If I was in flight school now, I would quit.

[Kaptein Max]

If I was in flight school now, I would quit. When things look better at some point in the future, it will always be possible to pick up where you left.

Let's face it, there has always been a large number of students who complete their commercial pilot training, and NEVER get a job as a pilot. The next few months/years (?), very few inexperieced pilots will get hired. You will compete with type rated pilots with thousands of hours. Don't waste your time and money.

Hopefully things will improve soon. That we stop doing things we normally would do, is just what the terrorists wants, so I am wery sorry to be so pessimistic.

[crackerjack]

Max,

What a load of old pony!!

That's easy for you to say if you have a job already. You remind me of some BA cap509ers I spoke to some years ago, when the question was asked "what will you do if you don't make it through the course?" many of them said "well.... I'll probably go back to accounting/banking/basket weaving etc"

My thoughts at the time were that I hoped these clowns didn't get through as some poor schmuck is going to have to fly with them.

People do this because they have a genuine love for flying, please don't spoil it by bringing logic into the argument.

I have risen to your bait Max, I'm sure this post is a wind up.

STAY IN FLIGHT SCHOOL!!!

[Send Clowns]

Max, don't be so daft. This is the time to start, as most reckon the job market to pick up in a few months, it takes more than a year to train, and ther were previous forecasts of shortfalls. Since the schools are not putting enough students through this is still likely.

[clear prop!!!]

Max,

With that attitutude to life, if you worked in the City you would throw yourself off a very tall building!

It may not be the time to start, and it may be the time to slow down, but ...to quit?????

[Kaptein Max]

Clear prop, I think I also said something like you can pick up where you left when things look better.

I completed my training many years ago, when there were few jobs around. I did other things for some years. When I went back to flying I needed more training anyway. Most of my original classmates NEVER worked as a pilot, and if they had quit earlier, they would have saved some money.

It is sometimes smart to go in the opposite direction of everybody else. It is just that I don't think we will se a recovery from this within some months.

I'm glad to hear that you guys are in it because you love flying, and wish you the best. The more students who chicken out, the better for you :)

[312928]

I agree with your last point Max, the more people that give up now, or just don't start in the first place the better. It just means that there are more jobs for those with a bit more conviction and passion to stick at it through good and bad.
If you are considering giving up, just give up. You obviously don't want it that much, and don't say it's because of the money. Nothing should stand in your way if you really want it.

[gdb1973]

Look on the bright side. If everyone thought "it's tough so i'll quit", they're be so desperate for pilots even I could be sponsorship.

Nah, that's taking it too far. They probably draw the line at people with eyesight like mine.

But you should not give up while there is still a glimmer of hope. If you DO you obviously didn't want it badly enought :-C.

[lightspeed]

I came across this poem on this site (PPRUNE) and i dont know who wrote this poem but its a bloody good poem for times like these!!!!! Chins up and thumbs up!!!!!!

DON'T QUIT

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must - but DON'T you quit.

Life is queer with it's twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up, though the pace seems slow -
You might succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than it seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up when he might have captured the victor's cup.
And he learned too late, when the night slipped down, How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out -
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt -
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when your hardest hit -
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.

[380]

I wouldn't quit. I would do the CPL/IR (easy to keep valid), then assess the job situation and then decide to do the multi piston (expensive to keep valid) and the ATPL theory (valid for 7 years) or not.

[Midland Maniac]

yeah thanks a lot for your positive comments. It is people like you that bring the morale down within flying schools. Myself along with many other people throughout the country have parted with many thousands of pounds to become commercial pilots....also giving up well paid jobs.

The events that have happened over the last few weeks have done a lot of damage to the aviation market, but nothing that cannot be repaired. I myself am determined to become a commercial pilot and I am sure others are in the same school of thought! WE ALL just need to calm down a bit and start looking at things from a positive perspective rather that doom and gloom all the time!!!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Kaptein Max]

"It is people like you that bring the morale down within flying schools"

Since flying schools are companies that operates for the profit, there will always be enough "information" available to students, not to mention prospective customers, about the constant pilot shortage, high salaries, everybody getting good jobs and so on.

I am not worried about you getting too little of that side of the story.

[Paddington*]

I agree it might not be a good time to consider starting training but for those who've already invested considerable time/energy they need all the encouragement they can get. Anyway, I'm sure students will make up their own minds about their futures - i.e. whether or not to stick at it -regardless of comments here on PPRUNE. Good luck to those who do and I look forward to flying with you in a year or two when life's back to normal.

[The Guvnor]

Reality check, people.

When the dust settles, there will probably be at least 20 - and possibly as many as 50,000 qualified and experienced pilots out of a job, worldwide.

I've been around a fair while - I started at Laker Airways in 1981 - and I've been through two recessions. This one will be worse than the other two combined.

What we're going to see is this:

1) Massive pay cuts - which once instituted will remain in place.
2) For every available job that comes up, there will be hundreds of qualified applicants. This means that someone without experience will not even be considered.
3) There will be start-ups to take the place of some of the airlines that go to the wall - but again, their interest will be in experienced people.
4) The previous homes for people looking to build hours - eg flying schools, Africa, corporate flying etc will be closed as again experience is sought. Remember that many an out of work pilot will be prepared to literally "fly for food" as has happened in the past and will happen again now.
5) Companies that laid people off are required to hire back those people in preference to 'outsiders'. It's only once those slots have been filled that new people will be accepted - but again, experienced people will be taken in preference.
6) Prior to the events of the 11th September, Warren Buffet (who knows a thing or two about these things) was predicting that the current recession will last eight years. If things develop the way that they could, you'll see an economic collapse that will make the 1930s look like boom times.

So Kaptein Max is 100% correct. If you're in the middle of a course; or are about to start - STOP and assess your options. The chances of you getting an airline job over the next five plus years are nil to non-existent and you're going to need the money for other things in the interim.

I wish I could be more positive - but you lot need to know the true situation as it stands out there. Some of the comments on this thread are absolutely incredible - the naivety shown by some is truly frightening.