Looking for JALways/WASINC info

[Fly4hire]

See you at the interview.
Helmsmen

I saw in a thread from last year you mentioned JALways may be slotted for 400's? Anything further on this development?

 

[Take A]

Run.

My friend who works there said the majority of his class would have quit the first month in training if it weren't for the 30k training bond because it is so ridiculuous.

 

[Fly4hire]

I saw in a thread from last year you mentioned JALways may be slotted for 400's? Anything further on this development?

Answering my own question. Comments from someone in the know?

http://www.jal.com/en/press/0000455/455.html

"JAL will also continue expanding the international role of its low-overhead subsidiary JALways to secure further cost-competitiveness. JALways will take over flight operations on the Tokyo - Jakarta route from March 26, 2006, and from October 1, 2006 flight operations on Tokyo - Ho Chi Minh, Tokyo - Hanoi, Osaka - Hanoi, and Tokyo - Sydney routes."

​

However where are these aircraft coming from?

"..During FY2006, JAL will also accelerate fleet downsizing. In total, six B747 `Classic' models will be retired from international and domestic service..."

Looking at the attached fleet plan it looks like that the 400 is being taken off a number of routes and replaced by 777's. Are these retiring classic's JALways being replaced with the 400, or expenasion in fleet and flying?

What is the current JALways fleet and how many pilots through HACS, WASINC, and IASCO?

What is the growth forecast?

 

[Fly4hire]

Who-hoo. Get's better:

from: http://www.jal.com/en/press/0000437/img/FleetPlanFY06.pdf

Tokyo – Taipei

(JALways operation)
Flight Frequency Increases:
Increase from 21 to 28 flights per week.

(15 x B747 Class type aircraft to be replaced by newer B747-
400 aircraft: 8 from August 2006/ 7 from October 2006).
From March 26, 2006

​

 

[Resocha]

If I bow and offer my business card with two hands and speak Japanese, will it help....

OK....kidding aside.. does cultural expereince have value?

Also, does one fly with western crews only, or mixed up with Japanese...

Cultural experience will only have value as long as it supplements the other segments of the interview. You still have to perform in the sim, etc. I mean, the cultural experience won't give extra points, but it may slide you ahead of an equally qualified candidate.

 

[Resocha]

Run.

My friend who works there said the majority of his class would have quit the first month in training if it weren't for the 30k training bond because it is so ridiculuous.

Really? Where were they going to go? I guess Mesa is hiring. Or maybe they all had connections at UPS or FedEx, or maybe they all had 737 types, or maybe they all would have been simultaneously recalled.

Ok, in all serious now, that's unlikely. Sure, the training is nuts, but I saw it as a 7-month paid vacation in Tokyo (I guess it's shorter now). It all comes down to attitude and perspective. Where else in the world can you upgrade to 747 captain in less than 3 years? It's a great opportunity, whether one chooses to remain here or not.

 

[Resocha]

Answering my own question. Comments from someone in the know?

http://www.jal.com/en/press/0000455/455.html



However where are these aircraft coming from?



Looking at the attached fleet plan it looks like that the 400 is being taken off a number of routes and replaced by 777's. Are these retiring classic's JALways being replaced with the 400, or expenasion in fleet and flying?

What is the current JALways fleet and how many pilots through HACS, WASINC, and IASCO?

What is the growth forecast?

Fly4hire, you've been around long enough to know that all we pilots know are the perpetual rumors that drift in and out of every cockpit. There's been rumors of -400s, 767s, base in Las Vegas, etc. We have access to the same press releases, and can make the same theories as you.

The good news is that the growth forecast is good. JAL will begin retiring 200 pilots/year and cannot train crews fast enough to resupply, but JALways can fulfill the need because of an abundance of Western pilots. The number in the current JALways fleet is uncertain, because JAL Group mixes in JAL and JALways aircraft. I think there's about 30 -200s/-300s in the fleet, however, between the two companies (excluding freight). For pilots, there are something like 200 total, divided nearly equally between the three contractors. I believe HACS has the fewest and IASCO the most. Helmsman can give you more accurate info, however, as he's in tune with the real world.

Don't pay too much attention to the press releases, however. JALways presently does Tokyo-Bangkok, in a -400. How is that possible? It's a JALways flight number, JALways FAs, and JALways everything, except JAL pilots. It's entirely possible that all of those flights we be conducted by JAL pilots on a JAL -400.

