Originally Posted by
magicmick
Hi 2unlimited, I agree that getting some good sim time is a must before assessment, in my defence the call to the assessment came at short notice, RYR called me late on a Friday afternoon with instructions to be at EMA for 0830 the following Tuesday. I spent that evening researching sim training providers that could help, sadly all of them were booked up and could not provide training at such short notice. My MCC had been in a TP sim so the assessment was my first exposure to a swept wing jet sim and I was miles behind the sim.
On the day there were 8 of us, myself and 7 Oxford integrated gents, at the time Oxford were pushing a lot of their grads towards RYR, I spoke to a few of them and they told me that during their MCC and JOC at the end of their training they were practicing only RYR assessment routes. After their assessment they had to report back to RYR what sim route they had and what questions they were asked in the interview, the implication was that if they failed to do this then Oxford would be unlikely to recommend them to other airlines. This showed in the sim as the Oxford lad that I was paired up with performed way better than me.
There were those that told me that I had dodged a bullet by avoiding RYR but I disagree but it is what it is and I cannot go back in time and redo it.
Good and bad news, I know many in their late 30's / early 40's who have got jobs. I was in my early 40's myself, and commuted half the globe for 2 years in crap conditions, before I got the job I wanted. I also know guys did the same, and now have their command with BA, equally I know a guy in his late 40's, who decided he would only be an instructor. My CPL instructor was 48 when he got his first jet job, however he did have thousands of hours instructing, and few hundred hours turboprop.
Another friend, is an architect, looked impossible for him to get a job, and now has already had 2 jobs on the A320, in his mid 40's.
The sim profiles for the selections are fairly "standard", and can be found on various sites if you invest a few pounds. It's difficult to go and "practice" to much in advance, as you have no idea what the sim check will be on, 737, A320 or other. As these are very different to fly.
For sim assessments they are not expecting a perfect flight, if you are not rated, you won't get engine failure on take off etc.
First you should do is get various profiles from a couple of companies, as most will not vary a lot. Network so you find instructors / sims that could be able to take you on short notice, as many times the sims are fully booked.
Don't limit yourself to UK only jobs, we can still work within the EU. All the guys I know got their first jobs in Europe. It's hard work if you have family to commute, expect possible break up of relations for many, as it takes it's toll.
Invest in a couple good add-ons for the Prepare3D v4 flight sim on a good computer, to practice procedures on your own time, there are some amazing Boeing and Airbus add ons. Get some "tutoring" from airline pilots who can get you up to speed, because thats the biggest issue for some of us older guys, getting up to speed quick enough. If I had done this when I was 20, and nothing else to think about in my life, it would be very easy, but now we have family, children, mortgages, friends, social life etc. it gets more complex. Any outside disturbances / problems, can have massive impact on performance.
Before my first selection, which I passed, I went to stay 10 days in a cheap hotel all alone, to prepare myself mentally. I spent money on preparing for interviews, sims etc., as you will as an "older guy" get scrutinized more than someone in their early 20's. You have to do and say what you have to say, to get that first job, as that is the magic ticket for the future jobs.
If you or anyone else in this age bracket want further advice please feel free to PM me. I am always happy to help with advice. The job market is definitely better now than before, and I do believe age is not such disadvantage now as it was maybe 10 years ago. But it's painful to start, and it took me 6 years before I could earn a salary that I could live on, before that I had to supplement my income with other sources of income. Of course personal circumstances are different for us all.
To be fair, RyR might seem attractive when you desperate looking for that first job, but nearly any airline is better than working for them. The way they treat you is appalling, I have met guys who left, and during Cruise hours we talked, and I asked if it was as bad as we hear, and they said it was worse. The problem is that you might not see it if that's your only airline, but when you leave, you will discover the grass is actually greener on the other side when it comes to RyR.
Out of principle I will not even fly with them as a passenger, never will I set my foot on a Ryanair flight again.