any in particular you can recommend?

Asian female pilot in Australia
 

Go for it!
 

There is one female Asian pilot in QF.

There are male Asians in QLink.

There are male Asians in Rex.

And when I say "Asian", I refer to 2nd gen. Asian with Aussie upbringing like yourself. Don't give it much thought, enjoy the ride!

Try CAE Oxford Swinburne. Just finishing the course myself, it's okay. Fee help offered.

RA-Aus Pilots Certificate (Recreational Pilot certificate)
 

Hello there,
I'm from ​​​​​singapore and I have an interest in aviation. Due to the high cost of learning to fly in singapore (ppl), I have done some research and found a cheaper alternative which is the RPC. However I have some questions regarding the RPC.
​​​​1) The pros and cons of this RPC?
​​​​​2) Is it possible for me to use Europe if I am planning to use it there?
​​​​​3) Is it worth it to get a RPC?
Thank you ​​​​​Th
​​​

Fresh CPL VFR SEP jobs
 

Hello fellow pilots,I'm Gio, an Italian guy moved to Australia 2 years ago, I'm here to get some advice, insight or rumor about how to get and where to look for a first paid job in aviation.

As the title states I hold a fresh casa cpl with 210 hours with mppc and floats endorsement,due family commitments I'd like to get a job and keep studying to get IR ME and ATP theory.

I know that maybe this has been asked several times on this forum but this is my second thread on Au NZ Pacific Area, please forgive me.

Willing to get ratings and endorsement on possible employ request.

Hope it makes sense.

Cheers guys

Gio

Advice on Path to the left seat.
 

Greetings, Long time listener, first time caller.
So after getting buzzed by a cluster of spitfires and a few bi-planes on a fishing trip a few weeks back, an old neural pathway has been running overtime in my head. Given I'm no longer the pock faced, bright eyed, testosterone fuelled champ I once was approaching a change in career is something that I have approached with some care however; A few simulator and trial flight experiences later and my wife has compared my newly rekindled obsession to that of an ice addict.
Many hours of research later I decided to try my hand at the Virgin Pilot ab-initio cadet-ship, I was quietly confident, knowing full well there is a very high application rate for minimal positions. Though how great is that opportunity? I mean they pay you allowances while you train for 54 weeks and then give you a job at the end of it! compared to Rex's cadetship with whom you cover all costs yourself and at the end of the training you MAY be offered a position, in which you are bound for 7 years! Or emirates training where you are required to pay $250,000 USD for the training. It seems to good to be true. Well yes, it is to good to be true. My application was rejected this morning. I knew my weakest point would be the initial stage of recruitment. My resume has a big fat zilch to do with aviation, 10 years working in the arts/media and my tertiary education maxes out at the diploma level (Though I am qualified for an advanced diploma with RPL.) I'm sure I would have scored well in group exercises and interviews and I have been putting in 3-4 hours of aptitude and general aviation study in a day to brush up on skills I haven't used in 13 years.
Well what would be the fun of a career change without some adversity?
So I am wondering what is the next step? Ideally the goal is get employed by one of the major carriers, I've spent my life as a freelancer so i'm fatigued with the constant uncertainty of employment making an airline a very attractive proposition somewhere I can get my foot in the door and spent some time working my way up. Besides that I'm not sure I could justify my marriage if I was to disappear to the bush for 18 months just to get some hours in while only being able to supply a pittance to pay the rent.

So..
Are there any other ab-initio cadetships besides REX and Virgin in Aus that I could investigate?
If I were to train myself, are there any flight training schools that feed students into the airlines or rather that airlines actively recruit from?
Do airlines hire FO or SO's with frozen ATPL's and minimal flight hours?
Are there any particular flights schools that are geared toward airlines as opposed to GA in Sydney?
There seems to be quite a lot of variation in the fee's between institutions is this indicative of the quality of the schools in anyway?
I appreciate your wisdom on these matters.

I Suspected as much. Thanks for your insight. I suppose the research for a suitable school shall continue.

Dafttemplar,

Read your post.

Mate, you're going about things the wrong way!

I reckon, since you say you're married and that means you got financial obligations, do your flying training part time,
say over 3 years (or longer) until you get the CPL and Night Rating, pay for it yourself , it's about 80k.

