Info on twotter ops in the Maldives?

[Geeham]

G'day,
Regarding Trans Maldivian Airways and Maldivian Air Taxi;

Could anyone please give me some info on the pay and conditions(flying/duty hours/days off etc) particularly for pilots starting as junior FO?
Also likely progression to senior FO/ Captain?

If I went there would I be less likely to get a job at a big international airline in the near future than if I stay in Australia and get some command time on a small twin?
Also, is there time/opportunity to go surfing?Are second hand tinnies easy to come by?


In otherwords, is the pay/lifestyle/multi crew turbine experience there worth going for rather than getting command time on a light twin?

[DHC6to8]

Wrong questions to ask mate

edited at the request of another

[Geeham]

Thanks for opinion and advice, I appreciate it.
What about roster/days off?
I'm not really interesting in partying hard but it would be a major drawcard if time/access to surfing reefs is easy to arrange.
Do you remember If any of the pilots when you were there were surfers?

Cheers.

[TOFFAIR]

are you talking about windsurfing? unless you get a Tsunami, there wont be wawes as to surf... guess you will do it better in Australia, nomatter what you fly, btw is the Azie market open to expats?
cheers

[FCS Explorer]

nah, if someone needs a reef he's a real surfer. without the kinky stuff like a sail. problem probably is that you're gonna blow all the money paying the donhi getting from your acco to the spot. maybe get in touch with some surf camp/boat tour operator. the storm rider guide world is listing some spots at the islands just to the north from the airport. also says return fare is 80$(presummably USD) from male.

[walu]

Listen mate, I'll tell you that there are at least 6 excellent breaks North and South of Male that are regularly surfed by the MAT drivers there. I'm going next Monday for a short rotation and MAT has always offered a 5 on 2 off schedule and TMA does a 6 on 1 off schedule. The latter was always a bugger to work for because of this reason. You need one day to wash your clothes and one for surfing in my book. Now are you sold on this huge career decision or what?? If you knew what I know about it now you'd be on that plane tomorrow and who care's if some pilot/hr expert interviewing you for a bigger airline job asks you about the VFR only experience?? It's the best life experience I've had to date, I sold my car to get the ticket, buy a surfboard and I've never looked back.
Good luck with it mate,

Walu

[C212-100]

Do they hire non-type rated and non-float rated guys?

Currently flying for the armed forces, european passport, 1500 hrs logged. Any chance there?

[walu]

Yes, there has been a great mix in recent years in the nationalities of the foreign crew in the Maldives, but by in large the majority of ex-pat's are Canadian, Australian and European. I think a major prerequisite for the job is float experience firstly then a multi-float rating and a multi-IFR ATPL for those who seek eventual Captaincy with MAT. TMA doesn't require the ATPL for their Captains. It also helps to know somebody there first and secondly if you were so lucky to be given an opportunity then be prepared to sit it out for a few years in the right seat! Even 747 Captains would have to. Previous experience is key for ex-pats anywhere in the world in any type of operation where local opportunities/education or financial assistance prevents entry to specialised fields. Float flying is specialised and flying in every float environment takes time and experience to master. The Maldives is a challenging float environment and what ever your previous flying experience is you don't get much credit there unless it's floats, Twin Otters and PIC time. We all gotta start somewhere though! If you were really keen then I won't discourage you at all and wish you good luck with it.

[Geeham]

cheers Walu

i posted yesterday but don't think it went through.

Thanks for your reply.Its good to get one where someone actually answers the questions.
Do you know who the best person to contact at MAT is?
Do I have to go through Ken Borek Air or can I go direct to MAT?
Apart from the roster are MAT and TMA much the same to work for? and are the entry requirements as low as TMA's junior FO(250hrs, float rating and MECIR)?
Any more details would be much appreciated.
I'm thinking of going over in December after I finish my MECIR and Float rating(will have about 600TT).

[walu]

No worries!

Yes, it's best to go directly through MAT if you're not already a Kenn Borek employee. They (Kenn Borek) are the wet lease provider but MAT can source their own additional permanent or rotational crew so long as they meet the Borek minimum standards. MAT Chief Pilot is Rob McGechan, and Flight Operations is David Kuruvita. Currently they're a little over crewed for low time F/O's and the demand is for Captains as it is everywhere! So I guess you should just keep plugging away with the hour building and expect your best opportunities to be in the low season here. (Middle of the year!)
The two companies do the same job but are very different in other ways. TMA being a little smaller, flies to a lot less resorts, has more overnights, less day's off per week, operate on different floats, different SOP's, crew culture and atmosphere are different and the business model has forked off into runway ops as well. MAT has some interesting long term plans also but tourism in the Maldives is very stable despite global and local events of recent. Good luck with it mate!
Cheer's,

Walu

[crap pilot]

How much float time would you need before they would look at you? It would be my dream job and although I have well over 1000TT with more than half of that multi engine, I have 0 hours on floats.

[CraigyD]

Hi everyone, did post this else where but had no answer....

I've recently decided that i'd like to go on the floats for a career and I have an egar eye on going to the Maldives, but im unsure on how to get a foot in the door so to speak ! I have found a couple of operators around Croatia and Greece who say they will take low hour pilots and even pay for a float rating for 'the right applicant'. By time I will actually get round to be able to apply for these positions, I should (if all goes to plan!) have a fair amount of hours and reasonable expirience from instructing (I plan to get my instructor rating after gaining my CPL before moving onto the ME/IR).

Essentially, my question is, I have the funds avalible to do a SES rating out in California next March after I have done my FAA PPL (if my M-1 visa interview goes well on the 14th of October !) and was wondering if it would be worth doing? I think the expirence will be amazing regardless, so if im honest, im very tempted to do it but don't want to 'potentially' waste money that could be used later to get a multi engine commercial sea rating.
Am I making sense with this question.....?

Forgot to mention (don't know if really matters that much) that I will end up with JAA licences.

Thanks guys and girls

Craig