ATPL reality check

[Trendkill]

Hi.

As this forum seems to be crowded with helpful people; everything from very experienced pilots with thousands of hours to newly graduated ones, I figured this must be the place if one has questions. :)

Recently I attained a NPPL, which I of course know is not compare-able to e.g. an ATPL, and it´s here my question(s) come in.

I can´t stop thinking about flying, all I want to do as soon as I land is to get up there again. I´m therefore thinking about trying to go all the way and sign up for all the courses (PPL, CPL etc etc) all the way to eventually attain an ATPL. I don´t aspire to fly big airliners, but would be happy flying smaller propeller planes as air-taxi, guided tours or similar, I just want to fly and maybe (hopefully) be able to pay rent doing so.

This is where I need your expertise, from those who know, to maybe (if needed) give me a brutal wake up call / reality check or whatever.

What would I get myself into by signing up for all these courses, and what can be expected if I somehow manage to finish them all?

Will I simply be one of many (hundreds/thousands?) pilots out there who have spent a massive amount of money, struggling to get a job to do some flying? And will I fall into a spiral where I would have to keep trying to build hours (on my own expense?) and aiming to get more and more different ratings to even be able to land a job at all?

Again, I´m not aspiring to fly airliners, but is dreaming about doing any kind of flying for a living (not getting rich doing so) just a pipe dream which I should scrap before I even get started?

I don´t want to be or sound cynical, after all this is what I dream about. :) But at some stage in any dream, one will need a reality check of some kind, and that is what I was hoping to get from You guys who know what I might get myself into.

Does anybody, experienced or newly graduated, care to share your views and experiences about how it is out there? :)

Many thanks.

[SloppyJoe]

Hi,

If you have a job that pays ok, I assume you do as fly as a hobby right now, don't quit to do a full course. Enjoy the flying, building hours. Enroll onto a distance learning ATPL course, bristol is excellent which is where I did it. Spend your time flying when you can, studying a bit and most importantly working in you current field. Oh before all of this go do the initial 1st class medical.

If you continue to love flying and keep making your way through the books in no time at all you will be ready for the exams, part time, hour or so a day maybe a year. Once past that hurdle with a few more hours under your belt take it a bit further with an IR or focus more on the hour building.

You will have to pay for the first 200 hours at least so just take your time and enjoy it. Your in no rush to get into an airline.

My main bit of advice, do NOT quit your job or take out a huge loan to fund this.

[Trendkill]

Hi SloppyJoe.

Thanks for your advice, much appreciated. Yes I fly as a hobby right now, but got so hooked doing so I wanted to explore the posibilities to go even further.

That is what I was planning, to continue working fulltime and do either distance studying or part time like you say, even though it will take several years to do it. But as you say, I won´t quit my job and take a loan to fund it (try not to at least).

I don´t dream of flying airliners, so there´s no rush there at all. :) But if I do manage to get the ATPL and all required hours 200-ish, then what? Do you, or anybody else who have done the same thing, know what it´s like out there? Will I simply be a stranded pilot with bare minimum hours trying to get a job, but constantly will be over run by 1000+ hour pilots?

As said, I don´t dream of flying airliners, but is it even realistic at all to find a job just flying (air taxi etc) in propeller planes, anywhere in the world really? Or is the market so overflooded with pilots already who have a lot, or a little less, experience who always will be ahead of you in the line?

As in my first post, I don´t want to sound cynical at all, but it would be really nice to get feedback from pilots who have been in that situation, did it work out great for you and you´re happy? Or was it a living hell trying to find any kind of job?

Basically if people want to share their different views, experienced pilot or not, old as young, it would be great to hear your "story". :)

[redsnail]

Hi Trendkill,

What you need to realise is that there is no shortage of low houred pilots. Therefore the market is very tight for them. Very rarely does a low houred guy go straight to a medium sized jet unless they are on some (very expensive) scheme.

The chances are you'll have to do some flight instructing or shift countries to find your first job. It does get easier once you're working and gaining experience but there's always another hurdle you need to jump.

All of us who weren't on some scheme has faced what you're facing. It's tough and not every one will make it. (That is, get a decent job that pays well)

If you can keep your costs down it will give you the flexibility to take the interesting jobs that don't necessarily pay that well but will give you great experience.

Good luck.

[Trendkill]

Hi redsnail.

Thanks for your feedback.

That´s unfortunately pretty much what I have realized, that there are thousands of pilots out there who would be in the same situation as me once (if) I finish the ATPL, and that one would have a very hard time getting a job. I´m however not afraid to relocate as I´ve been living abroad for the past 6 years anyway, and I wouldn´t mind to relocate again to be able to fly.

Even though I don´t aspire to fly jets I guess I would have to consider everything twice or 10 times before jumping into the deep end of the pool and sign up for the courses.

Again, thanks for your feedback and insight, much appreciated. If anybody else has views and experience to share, please do. :)