Some Advice Please

[XL319]

I am 35 with a law degree and F/T job and previously spent 6 years in the RAF.

Just completing the second part of ATPL exams and I am looking at CPL/MEP. One school who I emailed advised that I complete a CPL/SEP and FI rating to get some experience for a year or two and then get a MEIR (The school does not offer MEP btw).

Is this sound advice considering I am going to be 36 by the time I complete all my training. Or are they trying to drum business from me.

I was going to complete a CPL/MEP and then IR. (I hold 205 hours at present)

Any thought's would be appreaciated.

XL

[Dane-Ger]

To be fair it's not bad advice, the MEIR is by far the most expensive part to keep current and with jobs few and far between it may be wise to wait. The route you quoted was also my plan, only circumstances dictated that I changed it and took my MEIR before an FI rating.

The question is, are there even any part time FI jobs when you are finished? You would probably need to be very lucky.

Regards
D-G

[Amcapt89]

Well you can take your CPL/SEP, and, as they advised, do the FI.

But I see two or three problems there...

- a lot of professional FTOs want at least a CPL + IMC/IR before they can hire you. Basically they want you to give instuctional hours also when the WX is marginal as VFR; when you can for example go into clouds or on top to do instuments training and you don't need full VFR; and whatever happens you can anyway come back flying down to 250ft before going around (generally speaking). If you are limited in that sense without an IMC/IR you might be grounded more often, therefore making less money for the company.

- CAA, about CPL/MEP, states: 15 hrs SEP, 5 hrs INS (including Simulator time), 8 hrs MEP. At the end of the day the difference is 8 hours only. And with paying that extra money for these 8 hours you'll be ready to start the MEIR and to search a job as a pilot immediatly after your MCC. A lot of companies don't want a lot of experience (if you visit their web-site they will ask for 200-250 hrs as a Junior F/O) unless you want to go to BA.

- Btw the experience you get as a FI will be on a SEP a/c; that will help you at an interview maybe, but you'll start as Junior F/O anyway, unless you have tubo-jet experience exceding 1.000 hrs for a direct entry into a F/O position. And your ATPL needs at least 500 hrs on jet a/c before it can be issued.

There are good and bad points of course. Hopefully when you'll be done the recession will have picked up.

If it was me I would do everything to be ready to find a job as an airline pilot; if something will go wrong you can always do your FI afterwards.

Regards

amcapt89