Back in the old days...............
Not being from an affluent background, unlike some of my friends, I figured if I was going to stay in the game and spend a large amount of hard earned on flying licences it would be better to have maintenance qualifications as well. If you lose your licence for medical reasons you can stay in the game.
By 25 years of age I had CPL(A), CPL(H), and LAME with ME and turbine types on both sides of the camp. I was lucky that the guy I worked for paid for my PPL(H). I was working 70 hours a week for him which I was paid for and it was not traded off against the cost of my licence.
Working for the same operator I built up some time and finally got a job. Without experience, you are still without experience and the maintenance qualifications did make a difference. That was 25 years ago.............
Currently I fly and maintain an EC135P2 and frequent the nicer places on the planet, Caribbean, Mediterranean, and the view is always changing outside the window and it is well rewarded, you work it out!
Also get to meet and fly some VVIP's.........
And yes I have done plenty of the less salubrious jobs to get here, venison recovery, cattle mustering, longline, firefighting.........
It will be of benefit in my opinion. Go for it.
Not dissing the cyclic attendants here. You can teach a monkey to ride a bike but he's ...ked when the chain comes off!
Last edited by RVDT; 30th July 2007 at 06:48.