Regional Express Airlines (REX) - Australia
 

Did anyone participate this week or will this weekend in the interview process? Just trying to get the skinny on working there. I have an interview tomorrow and am considering not going due to the cost of living in Austlralia vs. pay.

Cost of living is high. But if you can score an Adelaide base you'll live much better. Close to the shops, night life and right on the beach too. I lived pretty well off 42k there, my wife didnt work and we had a blast. I have several friends who upgraded in less than 2 years. Forget SyDney or Melbourne bases, way too expensive, you'll be living better than the stateside regionals though. Depends what you're looking for in a job. You have nothing to lose by interviewing though...

I fly with ex-REX guys and they're not exactly positive about the pay and conditions.

Cost of living is at least double in Sydney compared to say DC and it's only getting worse. Electricity bills are going up 25% in the next 2 months. No, I'm not kidding. Adelaide is still expensive compared to the US but cheaper than Sydney. Food and grocery prices will leave you speechless

If you have any ideas about having kids or buying property, choose because you won't be able to do both.

I feel like I get bent over daily, here. So I'm voting with my feet....

Any one been interviewing without a Saab type rating? Thinking about applying even though I'm not Saab typed.

Here are some figures for you....

Rent (1 bed flat) - $2500/month
Food (for 2. No booze) - $180-220/week
Electricity - $600/Qtr
Natural Gas - $70/Qtr
Cell phone (2 on a linked plan) - $160/month
Car Insurance - $1200/Yr
Car Registration - $1000/Yr
Internet - $100/Month for cr@ppy ADSL
2 tickets to see a film - $50

Also, they're going to be brining guys over on a 457 visa and the Premier of New South Wales has said he's going to be getting rid of the tax break that you get on this visa, within the next couple of months.

Curious as to where you are headed Kenny, Asia?

Hey Kenny - How hard was it to get the visa?

I'm in the very lucky position that I didn't need a visa but as I understand it, once you get offered the job, it's pretty much a done deal. Any company offering a foreign pilot a job requiring a 457 visa, has the number of visas they can get, sorted out in advance.

Dom, I've got a couple of options but not in Asia. If living in Australia is where you really want to be, I'm with a very good mob. Training culture aside. So, I'm being very careful about where I would move to.

[QUOTE=jsfBoat;1173039]Any one been interviewing without a Saab type rating? Thinking about applying even though I'm not Saab typed.[/QUOT
From what I understand you do not have to be PIC typed on the Saab... they are looking for pilots that have certain TT, PIC, and Crew environment turbine time. They are very serious about bringing pilots down to Australia and by comparison to the compensation in the US I think the pay/QOL/etc is pretty fair. My opinion is that having zero Saab experience and trying to become a Direct Entry Captain would be pretty difficult... especially if you haven't been in a transport category left seat before. I would recommend that you submit your resume... if they call you up for an interview they are interested and if they don't call they aren't interested. Best of luck.

Do not fall into that trap and simply look at the dollar amount. You cannot compare the two.. Cost of living is far higher. The tax is one the highest in the world and you pay for everything here. I just had to get CASA to simply email a copy of my medical to me and it cost $25. Not a large amount but a PITA when you consider the medical cost $200 and another $75 for CASA process the paperwork.

If this is something you want to do, I'd recommend getting in touch with a current REX pilot , through Pprune. At least then you'll have a far better idea of what you're letting yourself in for.

Also, don't think if you do end up down here, that you know how to fly. Because as far as the Australians are concerned you won't. Certainly not if you're American. After almost 9000 hours I was informed on my last sim that I'd been "taught" incorrectly how to do visual approaches, because I was looking outside. I sh!t you not!