Royal Brunei
Join Date: Apr 2000
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Cowboys In Management
Yeah (yawn), whatever.
Your usual double standards LAAJ.
Were you listening to one of the pilots complaining of fatigue.
Or maybe trying to swop for one of your selected flights.
Ever done a double FRA? No yawn whatever.
Oh we know you are not into meetings, you would loose your anonymity.
Your usual double standards LAAJ.
Were you listening to one of the pilots complaining of fatigue.
Or maybe trying to swop for one of your selected flights.
Ever done a double FRA? No yawn whatever.
Oh we know you are not into meetings, you would loose your anonymity.
Join Date: Jul 2000
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As long as the schedule continues to run the BOD will not admit there is a problem. The concept of anticipating problems to allow for the necessary time to advertise, make job offers, recruit and train (8 -10 months on average) is something that obviously hasn't permeated through their concrete craniums. Unfortunately, by the time RBA has aircraft aog due lack of crews to fly them it will of course take at least 8 - 10 months to get back up to speed. That of course assumes that noone else leaves.
If you are still there waiting for things to improve, forget it. It won't. Get out.
If you are still there waiting for things to improve, forget it. It won't. Get out.
Join Date: Dec 2004
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Is RBA heading for a meltdown
Do things look grim for RBA?
Cowpat is correct, it takes at least 6 months to train a new FO, or upgrade a Capt. This is made worse by the senior trainers who seem to think the only good training flights for them (I mean the trainees) is the long Syd and Bne trips. They used to think the Bne and Akl trips were of little benifit as the airspace and airport procedures were easy compared to Europe.
The ceo was once quoted when the pilots were working max hours, I dont give a F*@% as long as the flights go.
With some leaving, and many more possibly about to go, how will they operate the schedule. Will they still get there big bonuses if flights have to be cancelled.
Will the pilots be prepared to put up with working max hours and cronic fatigue again, now there are other jobs to go to. They reduced the allowable sick leave from 30 days to only 7 days a year. If you go sick due to fatigue, can they require you to go and get expensive medical checks at your own expense. Shouldnt the Doctor just come to the conclusion you are suffering from fatigue from unsustainable back to back longhaul flights, with few days off to recover at base or downroute.
The fact is with the cuts in pay and conditions made by this current management, and the exchange rates, you can make as much, if not more money as a capt on an A320, or B737 for a low cost carrier, than a capt on a B767 for RBA. Many of whom work less, more days off, home most nights, do not fly throughout the night (paxs dont want to fly shorthaul through the night) and no jet lag. this is after tax, and living where you want to.
The benefits of working as an Expat in Brunei are not worth it any more.
Interesting year ahead.
Cowpat is correct, it takes at least 6 months to train a new FO, or upgrade a Capt. This is made worse by the senior trainers who seem to think the only good training flights for them (I mean the trainees) is the long Syd and Bne trips. They used to think the Bne and Akl trips were of little benifit as the airspace and airport procedures were easy compared to Europe.
The ceo was once quoted when the pilots were working max hours, I dont give a F*@% as long as the flights go.
With some leaving, and many more possibly about to go, how will they operate the schedule. Will they still get there big bonuses if flights have to be cancelled.
Will the pilots be prepared to put up with working max hours and cronic fatigue again, now there are other jobs to go to. They reduced the allowable sick leave from 30 days to only 7 days a year. If you go sick due to fatigue, can they require you to go and get expensive medical checks at your own expense. Shouldnt the Doctor just come to the conclusion you are suffering from fatigue from unsustainable back to back longhaul flights, with few days off to recover at base or downroute.
The fact is with the cuts in pay and conditions made by this current management, and the exchange rates, you can make as much, if not more money as a capt on an A320, or B737 for a low cost carrier, than a capt on a B767 for RBA. Many of whom work less, more days off, home most nights, do not fly throughout the night (paxs dont want to fly shorthaul through the night) and no jet lag. this is after tax, and living where you want to.
The benefits of working as an Expat in Brunei are not worth it any more.
Interesting year ahead.
Join Date: Sep 2004
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Guys
If you dont like it please go. If you want to stay quit moaning like schoolgirls.
