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Old 16th Jan 2007, 00:30
  #19 (permalink)  
hoopla
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Out there
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42,000ft and everyone who's trying to get out of commercial into GA , it is tough and there are very few good agents/agencies who will actually get you into a "nice" job. Depending on the kind of operation (a private aircraft or executive aircraft with an AOC - hire and reward) where you are prepared to go to as a base, rotation or flexibility, may limit what is out there BUT the industry is buoyant and there's people using and aquiring more jets since 9/11 and August 06 in London. You have to have good experience, and still got stamina for those long days doing all the work on your own or maybe with one other. Use all your flight crew connections, ask everyone! CV's, letters and business cards are a little ineffective until you get your foot on the ladder and then you need to keep them handy with photos, licences, visas etc if you can keep them current.
Word of advice - operations like GAMA aviation on the surface appear to be organised but actually if you do work for them don't expect payment on time, and don't ever pay out of your own pocket unless you have 100% guarantee that you will be reimbursed, you have their cash in your hand or company credit card up front! Loads of crew get into debt for thousands on their credit cards and wait for ages to be paid, while the company struggles to pay the bigger fish.
Rich people stay rich by keeping money in their pockets longer!!
Good luck to everyone - at the end of the day if you're in the right place at the right time with the right skills and personality - it will happen. Keep your sense of humour.
If it makes you feel any better, loads of pilots who start in GA want commercial jobs because they want regular hours and time at home - no idea how people do 2months on 1off - money may be good but quality of life is going to be compromised, they've normally been divorced once or twice and got big bills to keep paying! All those fabulous crew parties and laughs will be missed when you've got your hands in sinks, bins and cleaning toilets or scraping choclate off carpets on a short nightstop only to have to do it all again the next morning.
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