I'll answer the questions in order, firstly Funkie,
How do sir? I trust you are keeping well, for all those reading this who don't know, I got chatting to Funkie through here, we chatted on the phone and he invited to to come along to sit in the back while he was being checked out for a Cherokee. The bug was placed during those three traffic patterns and I thank him for his help, advice and assistance.
Yes ACF have got links with Tayflight mainly because the owner did his CPL/IR with them while he lived in Edinburgh. Its not written in stone so I have to determine the when converting I need to pick somewhere that not only provides good training but also greases the job interview pole too. Hence the post.
Scroggs:
Not at all, I'm aware from what I've read/researched that I am a good 3/4 years away from even applying to Virgin, that is unless they drop their standards, but I can't really see them doing that, they certainly have a product in a sellers market. It bodes well that so many people aspire to work for them.
However to get there I need to get a job that's hours can be counted as being useful further down the line. No offence to anyone doing it, but island hopping in the Caribbean or flying in the African bush, enhancing my piloting skill no end, yes, but having hours they award merit too, negatron. From reading the website, a BAe146 is the smallest aircraft they appear to award merit to.
Its just if I know what my eventual goal is I would prefer to do as much to get there as quickly and cost effectively as possible.
That's why I need to find a organisation with good links to that first start. However if you know of any shortcuts Scroggs or have any incriminating photos of Branson, a midget, a rubber chicken, a unicycle and a tub of philidelphia please feel free to PM them to me in JPEG format.
Conor:
As for the BJ technique, I have no family in the business (that's piloting for those with filthy minds), no mates, so consequently a lack of networking. So unholster your violins.
I know that first foot in the door is going to be as easy as it was to Gulliver in Lilliput. Lets just say I've been up to the San Fernando Valley a couple of times and hopefully I've improved my technique to what I hope a Training Captain would appreciate.
Did I just write that, I think I'm going to throw up now, I'm holding back the gagging feeling
So in summation, if anyone reading this can offer any advice to links between training establishments and employers, if they wer ein my position what they would do next, etc. I would and I'm sure the rest of the wannabes out there would value the advice.