Looking for a start during the WET season in OZ

[James85]

G'day all,

I have recently finished my CPL H and like many others am about to go looking for a my first job. I know that the season is in full swing at the moment (tourists and mustering) and will have virtually no chance of landing something this year. However I am one of those sick people that actually enjoy the wet season up north, so I plan on getting up there and staying there until I find work.

My questions are which operators are OPEN during the wet I have been told that most go into caretaker mode during the wet but I dont know how accurate this is.

Which endorsements are needed to get your foot in the door also do they like you to have more that the 105 ish hours that you get the licence with? I have Bell 47 and R22 at the moment, Seriously thinking about an R44 endorsement.

What are operators looking for in new employees and how can you sell yourself to the operator I have my ideas but it would be great to hear from people in the industry, My instructors were great but they really didnt have the experience of recent operations in the top end.

Lastly if you were looking for you first job again How would YOU go about it?

Thanks for reading this and your time to reply

[vorticey]

thats the way, come in the wet season and jump onto the pilot back log. then when the season kicks in youll be flying before you know it

[James85]

Thanks Vorticey, How about the rest of you pilots out there, anyone else got any advice that they are willing to share. Especially about the best endorsements to take up north with you.
thanks in advance

[belly tank]

If your starting out, a 44 endorsement would be beneficial.

[gadgetguru]

There are probably 2 fields of thought

the first "Without a sense of urgency - desire loses its value"

just because things might not happen for you immediately, doesn't necessarily mean that they won't.
in this regard you will need to be aware of it so that you remain patient & persevere

Patience is the key:2 bulls are in the paddock, a young & an old one, the younger notices the gate to the bottom paddock has been left open & exclaims "look the farmer has left the gate open, lets run down & 'service' a few before he notices", the old bull replies very calmly.

"No....lets walk down & do them all"

so as i too mature (gracefully i hope) i realise that good things come to those who wait; because endurance is the key, even if you have to spend a lot of time initially eating shi-ite initially, you should find that in the end the last man standing wins. But don't sit on your butt down south thinking that it will come to you either, go looking for it, hunt it down relentlessly

which ever way you look at it you have to maintain sight of the end result, you want a job flying & you won't settle for anything until you do, whilst anything that you do should be directly related to progressing toward your ambition of flying (even if it's not flying intially)

many of my mates (in a former life) were known to write 2 ( or perhaps it's technically 3) words on the inside of everything they owned, it read:

"Don't Quit"

Do whatever you have to do to prove your worth & get that first job, that is your initial hurdle.

good hunting, all the best

& remember
"opinions are like sphincters - everyone's got one, only some are louder than others & many are on the nose"

[evod]

Whats your goal?

As with any type of marketing (lets be honest) identify what type of flying you are targeting and get those types. If you are like me and all you know about cattle is they are about $8 a kilo and are nicely wrapped at coles then look at what types of machines tourists operators are using, r44 and b206. If your a country boy and want to get into the mustering game then r22, b47 (a dying breed) and h300,s are the go.

Most of all have a long term outlook and ALWAYS remain postive as its a hard slog and not many who start are in the game after a few years.

Good luck