Jetstar plugs gaps with foreign pilots
 

Jetstar plugs gaps with foreign pilots
5:00AM Wednesday May 28, 2008
Qantas has confirmed reports that its cut-price offshoot Jetstar is employing foreign pilots to supplement its Australian flight crew.

Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon said Jetstar was recruiting pilots at a rate of 15 a month, with 200 employed in Australia since January 2007.

Most of these were domestically trained, while "some pilots from overseas" would be employed under temporary 457 work visas.

News Ltd put the figure at 75 foreign pilots, while adding that Jetstar had also recently hired 20 foreign cabin crew, and said it had Government approval to hire up to 60 more.

Dixon said Qantas had separately recruited 170 pilots this financial year.

- AAP

What are the minimums for Jetstar? I have a lot of friends who would be interested.

Here you go.


The minimum requirements for selection as a pilot in Jetstar Airways are;
· Hold or be eligible to hold an Australian ATPL,
· Have passes in all Australian ATPL subjects or equivalent,
· Hold, or be eligible to hold, an Australian Class 1 Multi-Engine Command Instrument Rating;
· Current Class 1 Medical Certificate;
· ICAO Level 6 English Language Proficiency;
· Hold, or be eligible to hold, relevant Australian Permanent Residency status or an unrestricted right to work in Australia;
· Possess strong and effective team working competencies;
· Be committed to service excellence
AND
· Minimum 1500 hours total aeronautical experience of which 500 hours may be helicopter time,
· 500 hours Pilot in Command or First Officer on Multi Engine Aircraft and
· 250 hours Pilot in Command of fixed-wing aircraft of which 150 may be ICUS.
Note
Glass cockpit and multi-crew experience preferred
In exceptional circumstances and on the recommendation of the Pilot Recruitment Manager, the Appointments and Promotions Committee may determine that a pilot is sufficiently qualified and experienced for recruitment with less that the qualifications and experience specified above.
Training of Jetstar crew members shall be as specified in the company Training and Checking Manual.

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I think that as far as foreign pilots are concerned they want type rated drivers, as even the locals who go there have a pay deduction for the initial type.

A good friend of mine just started there and he told me that other than him (B737NG TRI), pretty much everybody was coming off of Metro's, and down to Navajo's. There have been a number of DE skippers hired as of late as well, also due to the lack of qualified people for upgrade. If one has the right to work in OZ, it looks like a fair opportunity. They have just recently negotiated quite good T&C's, as have Qantas Jetconnect (NZ), and Virgin Blue; now we're just waiting for the same to happen at Pacific Blue (VB NZ).

Yes it is true, that a criminal record is no longer required to obtain working papers to Australia!

Qantas has a hiring freeze on at the moment, but I am not positive that the freeze includes tech crew. They have however sliced capacity so it is likely. I am pretty sure that we (Air NZ)will not be hiring for a little while now, but we are still planning interviews.

I find it very difficult to believe that Australia does not require a police report; Mafly135 would know for sure. Just because the place was populated by convicts doesn't mean they want to let more in. But perhaps Molon is just taking the %$#@.

Koru, I was just replaying an old quote from George Bernard Shaw, when questioned by a customs official if he had any criminal convictions he answered in a very pomey accent. "I understood it is no longer required!"

Negative... a lad I flew with interviewed last month and now has a September class date.

wow, this sounds like a pretty extreme case. CASA has done well to keep us yanks out. There are plenty of starving OZ pilots out there. It's damn near impossible to get a work visa without being sponsored by a company in Oz. A pilot is not even on their list of occupations that can apply for self-sponsored work visas. You are better of becoming a mine worker, lol.