Good morning all, happened to look at PPRuNe for the first time in a long time and saw this thread and decided that I would contribute my ‘warts and all’ story.
I’ll start by saying that redsnail is entirely right, there are an awful lot of people who have given up and those people have drifted away from PPRuNe so you will be unlikely to hear anything from them.
I started training modular in 2006 when recruitment opportunities were reasonable and qualified in 2008 as the world went into recession (great timing). I did it all with my own money and no loans needed.
My training record is first time passes in all written exams with 93% average and 2nd series 1st attempt passes in CPL and MEIR and straight passes in MCC and JOC.
I was fortunate enough to get called for assessment at Ryanair but made a complete pigs ear of the sim check and no surprise got the PFO email from them.
As a responsible(ish) adult with a family to support I went back to my previous life as an engineer which provided for my family while I kept everything in date and tried to find that elusive first flying job. I would have loved to have instructed but there were no instructor jobs going and instructor salary would not have provided for my family.
Later I was also fortunate enough to be invited for assessments with Stobart and Logan, unfortunately I was out of the country on a family holiday for the Stobart assessment and the day before the Logan assessment I woke up with D&V which was the start of a virus that laid me up for three days so was unable to attend. Despite my continued pleas to Stobart and Logan and a Dr letter confirming to Logan that I was genuinely unfit to travel I was never given alternative dates for assessment.
Earlier this year just before I was going to renew my medical and IR, I was involved in a fall at home that broke a couple of bones in my foot. I had to wear the ‘boot of shame’ for a couple of months after the fall until I could walk properly again. Even after I could walk again my foot was nowhere near strong enough to get my lapsed medical back or cope with sustained asymmetric flight.
This brings me up to now where I am in a position where I could renew my lapsed medical and IR but having witnessed the collapse of Thomas Cook and Aigle Azur plus Adria are on the brink of collapse (their aviation authority have given them one week to sort their finances out before their operating licence is removed) also I do not believe that Flybe are out of the woods plus RYR are telling pilots to either take 12 months unpaid leave, relocate to less popular bases or face job cuts.
When you add in uncertainty over Brexit regarding freedom of movement and employment within the EU for UK nationals combined with several respected economic think tanks warning of another imminent global recession, I have come to the very tough decision that to put myself through medical and IR renewal and staying reasonably current would simply be throwing good money after bad.
I am still working as an aerospace technical consultant which pays well, is commutable from home and the people that I work with are pleasant enough but the work itself does not inspire or fulfil me in any way.
I have tried not to be too downbeat and I do not regret training as I have no debt and have continued to provide for my family throughout the process.
I genuinely wish everyone currently seeking employment or currently training nothing but success in their endeavours and hope that if you make it then it’s all that you hope it to be.
Regards,
Mike