How are we all adjusting our plans?

[Dane-Ger]

OK, so we know that times are not good for wannabies, the chances of employment are virtually nil. So what now?

To try and take something positive out of this, how are you adjusting your plans to keep your dream alive? how have your ideas changed from when you first started out all those months (years in my case!) ago? advice from those who have been here and bought the t-shirt.?

Me, I'm hopefully going to be finished with ATPL's in three weeks time. My original plan was to go somewhere warm and do the whole thing in one go. As the situation got worse I decided to wait with the IR, but still go abroad to get my CPL and FI rating done as quick as possible.

Now I'm going to take my time with my hour building. instead of rushing 100 hours in a month, I'm going to enjoy the next year of flying. It is time to fly to some places over her in Scandinavia that I've always wanted to visit. Maybe try something other than a Cessna, maybe even some aerobatics.

In a year I'll go for my CPL and FI and hopefully some part time work at the weekends instructing whilst I continue teaching maths. After that? who knows?

This is all about timing, it is not the end of the world, just a delay:)

regards D-G

[geordiejet]

For me, I'm taking it slower, I just need to finish my FIC - too late to give it up, or make major changes. I have also realised that perhaps the chances of getting a full time job as an FIC that is well paid is lowering.

So for the forseeable future, I still hope to complete my FIC in a few months, and work part time. Recently bought a house too - but thankfully the other half is in a good steady job, so can help out if needed.

I see myself working as an FIC at weekends only for this Winter/coming Spring. Trying to cope knowing im going to be stuck in my crappy job right now, but, I'm thankful for what I've got!

And, better still, I've not got HSBC badgering me for £1000 a month, with no job, but that's another post! I do have a 15k loan, used for training, but I think that is manageable, on my modest £1300/month net.

[ChrisLKKB]

Me, I'm hopefully going to be finished with ATPL's in three weeks time. My original plan was to go somewhere warm and do the whole thing in one go. As the situation got worse I decided to wait with the IR, but still go abroad to get my CPL and FI rating done as quick as possible.

When does the 36 month period to pass the IR start from, when you pass your first exam or last? If it's the last, would it be a good idea to hold off taking the final exams for a bit ?

Just a thought.

[Dane-Ger]

From the last exam ( I think!). Yep, I thought about that, but I booked my flights etc a while back, so I'm going finish them now. Besides, the thought of having 4 ATPL's hanging over me for another six months is just as depressing!

I reckon. even if I wait three years to do my IR I'm still looking at (worst case scenario) 4 years until my first IR renewal (5 in the plane).To be honest the thing that worries me most about waiting, is not the waiting itself, it's the fact that I'm slowly but surely getting older and older:uhoh:

Regards D-G

[geordiejet]

I believe it is from the time you pass them all. Regardless of what happens, aim to get your IR done within the 36 months. Resitting your ATPLs in 3 years time will be costlier (I reckon £100+ per exam by then) not to mention, depressing and frustrating. You could always allow it to expire, and resit the exam ("revalidate") at some point in the future.

[pipertommy]

I know how you fell DG!! I`ll be 36 when things start out:uhoh: Not old, but older.
Would be a good time to be starting a PPL on the mod route and thats all I would aim to do at the moment.

Best of luck to us all:ok: Chins up. We`ll get there, keep flying

[Leezyjet]

I'm supposed to be starting ME/IR next week !!!. Not sure if there is any point given there are probably +/- 600 recently unemployed pilots who have plenty of experience who now suddenly find themselves back on the job market.

October is usually when the airlines start looking for the following Summer, so wanted to be in a position to be able to apply for what few jobs that may still be out there, but now it doesn't look so good.

Read on the XL thread that FR have stopped recruitment of cadets for the time being as they are aware there are now plenty of type rated 737NG pilots now looking for work.

Timing is everything in this industry. Chap at the school I'm with finished his IR about 6 weeks back and has just started on an A320 type rating course for a charter airline for his first job !!.

:{

[rick0]

I was dead set on integrated but i'm starting to rethink it all now.. I would certainly not manage with a £50k loan to payback coming into an industry that has pretty much no jobs!

That said, who knows what will happen in 2 years time..

[Superpilot]

Just completed my fATPL myself and was never under the illusion that something similar to this would happen. Hence chose to do it totally debt free. Back to contracting in IT for me where I'll earn far more than I ever would as First Officer. Who knows might even have the mortgage paid off before I get my first flying job! ;)

[scallaghan]

Hi

Just finished my CPL / MEP modular and waiting a few months before starting the IR or putting it off until Feb / March next year.

Decided upon this as I have lots of time still regarding the ATPL exams and wanted to be debt free considering what is going on within the industry at the end of my training. I would have only rushed onto the IR now if my exams were expiring in under 1 year.

[INNflight]

Just going on it a bit slower. I'm starting my CPL in 3 weeks time, modular thankfully.

Lets hope the next upswing comes faster than most predict.

[expedite08]

I'm just about mid way through my IR now so past the point of no return really. I cant stop now as it will end up more costly for me! Plus my FTO has gone out of thier way for me in my opinion in fitting me in so Im most certainly not going to let them down. Had a chat with my instructor and verbally got my renewal booked in with him next year! :p

As has been mentioned in another thread we just need to crack on and ride the storm. Who knows whats around the corner! Heads up all! :ok:

[AlphaMale]

I was looking to start my PPL in Oct '08 and then start my ATPL GS & HB at the start of '09 with the aim completing my CPL & ME-IR by the start of summer '10, then deciding on applying to airlines/FI/bush flying/glider Tug job etc

Since the news of the airlines goes under I've decided to delay my PPL until April '09 and between now and then complete a few IT certifications that will enable me to get a higher paid job in contracting.

I'll take my time hour building and start my ATPL GS when I have a better idea of where the industry is going. One thing for sure is after completing my ATPL GS I'll look to complete my CPL and FI and give the expensive ME-IR a wide birth until I have 1,000+hrs and have a good chance with landing a job be it air taxi, biz jet or the heavy metal.

Future looks pretty bleak for a wannabe at the moment and I'm in no rush to become one. :(