Lots of good advice and real world experience for people like me wishing to take this career path. The ups and downs of the industry, the lack of guarantees, and the risk of exploitation is very clear.
I'm in a slightly different position to most. I'm shoving 50 years old soon, financially stable thanks to a well-paid stable job, mortgages paid, kids growing up, and a 40 year old aviation itch that needs scratching
I hold a PPL(A) with instrument rating, 520 hours, and fly a lovely Cirrus SR22. I think the modular route is the right one for me, given I'm effectively part-way through the training already, and domestic commitments means I can't just reside at a training college for 12 months
Said domestic commitments means I would be aiming for a short haul role in the southeast of England, and If I were to find myself out on my ear during a downturn, I have other options to turn to.
Question here relates to which carriers would hire a self-funded modular frozen ATPL pilot, especially if he did not go through the few select shiny ATOs [I have a 'non-shiny ATO' nearby]? ManFlex40 Lists several carriers including EasyJet and Ryanair. My research so far suggests such carriers only like pilots from the shiny ATOs, so wondering if the situation has changed in recent times?
Many thanks for all the advice in here