Virgin Blue to train cadets....
 

One percent attrition (per year I assume), is it really that low? Being so low, you would assume they would have no trouble replacing pilots.

Does this mean also an end (or severe reduction) to direct entry recruitment?

I drove past MFS at MB today and noticed on the sign underneath what they already had they had added;

Cadet pilot program
Accelerated pilot training program

These were in Orange (as opposed to blue for the rest of the sign) so I thought maybe Onestar but it seems this Virgin thing may be the go.

I noticed that to JJTS. I thought either Virgin or a foreign carrier.

I doubt Oxford, surely J* wouldn't be happy with sharing them with their competitor.

It seems the cadet 'theme' is here to stay - pending the senate outcome of course.

It is perhaps a little unnerving for those of us with a basic CPL and looking for a job toward the lower end of GA. It would appear that if the airlines are favouring selection of zero hour candidates, the direct entry method may diminish, bottlenecking the traditional GA -> Airline transition. If we look at the tail end of the falling domino's, therein lies the bare CPL, 'overqualified' for an airline, yet unable to slide into the GA game as the longer serving pilots remain fixed.

Im guessing the senate outcome(s) will play a major part in the careers of those new to the industry like myself. :uhoh:

Don't stress to much Roxy
Enjoy the journey you are on and take it for all its worth.
One day in your shiny big jet you might be looking back on how you got there and remembering a lot of good times.
One thing I have noticed with fellow pilots is it doesn't matter how you got there, it was one hell of an adventure!

I think you're missing his point. If Cadet schemes start taking up all the RHS jobs in jets as well as REX, then everyon in GA is going to be fighting over a very small number of jobs in airlines, which in turn will basically leave GA 'as the road to nowhere'. GA could potentionally go back to the days of you need 5000 hours to fly a chieftan because I have 5 resumes here with guys who have over 5000 hours and noone has a job to go to. You won't even be able to get job overseas as you need jet time in airliners to apply to those jobs.

This is probably good news for the RFDS and mining companies, but I think you will find alot of small operators and flying schools just closing their doors, which could be argued what should have happened all along.

Jeez, you try and inject a little bit of love and happiness.......

On pprune??:}

Tiger
alliance
network
airnorth
skytrans
rfds
corporate
overseas


and the fact that they can't possibly be all cadets

there are still plenty of roads leading to the same destination...

Really, I thought PPRuNe was full of love and happiness :ok:

Don't worry Roxy, companies and their spin departments are already making sure they can take your experience and not pay you for it.

The term you are looking for is Prequalified Cadet.

Look up "oxymoron" in the dictionary and it will explain the term for you.

Shysters the lot of them.

You can add Cathay Pacific and 'fast track cadet' to the shyster list.

Roxy Chick I still believe that despite Cathay, then Jet* and now Virgin + all the other respective airline cadetships, there will still be airlines with direct entry as their main intake over the span of our career (or atleast until we are able to enter the airline world) and there will still be reputable companies such as Qantaslink etc who will take on people with a CPL and extra hours and qualifications (MECIR + FZN ATPL). Furthermore companies such as cathay offer advanced cadetships so if you do choose that path your cpl will come in handy anyway. There will always be something, even if moving overseas until you retire is the answer (eg a regional chinese airline etc)

Amen to that. Been in GA only for 2 years and what an adventure it has been! Most of it is instructing, but charter is my next plan followed by low level survey and parachuting and then Airlines.

@Roxy Qantas take cadets with a CPL!:ok:

Those cadets also either are required to go out and learn some real life experience, or are put in the back as an SO.

Well Qf were thinking of doing an advanced cadet program until they suspended all programs last year, anyone reckon they'll reconsider this year?

Is that such a bad thing? Even with the current uncertainty, still probably the pick of aviation jobs in Australia! If airlines are your thing.:ok:

Horses for courses! Pay good, progression slow and dont get to fly much but you're right, boils down to personal preference.