Where to go from here?
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Where to go from here?
Hi all,
This is my first post on here – I try and keep a watching brief when I can and it would appear that this is the perfect place to pose my situation.
I’m sure many of you will be familiar with my story or know someone who is in the same situation. Although I’ll try and keep it brief, I apologise in advance if this is rather long-winded.
Firstly, I’m 29 years old and a very low hours pilot –around 275 to be precise. I took an integrated training course with a well known FTO and graduated in late 2008. For the record, I passed all of my ATPL theory exams and flight tests first time, including the MEIR. I count myself very lucky to have achieved the qualification and like most, I aspire to be a commercial pilot one day.
However, as you may have noticed, the timing of my graduation could not have been worse and I ended up back living with the parents with no flying job, no money and a mountain of debt. I don’t mind revealing that this mountain of debt was around £73k from a well known bank, notably secured on my parent’s house. So far I’m sure there are many of you who can relate to this.
I then spent the next 5 months trying to find a job – not a flying job (although not for want of trying), but a ‘normal’ job. I applied for everything going from binman to cleaner, and eventually landed on my feet so to speak in a job related to aviation (but sadly not flying).
As for the flying, I revalidated the IR in the sim the first year (September 2009), just to keep my options open. However, the following year I was unable to afford to pay for the revalidation in the aircraft, therefore I had no option but to let the whole qualification lapse.
Since 2008, I have flown twice in a Cessna 152, both times as a birthday treat to keep the dream alive. I live in one of the most expensive areas of the country to go flying, hence why I haven’t done any. In an ideal situation, I would love to have kept my single engine rating going so I could fly for leisure, take family and friends up etc. I would also have liked to renew my MEIR every year and possibly do at least one flight a month in a multi engine to practice NDB and ILS approaches etc.
Because the job I am in is related to aviation, I still glimpse the bustle of an airport every day and gaze out over the airfield thinking what could be. Whilst this is not ideal, at least I’m not stuck in an office somewhere wondering where did it all go wrong.
So my question to everyone on here is really where to go from here. I pay back around £1k per month of my loan and at the current rate, I’ll be debt free in around 4 years time. I can’t leave my job because other than a flying job, there’s nothing out there which I can be paid higher for unless I go back to education or training. This isn’t an option because then there’s no income coming in to meet my loan repayments. I can’t relocate abroad or try my luck elsewhere for the same reasons.
I have come up with a few potential plans to fulfil mydream. The first is to renew my qualification and put me back in the pilot employment market. I have the money to do this but I don’t have the time – I spend most of my time working all hours under the sun to make ends meet. However, once I’m all renewed, then what? I’m a realist and the chances of a job are almost nil here in the UK. Also, once renewed, I don’t want to let the licence lapse again and get myself into the same mess I’m in now. So I’d have to spend the cash to keep it going, cash which I can’t afford on a regular basis.
I’ve also thought about an instructor’s course. However, I’d have to start single engine flying way before I did this course – back to living in one of the most expensive areas of the country to do this and also the time issue. Again, once I’ve gained the qualification, where do I go with that?
I can’t try my luck abroad as we’re back to the whole relocation issue as I can’t afford to quit my job to meet my loan repayments.
So what do I do? I currently cling on to the hope that one day the airline industry will go back to how it was just before the summer of 2008 i.e. expansion, thousands of pilot jobs etc. And if I get an interview with an airline when that day comes, hopefully they will see my situation and will realise there’s no one else to fly their aeroplanes! All I know is that until I have given the flying one final go or accepted it's never going to happen, I can't move on with my life.
All responses will be greatly received and I look forward to reading them (when I have time!).
This is my first post on here – I try and keep a watching brief when I can and it would appear that this is the perfect place to pose my situation.
I’m sure many of you will be familiar with my story or know someone who is in the same situation. Although I’ll try and keep it brief, I apologise in advance if this is rather long-winded.
Firstly, I’m 29 years old and a very low hours pilot –around 275 to be precise. I took an integrated training course with a well known FTO and graduated in late 2008. For the record, I passed all of my ATPL theory exams and flight tests first time, including the MEIR. I count myself very lucky to have achieved the qualification and like most, I aspire to be a commercial pilot one day.