Then give yourself another 2 years to pass your Instrument Rating/ATPL subjects and get a Flight Instructor Rating.
You can get a government loan for the Instructor course (25k).
All up, give yourself a 5 year plan to get to the Instructor Rating job level.

Apply for the REX cadet scheme, maybe you could get into that, it's a good deal!

You say you want to get into the airlines, have you done your Higher School Certificate?
What about Maths?
If not, you need at least some Bachelor degree behind you, any degree, there's aviation degrees also available on line.
The airlines don't specify much about the education side, but they secretly look at it and give preference to applicants
that have degrees over another applicant, unless a person has quite a number of years of flying experience, operating
sophisticated aircraft.

Finally, if you're going to just think about airlines, you won't get anywhere, concentrate on being a pilot and your own development
and skill level.
You will find there's a lot of work, time, money and effort involved just to achieve professional entry level qualifications, of a
CPL/Instrument Rating/ATPL subjects and the flying side will have it's ups and downs along the way.

All the best and don't get yourself in too much debt along the way.

Dafttemplar,

Maths and Physics aren't needed to study and pass all the exams up to ATPL level.

If you want to get into REX, apparently they got some maths and physics testing, as part of their selection.

Please check the Qlink pilot website (dash 8), also check Air NZ, Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines websites,
under education requirements for pilots, you will notice, they require a Higher School Certificate OR Bachelor Degree.

If you meet the 1500 hours flying experience mark, you can apply to the U.S airlines, under the E3 visa category,
but you need a Bachelor degree or 6 years work experience.

**You say that your're not interested in general aviation but want to go straight into an airline, then take note what's written below:

Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines take on Frozen ATPL pilot license holders from Australia, with at least 250 hours flying experience,
it's the minimum to apply.

If you get your CPL/IR/ATPL subjects passed, get a B737/800 type rating and apply to "Royal Air Maroc" (Morocco), they take on
pilots with a Frozen ATPL and type rating or apply to "Vietjet", in Vietnam, they're ordering 100 B737MAX aircraft.
If you choose to go down this path, it will cost you 80k (CPL) plus 30k (Multi Engine Instrument Rating), 40K (B737/800 type rating),
that's 150k, and possibly still no job.

That's why i recommend you get a flight instructor rating, work your way through general aviation.
Looking at big jets and sitting in the flight deck is all "lipstick", until you actually get there.
As i mentioned before, it takes a lot of work, money, time and effort, just achieve the entry level qualifications.
You will realise that when you start your training, if you are going to continue thinking about airlines when you're training,
be aware, there are a lot of pitfalls along the way.

All the very best, which ever direction you choose.

Financing
 

Hello everyone,
I am here to ask on how to finance flight training.
I would greatly appreciate it if somebody gives me useful advice.

If you are in the UK, asking the question in Australia may be a little pointless. Different countries, totally different funding opportunities.

Any commercial funding (banks, finance companies etc) will require security - own a home etc - which you possibly don't have at 15.4 years old.

You could do what most of us have done, work hard all week, possible at two jobs, just to get in an hour flying each weekend?

Ardmore Flying School, NZ
 

My lad is a teacher in a school in Hanoi and one of his students wants to have a career in commercial flying. He sent an email to the above flying school, but has not received any reply as yet.

Can anyone confirm that this flying school is still operating and what may be the reason for the lack of reply?

Also, can anyone from NZ or Oz suggest any good, reliable flying schools in the region?

Thanks in advance folks.

BM

Cadet Pilot Programme
 

Hey guys,

I'm interested in applying for Cadet Pilot programmes in my region. I don't exactly have a compelling academic record (definitely decent though) and my diploma is unrelated to aviation. Would a recommendation/reference from a pilot with over 15K flight Hours help my case? If it does, would it help if Im applying for a different airline than his?

I appreciate you taking your time to read and reply to this thread, thank you.

Yours sincerely,

TeachMePlease

Hello everyone,

I'm currently a Year 11 student studying in the Sydney region, and taking high level mathematics and physics at school. I was wondering if there is any up to date information on the best flight schools around Sydney, as I do not currently have any flying experience whatsoever. A majority of the recommendations were provided many years ago, and I'm not sure if the instructors are still working or have maintained the same quality of service. I do not mind travelling to rural areas of NSW, as long as the drive isn't unreasonably long (5 Hours +).

