What should QF do ?

[tipsy.skipsy]

What should QF do ?
What should QF do to improve safety ?

What should QF do to improve customer satisfaction ? Product Improvement ? Service Improvement ? Teach all the employees how to smile and treat customers with respect.

Should Qantas come up with a Cadet Pilot Programme similar to other carriers like ( Cathay Pacific , Etihad Airways etc )

Cadet Pilot programme have improved efficiency and knowledge base of pilots as pilots train in the airline environment from the first go.

On the other hand , how does safety weigh against loyalty.

Should you rather be loyal to an unsafe airline ? Or fly with the safest one ??

Interesting read.
Why the Senate needs to recall Qantas executives – Plane Talking

 

[milehighclub]

Qantas does have a pilot cadet program and has so for many years

Qantas careers - Cadet Program Home

 

[tipsy.skipsy]

Qantas does have a pilot cadet program and has so for many years

Qantas careers - Cadet Program Home

Thanks it had completely skipped my mind , what I meant was that they have not recruited any cadets in the last year or maybe more , please correct me if I am wrong. They have plans for hiring people for jetstar ops from Singapore ?

Well there is availability of local talent and sure there are many who would be keen on the cadet pilot program. Local talent has proven to be much more safer , as is a bit expensive because of extra training and CASA looking over their shoulders. But pilots recruited from Singapore won't have their basic training under CASA supervision. Hence , less safe.

 

[JetLagged]

Any pilots recruited by Qantas will have to be able to meet Qantas/CASA standards and have their training brought up to that level - and maintained at that standard!

 

[NM]

The issue with cadet pilot training programs is determining at what point in the training program does the cadet pilot occupy the right hand seat in a two-pilot crew? While a cadet pilot may hold a pilots licence and be certified to fly the aircraft type, there is considerable concern among experienced pilots that the lack of experience of low-hour cadets may cause problems when the work-load in the "office" rapidly accelerates when things start to deviate from "normal" conditions.

If you look at some of the high-workload incidents of recent times (like the QF32 A380 engine failure or the 747 oxygen bottle explosion), the extensive experience of the flight crew was a significant factor in their ability to manage the situation in a professional and systematic manner without panic or distraction. While a cadet pilot may be able to handle such situations well, the level of expectation that this will be the case is low, potentially placing additional workload and responsibility on the Captain. Such events are emergency situations and not training exercises.

Qantas has had a program of including Second Officers in the technical crew, allowing them to gain experience and exposure to the office environment while maintaining at least two experienced crew in the team. SOs generally take a rear seat for take-off and landing and only occupy the right hand seat during cruise when the Captain or First Officer take a break. I am not sure how the SO Program and a Cadet Pilot program are expected to be incorporated in the future pilot development programs of Qantas and other airlines. But I do know it is a cause for concern among some pilots.

 

[ric_melb]

There are of course many opinions regarding safety matters and various problem occurrences. However the first option is worded very badly in my opinion.
It will never be proven that Qantas is an unsafe airline.
There may be lapses in procedures, but this can happen in any organisation, but the procedures Qantas has are designed to ensure safety is a priority. In addition I am sure that Qantas employees do their jobs with safety as a priority, to suggest otherwise would be an insult to them.
Just my thoughts.

 

[Nigelinoz]

What should QF do to improve safety ?

Surely the question should read "What should QF do to correct the perception in some peoples minds that they are an unsafe airline"
It has yet to be proved that QF is an unsafe airline..
Oh,and by the way when you come up with an answer to my version of your question I suggest you email it to Alan Joyce,I'm sure he'd love to receive it.
Cheers
N'oz

 

[milehighclub]

Well there is availability of local talent and sure there are many who would be keen on the cadet pilot program. Local talent has proven to be much more safer , as is a bit expensive because of extra training and CASA looking over their shoulders. But pilots recruited from Singapore won't have their basic training under CASA supervision. Hence , less safe.

What statistics or proof do you have to show that pilots trained in Singapore are unsafe? You just insulted every pilot ever trained in Singapore - and I don't think Singapore Airlines is going to hire "unsafe" pilots. The issue is experience, not where they are trained.

Pilots trained in Singapore would be governed by the Civil Aviation Authority Singapore and it would be fair to say that they would also hold very high standards just like CASA.

 

[nlagalle]

Well there is availability of local talent and sure there are many who would be keen on the cadet pilot program. Local talent has proven to be much more safer , as is a bit expensive because of extra training and CASA looking over their shoulders. But pilots recruited from Singapore won't have their basic training under CASA supervision. Hence , less safe.

Actually you should research where many Asian students learn to fly. It's here in Australia - under the CASA syllabus. I think there is being a little to much generalization.

As pointed out the issue is the experience factor.

 

[lovestotravel]

QF should just give all the flying to Jetstar.

Matter of time before Qantas is just left with a fleet of A380's and everything else is Jetstar.

 

[NM]

What statistics or proof do you have to show that pilots trained in Singapore are unsafe?

Not that I am suggesting it applies to all SQ pilots or all pilots trained in Singapore, nor that any other airlines or training locations are immune, but perhaps SQ6 and SQ286 are some starting points.

 

[ozmille]

Surely the question should read "What should QF do to correct the perception in some peoples minds that they are an unsafe airline"
It has yet to be proved that QF is an unsafe airline..

This was my first thought upon reading the title as well.

 

[harvyk]

Bit of a loaded poll in my opinion.

Be it because QF hire some damn good pilots, or be it that QF are making sacrifices to the right gods, QF is still a very safe airline, whom have yet to have a major crash involving loss of life in a jet.

So I personally will continue to fly QF, and until an actual crash involving loss of life happens I doubt I will re-evaluate my position. These issues which have happened with QF over the last few years are no more than what would happen at any other airline around the world.

Furthermore some of the issues which have been published by news limited which had QF's name in the headline didn't even involved QF.

What QF right now have is a marketing \ corporate image problem. Not a safety problem.

 

[gumpy]

my opinion is keep flying them until i can convince someone to allow us to stop using them