However, as you may have noticed, the timing of my graduation could not have been worse and I ended up back living with the parents with no flying job, no money and a mountain of debt. I don’t mind revealing that this mountain of debt was around £73k from a well known bank, notably secured on my parent’s house. So far I’m sure there are many of you who can relate to this.
I then spent the next 5 months trying to find a job – not a flying job (although not for want of trying), but a ‘normal’ job. I applied for everything going from binman to cleaner, and eventually landed on my feet so to speak in a job related to aviation (but sadly not flying).
As for the flying, I revalidated the IR in the sim the first year (September 2009), just to keep my options open. However, the following year I was unable to afford to pay for the revalidation in the aircraft, therefore I had no option but to let the whole qualification lapse.
Since 2008, I have flown twice in a Cessna 152, both times as a birthday treat to keep the dream alive. I live in one of the most expensive areas of the country to go flying, hence why I haven’t done any. In an ideal situation, I would love to have kept my single engine rating going so I could fly for leisure, take family and friends up etc. I would also have liked to renew my MEIR every year and possibly do at least one flight a month in a multi engine to practice NDB and ILS approaches etc.
Because the job I am in is related to aviation, I still glimpse the bustle of an airport every day and gaze out over the airfield thinking what could be. Whilst this is not ideal, at least I’m not stuck in an office somewhere wondering where did it all go wrong.
So my question to everyone on here is really where to go from here. I pay back around £1k per month of my loan and at the current rate, I’ll be debt free in around 4 years time. I can’t leave my job because other than a flying job, there’s nothing out there which I can be paid higher for unless I go back to education or training. This isn’t an option because then there’s no income coming in to meet my loan repayments. I can’t relocate abroad or try my luck elsewhere for the same reasons.
I have come up with a few potential plans to fulfil mydream. The first is to renew my qualification and put me back in the pilot employment market. I have the money to do this but I don’t have the time – I spend most of my time working all hours under the sun to make ends meet. However, once I’m all renewed, then what? I’m a realist and the chances of a job are almost nil here in the UK. Also, once renewed, I don’t want to let the licence lapse again and get myself into the same mess I’m in now. So I’d have to spend the cash to keep it going, cash which I can’t afford on a regular basis.
I’ve also thought about an instructor’s course. However, I’d have to start single engine flying way before I did this course – back to living in one of the most expensive areas of the country to do this and also the time issue. Again, once I’ve gained the qualification, where do I go with that?
I can’t try my luck abroad as we’re back to the whole relocation issue as I can’t afford to quit my job to meet my loan repayments.
So what do I do? I currently cling on to the hope that one day the airline industry will go back to how it was just before the summer of 2008 i.e. expansion, thousands of pilot jobs etc. And if I get an interview with an airline when that day comes, hopefully they will see my situation and will realise there’s no one else to fly their aeroplanes! All I know is that until I have given the flying one final go or accepted it's never going to happen, I can't move on with my life.
All responses will be greatly received and I look forward to reading them (when I have time!).
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Only you can decide "where you go from here?"
Firstly, a lapsed CPL/IR is useless. So you would need to revalidate it.
Your options are then as good or bad as they are for thousands of others in similar positions. If flying is expensive in Devon find somewhere cheaper. In all honesty, I would imagine the premium is rapidly offset by travelling costs unless you are considering a significant number of flying hours.
I am afraid the fundamental truths still prevail that flying is expensive and there are simply no guarantees. I understand the difficulties you face, but you seem to provide all of your own obstacles to the options available. If you cannot overcome those obstacles (with all of the attendant risks) then nobody else can do it for you.
What is it you want to do? Answer this question and price the solution and you will at least have some sort of roadmap.
One thing I can almost guarantee you, is that airlines are not going to come scouring for people in your position. There are thousands of qualified and current people determined to seek out the few opportunities available. They are joined by hundreds more every other month.
People are finding jobs. Some are better than others. Many are stepping stones to future better positions. Those jobs are relatively few and far between, and where they are is no particular secret if you read these forums.
