Missing helicopter north of Melbourne

[CyclicH145]

Am I the only person that finds it interesting that this thread is happening at the same time as another regarding Australian rotary flight crew licenses not being ICAO compliant because we’re the only country in the world where instrument training isn’t mandatory?

If inadvertent IMC is going to continue to be a death sentence for Aussie rotary pilots, isn’t it about time the powers that be revisited the assumptions that allowed a 105 hour license here with zero time on instruments?

Yes, that would require many instructors and flight examiners to do some more training themselves, but just because a system ‘has always been that way’ doesn’t mean it’s optimal.

Something "basic" may have made the difference!

[Fill-level]

Money talks , the Australian helicopter training industry is one step away from collapse , more astute students , will head to the states and complete a 150 course at just over 3/4of the price of the 105 course , which includes accommodation and flights.

Many pilots are also heading to the states for a ATP upgrade

[CyclicH145]

Money talks , the Australian helicopter training industry is one step away from collapse , more astute students , will head to the states and complete a 150 course at just over 3/4of the price of the 105 course , which includes accommodation and flights.

Many pilots are also heading to the states for a ATP upgrade

And don’t have to waste time with CASA licences being non-ICAO compliant and having to do way too much extra

[skypig]

And with the introduction of the G3 instructor rating CASA has removed the ability for instructors to earn a living wage, or the argument that in Australia, the instructors have at least some industry experience before teaching ab-intio.

Might as well learn in the US, then start imparting your knowledge the next day to the next student.


Keep smiling

[Gunga Din]

Might as well learn in the US, then start imparting your minimal knowledge the next day to the next student.

There, I fixed it for you.

Yeah, it's sad that Over There the instructors only have 100 more hours than the students. But at least they still have schools, and operate without the draconian CA$A rules and regs.

[Ops normal]

Spot on Skypig
I always thought maybe one day I would like to do instructing when I genuinely had more to offer experience wise. Now that I do have more to offer (my opinion) I suspect the conditions and pay would make it difficult to entertain the idea. I don’t know what the answer is but I wouldn’t think it is a grade 3 trying to build hours. Or a grade 1 or 2 who doesn’t really want to be there either.
If you are starting training and basing your decision on being astute it may cost you more than you know, because you won’t know.

[T-Bone]

And also throwing into the mix of the above mentioned, is the common opinion amongst quite a few experienced operators regarding the low standard of junior pilot being, to a degree, largely produced.
That being said, there are flying schools out there with experienced high hour dedicated instructors, but unfortunately, theres the opposite end of the scale institutions, selling the dream, with often a large intake of students at once, low hour instructors boasting little experience outside the circuit, VET fee “assistance” and with very little, or no prospects of employment post graduation.

[Jabberwocky]

Everyone still has the opportunity to do their due diligence and seek those training options out.

[T-Bone]

It’s just a shame some don’t utilise that opportunity wisely..

[Mallard]

Everyone still has the opportunity to do their due diligence and seek those training options out.

Except only the sausage factories offer VET fee.

"tafe contracts" with flying schools stink... a student should be able to choose where they spend the VET fee they are going to have to pay back for the next 10 years on half the average Australian wage.

[jimiemick]

Money talks , the Australian helicopter training industry is one step away from collapse , more astute students , will head to the states and complete a 150 course at just over 3/4of the price of the 105 course , which includes accommodation and flights.

Many pilots are also heading to the states for a ATP upgrade

I did my CPL in Australia, had zero luck with finding work, yes Covid hit, but I also didn’t want to be told I had to stay in company accommodation that would be 1/2 of my wage.
Plus being a tradie it was mentioned “oh you can do some work around the hanger to prove your worth”

Now thanks to Covid, I went back to my trade
Saved for two years
Now heading to the USA to convert my license and do my CFII
And will double my amount of hours I have, pay for my food and accommodation (in a very expensive place)
Buy a car
Should take 6-8 months

Will cost me less than what It did in Australia. And that is with a s#!t AUD at the moment

[Little Bird]

Money talks , the Australian helicopter training industry is one step away from collapse , more astute students , will head to the states and complete a 150 course at just over 3/4of the price of the 105 course , which includes accommodation and flights.

Many pilots are also heading to the states for a ATP upgrade

I did my CPL in Australia, had zero luck with finding work, yes Covid hit, but I also didn’t want to be told I had to stay in company accommodation that would be 1/2 of my wage.
Plus being a tradie it was mentioned “oh you can do some work around the hanger to prove your worth”

Now thanks to Covid, I went back to my trade
Saved for two years
Now heading to the USA to convert my license and do my CFII
And will double my amount of hours I have, pay for my food and accommodation (in a very expensive place)
Buy a car
Should take 6-8 months

Will cost me less than what It did in Australia. And that is with a s#!t AUD at the moment

Nice. Hopefully you can find someone who’s hot & tasty to get a visa/green card with and get into some work here, there’s so much work going on it’s crazy

[jimiemick]

Money talks , the Australian helicopter training industry is one step away from collapse , more astute students , will head to the states and complete a 150 course at just over 3/4of the price of the 105 course , which includes accommodation and flights.