Now please excuse me as I must go and check that the next roster is suitable for a man of my position.
If you dont like it please go. If you want to stay quit moaning like schoolgirls.
Now please excuse me as I must go and check that the next roster is suitable for a man of my position.
Join Date: Aug 2001
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RBA Meltdown
Word arrives at the sand pit to suggest it is. Leave is now being cancelled, and emergency leave only approved for a death in the family.
Meanwhile the senior Capt recently dissmissed (who had committed no offence, and was given no reason for his dismissal) is I belive still in the Abode enjoying his 3 months notice on full pay. He had huge experience and had the competence the airline so lacks.
As soon as he leaves another command course is to start. Management blunders like this are sinking the rudderless ship.
Meanwhile the senior Capt recently dissmissed (who had committed no offence, and was given no reason for his dismissal) is I belive still in the Abode enjoying his 3 months notice on full pay. He had huge experience and had the competence the airline so lacks.
As soon as he leaves another command course is to start. Management blunders like this are sinking the rudderless ship.
Join Date: Apr 2000
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Dissmissed Pilots
More senior Capts are about to leave and there is talk of more recruitment.
Those who might be thinking of joining should reflect on the fact that the last pilot just dismissed had been treated harshly.
Not only that but he and his family were given just 3 days to leave the country.
Those who might be thinking of joining should reflect on the fact that the last pilot just dismissed had been treated harshly.
Not only that but he and his family were given just 3 days to leave the country.
Join Date: Jan 1999
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With at least 3 and maybe 4 more to be interviewed by SIA Cargo before the end of April if what is reaching me is true.
Last edited by THINALBERT; 25th Mar 2005 at 07:04.
Join Date: Dec 1998
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Realistically management is not going to change, at least in the short term. So those who are not happy should take the opportunities currently arising and leave. There are better and worse airlines out there, I have worked for examples of both. No where is perfect. As people keep leaving, as they will, the rest of the year is certainly going to be interesting.
666
666
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Management Is Not Going To Change
True. We hear that the level of intimidation and threat is on the increase. Seems to be the 767 Fleet Office as usual.
Shame. Was till I left a happy outfit.
Shame. Was till I left a happy outfit.
Join Date: Oct 1998
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It's been a while since I was on here last, so a few things to comment on.
#1
'Tiredunfedup' on page 18 has it nearly right;
"The benefits of working as an Expat in Brunei are not worth it any more."
Tiredunfedup, while what you say is perfectly true, it is not just true for expats. Locals are also suffering the pain. Remember they have had no bonus for several years and have recently lost their transport allowance.
When it comes to being undervalued, underpaid and demoralised, all the pilots are suffering the pain.
#2
'Dalai lama 767' likes to give the impression he is the Ho Chi Minh lookalike in the Boeing Fleet Office. He isn't.
#3
A few weeks ago now, our beloved CEO was reported in Flight International as looking for more narrowbody aircraft. Perhaps Boeings, perhaps Airbus, maybe with IAE engines, perhaps with CFM engines, perhaps, perhaps perhaps.
He put his head in the Flight Deck a few days later and I showed him the article, then asked him about any possible replacement for the B 767s. "Well it looks to me like the A 350 is the way to go." was his reply. Forever putting my foot in it, I said "But they aren't due off the production line until 2012, are you really intending to keep the B 767s going for another 7 years?"
Nothing more was said, he just stood up and left the flight deck.
A final comment on that. I later checked the Airbus website, the A 350 is due in production in 2010.
#4
Recently I had a chat with our earstwhile DFO. He was honest, which is a good thing, although what he said was really depressing. Quite simply, until there are not enough pilots to crew the schedules, terms and conditions will not improve. On a less depressing note, he also said that our flying allowances are NOT being cut.
#5
A chat with someone else in an office two doors up the corridor a few days later informed me that the company is still losing heaps of money. True or not I don't know because we have never been privvy to the company's balance sheets. But two things occur to me. (1) If this is indeed true and we are still losing heaps, surely this indicates that whatever plan the management are following isn't working. We are taught in the simulator to evaluate decisions, recognise when they aren't working, admit it, and develop alternatives. Why doesn't this apply to airline management?
