Working for Susi Air - First Officer C208B Interview

Happy Holidays 2015!!!

2015-12-28T03:24:00.001-08:00

Indonesian Aerospace introduces the new N219, locally built aircraft

2015-12-11T01:43:00.003-08:00

Indonesian aerospace company
introduces new homegrown
aircraft

thejakartapost.com | Business | Fri, December 11 2015, 1:24 PM

A N219 aircraft designed by PT Dirgantara Indonesia at an assembly facility. The aircraft is considered to be a suitable vehicle for President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to use to travel around Indonesia. (Kompas.com/Reska K. Nistanto)

State-owned aerospace company PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) has introduced the new N219, an aircraft entirely designed by local engineers and suitable for travel around the archipelago.

International Civil Aviation Association (ICAO) special envoy Indroyono Soesilo said he was proud to present the work of local engineers and their contribution to the world of aviation technology.

“The 19-seat N219 is the final contribution of Indonesian aerospace engineers from PTDI's 1970s and 1980s generation. Its system integrity, navigation systems and all its technology are all original Indonesian made,” Indroyono said as quoted by Kompas.com.

He said that he hoped this would inspire a new generation of engineers in the nation and continue the process of knowledge transfer from experienced PTDI engineers to the new generation.

Former employees of PTDI who had moved on to work at leading aviation companies such as Boeing, Bombardier, Bell or ATR should pass on their experiences and skills to young aspiring engineers, Indroyono continued.

These former employees had spread across the globe creating a diaspora of Indonesian aviation technology specialists, he added.

“If it is not taught to the young, the ability of Indonesians to design airplanes will eventually cease," said Indroyono. (liz/dan)(+
)

Swedish article about one of the girls flying for Susi Air!

2015-11-13T01:47:00.002-08:00

If you understand Swedish or have a good command of Google Translate, then check out this article from a Swedish newspaper about Elin, one of the many women working for Susi Air, flying in Papua:

http://weekend.di.se/reportage/med-livet-som-insats-8

Although the majority of pilots in Susi Air are male, there are more and more women joining the ranks and doing some of the most challenging and exciting flying in the world. Elin is one of them!

Volcano forces fresh shut down of Bali airport

2015-07-23T05:06:00.004-07:00

Although Susi Air do not fly to Denpasar on a regular basis, it seems that volcanic activity from Mt.Raung is still causing some serious headaches for the aviation business in Bali.

Agence France-Presse, Denpasar, Indonesia | National | Wed, July 22 2015, 2:35 PM

Ash spewing from a volcano closed the airport on the Indonesian resort island of Bali Wednesday for the third time this month, forcing the cancellation of flights and stranding tourists during peak holiday season.

Mount Raung on Indonesia's main island of Java, which has been rumbling for weeks, sent an ash cloud floating over Bali that closed the island's Ngurah Rai airport, the transport ministry said.

Two small airports on Java serving domestic routes were also shut down, it added.

"Due to volcanic ash from Mount Raung, the Ngurah Rai airport is temporarily closed again from midday (0500 GMT)," ministry spokesman J. A. Barata told AFP. "We don't know when it will reopen, we will monitor the situation."

Volcanic ash from Raung had already closed Bali's international airport two times this month, between July 9 and 12, forcing almost 900 flights to be cancelled or delayed and creating a backlog that took days to clear.

The shutdown on Bali, a top holiday destination that attracts millions of visitors from around the world to its palm-fringed beaches every year, has come during one of the busiest times of the year for the tourist industry.

The latest shutdown will also cause major disruption for domestic tourists, as millions are making their way back home after going away for last week's Muslim holiday of Eid.

Australian airlines Virgin Australia and Jetstar said they were cancelling flights on Wednesday to and from Bali, a favourite holiday destination for Australians. It was not immediately clear how many flights would be cancelled by the new airport closure.

Indonesian government vulcanologist Gede Suantika said Raung was shooting out ash 3,000 metres (10,000 feet) into the air on Wednesday, and the wind was blowing it southeast towards Bali.

Air traffic is regularly disrupted by volcanic eruptions in Indonesia, which sits on a belt of seismic activity running around the basin of the Pacific Ocean and is home to the highest number of active volcanoes in the world at around 130.

