Hello pilots..
I've been out on the vodka last night so there will probably be a few spelling mistakes on my post!!!
Just to answer your q's, three of my friends are North West, two were North West and have now gone to the London area, one has moved down towards gloucester staverton, and the last two are based Sheffield / Doncaster way.
I don't want to start hurting anyone's feelings so I'm not going to be all judgemental (especially as the Vodka is still messing withthe head) but, I just wanted to take this opportunity to tell the budding pilot who is thinking of getting a loan to be careful.
Like I say, any flying school is going to paint a rosie picture of the industry so that they get your money. Be careful with it and earn your money rather than borrow it! It makes all the difference.
(albeit I was working 65 hours a week).
Andyb79 - Yep it's a bugger of a world. And the thing is, once you pay that kind of money on the R22 and get your commercial licence, you still have to cough up another £6000 for a Jet Ranger conversion. (£500.00 an hour inc VAT / land fee - estimate). And then to saddle it all, no-one will employ you because you only have 7 hours on a JetRanger. What's fixed wing like at the moment??
Thomas, you make a good point - "wierd ambitions or Naivety"? The thing is I don't want to answer your question because I don't want to put anyone off achieving a dream.
The one thing I am trying to get across to as many people as I can is it is possible to get up to your commercial without a loan. You will then have all the financial freedom you deserve after working so hard.
I had an office job that paid 15,000 a year. I then had two bar jobs that brought me home an extra £250 a month + tips that paid for petrol.
The best way to get through the course is this. Take your bar job money and you use that each month to cover your bills. My monthly bills with a car, mobile phone, food and a bit to a friend who put me up in his spare room in his flat. Altogether it was about £300.00a month.
That left me with just under a thousand a month from the full time job, which I would dip into by about £70.00 to buy normal things to keep me saine (Vodka)!!!
The rest went on flying. It took me a while, but I promise everyone reading that this is the best way. Please don't end up in debt and owing thousands, it's just not worth it.
The course is achievable even if like me your on moderate wages. You just need to plough in the overtime each week, and keep it going for a long time.
Send me a PM if you want any advise. I know I have done it the right way, so hopefully I can part with some good advise and experience.
RV