(2) It was pointed out to me by a pilot who had a career as a 'money man' before becoming a pilot, that there are two sides to turning a profit; one is to cut costs (we've done that), the other is to increase income by developing a better product / different product / new routes etc. etc. Better product is the cabin refit I guess, new route is Sydney. Good start, but there is still a long way to go.
#6
When our former DFO decided to recruit Rishworth pilots back in about 1998, it was to protect the incumbent pilots and fulfill a short term need. The idea was good, but unfortunately it has backfired. With no disrespect intended to the Rishworth pilots as individuals, the fact remains that they are generally joining RBA as light twin turboprop drivers who have bought a Boeing rating. As such they are zero jet time pilots. All us have been there and there is nothing wrong with that. The apparent problem is that RBA used to recruit pilots who had significant jet time already. Typically a new RBA recruit was an ex Britannia pilot with maybe 1000+ hours on B 767. When you compare that pilot with a 'new to jets' pilot, there is a significant difference in experience. New pilots are always keen and eager to do whatever they have to do to get into a jet, including accepting poor terms and conditions. Experienced pilots are more aware of their worth and know how to vote with their feet, which they have done. This has left RBA, especially in the Boeing fleet with a substantial number of low jet time pilots - the experience is no longer there.
This situation is self perpetuating because the zero jet pilots get some experience in RBA, learn their worth, and move on. So RBA recruits more Zero Jet Time pilots because they won't pay experienced pilots what they are worth.
I really like Brunei. I really like the guys I fly with, both local and expat. I really like the ground staff I work with (including the rostering staff) and I like the fact that when things go wrong I can usually find out who is causing the problem and sort it out amicably with them one on one without the usual 'big company' hassle (he's in a meeting / he's in the other office / I'm his secretary can I help).
BUT
and it is a really big BUT
like 'Tierdunfedup said at the begining of this.
The benefits of working as an Expat (and Local) in Brunei are not worth it any more...
Cheers
#1
'Tiredunfedup' on page 18 has it nearly right;
"The benefits of working as an Expat in Brunei are not worth it any more."
Tiredunfedup, while what you say is perfectly true, it is not just true for expats. Locals are also suffering the pain. Remember they have had no bonus for several years and have recently lost their transport allowance.
When it comes to being undervalued, underpaid and demoralised, all the pilots are suffering the pain.
#2
'Dalai lama 767' likes to give the impression he is the Ho Chi Minh lookalike in the Boeing Fleet Office. He isn't.
#3
A few weeks ago now, our beloved CEO was reported in Flight International as looking for more narrowbody aircraft. Perhaps Boeings, perhaps Airbus, maybe with IAE engines, perhaps with CFM engines, perhaps, perhaps perhaps.
He put his head in the Flight Deck a few days later and I showed him the article, then asked him about any possible replacement for the B 767s. "Well it looks to me like the A 350 is the way to go." was his reply. Forever putting my foot in it, I said "But they aren't due off the production line until 2012, are you really intending to keep the B 767s going for another 7 years?"
Nothing more was said, he just stood up and left the flight deck.
A final comment on that. I later checked the Airbus website, the A 350 is due in production in 2010.
#4
Recently I had a chat with our earstwhile DFO. He was honest, which is a good thing, although what he said was really depressing. Quite simply, until there are not enough pilots to crew the schedules, terms and conditions will not improve. On a less depressing note, he also said that our flying allowances are NOT being cut.
#5
A chat with someone else in an office two doors up the corridor a few days later informed me that the company is still losing heaps of money. True or not I don't know because we have never been privvy to the company's balance sheets. But two things occur to me. (1) If this is indeed true and we are still losing heaps, surely this indicates that whatever plan the management are following isn't working. We are taught in the simulator to evaluate decisions, recognise when they aren't working, admit it, and develop alternatives. Why doesn't this apply to airline management?
(2) It was pointed out to me by a pilot who had a career as a 'money man' before becoming a pilot, that there are two sides to turning a profit; one is to cut costs (we've done that), the other is to increase income by developing a better product / different product / new routes etc. etc. Better product is the cabin refit I guess, new route is Sydney. Good start, but there is still a long way to go.
