Cattle Mustering incl Training, Job Prospects (!) etc etc
Join Date: May 2001
Location: queensland australia
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normal practice is to get a job with a mustering company and they will do the training and the endorsement.
your chances of employment because you have an endorsement will not be any greater and you will be out of pocket by $4000 to $5000 dollars.
any one who would do your training away from a cattle station only wants your money.
i can do the endorsement but would only do it on the job. call me if you need any information on what to do. 0754488166.
your chances of employment because you have an endorsement will not be any greater and you will be out of pocket by $4000 to $5000 dollars.
any one who would do your training away from a cattle station only wants your money.
i can do the endorsement but would only do it on the job. call me if you need any information on what to do. 0754488166.
Join Date: May 2004
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If you don't have any livestock experience, the only places you will get work are the few dodgy private operators thats still remain and will send you out on your own with no training.
Its not an easy job to start with, and its not something you can just go and do a few hundred hours of to get a bit of time up if you are going to work with a good operator.
However, if you are willing to go up and have a crack, by all means, just drive up, knock on doors, and like Imabell said, if they will give you a start, it won't matter whether you have an endorsement or not. The ten hours that thay have to do will just be done on the actual job with an approved trainer for the company. I myself have flown with Imabell when he was coming up to the company I used to fly for to do the annual Checkrides.
After your intial endorsement with someone, you will still be doing up to 200 hours ICUS or with another machine on dual musters, so they can keep an eye on your, at most places. This may sound like a lot, but thats only a month or so. And its the best flying you will do for a long time, and to have learnt the right way will save you a lot of time with the cattle, which means happy station managers, and possibly your life.
If you are looking at just trying to get your endorsement and go straight out on your own, don't rush things, and don't be a Troy f*&#ing Dan look alike. You will get bushed. As I don't know your actual situation, good luck with it, and if you do get in to it, you will enjoy every minute. Well.. . most of every minute.
And perhaps go for one of the bigger operators if you are looking at working for someone else, and not on your own place. Safety in numbers (Of machines), and they have some good gear and engineers. And at the end of the day, more people to drink a few sly ones with.
Its not an easy job to start with, and its not something you can just go and do a few hundred hours of to get a bit of time up if you are going to work with a good operator.
However, if you are willing to go up and have a crack, by all means, just drive up, knock on doors, and like Imabell said, if they will give you a start, it won't matter whether you have an endorsement or not. The ten hours that thay have to do will just be done on the actual job with an approved trainer for the company. I myself have flown with Imabell when he was coming up to the company I used to fly for to do the annual Checkrides.
After your intial endorsement with someone, you will still be doing up to 200 hours ICUS or with another machine on dual musters, so they can keep an eye on your, at most places. This may sound like a lot, but thats only a month or so. And its the best flying you will do for a long time, and to have learnt the right way will save you a lot of time with the cattle, which means happy station managers, and possibly your life.
If you are looking at just trying to get your endorsement and go straight out on your own, don't rush things, and don't be a Troy f*&#ing Dan look alike. You will get bushed. As I don't know your actual situation, good luck with it, and if you do get in to it, you will enjoy every minute. Well.. . most of every minute.
And perhaps go for one of the bigger operators if you are looking at working for someone else, and not on your own place. Safety in numbers (Of machines), and they have some good gear and engineers. And at the end of the day, more people to drink a few sly ones with.
Join Date: Sep 2007
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Are there many jobs for this type of work currently? How about the helicopter industry in general for Australia/New Zealand? I'm curious as to the demand for pilots right now compared to the rest of the world. Thanks for any help.....and sorry...didn't mean to hijack the thread.
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Thanks everyone for your input.
I don't have any cattle mustering experience, but I was going to head out to try and get some, on the ground at the very least. Imabell, I might be in touch to ask a few more questions. I don't mind staying out west or up north or wherever. I think it would be a great skill to learn and perfect and in a great environment!
I don't have any cattle mustering experience, but I was going to head out to try and get some, on the ground at the very least. Imabell, I might be in touch to ask a few more questions. I don't mind staying out west or up north or wherever. I think it would be a great skill to learn and perfect and in a great environment!
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Used to be north of the 26th Parallel, now South
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CRG try Rodney Mengal at Alice Springs, he does mustering endorsements and has a fair insight into the mustering industry. After flying with him for while he would let you know if he thought you had a future in the mustering industry.
Troy Dan, there is a name you don't hear much any more, obviously not the gift to the helicopter industry he was portayed to be.
Troy Dan, there is a name you don't hear much any more, obviously not the gift to the helicopter industry he was portayed to be.
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CharlieRomeoGolf
Graeme Gillies of Blue Tongue Helicopter Services made a superb DVD about heli-mustering called Empires of Dust.
I don't know if it's still available but, if so, I'd highly recommend it to anyone interested in heli-mustering.
