MERGED: Jetstar Pilot Cadet Program
 

Hi everyone, I'm 18 years old and I'm interested in the Jetstar pilot cadet program. I was wondering if anyone has completed the Jetstar cadet program or is currently undergoing the program to explain about the pros and cons of this program, and whether it's worth getting into because it does cost a lot of money.
Cheers

There are plenty of threads about this. But im pretty sure Jetstar havent ran any cadetships lately because it worked out they were unable to employ cadets at cheaper rates which was the whole aim of it.

Someone might be in the know, but im pretty sure there havent been any jetstar cadetships since 2011

I suggest you google something along the lines of "pprune jetstar cadet" to find the several threads already on here about this.
Take note of what PUT said above. They don't care about you, their just after cheap labour.
There are definately more rewarding pilot careers out there.

There is a course doing their A320 endo right now...

But isn't that from the cadets that joined back in 2011 who are just finishing their 20 months of training.

Yes, and a rare and endangered species they are.

Onya Jetstar!

There's a Jetstar course starting up now at Oxford this Friday. Lots of pros and cons

Someone might be able to answer this. When these cadets finish their a320 endo's will they be paid under the eBa agreement as a junior first officer on $58,000 then after 12 months do they get paid as a level 2 first officer on $98,000 like what happens to level 1 first officer's or do they remain on $58,000 as a junior first officer until they hold a complete atpl? :ugh: and that's before having to pay off their training costs over a 6 year period? :eek:

If these pilots get the opportunity to log icus, how many years will it take them to get 500 hours icus assuming they don't take too much leave etc?

Junior FO until you get your full ATPL, which is 2-3 years I guess while ICUS time is logged. Once you hit FO in year 2 or 3 I think thats when you start paying off your endorsement which will be 15-17k/year for two years given the endorsement is $34K. So you will be on around $60k in year 1-3 then probably $70k in year 4 (Full FO wage of $90k minus $17k endoresment payback) and $80k in year 5 as this will be your second year as an FO so you will hit level 2 FO wages (around 100k), remember to take the $17k off for the second half of the endorsement payback so you'll get 80k gross that year.

So for the first 5 years of your career after your training you're on about $60 - $80k a year and you're building up A320 time in a professional airline part of the Qantas group. Not bad for someone coming in off the street given the alternative routes available to get into the airlines as jet pilots.

On the subject of ICUS, my understanding is that for a HCAP AOC, all that is needed (company mins aside) to hold a command is the relevant endorsement, IFR quals, and ATPL.

CASA changed the mins for the ATPL a few years ago, to facilitate the cadet progression for Low Cap AOC holders. Hense the 500 hour changes. The LCAP AOC requires, amongst other things, a min 500 hours Multi command under the IFR. However, and someone correct me if necessary, I think the 250 hour command option may still be available?

Either way, under ICAO annex 1 F/O's should be able to log ICUS from the RHS provided it's for the purpose of attaining a higher class of pilots licence (ATPL). For HCAP, the 500 Multi under the IFR does not apply!

I'm a LAME so I don't really know all these things but have these atpl requirements changed? (I have a son who is interested in becoming a pilot but I'm not very keen on him to join the jetstar cadetship)

Meets aeronautical experience requirements as listed in Civil Aviation Regulations (1988) (CAR) Clause 5.172 which are 1,500 hours total flight time that includes 750 hours as a pilot of a recognised or registered aeroplane, including military aircraft. The 750 hours must include:
 250 hours PIC, or
 500 hours ICUS, or
 At least 250 hours flight time (min. 70 hours PIC, and balance as ICUS), and
 200 hours cross-country flight time (can include 100 hours PIC or ICUS), and
 75 hours instrument flight time (may include not more than 30 hours ground time), and  100 hours of flight time at night (dual night flight time is not recognised)
The remaining 750 hours may be flight time logged in aeroplanes, powered aircraft or gliders. The 750 hours may include up to 200 hours logged as a Flight Engineer or Flight Navigator.

Here is the deal:

• 60 ab-initios per year 30 each flying school
• Junior FO wage for first two years , base around 60K
• onto standard contract after two years or when you get ATPL ,whichever comes first, standard aus contract that is
• Out of pocket Oxford - around 40K
• Out of pocket CTC - around 100K
• No repayment of company loan , around 45K until year 3 of employment
• Based in either Syd, Melb , Brisbane when you graduate
• first 18 months increased checks supervision.

So 60 less positions per year for direct entry pilots , Virgin not hiring , so therefore some don't like these programs

The only people who do like these schemes are the wannabes who can get into a shiny jet faster, the airline bean counters, and the flying schools that make money from it.

Flyboat North, I reckon you're the later and work for Oxford with a comment like...

Can anyone back this up? I just can't find that anywhere in the eBa.


I agree with you slam click, I really doubt my son will try out for the jetstar cadetship. Its just unrealistic in terms of being able to afford to live on such a low income for such a long time especially after investing $140k. We have been looking at how much it would roughly cost to get a cpl, Meir, atpl at bankstown, it is quite achievable to do it for under $70k and at some other areas under $60k, I wonder who is pocketing all this extra money? Because I don't know how doing the cadetship can cost soo much more...


Just another question, do jetstar pilots have progression into qantas mainline or does it only work the other way around as in, qantas mainline pilots can join jetstar under that mou.

Jetstar Cadets are probably much more financially satisfied than any pilots in GA for the first few years- especially considering you won't cruise out the door of the flying school and into a $50k/pa job. Just get your son to PM a few pilots in Broome flying the singles and they'll tell you how "hard" living on $50-60k a year would be...

Do you get a choice of what training provider you get to train with? I met the ctc wings CEO back in 2011 on a jetstar pilot cadetship info night and he was an absolute f$&@wit. Just bull**** lie after bull**** lie that info night. I was glad a few airline pilots had attended that night and absolutely drilled him with questions. His claim was "if the government implemented that 1500 hour rule, every airline in Australia would have to be shut down, even qantas" :ugh:

Most the group that I know of have gotten based on the Gold Coast.

And there was a selection done recently.....

Back Up

• Pretty easy really just call Simon Lutton from the AFAP on 03 9928 5737 he will confirm the arrangements - knows them well as he played a role in negotiating them
• Google Jetstar Pilot EBA 2008 , junior FO around $60K base for two years then onto standard payscale of around $90K base
• Add at least 20% to base

The people who don't like these programs are:

• Those who don't get selected
• Flying schools who don't have the training contracts
• Pretty much every GA/Regional pilot in Australia who aspires to the majors - as every cadet place means one less direct entry. Tough gig for these people as QF - not hiring, Virgin - not hiring (small cadetship) , Jetstar - QF transfers and cadets only. Sorry guys flying a jet with the majors - it just ain't gonna happen for most of you
• Military pilots - who are looking to transition to an airline job - none there unless you like sand