#6
When our former DFO decided to recruit Rishworth pilots back in about 1998, it was to protect the incumbent pilots and fulfill a short term need. The idea was good, but unfortunately it has backfired. With no disrespect intended to the Rishworth pilots as individuals, the fact remains that they are generally joining RBA as light twin turboprop drivers who have bought a Boeing rating. As such they are zero jet time pilots. All us have been there and there is nothing wrong with that. The apparent problem is that RBA used to recruit pilots who had significant jet time already. Typically a new RBA recruit was an ex Britannia pilot with maybe 1000+ hours on B 767. When you compare that pilot with a 'new to jets' pilot, there is a significant difference in experience. New pilots are always keen and eager to do whatever they have to do to get into a jet, including accepting poor terms and conditions. Experienced pilots are more aware of their worth and know how to vote with their feet, which they have done. This has left RBA, especially in the Boeing fleet with a substantial number of low jet time pilots - the experience is no longer there.
This situation is self perpetuating because the zero jet pilots get some experience in RBA, learn their worth, and move on. So RBA recruits more Zero Jet Time pilots because they won't pay experienced pilots what they are worth.
I really like Brunei. I really like the guys I fly with, both local and expat. I really like the ground staff I work with (including the rostering staff) and I like the fact that when things go wrong I can usually find out who is causing the problem and sort it out amicably with them one on one without the usual 'big company' hassle (he's in a meeting / he's in the other office / I'm his secretary can I help).
BUT
and it is a really big BUT
like 'Tierdunfedup said at the begining of this.
The benefits of working as an Expat (and Local) in Brunei are not worth it any more...
Cheers
Join Date: Jan 1999
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Eloquent as ever Wings.
I have just had lunch with one of your 767 chaps and it seems that 3 more 767 Captains are indeed set to resign. All 5 will be going to SIA Cargo.
In order to apply for a DEC SIA Cargo position you must have 3000+ hours wide body command so that means RBA is about to lose 15000+ hours of widebody command experience and relace it (with all due respect to those on courses) with low houred inexperienced chaps who in most cases would not even be looked at for command training for another 2 years.
Costs had already been cut to the bone. Now they are going after the marrow.
I have just had lunch with one of your 767 chaps and it seems that 3 more 767 Captains are indeed set to resign. All 5 will be going to SIA Cargo.
In order to apply for a DEC SIA Cargo position you must have 3000+ hours wide body command so that means RBA is about to lose 15000+ hours of widebody command experience and relace it (with all due respect to those on courses) with low houred inexperienced chaps who in most cases would not even be looked at for command training for another 2 years.
Costs had already been cut to the bone. Now they are going after the marrow.
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Good posting Wings, but until a solitary local resigns for another airline they will be ignored, and [to my knowledge] no-one ever has. I know that they are subject to pressures that expats aren't, but if one took the initiative, then others would probably follow, and those left might get some improvements in T&C's. Management can happily disregard expats leaving as long as the flights are operated, but a local exodus might just provoke something.
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And another experienced Captain resigns
Thats the third resignation in favour of SIA Cargo in a couple of weeks and I am told that at least 2 more very experienced Captains are likely to follow very shortly. Both hold additional posts within RBA.
KA will soon be contacting your FOs for interview (thats almost everyone on your Airbus fleet and a large number from the Boeing Fleet) and I know that EK have just started contacting people for DE commands on B777. Time for the BOD to start paying market rate I think. Thats a pay rise on basic of at least 3000$ a month and increments reintroduced and back dated.
Or the BOD could just do nothing and wait. But even they wouldn't be that stupid ... would they?
KA will soon be contacting your FOs for interview (thats almost everyone on your Airbus fleet and a large number from the Boeing Fleet) and I know that EK have just started contacting people for DE commands on B777. Time for the BOD to start paying market rate I think. Thats a pay rise on basic of at least 3000$ a month and increments reintroduced and back dated.
Or the BOD could just do nothing and wait. But even they wouldn't be that stupid ... would they?