Civilian job options for newly qualified military pilot

[Greener57]

Having recently graduated after 6 years of flying training with the RN, it looks like I will be making an unfortunate premature exit due to health reasons.
I have been told that I would be eligible for a Class 1 (dual) license but with only 300hrs experience I am unsure of how I would fit in with the commercial world. Would I need to start again? Direct entry schemes seem to want more experience than I have.
Absolutely ANY advice or questions are welcome. I seem to be in an uncomfortable middle ground.
Thanks for reading.

[SimonK]

Sorry to hear about your health issues....who told you that you would get a Class 1 medical, was it your PME? Might be worth splashing the cash and going to the CAA at Gatwick and actually getting a Class 1 before you go any further. Seem to remember it costs £400 all in, which is infinitely cheaper than splurging a load of cash on ATPL exams and flying training to find you can't hold a commercial licence.

There are plenty of multi-pilot jobs out there....not a huge amount right now due to the downturn in Oil and Gas, but that may count for you as you would need a year or two (max) to get your exams done and your IR issued, dependent on your work rate and finances of course.

As one door closes, another one opens......good luck.

Edit: regarding your experience, speak to a good training provider, try Helicopter Services at Wycombe Air Park or Starspeed, or the Bristow Academy and they will be able to advise you how much of a training course you would need to do. I believe they have discretion with military pilots to reduce the training, but with your relatively limited experience you may have to do a bit more than you think. Hopefully you've registered for ELCs....which are worth their weight in gold.

[[email protected]]

Greener57 - did you end up with an 'as or with co=pilot' entry in your medical docs? As Simon advises talk to a proper AME before you throw money at licencing.

How have you 'just graduated' after 6 years of training?

[GipsyMagpie]

The allowances for military pilots are all laid out in CAP804. Assuming from six years of training that you completed your conversion to a front line type (and got your wings) but didn't get your CofC or Green IR then you are a QMP(H). This gets you well on the way to a CPL(H) if you have 70 hrs P1. No joy with formal IR credit unless you bagged a Green rating. No joy with ATPL(H) unless you got CofC on a multi pilot type. But as Simon says, the Head of Training at your chosen provider can get apply to CAA for reduction

So read CAP804 exhaustively (Part I, Section 4, Part O) (I found some stuff out that not even the training providers knew which saved me thousands), get your Class One then cost it up before setting down the road. From your position it might be cheaper to go fixed wing though. You can always email the CAA with questions. They do get back to you - sometimes quickly!

[Thomas coupling]

Greener57. 6 years training???????

Anyway: Having been there and done that medical cat malarky, your options, I am afraid to say are extremely limited.
On paper you are eligible to follow the same route as many who want to become airline pilots, dual pilot corporate pilots, offshore etc etc. BUT in real life why would anyone hire a guy with a medical restriction on their licence when (a) there are dozens out there who have clean licences and company insurers would not look kindly on the hiring of a guy with restrictions.

My advice is to pay £330 plus vat with an authorised AME in your local area (List is on CAA web site). Sit him down, tell him/her everything about your predicament and let them do an assessment on you. Then and only then will you be in a position to look ahead into aviation.

MEDICAL for a class 1 first (NO restrictions!!!). and then everything else will fall into place.

Good Luck bud.

[Greener57]

Thanks everyone, this is exactly the kind of advice I was looking for.
I was told that I'd be eligible for a class 1 with restrictions by a senior aviation respiratory consultant but do see that I need to go down the official route first.
My training took so long due to government cut backs, sadly I'd have been frontline and CofC with many more hours by now.
Thanks again, any more advice will always be welcome.

[switch_on_lofty]

Greener; sent you a PM.

[TorqueOfTheDevil]

How have you 'just graduated' after 6 years of training?

6 years training???????

Were you old-timers really unaware of the massive backlogs in flying training? At least Greener57 is still under 30 - unlike many of those completing flying training at the moment...

[[email protected]]

So therefore he was in the training system for 6 years rather than actually being trained for 6 years