How Australian is Jetstar Article

[markis10]

Some interesting points are made here, the following tag caught my eye which lead me to the story in the first place:

WHO is the safer bet? A pilot with 200 hours flying experience versus a pilot with 2000 hours in the air, asks Philip van den Heever.

How Australian is Jetstar? | Article | The Punch

Given the travails of Qantas over recent weeks, you would think that Jetstar would think twice about its absurd plans to put less and less experienced pilots in the coughpit of its aircraft. Until now Jetstar have employed pilots with a minimum of 2000 hours flight time and in fact, most, if not all, have more than 2000 hours flight time experience.
What the company, however, is proposing to do in the near future is employ cadet pilots with as little as 200 hours total flight time.....

 

[yohy?!]

Am I correct in thinking this is the first instance of 'Pay 2 Fly' in Australian airspace?

It's a scary prospect like having Air Asias FOs being paid less than cabin crew when they start out. Doesn't do much to calm the nervous traveller!

 

[markis10]

Am I correct in thinking this is the first instance of 'Pay 2 Fly' in Australian airspace?

It's a scary prospect like having Air Asias FOs being paid less than cabin crew when they start out. Doesn't do much to calm the nervous traveller!

No, tiger crew already have training bonds.

 

[stuartfaz]

I thought that '200 hours experience vs 2000 hours in the air' part was a trick question when I first saw it.

I just thought they put them in economy non-stop until they need someone.

 

[JohnK]

This make no sense. What is Jetstar trying to achieve? More publicity? Cost cutting?

 

[moa999]

I see it as as a storm in a teacup.
QF has had a cadet program for a long-time.

The only difference here is the cost of the course and would Jetstar pays.
I suspect a newly badged cadet with 200hrs on type flying with experienced Captains etc is going to be more relevantly proficient than someone with 2000 hrs in a 2-seater cropduster.

 

[markis10]

I suspect a newly badged cadet with 200hrs on type flying with experienced Captains etc is going to be more relevantly proficient than someone with 2000 hrs in a 2-seater cropduster.

I beg to differ, for a start the 2000 hr pilot has 10x the time to see things go wrong, and flying in hostile environments will give you a 6th sense you cannot get in an airline environment.

 

[Postcode]

Just another reason to avoid jetstarve.

 

[Mal]

QF has had a cadet program for a long-time.

Yep, so apart from the pilot being bonded to JQ - and owing them lots of money while working for a small wage, what is the big difference between the two schemes?

Why do I sniff a union getting it's nose out of joint... that's often how these types of stories gain traction in modern media.

 

[ric_melb]

I read the article and it seems too strange to be true. I wonder as to the bias of the author who is Executive Director of the Australian and International Pilots Association.

Why would a cadet pay $180,000 to Jetstar for training, actually fly as a pilot for 6 years on a salary of AUD30,000 a year, and be bonded to Jetstar for 6 years, without any guarantee of future employment by Jetstar?

Admittedly I am not a future pilot, but doesn't sound like a deal you would rush for.

 

[markis10]

Why would a cadet pay $180,000 to Jetstar for training, actually fly as a pilot for 6 years on a salary of AUD30,000 a year, and be bonded to Jetstar for 6 years, without any guarantee of future employment by Jetstar?

Admittedly I am not a future pilot, but doesn't sound like a deal you would rush for.

The alternatives are:

1. Be lucky and be trained by the Military
2. Pay your own way as you go to accumulate hours, often flying long hours in piston engine aircraft in dangerous environments (bank runs from 5Am to 78PM, New Guinea or Mustering in the case of rotor) in the hope you get a turbine job which leads to jet time.

I am not sure what the allowances are like at JQ but often pilots can live off that and bank the base, so all is not what it may seen!