Auzy Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 Hey, I've been considering signing up for the Cadet pilot course with REX airlines and just wondering if anyone has done it yet, if they reckon its a good or bad idea, know what the end pay is like, etc. I've already had 15hours in a piper warrior 2, and they train in 3's (so I guess the main difference is that I wont crash if I forget to select the fuel tank). Info is at: http://www.rex.com.au/CadetPilot/default.aspx and http://www.rex.com.au/CadetPilot/cadet_faq.pdf No better place to ask then here I guess before sending off an email to them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxter Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 Mate, I would definately go for it. It's a pity i'm too damn old and can't really afford to go back to a trainee wage or I would be there myself. More power to you for taking the chance and following your dream if that is in fact is what you're doing. The other thing is that there is a massive shortage of qualified pilots worldwide and getting in now could be an excellent career move. All the best with it mate, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auzy Posted March 13, 2008 Author Share Posted March 13, 2008 Even though I'm locked into the program for 6 years? What would trainee wage be like? Just wondering if it gets boring or whatever. Hows it like being a pilot. Not even sure what the lifestyle is like working for a commercial airline Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falknis Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 I'd say go for it mate, just gotta find the $80,000 and make the selection criteria, one of the flying instructors from Tyabb in Victoria made the cut for the first intake, He had loads of hours had his commercial license with alot of other ratings at only 19 years old, I'm 29 and just like you finally going for my license, currently have about 65 hours logged up and just on my last couple of navs then I have to complete my PPL exam, I have a mortgage and a few other responsabilities so it would be hard for me also to take a pay cut. good luck with your flying. CHEERS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxter Posted March 13, 2008 Share Posted March 13, 2008 Even though I'm locked into the program for 6 years? What would trainee wage be like? Just wondering if it gets boring or whatever. Hows it like being a pilot. Not even sure what the lifestyle is like working for a commercial airline All I can say is that if I were starting out in working life, I would jump at the chance in a heart beat. I would have loved to fly professionally, but circumstances in my younger years conspired to prevent it. Committing to 6 years and comming out the other end with a well paying career is a pretty good deal in my book, that's if you like flying. Cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biscuit Chucker Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 Do REX require inductee's to pay for their own endorsements? Why cover CPL, ME and CIR and not ATPL? Still if you're strapped for cash.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AJT67 Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 (Just an opinion) Like the other guys here, I started my flying too old to make a real career of it. Over the years I've known many other pilots, right the way up to military and 747 types. But one of your questions has worried me; You ask whether you'll like it or if you'll get bored. To myself, and most other pilots I've known, flying is a passion. You should not ask or wonder about when you're next going to go up, you should be champing at the bit to get airborne again. Unless you've worded your feelings a little incorrectly, I would re-assess as to whether you want this to be your career goal. Not meaning to be off-putting, but it's a lot of work and dedication, and you also have to accept that you may not end up where you wanted to be. (From a cynical 41 year old with 12 years flying experience)...lol Andrew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradHosking Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 Be very careful. I did look into it and I believe you should check out the pay packet at the end of the day after your course and shilling out all those $$$ While you could become a Saab Captain, I believe the initial money is only around $40,000/year for a F/O If your young and have not alot of money, go for it. But for the $80,000 you spend you might be able to get your ratings normally and fly elsewhere, get your hours and some $$$ and not be locked in for a period of time you don't need to be. Look at everything before signing anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auzy Posted March 15, 2008 Author Share Posted March 15, 2008 Thanks for the advice guys. I think I might just see if theres a way I can see the contract before applying. Because 6 years is a long time Just one more question though.. What is life with a commercial airliner like? I'm assuming it means spending weekends flying, random nighttime flying, etc. Not sure if I could keep up with the lifestyle actually.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AJT67 Posted March 15, 2008 Share Posted March 15, 2008 Auzy, Again, only on word from friends. I guess to some degree you are going to have to give up your social life. One of my friends did some years ago, but kudos to him, he now works for Singapore airlines, but for him, it has been a road that has been 12 years long. The main things that come to mind is shift hours, and human factors and limitations, these include, but are not limited to: Having various shifts at different times (as I do here on the mines) Having to adjust your social life accordingly Having to vary your sleep patterns according to you flight schedules (Must have a minimum amout of sleep prior to flying) Avoiding alcohol when you are even close to your rosters (International flying) The problem of sleep patterns being disrupted by time zone changes. This is very apparent with girls, who think of the glamour of being international cabin crew etc, but end up having things like their periods thrown off whack. I'm not trying to paint a gloomy picture; just putting forward some of the realities of it all. I love flying, but I reached a point where I decided not to make a career of it. That point was when I laid out mega $$ and lost a lot of my social life when I was younger, to find that the best I could do was end up as a flight instructor on $40k per year. Step forward to now, and I'm 41, a computer network engineer, on twice that amount. I was wanting to do a career change last year; I wanted to do flight line work at Perth airport, aircraft checks and turnarounds, to get