Originally Posted by
Lurcheroo
Ideally i want to go HEMS and SAR and a ME rating and IR will cost another £60K. should i worry about doing this asap or wait ?
Will it? Now is the time to think about what you want to do and fully plan how you're going to get there.
Have you considered getting a PPL(A)? You should. Even if you don't want one. Let me explain...
If you've got an IR(A) and you want an IR(H) - the training is
reduced to 10 hours. How much does a PPL(A)/IR cost? Now consider that a PPL(A) reduces your CPL(H) hours by 20. How much does 20 hours in a helicopter cost? Let's say you spend an extra £18k but save £8k - you've spent an extra £10k NET in the short term, but now you only need a ME type rating +10 hours IR. You could even get an SEIR on the 206L and be competitive for the North sea jobs (they type you anyway...)
Basically it's cheaper to get a CPL(H)/IR
and a PPL(A)/IR than it is to just get the CPL(H)/IR.
Plus you've now got a new hobby. And a plan B for when the airline shortage pops up again!