It is a very hard hill to climb and it is a hill littered with bodies. If you want sympathy and support you will find it here in abundance. If you want to be in with any sort of fighting chance, get off your backside! I say that not to be unkind, simply that it is fundamental to any progression.
Lastly, you have done well to service your loans in such a difficulty economy and you are to be admired for that commitment. Use some of that commitment to help you progress on to where you want to be.
Firstly, a lapsed CPL/IR is useless. So you would need to revalidate it.
Your options are then as good or bad as they are for thousands of others in similar positions. If flying is expensive in Devon find somewhere cheaper. In all honesty, I would imagine the premium is rapidly offset by travelling costs unless you are considering a significant number of flying hours.
I am afraid the fundamental truths still prevail that flying is expensive and there are simply no guarantees. I understand the difficulties you face, but you seem to provide all of your own obstacles to the options available. If you cannot overcome those obstacles (with all of the attendant risks) then nobody else can do it for you.
What is it you want to do? Answer this question and price the solution and you will at least have some sort of roadmap.
One thing I can almost guarantee you, is that airlines are not going to come scouring for people in your position. There are thousands of qualified and current people determined to seek out the few opportunities available. They are joined by hundreds more every other month.
People are finding jobs. Some are better than others. Many are stepping stones to future better positions. Those jobs are relatively few and far between, and where they are is no particular secret if you read these forums.
It is a very hard hill to climb and it is a hill littered with bodies. If you want sympathy and support you will find it here in abundance. If you want to be in with any sort of fighting chance, get off your backside! I say that not to be unkind, simply that it is fundamental to any progression.
Lastly, you have done well to service your loans in such a difficulty economy and you are to be admired for that commitment. Use some of that commitment to help you progress on to where you want to be.
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Have a look at the GAPAN flight instructor scholarship, I got one last year and its saved my career hands down. I now instruct part time when I can on my days off and I'm clocking up the hours, keeping the dream alive and really enjoying teaching others to fly. My only wish is that instructing would pay enough for me to instruct full time, however I am in a similar position to you of having to repay debts.
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Beazelbub,
I'll let you have that one!
Enter at your own risk, eh?
But then again, that's this aviation business as a whole... Regardless of training method etc.
I was always taught that you should never gamble more than you can lose... Maybe that was a more useful lesson than I first realised...
Best of luck to the initial poster...
I don't think you're alone - bear in mind that most people wouldn't be man enough to admit to being in such a pickle.
I'll let you have that one!
Enter at your own risk, eh?
But then again, that's this aviation business as a whole... Regardless of training method etc.
I was always taught that you should never gamble more than you can lose... Maybe that was a more useful lesson than I first realised...
Best of luck to the initial poster...
I don't think you're alone - bear in mind that most people wouldn't be man enough to admit to being in such a pickle.
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Hi mate....
Can sympathise with your situation, me and a few friends/colleagues from flt school were/are in your exact situation. Actually all of us bar one or two are older.
What did we do.... well, whilst none of us regretted the sacrifices and investment we made, we thought if we didn't push things forward, it may sound harsh but it was all for nothing and the money wasted. Also, sorry to sound negative but we were worried we didn't have time on our side. For those able, having spent a lot more than 73k on course + renewals, they thought they had to throw more money at it (getting the money by whatever means possible, further loans, working or family) doing P2F in Indonesia (all have jobs now with the likes of Qatar, Jet2). Some luckily (like me) had dual nationality to fall back on. One mate got lucky, trying his luck... knocking on doors in the Far East.
Two stayed in the UK, one is still a part time instructor, doing his IT consulting job during the week and instructing on weekends and another friend has just landed a job with Thomson (he worked for 3+ years full time as an instructor and made contacts and got lucky). My mate who still instructs part time, has also built up contacts and had a couple of leads (although unfortunately this has not lead to anything just yet).
I think the post'er' below who mentioned about the GAPAN scholarship gave some sound advice - i'm a member actually. Anyway appreciate based on what you said, some of this is not relevant but just wanted to reply. Good luck to you!
Can sympathise with your situation, me and a few friends/colleagues from flt school were/are in your exact situation. Actually all of us bar one or two are older.