I plan to complete a University degree after graduating from high school, whilst beginning to take up self-funded flying to obtain my PPL and CPL. My end goal is to become a Commercial Airline Pilot. However, unlike many people here I do not plan on remaining in Australia and pursuing a career with Virgin Australia / Qantas / Jetstar, unless I successfully gain entry into the airline through Virgin Australia's Cadetship (Highly Competitive) or the new Qantas Flight School that's opening their doors the year I graduate High School.

I'm not sure if the Qantas Flight School guarantees employment after high level performance as they plan to train 500+ pilots a year once operating at full capacity, and I'm not particularly keen on having an unnecessary $150,000 debt if it does not guarantee me employment in the end and can be done for much cheaper. I plan to head over to Asia, preferably Hong Kong (I'm from Hong Kong) and fly for an airline based there instead such as Cathay Pacific.

The living costs associated with being based in Hong Kong do not matter to me too much, as I saw that it was a major deciding factor in some pilots rejections for SO Direct Entry, as I have family I can live with in Hong Kong. I'm also aware of the horror stories regarding CX employment, but I'm hoping that will change in the few years it will take for me to even be considered being their pilot.

I am aware that pilots will have to fly up in Northern Australia for a few years to build up hours flying Cessna 404's and other aircraft, but I was wondering if I would need to take alternate action if I plan to work overseas, or would I still need to work through the stepping stone of rural australia -> Virgin ATR? Thank you so much for reading this far if you have.

Thanks!


Kind Regards,

Alex

TLDR: What are the best flying schools in Sydney in 2018/2019 that are still operational? If I plan on pursuing my aviation career overseas, what different steps do I have to take after obtaining my CPL?

G'day Alex,

There are a number of quality schools in/near Sydney, and a few to avoid. If you are on the northern side of the Parramatta River I can highly recommend the Central Coast Aero Club at Warnervale.

One way of working this out is to make a shortlist of schools and actually turn up in the flesh and speak to the CFI or Manager. Remember, you are going to be spending a big chunk of money on your training no matter where you do it, so don't make a decision just based on what their website looks like or what people on the internet say. Turn up and maybe have a list of questions, a few key ones IMO are:

- Do you require payment in advance?
- Will I generally fly with the one instructor?
- Do you have ground theory courses or is it self-study at home only?
- What aircraft do you use and why? What are the rates? (Cheaper is not necessarily better, neither does paying the most mean the aircraft is always the best)
- What are the landing fees (if not included in the hourly rates)?
- What other ratings/endorsements can I do with you after RPL/PPL/CPL?
- Will I be included cohort/intake with other students or doing it 'by myself'?
- What are your operating hours? (it has got to fit with when you want to fly and around your work)
- Have there been any recent accidents/incidents?

The above list is in no way exhaustive but at the end of the day you want to make sure when you are there in the flesh speaking to the CFI etc that it is going to be a well-run place that you want to go to in order to complete your training. You want the instructor to be invested in you succeeding in your training, not just some pleb who is there reluctantly until they can step up to the airlines (this isn't a general swipe at junior instructors, but I've met some disinterested shockers who clearly don't want to be instructing).

Hi Guys

Looking at commencing a AVI50215 Diploma of Aviation (Commercial Pilot Licence – Aeroplane) & AVI50415 Diploma of Aviation (Instrument Rating) on the Gold Coast and am hoping to get some feedback on the schools down there. Has anyone trained with the below mentioned options recently?

Australian Wings Academy
Air Gold Coast
Airways Aviation
Any others worth a mention?

Any thoughts, feedback or reviews would be much appreciated!

ADFA
 

May I suggest maybe looking towards the north around Sunshine Coast? Aero Dynamic Flight Academy on the Sunshine Coast have an excellent reputation, plus you won't be paying anywhere near the amount of wait time that you would otherwise be paying on the Gold Coast.

I think Munz might be slightly biased with his recommendation but definitely don't restrict yourself to just Gold Coast flight schools. Trust me, it's better to choose a school that's smaller and has really good reviews. Don't settle for average and certainly don't ever go near a school that has even just a couple people giving bad experiences about their training there. Don't be afraid to move. If you're going to sink upwards of $50k on a course make sure it's going to a school that deserves it. Don't think of VET money as government money. It's your money, that you are going to repay. Treat each sum paid to the flight school on your course census dates as you giving them a transfer from your bank account.

