?

I'm aware you need to stay put there for however long it takes, just wondering around about when is the best time?

Thanks in advance

Mate, it's nearly time. I give it another 3 1/2 to 4 months - I got my gig in Feb. Stick it out, if only because I need someone to split rent with! =P

In all seriousness I reckon you've done the right thing basing yourself up here. Remember aviation is a game of 'hurry up and wait'. They always said the first job is the hardest to get and the hardest to keep.

You deserve a break. It'll come. In the meantime, you have two options to enhance your chances: prayer, or vile sex-acts performed for work. :}

Regional or Jet next ??
 

Hello Fellow Aviators.

I am looking for a job at the moment and I have a CPL, MECIR, Instructor and ATPLs. I am thinking of joining a regional or even better would be FO on a corporate/private jet. I have glass cockpit time on a C172 and C182RG. What would be a better type rating to get; a SAAB, Dash-8 or Citation ? I know REX have the SAAB and Qlink have Dash-8, so maybe they would be better to get ?

I think that after doing a few months of instructing and working in a 2 crew environment I would be able to get my head around a regional or jet. I don't really want to go back out to remote areas like cairns again, prefer to stay closer to home. I'm just keen to get the next job, been out of work for 2 months.

Any ideas would be appreciated..... :ok: Safe Flying.

Obvious troll is obvious

Wow, i didnt think anyone could write a more blatant windup... :}

Best laugh I've had all day!

Line Captain on a glass cockpit C182RG in that remote FNQ city of Cairns! :}

Everyone is hiring with a vengeance right now fella. So go get your endorsements and I'm sure with an attitude like that you'll be snapped up in seconds. Expect to be given upgrade training before years end and an offer of employment from Qantas with a start date within the decade.

Great windup :)

Colonel,

Step 1 - Remove hand from flesh coloured wand...

To the Colonel
 

Hey mate,

I think you need to be a bit more realistic about the situation. We all would love an FO job on a corporate jet but that just ain't gonna happen, unless you have thousands of hours or your family owns one!

It's good to have high goals to aim for, just be careful about setting them too high. How many hours total do you have? Also is the ATPL you spoke of just the theory subjects or the actual licence?

In answer to your endorsement query... If you have money to burn, go ahead and get the endorsements, just make sure you're under no illusions that having that endorsement will entitle you to a job on that type, you need hours and experience. I am assuming however that you have minimal hours as you have only flown the 172 and 182, if you do have thousands of hours, I apologise and wish you all the best. If you don't...can I suggest getting a twin endorsement and some twin hours under your belt.

We all have dreams of grandeur mate, just be careful you don't let that get in the way of realism. Best of luck buddy.

Mr Yozzie it's a windup mate (he says while patting him on the back).

Back on point. With all these rumours of big boys recruiting again, has there been any sign of movement picking up around centre's such as Darwin, or Cairns?

Cheers,
Greaser.