What did we do.... well, whilst none of us regretted the sacrifices and investment we made, we thought if we didn't push things forward, it may sound harsh but it was all for nothing and the money wasted. Also, sorry to sound negative but we were worried we didn't have time on our side. For those able, having spent a lot more than 73k on course + renewals, they thought they had to throw more money at it (getting the money by whatever means possible, further loans, working or family) doing P2F in Indonesia (all have jobs now with the likes of Qatar, Jet2). Some luckily (like me) had dual nationality to fall back on. One mate got lucky, trying his luck... knocking on doors in the Far East.
Two stayed in the UK, one is still a part time instructor, doing his IT consulting job during the week and instructing on weekends and another friend has just landed a job with Thomson (he worked for 3+ years full time as an instructor and made contacts and got lucky). My mate who still instructs part time, has also built up contacts and had a couple of leads (although unfortunately this has not lead to anything just yet).
I think the post'er' below who mentioned about the GAPAN scholarship gave some sound advice - i'm a member actually. Anyway appreciate based on what you said, some of this is not relevant but just wanted to reply. Good luck to you!
Last edited by bananaman2; 22nd Aug 2012 at 12:17.
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I was in the same boat some years back as I'm sure many others were only I didn't have as much debt because I went modular and paid as I went along. When I couldn't get a job I saved up more cash and leave and did an instructor course. I got an instructor job soon afterwards but had to travel for it. Two years later I got an airline job. If you're instructing you're staying current (you can always shoot an ILS on a trial lesson, if one's fitted) and building the hours. In short if you're instructing there's light at the end of the tunnel. Just my experience for what its worth.
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With all due respect, this is a classic example of what numerous people are faced with when they have finished their training.
As has been mentioned, and I know it is tricky for you with your work commitments, but you must find a way to move forward if you want to fulfil your goals in the world of aviation. As Rocky Balboa said in his final instalment, 'its not about how hard you can hit, its about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, that is how winning is done!'. I tend to agree with this statement, and it worked for me and a lot of guys now flying for a living.
Its interesting reading peoples experiences. I frequently read these forums, and over the last couple of years and instructing was has been given bad press in the respect of being useless of a way to build experience in the current climate. However, it is refreshing to read that people through determination and sacrifices have made the contacts they need to move onto what they wanted to achieve and at the same time have built some valuable experience along the way. Instructing is only one option, but its a great way to meet people, make contacts and keep current. It certainly keeps your flying sharp.
You know this already, but its important to keep current.
Hindsight is a great thing. And this is for the benefit of people reading this who are considering the career as a pilot, you must think carefully about how you are going to achieve this. Thorough research of what you want to achieve must be sought. Talk to as many people as possible for advice, and I mean people who have been there and done it. Have a shrew financial plan along with contingencies built in.
I know its difficult, so many of us here as you know have been through it and know how tough it is and it plays with your emotions. I wish you luck.
All the best.
As has been mentioned, and I know it is tricky for you with your work commitments, but you must find a way to move forward if you want to fulfil your goals in the world of aviation. As Rocky Balboa said in his final instalment, 'its not about how hard you can hit, its about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, that is how winning is done!'. I tend to agree with this statement, and it worked for me and a lot of guys now flying for a living.
Its interesting reading peoples experiences. I frequently read these forums, and over the last couple of years and instructing was has been given bad press in the respect of being useless of a way to build experience in the current climate. However, it is refreshing to read that people through determination and sacrifices have made the contacts they need to move onto what they wanted to achieve and at the same time have built some valuable experience along the way. Instructing is only one option, but its a great way to meet people, make contacts and keep current. It certainly keeps your flying sharp.
You know this already, but its important to keep current.
Hindsight is a great thing. And this is for the benefit of people reading this who are considering the career as a pilot, you must think carefully about how you are going to achieve this. Thorough research of what you want to achieve must be sought. Talk to as many people as possible for advice, and I mean people who have been there and done it. Have a shrew financial plan along with contingencies built in.
I know its difficult, so many of us here as you know have been through it and know how tough it is and it plays with your emotions. I wish you luck.
All the best.
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Hi again,
Firstly, many thanks for taking the time to read about my situation. I was unsure whether to post on here for fear that it would attract a lot of negativity, but it seems it has attracted quite the opposite.
