Any Jobs Anywhere or should I ceremonially burn my licence?

[fireflybob]

Are there ANY jobs going anywhere for a 14,000 hour pilot who has flown B707, B737 and A320 but has been out of airline flying for 9 years? I still have a Flight Instructors Rating to maintain my sanity with a J.O.B (= Just Over Broke) elsewhere?

If not, I am thinking of throwing a party and ceremonially burning all my logbooks and licence!

[Luke SkyToddler]

You are kidding right?

The 737 and A320 are the two hottest type ratings in the world right now.

PARC and Rishworth have about 7 different A320 contracts they need filling asap, and they are absolutely crying out for experienced people.

BMIbaby, Ryan and Easy are still recruiting 737 crews at a phenomenal rate.

Easy are so concerned now about the upcoming lack of experienced airbus drivers that they sent an internal memo the other day to all their crews, asking them to nominate any of their A320 rated mates in other airlines who might be interested in being headhunted for a captains job :ok:

I find it hard to believe that it's so tough to get work with those hours and those type ratings unless you have some other skeletons in your closet or something ...

[fireflybob]

>The 737 and A320 are the two hottest type ratings in the world right now.<

Yes, there are IF you are current on type - if you have not flown a type for 5 years you have to do the full conversion course again, although the amount of training is at the discretion of the training organisation.

>I find it hard to believe that it's so tough to get work with those hours and those type ratings unless you have some other skeletons in your closet or something ...<

Well, that's precisely my point - it IS tough to get back into the airline world if, by force of circumstance, you have been out of it for a while. I have made several applications to Easy and also have applied to BMI Baby and even know several colleagues working for these companies who I have trained for Command!!

Well, if you call being Pilot Training Manager of Orion Airways for 6 months a "skeleton in the closet" then I plead guilty as charged! By the way, I have been involved in no incidents/accidents to date.

I think Age prejudice is commonplace.

Now where is that box of matches?

[It won't go up!]

I have two ATPLs (including JAR), turbine time and no job. I've knocked on so many doors, written countless letters and still nothing. I have set a deadline of Christmas this year, then it's a career change.

Good luck but don't give up your day job. Someone will always pay for their type rating thus beating you to the post, no matter how much ass kissing you give it. Look on the bright side, you've helped the economy, at least BT (telephone comany) and the Royal Mail (postal service) cannot complain, you've done your bit!
:ok:

[scroggs]

FFB, as you say, after 5 years your type rating lapses and you are no longer conidered qualified on that type. I assume that for the last 9 years you've been flying as an FI somewhere? That length of time instructing will always raise doubts in recruiters' minds as to whether you'd easily make the transition back to airline flying.

I would have thought that yours is the most easily justifiable reason for a paid-for type rating. Re-validate your 737 or 320 rating (I'm sure you can find a better deal than the commercial ones out there) and get back to EZ/Baby/Ryan/whoever as a currently-rated experienced airline pilot. I'm sure they'd change their tune!

All the best.

Scroggs