Many pilots are also heading to the states for a ATP upgrade

I did my CPL in Australia, had zero luck with finding work, yes Covid hit, but I also didn’t want to be told I had to stay in company accommodation that would be 1/2 of my wage.
Plus being a tradie it was mentioned “oh you can do some work around the hanger to prove your worth”

Now thanks to Covid, I went back to my trade
Saved for two years
Now heading to the USA to convert my license and do my CFII
And will double my amount of hours I have, pay for my food and accommodation (in a very expensive place)
Buy a car
Should take 6-8 months

Will cost me less than what It did in Australia. And that is with a s#!t AUD at the moment

Nice. Hopefully you can find someone who’s hot & tasty to get a visa/green card with and get into some work here, there’s so much work going on it’s crazy

Not sure the wife would like that

I do get a work visa for abit after the training. And spoken to a few operators already.
Not holding my breath but there is a hell of a lot more work there than here. So why not give it a go

[Bee3]

On a recent trip I landed 4 times in two days by the highway and in the hills etc due to weather.

Client said she was “bored” waiting for the weather….I said read a book.

My condolences to all that were involved. None of us go to work to not come home.

[av8r]

...I do get a work visa for abit after the training.

Forgive my ignorance but I thought those visa programs were only for students who did their whole CPL training over there, not just a conversion? Would love to fly over there but thought I was locked out because of that detail.

[Yakking]

I do get a work visa for abit after the training. And spoken to a few operators already.
Not holding my breath but there is a hell of a lot more work there than here. So why not give it a go

I just received an email from my former boss at a Flight School in Dallas, Texas today. These are her words....

We’re still having a pilot shortage in the USA right now so, it’s not easy finding CFIIs at the moment. I went from 5 instructors down to 2 in just the last month. I have just hired one new CFII who will start in 2 weeks which will certainly help.


So there's definitely work over there.

I spent two years there a long time ago and it was an awesome experience.


Good luck!

[Fill-level]

I just received an email from my former boss at a Flight School in Dallas, Texas today. These are her words....

We’re still having a pilot shortage in the USA right now so, it’s not easy finding CFIIs at the moment. I went from 5 instructors down to 2 in just the last month. I have just hired one new CFII who will start in 2 weeks which will certainly help.


So there's definitely work over there.

I spent two years there a long time ago and it was an awesome experience.


Good luck!

Will she sponsor an Aussie on an e3 visa ?

[cupid stunt]

I just received an email from my former boss at a Flight School in Dallas, Texas today. These are her words....

We’re still having a pilot shortage in the USA right now so, it’s not easy finding CFIIs at the moment. I went from 5 instructors down to 2 in just the last month. I have just hired one new CFII who will start in 2 weeks which will certainly help.


So there's definitely work over there.

I spent two years there a long time ago and it was an awesome experience.


Good luck!

Will she sponsor an Aussie on an e3 visa ?

Don’t you book a flight to Mexico and wander in these days?

[Cleanme2]

I did my CPL in Australia, had zero luck with finding work, yes Covid hit, but I also didn’t want to be told I had to stay in company accommodation that would be 1/2 of my wage.
Plus being a tradie it was mentioned “oh you can do some work around the hanger to prove your worth”

Now thanks to Covid, I went back to my trade
Saved for two years
Now heading to the USA to convert my license and do my CFII
And will double my amount of hours I have, pay for my food and accommodation (in a very expensive place)
Buy a car
Should take 6-8 months

Will cost me less than what It did in Australia. And that is with a s#!t AUD at the moment

Nice. Hopefully you can find someone who’s hot & tasty to get a visa/green card with and get into some work here, there’s so much work going on it’s crazy

Not sure the wife would like that

I do get a work visa for abit after the training. And spoken to a few operators already.
Not holding my breath but there is a hell of a lot more work there than here. So why not give it a go

Im pretty sure that you will not be eligible for a visa as you already have a CPL. Work visas, post training, are based on either training from nothing or from a non-professional level i.e PPL.

Worth checking before making plans

[Yankee]

Look at these two websites for information about the job industry in the US. For pilots things Have never been so good.

http://Www.jsfirm.com (for this website select rotary wing in the dropbox, and leave keyword and location blank)

https://helicopterjobs.justhelicopters.com/default.aspx (for this website, scroll down and select pilots, there are at least four pages of job openings).


Helicopter pilots are leaving the EMS/HAA Industry in droves. Mostly because it’s a soul sucking industry here in the US. But many are transitioning to fixed wing jobs where they garner more respect and significant pay advantages. EMS pay is starting to approach 90k because of the pilot shortage.

The US is still the land of opportunity if you’re willing to sacrifice and work for it.