Any Qantas guys out there?

[§kyye Candy]

My fiance is currently an airline Capt. and interested in applying to Qantas, but we are having a hard time finding info. on (monthly?) guarantee, bid period, jr. domicile (MEL vs. SYD), equipment most SO/FO positions starting out on, upgrade time, whether or not jobs will be coming avail anytime soon, etc.

Anyone out there fly for the big Q? Any info. would be appreciated!

Thanks

 

[Kenny]

Qantas, I'm pretty sure is only accepting new pilots through their cadet scheme. And unless you have the right to live and work in Australia, you'll find that you'll hit a dead end. The market in Australia is probably the most cut-throat in the world when it comes to pilot jobs.

Sorry I couldn't be more help. They do list the requirements on their website.

 

[A1FlyBoy]

Linky

http://www.qantas.com.au/info/about/employment/pilots

 

[avbug]

Many moons ago when I was living in Australia, I sent an application to Quantas for grins. I got back a very professional rejection notice, advising me that the Cadet program only accepted Australian citizens at the time, and I, on a resident visa, didn't qualify. I'm sure many things have changed since.

Ironically, my resident and citizen status prevented employment at Quantas, but not the Australian Army. They were more than willing to accept a US Citizen, whereas Quantas was not. Weather that is the case any more, I can't say.

 

[Cardinal]

www.pprune.org

+1. Just head to the Dunnunda & Godzone forum.

 

[§kyye Candy]

Well... things have changed a bit ~ and then again, maybe they haven't.

The permanent residency permit (not citizenship) is now all that is required to apply for a pilot position at Qantas; however I'm sure it depends on the market and how many pilots they need vs. how many are available. I have researched the criteria for permanent residency, and we shouldn't have any issues there.

That said, just being able to apply doesn't guarantee acceptance (obviously). So what I really need is to research the market before making a move like that. Easier said than done!

Thanks for the links guys.

 

[Kenny]

Gaining enough points to get residency will only be your first problem. If you look at pprune you'll find that Qantas is an extremely hard shop to get into for the following reasons;


Australia is awash with pilots right now, in fact because it's such a closed market it usually is. That's why so many Australian/New Zealand pilots end up flying in Europe and for the Asian carriers.

If you read the "minimum criteria for direct entry pilots" you'll see that you need to "Hold Credits for all Australian Airline Transport Pilot (Aeroplane) Licence theory subjects". What this means is that you have to have done ALL 7 exams plus the IREX (Instrument Exam). It's by far the worst exam I've ever done; 3 hours, 35 questions and something like 70% fail the first time.

Where this creates a problem is that you can convert from a foreign ATP to an Australian ATPL by doing 2 Airlaw exams plus the IREX and a flight test. You'll have the book that clearly states you have an ATPL but that still wont be good enough. Qantas wont even interview you and Virgin Blue will, but they'll tell you you need to go and do the other exams. Now if you go and do the other exams but fail one. CASA the Australian FAA will downgrade your ATPL to a CPL until you pass all the exams you didn't have to take in the first place. Got a headache yet??

It's unfair and completely discrimnatory but that's how it is. The other thing they do is by telling you you'll need to have passes in Australian HSC (High School) english. A friend of mine was educated in the UK, having gone to High School and University where she got a degree in English. When she applied to Qantas with 5000 hours most of which was 737 time, she was told that as she hadn't passed Australian High School English, she was welcome to apply for the cadet scheme!!

Australia is a beautiful place, pretty much all my American friends loved it when they went there but it's an extremely beauracratic and regulatory country and CASA makes the FAA look like a bunch of pussies.

Sorry to put a downer on things.

 

[doh]

Ok, dfq time. Can I buy a home over there when I'm retired? I'm not working or engaging in commerce, just sippin' a few and walkin' the beach.

 

[§kyye Candy]

retirement plans

Nothing to stop you from purchasing property, I don't think... but you might have a hard time getting the residency visa to utilize it! You definitely get more points the younger you are.

Of course, the visitor's visa is still good for up to 6 months, I believe...

Australia Immigration and Australia Visa Consultants - ASA Consultantshttps://secure.australia-migration.com/clients/index.htm?section=telbooking&subsec=telbooking

 

[typhoonpilot]

Ok, dfq time. Can I buy a home over there when I'm retired? I'm not working or engaging in commerce, just sippin' a few and walkin' the beach.

The above answer is not correct. It is much easier to get a retirement visa. Go to the Australian government immigration website and all the answers are there. As for buying property, as a non-resident, I believe you can only buy new property ( never lived in ).


TP

 

[typhoonpilot]

Where this creates a problem is that you can convert from a foreign ATP to an Australian ATPL by doing 2 Airlaw exams plus the IREX and a flight test. You'll have the book that clearly states you have an ATPL but that still wont be good enough. Qantas wont even interview you and Virgin Blue will, but they'll tell you you need to go and do the other exams. Now if you go and do the other exams but fail one. CASA the Australian FAA will downgrade your ATPL to a CPL until you pass all the exams you didn't have to take in the first place. Got a headache yet??

Some colleagues of mine from Zimbabwe, who have no chance of ever moving back to their country, have set up residence in Australia. These are some of the best pilots I know. One of them, a senior check airman on the 777, said getting the Australian ATPL was the hardest thing he has ever done.


TP