Yes, Im back in Australia and after a few days sleeping, eating home-cooked food, and playing with the dog, Im considerably more rested and ready to set out on the next phase of this search for a flying job.
I must say, the check-in staff at the airport, as representatives of Japan's flag carier, showed rather a lack of understanding and sympathy to someone such as myself,who had been in Japan for considerably more than a short holida. 20kg of baggage is hardly a reasonably allowance for a flight such as mine, where I was in effect moving allthat I had from one country to another. Qantas staff in the past have usually been flexible and understanding, allowing more than the minimum through, though it seems the staff at this particular airline were not prepared to even contemplate using their discretionary powers. I had to post one of my suitcases, because even the rather expensive fees for that were far, far cheaper than what they wanted to charge me in excess baggage...
Yet I made it in one piece, albeit without half my luggage, and was at least able to catch half an hour of sleep in the car on the way home. This was half an hour more sleep than I was able to get sitting in Cattle Class for ten hours, and as you'd expect, I fell asleep early that afternoon.
Its nice to be back in Australia, and exciting to be getting ready for this search for a flying job. Saturday afternoon saw me back in the air - unexpectedly - as I went out out to my local aerodrome to say hi, and of coure to poke around in the hope of finding a job. No jobs were going, but I was a little surprised to see the Airtourer, the very same craft I learned to fly in, in piece all over the hangar floor. Nothing to worry about - regular maintenaince but this time going a little more in-depth, and its in for a repaint this time, too. So, while there was clearly no hope of getting a fly in that, but the owner of the Cessna 210 on the field just happened to be going for a flight, and offered me the passenger seat!
Only half an hour or so, but it was lovely, as expected, to be back in the sky again, even though someone else was driving! Of course, seeing it was a C210, my little brain starts ticking over, wondering about the possibilities of getting an endorsement in this aircraft here (while still being able to sleep in my comfy bed) before heading up north. These aircraft are rather commonly used Up North, so I figure this might work in my favour.
Talking about it with the CFI, he's most adamant that it would be in my favour - so much so that the school has brought a C210 down from the tropics to work at this airfield as a trainer. Apparently too many low-time CPLs such as myself get Up North having flown nothing heavier than a 172, and the operators have to train new employees to fly the things. Turning up there with the endorsement puts me ahead of anyone without it, and the more time I can get in it the better!
This CFI also very very strongly reccomends the Kimberley, rather than Far North Queensland, based on the comparitive ease in which Broome and Kununurra offer compared to Queensland, but also because of the contacts they have which may or may not make things easier.
I decided to visit the airport down the road, too, to make sure that I was getting a balanced view of the situation, because the flying school down there almost always presents a different view or opinion. Quite useful, actually, for though School A can't stand School B, School B never ever talks negatively about School A.
And I spend a bit of time at both... I think this works!
The upshot though, is that both schools agree that the C210 endorsement is vital. So, I'll be doing that over the next two weeks... but finishing off my Night VFR with the other school.