In saying that, I always hear a lot of bad things about Australian Wings Academy.

Air Gold Coast gets a lot of good reviews and they seemed very friendly and upfront when I contacted them for more info on their diploma.

I spoke with a very enthusiastic and friendly instructor from Airways about a year ago and their facilities looked excellent. I'm fairly sure their diploma courses are not FEE HELP approved though. I'd be wary of Airways though since they present themselves as a bit of a sausage factory.

Flying school in Adelaide (Australia) / New Zealand
 

Hi Everyone,

My name is Nelson. Aged 28. I am considering to have pilot training from 0 until CPL. I am living in Macao (near Hong Kong), and I am considering to join flying school either in Adelaide (Australia) / New Zealand.

I was interested in AFTC from Adelaide in the first place. However, I found that many ppl said these school with Cadet programmes with Airlines may delay self-fund student's study progress, since the cadet students may have higher prior on using school's resources, are those true?

Please give me some opinion, your advice can be very valuable to me!

Cheers,
Nelson

Hello Nelson,

I did CPL at a school with airline cadets. It is true we were ofter made to wait because airline cadets had priority. When the self funded students complianed we were given many excuses.

I would recommend a school that doesn't have airline cadets.

Since you are self funded - why even go to a school geared towards airline cadet programs?

Seriously thank you for your advice! I make up my mind to join flying school with no-cadet programme.

I thought it is going to cause me easier to look for my first pilot job in the future. However, it seems many that many ppl on the internet talk me that's wrong. Instead, everyone just worried about I will spend unnecessary time and money on those school.

Thanks Kranz!

Recommendation for aviation schools in Europe~
 

Hi guys,

My name is Nelson. Aged 28. Maintain both Portuguese and Chinese passport. Currently, I am living in Macao (Near Hong Kong)
I am considering to:
1. Start pilot training from 0 and gain to frozen ATPL licence and around 250+ to 300 flight hours in 2 years time.
2. Obtain airline job in my home country: Macao

Some ppl on the internet telling me to attend flying school in Europe is the best choice for me since I am a Portuguese passport holder,
while another pilot friend advice me to go flying school in Adelaide.

Please give me some opinion about both place/ some good aviation school, your advice can be very valuable to me!

Thanks a lot,
Nelson

Thanks Munz, Sunny Coast isn't really an option for me :(

Thanks will keep that in mind! It's seems to be very difficult to get a consensus on the best of the best

UNSW interview
 

Hello,

I am currently a year 12 student completing high school and would like to do the Bachelor of Aviation degree at UNSW. During the interview I was told that it consists of both medical and verbal procedures but I am still unsure. Could I get an overview about the interview?
Also, during the process of picking courses do I attend the interview before ATAR results or after since I'll like to take go overseas after.
I am very stressed right now :confused:

If you are "very stressed" already, and you haven't even left the comfort of your High School classroom, then you need to think about another career like being a gardener rather than a flying career

Stress comes from the unknown. I wish I could give you specific answers WRT to the UNSW course. The medical *shouldn't* be stressing you at your age. There should be a document or two on the CASA's site about what's in the medical. Spend some time sifting through that to allay your fears. Essentially, eyesight and hearing should be ok, don't have diabetes or migraines etc.

What do you mean by overseas? Is this for holidays or for work?
Right now, every thing seems to be a massive rush and panic. You'll soon find that you've got a lot more time than you think.

Managing stress will be a key skill you'll need to manage to handle exams and other life pressures. The best way to manage stress is to take the time to prepare and study. Tick off the elements you need to achieve and that will help manage the stress.

raymondli, you're probably not going to get many answers here, these sorts of interviews with UNSW specifically are new as far as I'm aware so very few if any people here would have gone through them. Go talk to the Uni directly, you're planning on dropping a lot of money with them and they want that money as well so they should be more than willing to help you out and explain the process a bit better.

And as others have said, if you're stressing a lot about the interview process then...perhaps have a good hard think about the job you're looking to get into!

Essentially, being a pilot was a dream job for me, im just confused if I dont past the interview what would be another option to get back in or join flight school elsewhere.