First of all, Aussierotor, I'm sure it's quite easy to get the said licences, however one does have to meet their age requirements, which I didn't and still don't.
Mr. Garrison,
I was in your position in pretty much exactly 2 yrs ago - drove up to Broome with 250 total and 40hrs C210 command and found a place to live, got myself a couple of jobs in town (the bakery was the most lucrative and by far the most fun), and did the usual stunt with the Chief Pilots of the operators up there. Whilst nothing was happening, I sent out a few "blanket emails" to operators all over the country who hired newbies in the hope that something else may come up in the meantime.
I'd go to visit the Chief Pilots every few days, sometimes a week at a time and they usually said "nothing yet, but keep in touch". So, that I did, but nothing eventuated. I later found out that this was due to my age, or lack thereof, and that is understandable from their point of view, I guess. Why would you put an 18yr old in a C210 with your pax when you can put a 23yr old in with the same flying experience?
3 months later, a miracle occured and I got a phonecall from half way down the coast offering me a start. This was a company that had been in receipt of my 'blanket email' sent some weeks earlier. Needless, to say, I felt like I'd won Lotto.
So, left Broome, went to that job, finished the rest of the season there, went back to Perth for the off season until I found another job inland and then eventually moved back up coastal for another season, which was HUGE. Average 100hrs a month for 6-7months. Was put on full time at that company, but as the off season set in, they couldn't afford my salary, so that had a disappointment inducing effect. That was 4 months ago.
I've now been in Perth working non aviation jobs again since then, and am now doing my MECIR, half way through it as I type, and have just got a job as Chief Pilot of another coastal company.
So, it's certainly proving to be both an interesting and surreal career so far, as many others will certainly agree. I hope yours brings you as much if not more fun, experience and lessons as mine has so far, even in its early stages. You seem like you've got the motivation to do it.
520.