Beazelbub, the words 'get off your backside' shocked me a bit when I read them, but in truth you are right. It's easy to carry on paying back my loan, working the job I do and putting the flying to one side for the foreseeable future. What's more difficult is changing this situation and acting upon it. I have now contacted numerous flight schools with a view to renewing not just my IR, but also my SEP. Once I have chosen an appopriate school and done the renewals, I then plan on flying here in Devon on a regular basis.
flyboy1818, I will check out the GAPAN scholarship in due course so thank you for the heads up. And to the others, it seems you were all in the same predicament as myself at one point or another, and you all made it through one way or the other to be successful - this gives me tremendous hope and determination to succeed also.
Just as an aside (and I'm sure there's plenty of information on this elsewhere on here), I get the impression a few of you are advising the instructor route. This was my initial idea when I first graduated from Flight School, however I was under the impression instructor jobs were few and far between and it was a case of throwing £7k down the drain? If not, then this is also something I will look into shortly.
Again, many thanks for your advice and I will continue to post on here in the future.
Firstly, many thanks for taking the time to read about my situation. I was unsure whether to post on here for fear that it would attract a lot of negativity, but it seems it has attracted quite the opposite.
Beazelbub, the words 'get off your backside' shocked me a bit when I read them, but in truth you are right. It's easy to carry on paying back my loan, working the job I do and putting the flying to one side for the foreseeable future. What's more difficult is changing this situation and acting upon it. I have now contacted numerous flight schools with a view to renewing not just my IR, but also my SEP. Once I have chosen an appopriate school and done the renewals, I then plan on flying here in Devon on a regular basis.
flyboy1818, I will check out the GAPAN scholarship in due course so thank you for the heads up. And to the others, it seems you were all in the same predicament as myself at one point or another, and you all made it through one way or the other to be successful - this gives me tremendous hope and determination to succeed also.
Just as an aside (and I'm sure there's plenty of information on this elsewhere on here), I get the impression a few of you are advising the instructor route. This was my initial idea when I first graduated from Flight School, however I was under the impression instructor jobs were few and far between and it was a case of throwing £7k down the drain? If not, then this is also something I will look into shortly.
Again, many thanks for your advice and I will continue to post on here in the future.
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Biggles Wannabe,
It sounds like you have already gotten a lot of good advice and you're feeling re-energized and motivated again which is great!
One thing that struck me is that finance is, unsurprisingly, a big issue in where you go from here. Assuming you started your course in 2006 (graduated in 2008) and with four years until you're debt free, you had a 10 year term loan and have been repaying 1k a month every month for quite a while now so you've obviously made quite a dent in the initial amount borrowed.
I noticed you said that the loan is secured on your parents property. This may not be an option for you but would you consider approaching the lender to extend the term of the loan? Even in the current climate, the bank might be amenable to renegotiating because there will still be sufficient security. Ultimately, it will cost you more to repay but that would free up some cash for you now and perhaps afford you more scope to take some time off work and pay for a FI course, revalidations, staying current or pursue other options that might help you towards a commercial flying job?
Just a thought.
It sounds like you have already gotten a lot of good advice and you're feeling re-energized and motivated again which is great!
One thing that struck me is that finance is, unsurprisingly, a big issue in where you go from here. Assuming you started your course in 2006 (graduated in 2008) and with four years until you're debt free, you had a 10 year term loan and have been repaying 1k a month every month for quite a while now so you've obviously made quite a dent in the initial amount borrowed.
I noticed you said that the loan is secured on your parents property. This may not be an option for you but would you consider approaching the lender to extend the term of the loan? Even in the current climate, the bank might be amenable to renegotiating because there will still be sufficient security. Ultimately, it will cost you more to repay but that would free up some cash for you now and perhaps afford you more scope to take some time off work and pay for a FI course, revalidations, staying current or pursue other options that might help you towards a commercial flying job?
Just a thought.
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Thank you
Hello all,
I have just read back through all of the sound advice you gave me in August. I have another question to pose in a minute but would like to give you a quick update on what I have been doing since then...