Graeme Gillies of Blue Tongue Helicopter Services made a superb DVD about heli-mustering called Empires of Dust.
I don't know if it's still available but, if so, I'd highly recommend it to anyone interested in heli-mustering.
Join Date: Mar 2005
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CRG without at least a min of 2 years ground experience don't count on getting a job as a mustering pilot, maybe a tourist pilot up north but that is about it. There is way too many new pilots around now with many years of working on the ground trying to get a start as a mustering pilot.
So mate just some good advice don't pay for your mustering endorsement as you will be wasting your money with out the ground cattle time to back it up.
Head north NAH in Katherine are always on the lookout for tourist pilots and you never know you might be able to go and get some ground experience with Milton Jones ;-)
So mate just some good advice don't pay for your mustering endorsement as you will be wasting your money with out the ground cattle time to back it up.
Head north NAH in Katherine are always on the lookout for tourist pilots and you never know you might be able to go and get some ground experience with Milton Jones ;-)
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Milton Jones? Make sure you are wearing a "Black Hat".
I could say more about him from his juvenile days around the Alice, but at this point I'll refrain.
cheers tet
speaking of black hats and things east of the bitumen and to snap myself quickly to a highly deferential tone, I must report to you and other expat Territorians, that Peg, previously from Moroak was reported in the NT news as of yesterday as having passed on.
A splendid lady, and one you would have known of I am sure. Her late husband Les, had the brand for his cattle, "FAT". He was a revered member of the NT legislative assembly for many years. Four sons remaining, the fifth speared in, in SW Queensland quite some years ago whilst mustering in a C182.
Join Date: Jul 2009
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Everone seems to yap on about Milton Jones, but you have to give him credit where credit is due. His helicopter mustering business is quite substantial, correct me if I am wrong probably the largest in this country at the moment, would be one of the largest employer of mustering pilots as well.If your looking for that type of employment it would be a smart move to target the operation with the most helicopters and the most work, thats where your likly to get a start. Personality's shouldn't come into it, your there to do a job, ( which is probably your dream ) pick up a pay check at the end of the month and after a few years have a look in your log book and I'm sure it would look a whole lot better than it does now.
Join Date: Feb 2005
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When does the northern Aust mustering season start and end?
The first two weeks in april will usually be at 30 to 40 % throttle, while people muster their horse plants or the odd small stud paddock, then from between the 10 to 14 april it will be at full throttle.
Depending of course as to when Easter falls, as many people seem to be imbued with good times of holidays rather than getting stuck into it nowadays, or maybe it's an aversion to overtime payment which has only happened for ground troops in recent years during the pubic holidays.
(public holiday = australia's greatest social disease)
Busiest months in order of; will be May, August, September, June, October.
If the camel / feral animal shooting cranks up then you would look forward to Novemeber, January and December as the next busiest period, and being totally r**ted after it. only experienced drivers in that racket.
Make sure that you are well positioned in the operators hangar well before Easter, and have demonstrated a willingness to work / grovel / sweep / polish / etc, oh and don't forget knowledge of A/C flight manuals / backwards, whilst the full time staff have some time off with their families or whatever.
February, March is always full time in the hangar trying to get all the fleet tip top.
all the best tet
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Perth - Western Australia
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Six helicopter-related deaths over the past four years... in a fleet of 42 machines... would be enough to set alarm bells ringing in any other industry... and a massive intervention by safety organisations, to determine exactly why this horrendous death rate percentage, can't be reduced to virtually nil.
Oh wait... this is the aircraft mustering industry... and they all died, doing what they loved.
Oh wait... this is the aircraft mustering industry... and they all died, doing what they loved.
Join Date: Jan 2009
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Of those six deaths, IIRC, only one was mustering related, and that was put down to a new set of drive belts failing (among other things). Four were the result of a R44 crash at Gunpowder. Check your facts onetrack and don't believe everything you read. As for the $300/hr, if you owned 30 of the little buggers, employed 10 people to maintain them, spread the costs out and flew it yourself in the private category, I think that would be pretty close to the money.
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i had an idea the fact sheet of six fatals related to the industry generally not that company. 42 helicopters might relate to the spread of three companies under the one roof. i doubt there'd be many more than half that fleet working full time.
there are plenty of other operators and privateers running around north oz, i'd hate to take a guess, all up say 60 to 70 at any one time doing mustering? someone else like to take a punt?