The main concern for airlines regarding volcanic ash is not that it can affect visibility but rather that it could damage aircraft, as ash turns into molten glass when it is sucked into jet engines, according to experts. (ika)(++++)
- See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/07/22/volcano-forces-fresh-shutdown-bali-airport.html#sthash.BqluWnTV.dpuf

Update on entry requirements

2015-05-01T04:28:00.004-07:00

Hi all!

There seems to have been a bit of confusion as to entry requirements for a F/O position with Susi Air in the last few months since Christmas. It used to be that 200 hours would get you an interview, unfortunately those days seem to be long gone.

Due to new legislation from the Indonesian DGCA in an effort to stem P2F (which does not affect Susi Air at all) requirements for non-citizens has been raised to 750 hours total time!

See the text below which i borrowed from a well known forum:

C208 FO Prerequisites 2015

Thank you for your interest in Susi Air.
Susi Air will receive any pilot application all year long but only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interview or intake when necessary depends on company needs.
Susi Air is adopting the regulations of Indonesian Directorate General of Civil Aviation as the basic requirement for employment and adds up with other company's requirements.

CAT 1. For Indonesian Passport Holder with Indonesian License:
CPL holderHold a First Class medical (current or not).Hold an FAA license or has minimum 750 hours.Copy of logbook in the last three months with verification stamp or signature from chief pilot or flight instructor.Minimum of level 5 ICAO English proficiency test.Comprehensive CVID (KTP or Passport)For non Ab-Initio/ experienced pilot must attached an accident and incident-free report from DGCA.

CAT 2. For Indonesian Passport Holder with Non-Indonesian License

All requirements on CAT 1Foreign license must be current on SEL and IRHave a copy of examiner's report or check form of the latest flight review/ flight test/ re-validation/ proficiency check and still valid for at least 6 months.License verification letter with current information from authority AND accident/incident-free report from authority is a must.

CAT 3. For Non-Indonesian Passport Holder:
Minimum total hours of 750 aircraft time.at least ICAO CPL SEL and IR (current). FAA mother license is preferable.Have a copy of examiner's report or check form of the latest flight review/ check ride/ proficiency check of the SEL rating and still valid for at least 6 months.First Class medical (current), no restriction except for corrective glasses.License verification letter with current information from authority AND accident and incident-free report from authority.Copy of logbook in the last three months with verification stamp or signature from chief pilot or flight instructor.Free from any form of color blindness and passed the Ishihara Color Test - Indonesian authority only accept the Ishihara Color Blind Test.Minimum of level 5 ICAO English proficiency test.Valid passport minimum 24 months leftComprehensive CV.

All pilot applications must be submitted by e-mail to recruiting@susiair.com

It looks like it is getting harder and harder for newbies to get a foothold in the industry, even more so now as Susi Air was one of the last few opportunities for zero hours guys.

Good luck all the same and happy landings!

Happy Easter and Happy job hunting!

2015-04-03T09:56:00.000-07:00

Continued pilot shortage in SE Asia

2015-03-11T01:53:00.001-07:00

An interesting read in The Jakarta Globe. Although operators have been crying out for crew for the last few years, it is important to understand that there is a lack of suitably qualified pilots (type rated, jet experience and a minimum of 500 hours on type) and not young ab-initio guys.

Susi Air is continuously recruiting new first officers and will continue to do so for the remainder of 2015. As a minimum it seems like the requirement is at least 250 hours total time, but pilots with 700 hours + will be given priority as they are looking for potential quick upgrade candidates.

Asia is running out of pilots

Good luck with the job hunt!

Recruitment update December 2014

2014-12-04T05:31:00.002-08:00

From Co. Website DEC 2014:

Information for pilot job in 2014-2015:

Susi Air will receive any pilot application all year long but shortlisted candidates will only contacted for interview or intake when necessary depends on company needs.

All pilot applications must be submitted by e-mail to email listed below.

Applications sent to other addresses will not be processed.

Our recruiting committee shall be the one establish contact with the applicants should the submissions meet our standard AND pique our interests. That indicates only few applications will be responded and others deemed as rejected will be ignored.

