Well I just read the whole thread and I can only agree with everything everybody said .
We are a tightnit comunity, this industry is small which means we have to look after eachother and support eachother.
When you start your training you will soon know if it is really for you or wether you should change your mind.
Do not worry about the job side there will be jobs outhere waiting for you. Why? Because people are retiring due to age.
Just concentrate on learning everything you can.
Why don't you train here and do some hour building in the states, where else can you fly the morning traffic report in a Jetranger over build up area and do some pinacle landings for relative peanuts like Flying lawyer did.
If you have a broad sprectrum of experience and are professional, you can not go wrong.
The salary will pay your living expenses.
And it means you no longer have to work.
I only worked one day in my life and that was spent 2 hours in the hover over bristol waiting for a nutshell to leave for it's sail across the atlantic.
The people I can recommend from my training are Bristol Groundschool for your NAVS, Mike at Bonus Aviation in Cranfield for your techs though you might have to remind him you fly helicopters and not FW.
THE Mike Green who I am told is now the Chief training Instructor at the Helicentre in Blackpool before he was working at Fast in Thruxton.
You might want to check P.A.S. at Gloucester they have a sister company which do Instrument training using simulators.
Currently a Instrument rating costs £28000 plus conversion onto a twin engined helicopter like a Twin Squirrel which would another £3000.
I am told they are trying to convince the CAA that more hours on the simulator are just as good as on the Aircraft thus saving a bundle.
Now my recomendations are 10 years old but I was not told any different.
Definitely do the Safety Course at Robinson in California (best $350 dollars you will ever have spent) and some Mountain flying in the States as well as our Snowdonia.
If you ever wish to work offshore try Humberside, Norwich or Blackpool.That way you will land at least once every hour or even up to 7 times an hour. Aberdeen means flying in a straight line over blue water or in cloud on autopilot for 90-300 minutes when you might perform one landing before you return.
Of course Offshore is where the money is. Starts at £35 for entry and after 25 years of service finishes at £80. Command might take forever.
And when you get that Job be it flying into Silverstone, filming, pleasureflying, wedding parties pipeline inspection etc.
You know it was worth it and as I said earlier you will not have to work another day.
Now I wish you all the very best and that your take off's tally with your landings.
