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Hundreds of qualified pilots and cabin crew have applied for five private jet jobs as the country’s aviation industry continues to be awash with unemployed professionals.
More than 200 pilots applied for three positions flying Garden City Helicopter Aviation’s (GCH Aviation) new Bombardier Challenger 604 late last year.
The company recently announced two flight attendants and several hundred people applied.
Garden City Helicopters general manager Simon Duncan said the response had been overwhelming.
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Many applicants were laid off during the restructuring after Covid-19 halted international air travel, he said.
“We know that some of them are doing things like working on ferries and that kind of thing. They are quite overqualified. “
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The GCH Aviation Bombardier Challenger 604 private jet that began operating in July 2020.
A year after Virgin Australia closed its operations in New Zealand, former Boeing 737 captain Mike Kenyon is working on civil aviation maintenance and administration for a helicopter company in Taupō while conducting a small amount of pilot training.
“I’m still actively looking for jobs that don’t seem to exist.”
He was aware of the private jet jobs in Christchurch, but did not apply because he knew they would be highly controversial as other applicants had more experience with the aircraft type.
After overcoming the initial shock of the layoff, it took him six months to find a regular job.
He had hoped to fly again, which he was passionate about, but progress towards any kind of travel bubble had been glacial in New Zealand.
“The rest of the country appears to be advancing at a pace while aviation and tourism are stagnant.”
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Former Virgin Australia captains Mike Kenyon, left, and Shane Grabham training in a Cessna 152 at Tokoroa Airfield.
New Zealand Airline Pilots Association President Andrew Ridling estimated that more than 1,000 pilots in New Zealand were laid off, including some 600 pilots from major airlines.
There may be another 600 from tour companies and helicopters, he said.
“This is not just a New Zealand problem, it is a global problem.”
Last week he learned that there were 10,000 unemployed pilots in Europe alone.
In New Zealand, many pilots had taken jobs driving machinery or trucks, but it was a huge drop in skill level and income.
Many people did not realize how badly the industry had been affected by Covid-19, he said.
“One month it was booming and the next month it was off, it is no different from tourism.”
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New Zealand Airline Pilots Association (NZALPA) President Andrew Ridling believes that more than 1,000 New Zealand pilots have lost their jobs due to Covid-19.
Although a travel bubble through Tasmania seems more likely, the future remains uncertain for those who want to continue in the industry, he said.
“Are people going to travel? Will they be allowed to travel? There is so much in the air right now. “
E Tū Union aviation spokesperson Savage said thousands of aviation workers lost their jobs in the wake of the global pandemic and likely some 2,000 cabin crew members in New Zealand.
Savage said the travel bubble offered some hope to cabin crew who wanted to stay in the industry, particularly Air New Zealand workers who were guaranteed the first opportunity at new jobs.
JASON DORDAY / THINGS
Sarah Jones, a former Air New Zealand flight attendant, is about to start her fourth job in a year.
GCH Aviation Marketing Manager Caroline Blanchfield said the company was still working on applications for the cabin crew.
Three pilots were designated and traveled to Texas for specialized training earlier this year.
The company began operating its first charter business in July of last year and was looking for more staff as it got busier and busier.
It was mostly used on domestic routes, when people wanted to move quickly, such as Christchurch to Napier, which generally took two days to get to and from the big airlines.
“We can have a person there and back in one day.”
Private jet personnel needed to have very specific training, he said.
Duncan said many of the applicants for the positions did not have the necessary skills, despite working for airlines and first class.
They had to be trained for the security features of the particular aircraft and required a high level of customer service and confidentiality.
The company is considering expanding its fleet of private jets with increasing demand for destinations such as Australia and Fiji as Covid-19 vaccines were rolled out.