FOLLOWING-UP APPLICATION VIA PHONE CALLS IS STRONGLY NOT SUGGESTED.

WALK-IN INTERVIEW WILL BE REJECTED IMMEDIATELY.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Minimum 700 flight hours to apply, prefer candidates with over 1000 flight hours.

INTERVIEW:

The test subjects are general CPL/IFR knowledge and the computer based 'COMPASS' Test. Also expect a number of questions related to the C208B and the PT6 engine.

These tests cannot be taken online or before coming to the interview. Arrive well prepared for the interview and consider: the costs and risks of coming to the interview are entirely on your side. Susi Air does not give any guarantee of employment.

For your information: as per our current statistics, approx. 25 percent of the pilots coming to an interview are successfully employed.

To be considered for Captain upgrade you need a minimum of TT 1.000 hrs and approx. 100 hrs line flying as FO (even if you have well over 1000 hrs at the time of your application) with Susi Air of course all depending on your performance.

Worst Place To Be a Pilot Link

2014-08-29T01:56:00.000-07:00

Here's the link for Season 1, Episode 2:

Season 1, Episode 2

And Season 1, Episode 3:

Season 1, Episode 3

And the final episode:

Season 1, Episode 4

Enjoy!!!

"Worst Place to be a Pilot" - New TV show now airing on UK's Channel 4

2014-08-22T07:40:00.003-07:00

Hi All!

This past Tuesday was the premiere of the first episode of a new TV show that follows some of the British pilots working at Susi Air. I managed to watch it on YouTube the day after and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised!

It gives a pretty accurate (although somewhat dramatic) portrayal of what working for Susi Air is all about. There are 4 episodes in season 1, so be sure to catch the next one when and if you can. It was fun to see some old and familiar faces on tv from when I was working there, but also a lot of new guys of course!

Click on these links for access to episode 1:

Worst Place to be a Pilot, S01E01

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/worst-place-to-be-a-pilot

Enjoy!!!

New job, new possibilities!

2014-07-13T03:04:00.000-07:00

Hi all

I realize it has been a long time since my last entry. So here is a little update. After working in Malawi for a year, I decided to move on and try something new. This was mainly due to the fact that the company I was working for got rid of the King Air 200 I was flying. I have accepted a 5 month free lance job in Tanzania working for Coastal Aviation. The flying is very exciting, lots of island hopping and also bush flying in the Selous and Ruaha game reserves. It's all single crew operations, and although the Caravans arent as new and modern as Susi Air's, it is a very rewarding flying experience. Have a look at a few photos below. They are actually looking for crew, but you need 1000 hours total time and previous experience on Caravan.

On the Susi Air side, I hear that they are still actively conducting interviews for First Officer so get those Cv's in! The email address remains the same as stated in one of my older entries. They have also penned a deal with Summit Air in Canada for the wet lease of up to 4 Dornier 228's. Finally Susi Air has gotten those long sort after twins! Have a look at the picture below of the first one to arrive.

Happy flying everyone!

Coastal Aviation logo resembles a Dhow (sailing boat) and the sun

Selfie!!

Coastal Caravan parked at Mafia Island (HTMA)

Susi Air new Dornier 228

New website for Susi Air online

2013-09-30T01:35:00.000-07:00

See the new website here: http://fly.susiair.com/

There are direct instructions as to the recruitment policy under "updates". I have pasted the information below:

IMPORTANT! Pilot recruitment

We are receiving applications at any time of year however it never necessarily always followed by interview and course intake. The occasion will be based on company’s demand and Susi Air hold the exclusive rights on how and when to announce it.

All job applications must be submitted via email to recruiting@susiair.com. We are not responsible for lost documents if submitted in other means. All job applications that we received will be kept for our future interest.

We will contact you if your application piques our interest. If no news after six weeks, please consider it to be unsuccessful.

Do not make a visit to the office for a walk-in interview.

Happy job hunting guys!

Have a look at my new workplace!

2013-07-18T06:17:00.000-07:00

As some of you might know, I now fly the King Air 200 in Malawi, Africa. Have a look at www.flyulendo.com or like Ulendo Airlink on Facebook! I will try do an update on flying here in the near future.

