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Pilots (any Info Re: Career)

Ansett767 From Australia, joined May 1999, 1021 posts, RR: 2
Posted (10 years 2 months 1 week 3 days 13 hours ago) and read 1107 times:

Guys,

Now pardon my ignorance. but what does one have to do (degree/ qualification wise) to become a pilot?

I actually have no idea! I have completed a business undergrad degree here in Australia and was just curious to find out about changing careers.

Also, how long does it take to go from 'nothing' to being hired at entry level by a carrier?

Can some of the pilots on here perhaps share their stories/ experiences/ ideas.....

Thanks a lot in advance!!! Smile

6 replies: All unread, jump to last

Positive rate From Australia, joined Sep 2001, 2143 posts, RR: 1
Reply 1, posted (10 years 2 months 1 week 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 1088 times:

I'm not an airline pilot but I know what you need to do to become one here in Australia. First of all you don't need any kind of a degree or dimploma to become a pilot over here. What you need to do is get your Commercial Pilot license- which you will need to attain a total of 200 hours flying time to attain. Then come other ratings such as Instrument Rating(which enables you to fly in IFR conditions), twin rating etc and you will need to get your ATPL(Air Transport pilot license theory) at some point too. But after qualifying for your CPL you will need to find employment in General Aviation flying light aircraft to build your hours up. Normally this hour building takes about 2-3 years depending on what you're flying and who for. This will mean relocating to northern Australia for a couple of years- usually Northern Territory near Darwin or Northern QLD or northern WA. A quicker option is to become a flight instructor which you can do after getting your CPL. That way you can stay in the city and probably build your hours up quicker. Be warned though the first few years are a real slog- you will make barely enough money in GA to survive on and after what happened with Ansett even finding a GA job is hard enough! To go from 0 hours to CPL will cost you around $30,000 so keep that in mind.

Here are the current airlines minimum requirements for Australia's major airlines
QANTAS: minimum 500 hours total flying time
Virgin Blue: minimum 1000 hours total with 500 hours multi engine time
REX:minimum 1500 hours flying time with 500 hours multi engine

hope this helps

AJ From Australia, joined Nov 1999, 2376 posts, RR: 27
Reply 2, posted (10 years 2 months 1 week 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 1084 times:

Alternatively you can apply for the Qantas Cadet Program:
http://www.qantas.com.au/info/about/employment/pilots

Yeeha From Australia, joined Apr 2001, 70 posts, RR: 0
Reply 3, posted (10 years 2 months 1 week 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 1029 times:

QF minimum is 500 PIC, not total i don't think???

Buckfifty From Canada, joined Oct 2001, 1314 posts, RR: 21
Reply 4, posted (10 years 2 months 1 week 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 1027 times:

The Qantas cadet program is self funded (not cheap), and you're not guaranteed a job coming out of it (and it seems that the success rate is not that good).

Might as well go out and build your own hours.

ExpressJet_ERJ From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 827 posts, RR: 4
Reply 5, posted (10 years 2 months 1 week 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 977 times:

Why don't they have any Cadet programs here in the states? Sad

ETOPS...Engines Turn Or People Swim

Positive rate From Australia, joined Sep 2001, 2143 posts, RR: 1
Reply 6, posted (10 years 2 months 1 week 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 931 times:

Yeah the cadetship costs around 100K from memory and there's no guarantee that you'll end up flying with QF at the end of it. Plus even cadets have to build up their hours so after the cadetship they still have to be employed in GA for a while I think before flying jets. You're better off doing it yourself. The hard part is building up the twin time. Every regional requires at least 500 hours multi time in command which might be a little hard to get.

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