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View Full Version : Why put in the effort?...Drive these instead!


ScottishSteve
28th Jan 2002, 23:31
Dont spend years working to pay for licences, hours and ratings...become a train driver with Scotrail!

They get £23000 for a 4 day week (and they're fighting for £28000) plus a couple days overtime!. .So work for a fraction of the usual trek and get used to working in a "cramped" environment at the same time! Brilliant!

SS

schuler_tuned
29th Jan 2002, 00:13
At FL ZERO!!!!!!?

Meeb
29th Jan 2002, 00:49
The trouble with being a wannabe train driver is that you cannot self fund for the 'licence'. All training is done by the respective train operators and as such you have 1000's of applicants for each and every position available. Hard to believe, but the chances of securing an airline position with your fresh CPL is better, although maybe not right now, but generally the odds are against becoming a train driver for the average man in the street.

Rough Driver
29th Jan 2002, 02:24
ScottishSteve, is this mean't to be a lame dig at civvy pilots, or what? The reason they want, and will become professional pilots is that they want to fly a B737, A310, etc. Not a train going to Doncaster.

We all know that you UAS types are above us but come on!

PS, did you find Crit Point 1 hard?

Sensible
29th Jan 2002, 04:11
Do train drivers need a night rating on their licences or an IR to drive in fogI wonder? :) :)

El Desperado
29th Jan 2002, 05:09
I think (and hope!) that Steve was having a go at the lamentable situation for trainee pilots at the moment. I think you might have missed his point.

There are turboprop operators in this country who will put you in the RHS of a Shed for £14k a year. When you hit 1500 hours, some of you might be pressurised to take a command you are not ready for, and for not much more money.

It's not that a train driver isn't worth £23k - they have as much responsibility as any airline crew - deliver x-hundred people from A to B without killing or injuring any of them. It is that some companies take the **** with terms and conditions in civvie aviation.

And let us not forget that in the days of the 509 course, you could go from zero hour Joe Bloggs to F/O Joe Bloggs in a 757 in under eighteen months. Train drivers get three (I think) years of training before they're let loose.

Train crews do stick together as an industry, much better than we do. You might disagree with current tactics, but how many American or Candian registered trains are operating on British railways, crewed by foreign staff because 'we don't have the number of qualified people available for Summer, and oh, by the way minister, do you mind if we keep them on for another few years cos it'll cost us a lot if we don't' ??!!

But, anyway, who wants to operate a vehicle down pre-defined routes, not being able to deviate from your pre-assigned course. Who wants the possibility of ending your career with one mistake or constantly being assessed every few months ? Nah.. not me.. I'll stick to flying <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

spitfire747
29th Jan 2002, 12:47
Steve

In answer to your question, why put in the effort?

I am putting in the effort because i wanna fly above the clouds, feel the enjoyment of sitting ata gate loading with passangers, pushing back, taxiing, and accelerating down the runway, climbing, levelling, talking to ATC and arriving at a foreign country where there is that BUZ.

I could NEVER get this buz in a train, never.. .If you want to be a train driver, good luck to you and maybe we will require each others services one day.. .Perhaps you might be better suited logging on to the. .professional traindrivers rumour network!

Speedbird144 climb and maintain FL240 - Contact Swannick centre on .......

ScottishSteve
29th Jan 2002, 18:12
Glad that most of you took this with a pinch of salt and managed to find the underlying message.

RoughDriver...I DO NOT think of myself as being above civvy pilots! Dont forget, I fly a CIVVY aircraft!

ElD...Scotrail actually let lose after 1 years training.

Spitfire, good luck with all the effort you are putting in to realising your dream. You know, Italians love driving trains for some reason...they must get the buzz!

Steve

mad_jock
29th Jan 2002, 18:29
Actually BRL has mentioned this career method for getting the dosh together for flying. (He is a train driver)

There is overtime as well ontop of the basic .

So as you are being paid to train i think it would be worth thinking about if you are struggling to raise cash. Save cash while hour building and ATPL studying.

As well if you have worked in the transport indusrty before on ****ty shifts its something else on your CV which sets you apart from the rest.