Cheers

If your interested in mountain flying, then check this blog out!

2013-06-26T03:49:00.000-07:00

If you dream of flying the Pilatus Porter in Papua for Susi Air, then have a look at this blog to get an idea:

http://indopilot.blogspot.com/

Matt has been doing this for a while now and by the looks of it, he's loving every minute!

Cheers

End of June Update

2013-06-26T03:42:00.003-07:00

Hello guys

I realize its been quite a while since I last wrote on the blog and the reason is simple! I have a new job and have moved on from Susi Air. I am currently in Africa as a co-pilot on a King Air B200 flying charters. Just goes to show what a good platform Susi Air can be to prospective pilots. My time at Susi was great, learnt a lot, but most importantly, met so many nice people. Remember, its not what you know, its who you know!

Although I have left, I will continue to update the blog when I hear news from that side of the world. As of now, the consensus seems to be that the recruitment freeze is still in place. I would expect this to be lifted towards the end of the year as there are rumors of new aircraft (C208's) coming in.

Until then, if you have any questions, please give me a shout.

Cheers!

Recruitment freeze

2013-03-12T05:07:00.002-07:00

Recently people have been telling me that there is a recruitment freeze in place at Susi Air for at least the next 2 months due to excessive crew numbers.

I guess due to the slow turnover of pilots for various reasons, Captains are not moving on as frequently as they used to. The latest initial course only had 5 guys. Normally this number is around 8-12. Keep sending those applications though, as things can change quickly.

Happy landings!

DGCA new "250 hour" rule implementation

2013-02-27T02:23:00.001-08:00

Recently the Indonesian DGCA announced a new rule regarding the hiring of foreigners by Indonesian companies. Apparently all foreigners need a minimum of 250 hours on the type they are being hired to fly before a Indonesian license can be issued. This only applies to Part 121 operators and NOT Part 135 (Susi Air). So you can keep on applying and hopefully get an interview!

Email address for applicants

2013-02-06T19:34:00.001-08:00

I have been told that the only accepted email address to use for sending applications is:

recruiting@susiair.com

Please only use this from now on! Whether or not you will get a reply is a different story.

New Year...New Images

2013-01-03T23:43:00.000-08:00

Enjoy!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012

2012-12-24T00:51:00.002-08:00

Wishing all former, current and prospective pilots a happy holiday season, and looking forward to a brighter 2013 with more hours and opportunities for everyone!

See you all in 2013!!!

The first few days in Susi Air

2012-12-12T19:54:00.004-08:00

If you are successful at the interview, you will normally get a positive reply within 4-5 weeks. You will receive an email confirming this, along with other information pertaining to your start date. The first thing on the list is the business visa application in Singapore. Your intake group will all be given a date to be in Singapore for the visa application. I recommend you buy a one way ticket from your home base to Singapore and then a return ticket from Singapore to Jakarta on one of the low-cost airlines such as Jetstar, Lion Air, Tiger Airways and Air Asia. You will not use the return leg of this ticket, but the immigration services in Jakarta might start questioning you if you don’t have it. Also, its important to book a hotel in advance. Have a look at www.agoda.com or the like for cheap hotels near Orchard Road. I spent 1 night in Singapore, but you can do it in 1 day if you arrive very early. I don’t recommend this though! Susi Air reimburse your hotel room with up to SG 100, so be sure to keep hold of your receipts!

Singapore

The visa application is done in the morning at McDonalds on Orchard Road. You show up at 8 am and hand in your passport and business visa application (which Susi Air sends you) to Mr. Wahab. You cannot miss him as he sits at his “office” with paperwork all around. He is an agent who takes all the passports to the embassy for processing. Arriving at McDonalds is also the first time you meet many of the other guys in your intake. You will be spending the next 6 weeks together so it’s a good idea to get to know each other quick. Mr. Wahab arrives back in the afternoon around 16h00 with all the passports and hands them back. You are then free to head to Changi Airport and catch your flight to Jakarta.

