$100K type rating bond???
 

Hi fellow aviators, I had an interview with FlyPelican for a first officer position on the Jetstream 32 aircraft in NSW.

I was told on my phone screening that the training bond is approximately $95,000 over two years pro rata. I assume per the award I'd be liable for 50% of that so around 47k? Correct me if I'm wrong.

This appears to be an incredibly excessive amount of money for a type rating that is only useful at one operation in oz but would it be worth it for the hours in the logbook (told its 900hrs/yr) and then move on once the two years is up?

Any other info on the company and working environment roster etc would be greatly appreciated.

Just hang up the phone...before they charge you for the call as well.
Seriously, that does not sound like a training bond but rather an insurance policy against not finding pilots to crew their aircraft :ugh:

Nope, sounds like they want to bond you for the whole lot, and reduce it pro-rata over the 2 years. The Award requirement limits them to bonding you for half the cost... and if it costs $200k to train someone on a gulfstream they are doing something wrong or someone is getting one hell of a kickback.

That is a really bad deal, and I would not even consider it a genuine offer given the current demand for pilots in the industry.

It’s sounds excessive but if you stay the 2 years it’s doesn’t matter.

Ask for a breakdown of the costs.

Hang up like someone else said. There are other operators who will take you on with bugger all experience and won’t charge you $100k to do it.

Is there a J32 simulator in Australia? If not, it probably includes the cost of international travel and hotel stay for the duration of the type rating course, including those of the check and training captain who may have to come along to tick the boxes.

$100k sounds mighty excessive, the norm (for jets anyway) was always around 30k.

Depending where you are coming from experience wise it might not be a problem in practice. I mean, if you have only 500hrs on joining then you're unlikley to be going anwhere vastly greener inside two years anyway.

You could always turn it down and spend a few more months waiting for something else when you could have otherwise been a decent way through serving the bond.

Think the system is broken .

It’s a big country , the economy depends on aviation , Billions of dollars invested in regional Australia , tourists coming back , population growing and planes sitting on the ground, while managment try to find someone willing to fly their plane that will give them a bonus .

Watch the states to see where it will go for us .

I found Aussie pilots industrial eunuchs of recent. Sure it can go the way of the States?

flightsafety is charging $97k usd for an initial PIC GVII rating with the monopoly they have on the type right now.

Simply a data point for what is being charged these days.

Regardless of the value of the bond, just say for longer than 2 years and the bond will disappear, it would be different if you had to pay the money up front.

Easy was to get the MCC and ATPL flight test done to if you need it, which can be a headache from some if they need to pay for it out of their own pocket.

As far as the company goes, it was great about 20 years ago although they didn’t have the J32s then. Good lifestyle and easy flying although they were only doing PEL/WLM - SYD back then. Pay wasn’t to bad either for the work we did and Newcastle is a great place to live.

For a job that probably pays 300k+. You won’t be getting that flying a J32.

At the end of the day if you are inexperienced it’s probably not terrible if you spend your 2 years. The trap of course is missing a hiring boom at a Regional or QF because of your bond.

I got this info from a mate that was employed by them.

"They do all of their type ratings/ipc/atpl flight tests etc in an actual aircraft, no legal requirement for a sim as it's only a 19 seater. Expect to work max flight and duty if employed with a salary based on 38 hour weeks but generally you're working the limits of the regs for award pay. FO around 55K and Capt approx 79K"

That is likely where the excessive cost is coming from.

Fair enough to bond for DIRECT costs of simulator and aircraft base training, but if they are also hitting you up for travel, accommodation and training staff expenses, they are gouging you. These latter items are standard costs of being in the aviation business, where it is normal to have induction and on-going training overheads. If they can’t absorb these expenses , what else can’t they afford?
Whatever you do, don’t commit to anything that you can’t honour if you think there is even the slightest chance of a change in your circumstances

Say, 10 days in a classroom and 10 hours dual in a J 32 for $95,000? Wow, what a deal!

​​​As RealSatoshi said above, it seems more like an insurance policy for the company to guard against high turnover rates of pilots. At a guess I'd say they don't have any long term pilots given how quickly people are moving through the industry at the moment and this is their way of securing staff.

Ten hours?? Take off, climb, stall, emergency descent, approach, go around, visual circuit and land. Job done. Sign the book, start tomorrow.

Mach E do you still charge $75k upfront BAE 146 endorses for the mob out of Cairns?

Just say “no thanks”, and move on.