So I found a flying group down here in the southwest which offered exciting flying at competitive rates. I parted with 2k and renewed my SEP commercial after 6 hours. It was tough - having not flown for over 4 years I found I had forgotten an awful lot, but I also found that the 'basics' did not take long to come back. I passed the renewal test and became a permanent fixture of the flying group
I now fly every weekend alongside members of the flying group from all walks of life - an airline training captain, builder, mechanic and so on. We visit random grass strips in all weathers and I am learning a lot from them - most have thousands of hours on all types of aircraft and have been all over the world to do them.
So I would like to thank you all for the advice and encouragement - you all deserve it. I have freed up time to make the flying happen and even moved house to be closer to the airfield. I have suddenly remembered why I embarked on this crazy adventure in the first place - the passion and enthusiasm are most certainly still there.
As for my next question... I now have an SEP commercial, but my MEIR is still lapsed. I am conscious of the fact that EASA regulations have changed so I think I have until September of this year to renew the IR. My line of thinking is as follows :-
I am enjoying the flying again and at the moment this is enough for me. I am a realist and do not see any chance at the airlines over the next year. With this in mind, is it worth renewing the IR on a multi engine? I believe I can renew on the SEP so that I will hold an SEP-IR - am I right in thinking this is enough to 'reset' the 3 year IR renewal window?
Would anyone recommend renewing the IR on the multi engine? I am enjoying the single engine flying so much that a flying job on a single engine e.g. air taxi, bush pilot etc. seems a much more exciting prospect.
Again, many thanks to all those who previously advised and I await your responses this time around with anticipation.
I have just read back through all of the sound advice you gave me in August. I have another question to pose in a minute but would like to give you a quick update on what I have been doing since then...
So I found a flying group down here in the southwest which offered exciting flying at competitive rates. I parted with 2k and renewed my SEP commercial after 6 hours. It was tough - having not flown for over 4 years I found I had forgotten an awful lot, but I also found that the 'basics' did not take long to come back. I passed the renewal test and became a permanent fixture of the flying group
I now fly every weekend alongside members of the flying group from all walks of life - an airline training captain, builder, mechanic and so on. We visit random grass strips in all weathers and I am learning a lot from them - most have thousands of hours on all types of aircraft and have been all over the world to do them.
So I would like to thank you all for the advice and encouragement - you all deserve it. I have freed up time to make the flying happen and even moved house to be closer to the airfield. I have suddenly remembered why I embarked on this crazy adventure in the first place - the passion and enthusiasm are most certainly still there.
As for my next question... I now have an SEP commercial, but my MEIR is still lapsed. I am conscious of the fact that EASA regulations have changed so I think I have until September of this year to renew the IR. My line of thinking is as follows :-
I am enjoying the flying again and at the moment this is enough for me. I am a realist and do not see any chance at the airlines over the next year. With this in mind, is it worth renewing the IR on a multi engine? I believe I can renew on the SEP so that I will hold an SEP-IR - am I right in thinking this is enough to 'reset' the 3 year IR renewal window?
Would anyone recommend renewing the IR on the multi engine? I am enjoying the single engine flying so much that a flying job on a single engine e.g. air taxi, bush pilot etc. seems a much more exciting prospect.
Again, many thanks to all those who previously advised and I await your responses this time around with anticipation.
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If at all financially possible if I was you I'd look into renewing the MEP/ME-IR. This would of course give you more options than just having the SEP/SE-IR and you wouldn't have to worry about the CAA turning around and saying you need to do x,y,z to get your MEP/ME-IR back because you let it lapse for greater than 3 years.
The other problem you face is that single engine jobs are usually single crew and whilst I can't be 100% sure I believe that in order to operate commercially single crew I think you need 700 hours total time (maybe also 100 hours IFR?). I might not be totally correct with regards to this requirement but I'm sure someone on here will be able to correct me.
The other problem you face is that single engine jobs are usually single crew and whilst I can't be 100% sure I believe that in order to operate commercially single crew I think you need 700 hours total time (maybe also 100 hours IFR?). I might not be totally correct with regards to this requirement but I'm sure someone on here will be able to correct me.