Arriving in Jakarta you are expected to catch a Bluebird taxi to Susi Air accommodation in Jalan Senjaya III or a hotel that has been arranged. Make sure to take only a Bluebird as I have written before. The next day you attend the medical in North Jakarta. The driver picks you up around 6 am and drives you to the medical centre. Make sure to bring your passport, foreign license and logbook. There is a blood test, urine test, physical examination, eye test, ear test, chest x-ray, ECG and dental check up. All the tests are normally done by 09h30, but you only receive your results around 12h00. Usually a couple of guys will fail on their cholesterol numbers. Don’t stress as this is quite normal and seems to be very arbitrary!

First Aid Course

The day after the medical you usually have to attend a first aid course in Senjaya. It’s around 4 hours and you learn basic first aid, including how to use a defibrillator, give mouth to mouth and how to dress wounds. There is a short test afterwards but it is all very straight forward. After that your are usually free to check out Jakarta on your own until you have to catch your Susi Air flight to Pangandaran and the start of ground school which will last for 4-6 weeks. More on that next time!

A few interview topics to consider

2012-10-16T23:19:00.001-07:00

Lately I have been asking a few of the new co-pilots to help me out in forming a database of commonly asked questions at the interview. Over the coming weeks I will add more and more on the blog, but for now, here are a few common topics that always seem to spring up:

1) Explain why a plane stalls? What happens to the airflow over the wing? Explain the movement of the centre of pressure up to and after an aerofoil has stalled. Why is there a nose dipping tendency? On top of this they also ask you to write out the lift formula L=CL ½ Þ V2 S and explain the stall using the formula.

2) Engine failure after take off. What are the immediate actions (idle, feather, cut off) and what is the best glide speed? What is the minimum height you need to be at in order to commence a 180* turn and make it back to the field? What factors does a pilot need to bear in mind when doing this (wind, stall speed increases in the turn etc)? If you take off at max weight and you have engine problems (read not failure), are you allowed to come back and land straight away?

3) Meteorology. They ask you to define a host of met terminology. Make sure you know your isobars from your isoclinals and your DALR from your SALR. They also might ask you about thunderstorms and weather associated with a big developing CB, i.e. downdraughts, micro bursts, hail etc.

I hope this can be of some help. I will add more questions as I get more information. Happy job hunting!

Time between sending the application to getting an interview

2012-09-28T14:58:00.001-07:00

Many of you have asked me how long it takes from sending the application to being called for the interview. The answer, as anything else in Indonesia, is very arbitrary. Depending on the needs of Susi Air, sometimes guys are contacted within 1-2 weeks. This is especially so if they are looking for guys with high hours and you fit that category. Expect anything from 3 weeks to 3 months.

Also, after completing the interview, it may take up to 1 month to get an answer. I have heard of guys who were told at the interview that they had passed and that they were hired on the spot. This is very rare though! So don't get your hopes up too high! If you have any questions then drop a comment and I will be happy to answer them.

A few pictures of Susi life

2012-09-08T02:00:00.002-07:00

MAF Caravan

Papuan locals grabbing what they can get

Waiting under the wing

East Nusa Tengara

Groundcrew

Boarding

Pre-flight oil check

Flying cargo

Volcano enroute

Active volcano

Refuelling during turnaround

Parked at Cilacap

First Officer Terms and Conditions

2012-09-03T21:19:00.000-07:00

Upon employment a refundable bond of US$ 2500 is payable to the company in order to cover training costs and license conversion. You sign a contract and a non-competition agreement that states that you are not allowed to seek employment with any other competing Indonesian company within 24 months of leaving Susi Air. The payscale is as follows:

Monthly Salary as First Officer:

US$ 750.- until reaching 500 total flight hours
US$ 900.- with total flight hours between 501 - 750
US$ 1.100.- with total flight hours between 751 – 1.000
US$ 1.250.- with total flight hours above 1000

Additionally, depending on base allocation:
Papua incentive pay: US$ 20.- per day additional.
Malinau/Tarakan/Ketapang incentive pay: US$ 15.- per day additional

Salary is net as the company pays tax. It also includes 3 meals a day, accommodation during weeks on duty, transport to/from airport and laundry. The normal roster is 3 weeks “on” and 1 week “off” or 6+2 weeks, again depending on the base. No holiday in during the first 6 months of employment. Expect to spend a year as First Officer before your upgrade to Captain if you arrive with 200 hours total time.