1. World wide Airline pilot shortage.
Australia’s solution: Visas for Overseas (foreign) Pilots.
Thanks,
S. for starting this discussion. It needs to be discussed.
http://www.news.com.au/national/breakin ... 4dc309c293For a fact, there are very experienced, older pilots, out of work, in Australia, aeroplane and helicopter.
In 2005, when I was 50, and had applied to Qantas, through a friend, his contact told him, "Ah, he's too old." That is right. When I was 50. Qantas!
There are plenty of Australian pilots available . . . I heard of one guy sleeping in his car, in the bush, in QLD. I met him and thought he was a hell of a nice fellow. Why not employ him? I knew an former Ansett Captain, who could only get a job as a Sim Instructor, in Adelaide, and all he could afford was a shack. It finally killed him. Why wasn't he flying? I know unemployed Aircraft Mechanics, too.
Take a look at any job ad these days. Space Shuttle landings, within the last 90 days is insufficient.
I have held Commercial single and multi-engine Seaplane licences, since 1994, but one Australian employer wants an Aeroplane Pilot to hold a Coxwain Licence . . . You would think I was applying to bring Wild Oats in to the finish line.
The real problem
is, in Australia, a pilot MUST have one Endorsement to blow his nose and another to wipe his bum, another to tie his shoe laces, add to that a Green card, a Pink Card, a White Card, a First Aid Certificate, a Certificte III or IV in Training and Assessment though you have been a Flying Instructor for more than 30 years and a previous Check Airman, which you would think would trump a Certificate III in Training and Assessment, current HUET, current ME-CIR, takeoffs and landings in the specific aircraft within the past 90 days, and the list of flaming hoops goes on and on.
I know. I know. You guys do not want to hear about what I have done, during my career and think it is all boast. But, I am telling you, there were times I was not current, had never flown a particular aircraft as a Captain/Pilot-in-Command, before, had no licence for that country, yet was welcomed with open arms overseas and ALL training was paid for . . . One of those employers actually had a training contract with Qantas. Part of that training was to actually fly their Boeing 737-800 jets, as a Captain (Under Supervision) for six sectors. On one hand, I was too old to even be hired by Qantas to sweep their hangar floor, but in another circumstance age was no barrier.
So, guys, if you feel threatened by this news to hire Foreign Pilots and you are unemployed or under-employed, start writing to Barnaby Joyce and Peter Dutton and anyone who will listen. CASA needs to change the requirement for an Endorsement for every nit noy. It is a nonsense and no safer than the free-for-all, in America. Also, if employers are short of crews, consider the long-term investment in an employee right here in Australia, instead of short-term, get rich quick thinking. Loyalty and respect is a two-way street. Why don't employers provide training or only provide minimal training and expect a pilot to show up with a Chinese laundry List of qualifications?
I went to work for a guy based out of Brisbane-area, flying two of the absolute sh!ttiest multi-engine turboprops I had ever flown. Nothing worked. Parts were always en route. Pay was late or short, every month. I had last flown those same type of turboprops, when they were still relatively new, more than 30 years ago. Recurrent Training was stuff all. I was assigned 4 hours Sim, at Anseet, in Essendon. Some of which he used to assess a pilot who flew like a crippled monkey and some of which he use for his own Instrument currency - AND, he had me operating the Sim for him. I was lucky to get 2 hours recurrent training. There was so much more I wanted to do to refresh my skills. He was easy to please. Operating on one engine after takeoff, the Owner/Chief Pilot could not even track down the runway centreline. We ended his recurrent training when he crashed it onto the runway nose first, after attempting to take off with a dual flameout. It was the only time he remained on the runway centreline. Yeah, well, that IS what is out there, for Owners and Chief Pilots setting the rules and writing job ads. Well, the guy went into liquidation owing everyone money, including me. Then, there are other Chief Pilots, with a drawer full of CVs having better credentials and more flying hours than the Chief Pilot who will strike through the CVs with truly inane comments scribbled across the CVs. I have seen them with my own eyes. So, this is what is out there and the challenges to employment.
So, these are just some of the problems. Trust me, there is no shortage of pilots in Australia. AND, it is not just in flying . . . I worked 12 hour split shifts eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as a Casual Employee, driving a city bus in Adelaide. Another employer, where I worked tirelessly, working on everything that came through the door, as a Motor Mechanic, made me redundant to hire his brother-in-law. Still another employer, a luxury car dealership was ripping off customers' over warranty claims and got upset because i refused to cooperate/participate. There are true bastards in every industry and employers whom want it all their way who will treat you like a second class citizen, a wage slave, and fully expect you to cooperate and participate in their illegal activities -"be a team player". And, they take great delight in treating employees this way.