Virgin seeks low-hour pilots to crew new 737 Maxs

Virgin Australia is on the lookout for new first officers to crew its growing fleet of Boeing 737s, including the 737 MAX 8 and MAX 10, with the “lowest minimum” flight-hour requirements seen in recent times for narrow-body aircraft. It comes as the industry navigates a global shortage of qualified pilots, that has resulted in Australian pilots taking up roles overseas, as air travel markets abroad open up quicker than Australia’s domestic market. According to a recruitment advertisement, the airline is taking on non-type rated pilots with a minimum requirement of 500 total command flight hours on any fixed-wing aircraft, and a minimum of 200 hours command on a multi-engined aircraft, alongside all other standard license and medical requirements. These experience-related requirements fall far below those of startup budget airline Bonza, which was also recently recruiting for pilots on its fleet of 737 MAX jets, which specified that applicants have at least 3,000 total flight hours, and recent experience on a Boeing 737.<br/>