MJ

big bus driver
29th Jan 2002, 23:01
Strangely enough, this is exactly the career I have been considering... I have the opportunity to take redundancy from that so-called world leading aero engine manufacturer in Derby, so have been assessing what else I could do.

EWS (haul coal / freight around the country) are offering traniee drivers £14K for the 1st 12 months (training period), then £28,500 p.a. after that. Ok so you've got to work shifts / nights etc, but I guess that gives you the flexibility to hour build / instruct during the day if you want.

Virgin pay £32K I think but they'll only take on experienced drivers.

Just thought I'd let you know...!

Cheers,. .BBD.

Sick
29th Jan 2002, 23:18
Apparently overtime and some form of duty pay bump the take home pay up significantly in excess of what the figures above would suggest.

Just line training typically takes 18 months, but after that of course, you 'fly' solo. Each route requires memorising; theres no Jepps to consult.

boxjockey99
1st Feb 2002, 22:14
There must be something in it as MS have released Train simulator!! Sounds wild and exciting.... go forwards go backwards, go faster forwards, go faster backwards... oh what excitement and if you get really confident you could try some really exciting shunting!!

Box

aiming point
1st Feb 2002, 23:13
Make the most of it Fish while it lasts.. .They who laugh last laugh longest!. .Hope you don't end up with that grin on the other side of your face! <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

Fox_4
1st Feb 2002, 23:43
Train driving! Please, someone cut off my hands before you make me do that. I`d rather be unemployed looking for a flying post (like alot of people right now) than sitting at the front of a train full of lager filled football "fans" going to leeds for the game. Or even worse Scunny!

28000 isnt enough to drag me to scotrail right now! Their in "flight" catering isnt up to much anyway.

In Steves defence, I think he was only pointing out the seemingly 'easy' money train drivers are making. And it is some peoples dream to drive them after all. I dont think he was slating any civvy guys out there. Best of luck job hunting everybody. Im off to happy hour!

SimJock
2nd Feb 2002, 00:02
If you do have an Engineering or software qualification, why not try Flight Simulation as a stop gap until that flying job appears.

Get to know the cockpit of your choice in intimate detail, spend endles hours practising system failures, doing instrument approaches into exotic airports in low visibility, thunderstorms, high winds and turbulence. Fly with one engine, hell no, glide with no engines, see what happens when you switch off all the computers and do a barrel roll. Get to meet the employed pilots, training captains and chat over the various expectations of different system faults and the details of your last approach into Innsbruck.

Work ? nah... not for a wannabe pilot !

[ 01 February 2002: Message edited by: SimJock ]</p>

Rough Driver
2nd Feb 2002, 04:12
Fox_4, I do think that scottishsteve was having a lame dig at civvy pilots. Going from his former posts he had just joined one of the UAS's ( most likely ELUAS )Experiencing that 'new car' smell of the Grop Teutor got too big for his boots and had a swipe at civvy pilots, like he will never be one ?

This post may sound bitchy and personalised but it is the way I feel

And I am not a failed Cranditz / UAS student with a clip on may shoulder. <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

ScottishSteve
3rd Feb 2002, 22:05
Rough Driver,

How in the hell do you manage to get the message " a lame dig at civvy pilots" from my original post!?!

I am not ELUAS aircrew sorry, and god forbid the "new car" smell of a tutor makes me think I am above civil aviation...in fact, before last year, all of my training had being as a civvy, in the UK and in the USA, something that I was EXTREMELY lucky to have experienced.

You probably dont have a "clip" on your shoulder, your problem is that you've looked through previous postings and made an assumption about me. I doubt that you'll find any postings slating civil aviation.

Something i've learned within Pprune and the RAF...take everything with a pinch of salt my friend

ElDes and Fox_4 thanks for the defence.. .Steve

PS I've changed my signature too, so you're not confused about my views.

Rough Driver
4th Feb 2002, 00:12
ScottishSteve, I am standing my ground on the previous posts regarding this matter. The only thing I regret is the typo "clip" instead of CHIP. <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">