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The other problem you face is that single engine jobs are usually single crew and whilst I can't be 100% sure I believe that in order to operate commercially single crew I think you need 700 hours total time (maybe also 100 hours IFR?). I might not be totally correct with regards to this requirement but I'm sure someone on here will be able to correct me.
Civil Aviation Rules
Part 135, Amendment 17
Air Operations – Helicopters and Small Aeroplanes
(2007, I don't know if this is up to date but this is all I could find.)
135.509 Experience requirements for IFR pilots
A holder of an air operator certificate must not designate a person as pilot-in-command of an aircraft performing an air operation under IFR under the authority of the certificate, unless the person—
(1)
has at least 750 hours of flight time as a pilot, including 150 hours of cross-country flight time which must include at least 50 hours cross-country flight time conducted under an IFR flight plan; and
(2)
50 hours of actual or simulated instrument time of which 25 hours may be in a flight simulator approved for this purpose; and
(3)
for night operations, 25 hours of night flight time.
A holder of an air operator certificate must not designate a person as pilot-in-command of an aircraft performing an air operation under IFR under the authority of the certificate, unless the person—
(1)
has at least 750 hours of flight time as a pilot, including 150 hours of cross-country flight time which must include at least 50 hours cross-country flight time conducted under an IFR flight plan; and
(2)
50 hours of actual or simulated instrument time of which 25 hours may be in a flight simulator approved for this purpose; and
(3)
for night operations, 25 hours of night flight time.
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Ireland
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I am not the person to say others what to do or not. I would like to bring an aspect which is unimportant for a lot of wannabees, but it is not. I got today in talk with a friend of mine. He is also a pilot, late in the thirties and was doing very well on his job. Got recently married, bought a nice house, got 2 kids and got the offer to upgrade to captain. In the chat we had he told me he is quiting flying. Reason he is not seeing his family enough (he was commuting) and found out that life is more than flying. He will go back to his homecountry and is about to do a non flying job which is paying much less. He was happy with his decision because he has also other things in life but flying. And then i realised.....i have nothing of this. Only myself and a flying job. I wish i could say i leave flying for something else. All the decisions i take are in function of my job. So my advice is make sure you have other things than flying. Other things you can look forward to (a freelancejob,wife, a nice social life or even other goals in your life). One day, it might all stop because of e.g revoked medical. Think about the quality of life. You might find it all crap what i am saying which you are entitled to, but just keep this in the back of your head. I'm almost begging to. Please.
Last edited by Woody12; 8th Jun 2013 at 20:52.
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Western Australia
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Good on you!
Hi BigglesWannabee,
I think it's fantastic that you've gotten back into flying! The exact same thing happened to me in 2008, and I ended up being out of the aviation market for 3 years when the recession hit. I also have huge amounts of debt to my name, and tried to keep current during the down time as best I possibly could. But the smartest decision I made was to move to Australia. I am now flight instructing in Western Australia, with decent pay (you can't expect to earn big bucks in GA), and opportunities to progress.
I understand that you are saddled with debt, but Vin Diesel posed a good question:
Is there any way you can reduce your payments a bit, and free up some cash to get yourself current/move overseas for better opportunities and less costly flight training? Western Australia also has a great mining industry, where the pay rate is astronomical, and rosters would be e.g. two weeks on, one week off. This could be something to look into, where you could earn enough money to keep paying off your debt, and in your off time, get current or upgrade or whatever you need to do to get back into a flying job.
My best advice would be: don't let your multi-IFR lapse. It is the golden ticket that will get you into the airlines should you ever choose to go down that path.
I think it's fantastic that you've gotten back into flying! The exact same thing happened to me in 2008, and I ended up being out of the aviation market for 3 years when the recession hit. I also have huge amounts of debt to my name, and tried to keep current during the down time as best I possibly could. But the smartest decision I made was to move to Australia. I am now flight instructing in Western Australia, with decent pay (you can't expect to earn big bucks in GA), and opportunities to progress.
I understand that you are saddled with debt, but Vin Diesel posed a good question:
I noticed you said that the loan is secured on your parents property. This may not be an option for you but would you consider approaching the lender to extend the term of the loan?
My best advice would be: don't let your multi-IFR lapse. It is the golden ticket that will get you into the airlines should you ever choose to go down that path.