me back around aircraft, but again, for me, it was noisy, hazardous shift work with a salary of around $40k. The guys who wanted to hire me were trying to sell me on getting "free parking at Perth airport" Big deal! And it's pretty much the same rates in Europe as well from memory. In fact, there is one thing I intend to find out tonight, will let you know tomorrow. I work on a gold mine, and there have been a couple of aircraft up here doing low level survey work. I meant to find the pilots and ask them if I could go up one day. If I track them down, I'll find out how much they get paid. Like I said, don't mean to sound negative, but you really have to have a passion for flying, there are no shortcuts to the top I'm afraid, and certainly no guarantees. Best of luck. Andrew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biscuit Chucker Posted March 15, 2008 Share Posted March 15, 2008 I don't think you could go as far as to call life @ a regional a 'lifestyle'. Long hours, low pay and minimum rest sleeps usually lead to making a choice between dinner/drinks or adequate time in the sack.. Having said that, flying Regionally was some of the best fun I've albeit on the other side of the FD door. If you've got the passion and are willing to put your money on the line, I'd give it a go. You might find yourself @ some stage being somewhere you might not want to be for a while, but @ least you'll have the experience and the hours in your logbook when you're ready to head for greener pastures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxter Posted March 15, 2008 Share Posted March 15, 2008 If you've got the passion and are willing to put your money on the line, I'd give it a go. You might find yourself @ some stage being somewhere you might not want to be for a while, but @ least you'll have the experience and the hours in your logbook when you're ready to head for greener pastures. Well, said, as the old saying goes, you get nothing for free... My own kids could learn a thing or two from that principle. Cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradHosking Posted March 15, 2008 Share Posted March 15, 2008 My father is a commercial Airline pilot/Ex RAAF In Australia he flew for Ansett and overseas Malaysian Airlines and is currently an check/training/examiner with Emirates on the Airbus. What it's like...you may as well cop the negative points if you want them. There are more however these are just some. 1. Expect to miss out on your family's birthday's/Christmas/special events. Airlines are a 24x7 365 business. People want to travel regardless what day it is. 2. You'll have flying days, RDO and standby days. So sometimes when your off, your actually on. 3. Expect crap pay in Australia. Why else would he be overseas. 4. Expect your body clock to be completely screwed if you end up doing long haul. Timezones are a killer. So, you have to weigh up the pay, the hours, and your time off to gather if it is worth it all. Only you can do that. There are the other aspects as well. You get to fly which if you have a passion for it, might just outweigh all of these aspects. I too am an IT admin and one day when I am on enough I will get my own aircraft or glider (probably glider) and will fly anyway so I am not bothered. I have almost 100 hours in gliders however have not flown for about the last 10 years due to starting a family and you need $$$ for that. At the end of the day, if your young enough and you have a passion for it, go for it. You'll only kick yourself later for doing nothing. The only real way I think to get the hours and not spend the massive amounts of $$$ is to join the RAAF. Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AJT67 Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 Brad is very correct there. You have to have a real passion for flying, you have to be willing to sacrifice a lot in your life if you want to do it as a career, so think carefully over that one. Good luck with whatever decision you make though. Brad, you are looking a similar way to me. I wanted to buy an aircraft just prior to retirement and cross-hire it out. Granted I haven't been to Jandakot recently, but last time I was there, most of the GA fleet there were as old as me. I was thinking of buying something new-generation like a Cirrus SR-22 and cross-hiring it out, or a Socata TB-20. Get the feeling I'd have people lining up to fly one of those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auzy Posted March 17, 2008 Author Share Posted March 17, 2008 Thanks for the advice.. Seems I really have to think about it. Its fun flying as a hobby, but unconvinced I want to spent all my holidays, and all that doing it too Time to sit down with a cold drink and think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turdle Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Just stumbled across this post. I havent flown for a few years, but my 2 cents worth is that flying is much more fun as an expensive hobby. Flying route stuff is fun if that's what you have a passion for, but after a while you might find that even the most passionate pilot loses the enthusiasm. From my experience....(adding to what other people have posted) The bad points... Shift work gets the better of you after a while (even more so if you are in a relationship or have a young family). Going home after a long day and going to bed only to get up what seems like 10 mintes later to do it all again. It is a very mentally tiring job which you only discover when you get home and just want to sleep. Working on your days off, weekends, easter, christmas etc really sucks. Tight schedules and delays do not mix...delays mean more time at work. You seem to live at the airport. Unless you fly long haul big jet stuff, you can make more money driving a bus or a taxi. The good points... You get to fly lots and lots...but you wish you were flying that 737 overtaking you so you could get home sooner. You are not in an office all day. You are your own boss (to a degree). Every day is a different challenge even if the work is routine. It sounds like a glamorous job and will get you lots of brownie points with the opposite sex (because they think you earn $200K a year). I'm not saying don't give it a go, but to do something for 6 years which you end up not happy doing after a while will be the longest 6 years of your life. The upside is if you manage to get them to pay for the whole thing via the scholarship and you enjoy doing it then you're laughing. Give it some thought, but explore the some other ways you can spend the $$$ learning to fly and making a career out of it. Good luck with whatever you choose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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