The "hanger rat" system can certainly get abused. This is another point that I may not have made my point too clear on.
If someone has gone out and paid as much money as it is these days then they deserve to fly.
Grounding a fresh pilot will do nothing to their inexperience and only add to their lack of hands on capability. This will only lengthen the period of not being able to utilise your latest recruit as a flying pilot.
It is the companies responsibility to not put on a new inexperienced pilot unless they have the intention of building his experience (hours) from the outset. They should at least look forward to a couple of hundred hours in the first twelve months. Being a "hanger rat" ( a term I personally am not too keen on) only means that when you are not in the seat being trained you are doing things in and around the hangar that needs to be done.
Every individual will have their own opinion on this and every company will have their own expectations. Personally I have a lot more time for those that do things without being asked. Sweeping a floor is not degrading nor should it be seen as a total waste of time and energy. It is cooperating in an environment in which you will benefit a great deal from by becoming an integral part of. There is a lot of stuff to take in, a lot of stuff to observe and learn by looking over shoulders, standing in on conversations and observing what is the heartbeat of the entire operation.
My dad once told me "If you can't do the dishes you shouldn't well
in be eating". I worked my ass off, I did so much more than I had to, at times it really pissed me off but I got a good return.
A good tip for all you young fellas too is to realise that a companies maintenance facility is the most vital and limiting factor of all. Such an obvious fact that goes unrealised by so many industry vets
.
In respect to the companies, well, unfortunately to a certain degree our industry is flypaper for
wits. There are those that will abuse the fresh pilot and they are the same ones that don't do the experienced ones too many favours either. There is a lot of directors in this industry (and many others) that can not do sums unless it has numbers. That is to say that they may be great accountants (who seem to be the blow flies by the way) that are incapable of factoring such equations as morale, job satisfaction and most of all staff's remuneration satisfaction into their company returns. Yet it seems so simple
. It does make it very satisfying to eventually work for the good guys though
To sum it up no plan/apprenticeship/traineeship should be considered without flying being a part of it from the start. After all you are pilots and you do deserve to fly. The more thorough your induction is the better for you right? Don't disregard a bit of manual labour because of your pride, soak up the environment and be a helping hand, another overlooked benefit
To the blatant abusers, I would find it quite satisfying if your ears turned into emus and kicked your
in head in
