Pilot engineers - advice please

[Heli-kiwi]

Hi, Does anybody out there know if being a licensed engineer with a fresh CPL has a decent chance getting into a flying job in Canada?
I've gone the long way round (7.5 years) to prepare for getting in the door and am finally ready to venture out and see where it takes me. I have a NZ Cpl (160 hrs) with sling and night but all on an R22, Will be looking at a B206 or MD500 rating soon but not sure which to do.
Also which is the most recognised/useable eng licence A&P or Canadian CAA? NZCAA licences mean nothing to anyone worldwide.
I know there are probably a hundred threads like this here but I would really like to hear from a Pilot engineer that is out there doing it now.
Any opinions would be appreciated. :ok:

[soupisgoodfood]

I'd also like to know. Doesn't seem like much around here for heli pilots, and even less for aero engineers. Where did you train as an engineer?

[HillerBee]

You'll have to convert you licences. Only experience is taken in account meaning you have to take all the exams (written/practical).

Why don't you try to find a job in NZ.

By the way there are always jobs for pilots/mechanics, but they only pay you for one. They also like to pay a pilots salary and put you to wrenching all day.

[noooby]

soupisgoodfood, you must be looking in the wrong places for an eng job. walk into just about any eng outfit in new zealand, and they'll try and bar you from leaving!! at the moment rotorcraft, airwork, oceania, HSBOP, and garden city are advertising, but there are many more screaming out for engineers! Probably has something to do with the fact that most of us have gone overseas in search of the ever elusive dollar, plus the fact that the average age of engineers keeps rising!!

[soupisgoodfood]

soupisgoodfood, you must be looking in the wrong places for an eng job. walk into just about any eng outfit in new zealand, and they'll try and bar you from leaving!!...

What about all the laid-off airliner engineers? If I walked through the door, I think they'd boot me out, because I don't have a degree, yet. And my only experience is with little RC helis (I don't think they'd let that count, somehow).

I'm still not sure if I want to go the pilot or engineer route. And even then, I'm not sure if I want helis or planks. I know I'd enjoy any of them, so that's why I'm looking at which one has more of a future, before I sign up at uni to do the courses and dump lots of money into it.

[noooby]

soupisgoodfood, airline engineers aren't heli engineers, and any that were laid off have probably found work elsewhere already.
You don't need a degree to be a LAME, and I know of a number of employers who would rather have more hands on time than classroom time. You still need to have 5 years of working before you can get your AMEL, might be 4 if you do an approved course. Degree is fine, but if you do all that study and don't get enough practical time, then you'll be going back to square one again when you finish uni. The degree program is fine for airline style work, and has some good info in it (I am doing the B.Av extramurally), but it isn't what gets you the job. AMEL + Type Ratings is what gets you the job, and/or the tenacity to get out there and knock on doors asking for work.
If you are still undecided about being a driver or a spanner bender, then don't be either. Get a job outside of aviation. Less hassle. Unless you want to play with things like MEK and Mastinox, then be an engineer, and have 3 headed children!! :)