What to do? Start date gets pushed back.
Hi
I was meant to start a three month contract in North Africa in mid November and the start date is now meant to be in a few days. Luckily my previouse employer provided accommodation so I haven't had to worry about rent or bills as they don't mind me staying here until I start the new job. Because I have been a skydive pilot for the last couple of years I don't have any saved up cash as the pay was just enough to live on. Things are getting quite tough with no money coming in and if it gets postponed again I am going to be in trouble.
How does the contract thing work as up till now all my employment has been very formal with nothing resembling a contract in sight, it has all been verbal. The company I am hopefully going to start with seems like a very good one and the people are all nice guys and I do want to work for them as it would beef up the CV with something other than skydive dropping and instructing, it also pays ok and flying round the desert at 250ft and 220kts sounds like fun.
I honestly believe that they are as frustrated as me about the delayed starting of the job and as they have trained me at their expense I expect them to use me. As a contracted pilot would it be a strange request if I asked them to pay me a small monthly fee for waiting for the contract to start, just enough to live on egŁ250 a month. I don't want to seem pushy nor do I want to let them down as I said I would do the work for them but I don't know if I can survive much longer without getting into debt.
It is also hard to get a non flying job as the start date keeps being pushed back a couple of weeks at a time so I keep thinking it will not be worth it. As I only have an FAA ATP without the right to work in the US it is hard to find another flying job even though I have 2000TT and 1000PIC in turboprops so don't want to miss this opportunity. Plan to start the conversion to JAA with the money made on this and a possible second 2 month contract with the same people after the first one. Basically I am looking for other views on what people would do in this situation as I have to do something if it gets pushed back again.
Thanks.