Need to stay in current flying practice!!

[ramshorn]

Good Afternoon!

I finished my training in June with the MCC. I have flown 1 VFR flight since that as I rinsed out all my financial supplies gaining fATPL!! I do however realise how important it is to keep flying, and now I have been an unemployed Pilot for 4 months since completing IR with no job(or even interview!!) offers I feel like I really need to get back in the saddle.
What ways have you kept yourselves current?
I was thinking about doing an FNPT 2 session at my local school to help keep my skills current, but feel that I probably need to hire a PA 34 from somewhere and go and do something similar to a test profile to keep me fresh and on top of things in case I do get called for an interview/sim assesment at some time.
I would be interested and grateful to get your feedback on this, i guess, common problem!? :ok:

[Dude~]

What ways have you kept yourselves current?

One way of staying current is to become an FI. I've flown 360hrs since June.

Plenty of options out there just need to use your initiative and dig deep. I was offered a twin turbine para dropping job when I finished my IR. There are opportunities out there...

[mungo_55]

I'm in a very similar situation, though I only finished my IR last week. I know I need to renew my IR each year, but I'm wondering how to keep up to speed during the year.

One option is, like you, to hire the FNPT2 plus instructor, at my IR school for a couple of hours every 2 - 3 months. Seems pretty sensible.

Another option might be to hire a jet sim. People have mentioned clubbing together to do this, though I'm not sure how this works in practise. I also wonder whether it might only be worth doing this once you have an interview lined up as it can be expensive. I looked at one company where the cost was £1000 for a 2 hour session - that was to bring you up to speed before going for an airline sim check.

I was going to do some basic (ie. cheap !) stuff as well, like practise on Microsoft Flight Sim and RANT. I also thought reading over all my notes from the IR from time to time would be quite useful.

Feel free to PM me.

[Jinkster]

Become a flying instructor.........

However I have 500hrs - all current and 23yrs old and still no real job.......:mad:


(apologies all - its an off day today!)

[redflyer]

I am a member of my local gliding club and they use members with just a ppl to fly the glider tugs at weekends. You can get as much as 8 hours towing in a good day.

If you work full time and just need to keep the hours ticking over you could join your local club that uses tugs and do a bit of gliding at the same time.

I know the membership costs about £500 a year at the most expensive clubs.

All ok if you just want to fly.

[Groundloop]

I know a group who used to take a cheap flight to Portugal for a long weekend and hire an aircraft there. Apparently aircraft hire was (still is?) a lot cheaper in Portugal than the UK.


PS. They also said that the flying was brilliant and Portuguese ATC very helpful.

[Dude~]

Mungo mate you've got to look harder - I recently had a session in a 727 sim for £142 per hour, albeit motion switched off but who cares its all about your scan.

You almost certainly won't need to hire an FNPTII every couple of months, you'll find you get slightly rusty but the basics will be there. WHat you can do though is maintain a working knowledge of instrument procedures and holds so you remeber what comes when.

I've just renewed my IR and only did one practice run then the test and it wasn't hard.

Know how you feel Jinkster - 950hrs and no interviews yet, but possibly got an informal jet interview coming up and one or two or other options in the cooking pot....:ugh:

[dartagnan]

same position as you(24 months and still nothing), I suggest you to go to the USA and rent a cheap aircraft at 50-75 $/hour a few weeks before the interview...and do some hours (5-10h).

check well in advance for a cheap ticket and go there with a mate who is looking to fly.

no need to rush if you don't have an interview coming.

[EGPE]

Was in the same position had not flown for over 4 months! Doing 90hrs a week driving machinery at harvest on our Farm is not quite the same! But a aerial photographer had been talking to my local flying club, they put him on to me and I got a call out of the blue asking me if I wanted a job! Have flown over 40 hrs in the last 2 weeks! payed better than a instructor and no student pilots trying to kill me 4 or 5 times a day! The only down side is flying round AT legal minimums which is fun appart from the fear of being reported or worse, prosecuted! Cant afford any black marks on the licence!:=
Just goes to show something will turn up! I lost out on the sim ride at final Thomsonfly selection a few months ago, thats the only sniff of a job I have had! You just have to do whatever it takes to stay in current flying practice be it VFR or IFR its all hours in the book!

[dimitrispa31]

Guys i would suggest that you just fly to stay proficient,not to build time. And that is because most of the airlines look for hours but not piston hours,they want jet hours.So,just relax,dont get worried and fly for yourself and try to be better each time,the job will eventually come. Good luck to all of you

[Craggenmore]

I would also recommend becoming a flying instructor but only if it is for you! Its great fun, you are (believe it or not) commercially employed, and other doors open - but not immediately........Ideally (read financially), try to fly 3 days and earn properly on the other 2 or 3 days, winter is around the corner... This way you can at least put some (decent) food on the table:}

Good luck

Craggs