a quick look around as far as fatals in the past 30 months or so might read like this. continued flying with sus drive belts, one; continued flying past midnight having started at daylight en route to a mustering job, one;
collision between fixed wing and R44 whilst feral animal shootiong, two; collision between two helicopters just after sunrise en route to a mustering job, two; t/R strike whilst mustering, one; that's WA,
then probable fatigue, one; two up collision with ground, joy flight newbie and grandmother, grandmother deceased; recently a light plane mustering horses two up, two; that's qld,
then in the NT, wire strike showing off at a rodeo, one; just the other day collision with ground mustering bulls, one:
add to that about five others wrecked in the last week, one of which was chasing a dingo, and another five in the few months before that which I can think of, one chasing a dingo, one with lunch wrap around the air intake, another up north, didn't pick up the reason, another in WA T/r strike in water , whilst trying to shoot a barra with a .357 one up; another collision with mud involving a crocodile, no statements from the croc yet but two up, one hurst fairly bad:
The list goes on, a R44 with 4up in the NT overpitched on take off, four got out ok;
the one at gundpowder already mentioned; another in the bungle bungles four up all fatal;
another in the NT unexplained collision with ground two up during mustering, one para; the list goes on.
i give up.
there are plenty of other operators and privateers running around north oz, i'd hate to take a guess, all up say 60 to 70 at any one time doing mustering? someone else like to take a punt?
a quick look around as far as fatals in the past 30 months or so might read like this. continued flying with sus drive belts, one; continued flying past midnight having started at daylight en route to a mustering job, one;
collision between fixed wing and R44 whilst feral animal shootiong, two; collision between two helicopters just after sunrise en route to a mustering job, two; t/R strike whilst mustering, one; that's WA,
then probable fatigue, one; two up collision with ground, joy flight newbie and grandmother, grandmother deceased; recently a light plane mustering horses two up, two; that's qld,
then in the NT, wire strike showing off at a rodeo, one; just the other day collision with ground mustering bulls, one:
add to that about five others wrecked in the last week, one of which was chasing a dingo, and another five in the few months before that which I can think of, one chasing a dingo, one with lunch wrap around the air intake, another up north, didn't pick up the reason, another in WA T/r strike in water , whilst trying to shoot a barra with a .357 one up; another collision with mud involving a crocodile, no statements from the croc yet but two up, one hurst fairly bad:
The list goes on, a R44 with 4up in the NT overpitched on take off, four got out ok;
the one at gundpowder already mentioned; another in the bungle bungles four up all fatal;
another in the NT unexplained collision with ground two up during mustering, one para; the list goes on.
i give up.
Join Date: Feb 2005
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another few I just remembered, in the last two years,
one in Qld, T/r strike chasing a calf one up but he stepped out all ok, but unexplained how come a fire engine with foam was close enough to foam it very quickly? (recently seen on pprune)
another took off solo, collective not tied down;
another doing a test flight after service, with a young maverick who thought he would do a mad low level engine off quick stop or something? got stuffed up and hit the ground at about ninety, one up, he got out but the crash was most spectacular they say;
then another recently, a H269 caught fire in flight, very quick pilot put it down ok but unable to save the machine.
I know of another four fatal going back a few years more, but heh i've got to call it a day.
also quite a few T/R strikes that didn't result in write-offs. one bloke did kill himself on the fourth success at this venture. No, don't ask why he wasn't strangled on the way past as I don't know;
another pilot an instructor has had three in the last three or so years and also destroyed a skid by deliberate collision with a bull.
i've got a bit of light reading by my bedside lamp all about Oz's first WWI VC Albert Jacka, right now we're in the 14th battalion being massacred at Bullecourt by idiot British generalship. looks like a walk in the park compared to the above
good night.
one in Qld, T/r strike chasing a calf one up but he stepped out all ok, but unexplained how come a fire engine with foam was close enough to foam it very quickly? (recently seen on pprune)
another took off solo, collective not tied down;
another doing a test flight after service, with a young maverick who thought he would do a mad low level engine off quick stop or something? got stuffed up and hit the ground at about ninety, one up, he got out but the crash was most spectacular they say;
then another recently, a H269 caught fire in flight, very quick pilot put it down ok but unable to save the machine.
I know of another four fatal going back a few years more, but heh i've got to call it a day.
also quite a few T/R strikes that didn't result in write-offs. one bloke did kill himself on the fourth success at this venture. No, don't ask why he wasn't strangled on the way past as I don't know;
another pilot an instructor has had three in the last three or so years and also destroyed a skid by deliberate collision with a bull.
i've got a bit of light reading by my bedside lamp all about Oz's first WWI VC Albert Jacka, right now we're in the 14th battalion being massacred at Bullecourt by idiot British generalship. looks like a walk in the park compared to the above
good night.
Join Date: May 2010
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They are doing quite well in the mustering game then. We had an operator in NZ wipe out 4 pilots in 5 years out of a "huge" claimed fleet of about 9 but had at least 5 more crashes in the same time, and we only ever knew of 6 helicopters in the air at once. Can't blame the operator for everything, but they were all relatively low time pilots, or new to the aircraft type...
Some people just don't learn, and it doesn't matter what you tell a fresh cpl About staying away from certain operators, they will do anything to fly...
Some people just don't learn, and it doesn't matter what you tell a fresh cpl About staying away from certain operators, they will do anything to fly...