 

[Fly4hire]

We have access to the same press releases, and can make the same theories as you.

Wasn't trying to trump your powers of pilot scuttlebutt, just see if anyone knew more about this.

I'm glad to hear there is good growth potentiol as opposed to the train wreck of the legacy carriers of late.

What is the feeling towards the JALways crews by JAL proper regarding the outsourcing? Aren't they IALPA? Many of the crews working at the leasing firms are former ALPA members. I know how we would be reacting if this was happening on our turf.....

 

[Resocha]

Wasn't trying to trump your powers of pilot scuttlebutt, just see if anyone knew more about this.

I'm glad to hear there is good growth potentiol as opposed to the train wreck of the legacy carriers of late.

What is the feeling towards the JALways crews by JAL proper regarding the outsourcing? Aren't they IALPA? Many of the crews working at the leasing firms are former ALPA members. I know how'd we be reacting if this was happening on our turf.....

Yes, the JAL crews are union, but they have "approved" of the use of non-union employees for JALways. Mainly because they also recognize the need to supply the growth, and they know they can't do it fast enough.

When JAL hires a new pilot, he spends two years in the US getting his ratings and building time, then returns to Tokyo to train on his specific aircraft, finally getting into the right seat after four years of training and 250 hours (or so) of flight time. Because of his low time, it takes 10-15 years before he can upgrade. So for JAL to supply the needed pilots today, they would have needed to plan for it 10-15 years ago. That's where JALways comes in. Most of our guys already have 10-15 years (or more) in the industry, and all have "Command" time.

I've only been here about two and a half years, but before my time I guess there was some animosity from the JAL guys. I've never experienced it though.

I think every member of my class was an ALPA member. In fact, now that I think about it, I think everyone I've met has been either an ALPA or APA member. If there's non-union folk here, they're in the minority.

 

[Fly4hire]

Yes, the JAL crews are union, but they have "approved" of the use of non-union employees for JALways. Mainly because they also recognize the need to supply the growth, and they know they can't do it fast enough.

So for JAL to supply the needed pilots today, they would have needed to plan for it 10-15 years ago. That's where JALways comes in. Most of our guys already have 10-15 years (or more) in the industry, and all have "Command" time.

Thanks, that really does make me feel better.

I'd hate to be part of the same problem in another part of the world that we are fighting here.

 

[Guam360]

what do you guys there, think of what is on Aviationinterviews.com about 40+ year old pilots not getting hired? true, not true, questionable???

 

[Helmsmen]

In recent classes we have hired several pilots in their 40's. I have been involved in the interview process several times and have not noticed a age bias. Often the Japanese evaluator will ask an applicant how old he/she is in conversation. This is just them making small talk with limited English in an attempt to make the applicant comfortable. I believe in the past it has been construed as a basis of age discrimination, it is not. Simply put the Japanese will grade each applicant. Fly well and you get a thumbs up and you are off to the medical.

Helmsmen

 

[Helmsmen]

Here is some poop on the profile. It emphasises basic control and multi tasking ability. You do three simplified flight events.

The first is a takeoff turnout, track to an NDB. Flyover the NDB and perform a simplified procedure turn, intercept a localiser and flyit down to DH and land.

The second is performed with the FD off and is a takeoff, you fly a racetrack pattern to a visual landing.

On the third you are placed on a dogleg to final. Motion starts and an engine fails. Perform a simple engine out checklist/procedure. Descend 1000 feet, intercept an ILS and fly to DH and land.

These three events are riddled with callouts that must be learned so on day one when they hand you the profile get busy and learn it. They also have a nice cockpit mock up in the interview rooms that is at your disposal throughout the process to practice on. I suggest you use it. The chief pilots watch for who is motivated during this process.

I would love to give you guys more information but I am unable to for various reasons. Make sure that each of you that are going to interview performes due diligence on this position. It is a good job considering the industry today but is not for everyone. An interview is an opprtunity for WASINC to form an opinion of you but it is also your chance to form an opinion of WASINC and JALways.

Good luck

Helmsmen

 

[Guam360]

thanks Helmsman,
fair enough!!

I look forward to it.

 

[b757driver]

Run.

My friend who works there said the majority of his class would have quit the first month in training if it weren't for the 30k training bond because it is so ridiculuous.

Which? The training or the bond???