There is so much sh
t on this site.. It makes me laugh.. Especially when it comes to the (Irish) airline I presently work for. Honestly, what are so many people babbling on about? Get in and get on!
I did approx 70h last month and I'm flying approx 100h this month. That's 170h in 2 months. That equates to about 40% of the 400h-500h per year people are touting (or have just read from Pilot's Jobs Network..) on here in just 2 months..
Granted there are many variables such as base, time of year, staffing levels etc.. I would suggest 400-500h would be a pretty conservative estimate of what you might do.. I would say a more reasonable estimate would be 700h-800h.. Some people do more. Especially the skippers right now. (Think about that when considering why alot of FO's are being hired).
Just another random point for people who cry about paying for TR's (don't get me wrong i wish it was free, but honestly, does it come for free anywhere now?)
British Airways as a very good example. (An airline i can now apply to direct entry with my current hours). Free type rating for cadet newbies!
Or is it?
Direct Entry starting 'basic' salary is approx £48000.. Had I passed selection straight out of integrated school my cadet salary this year would be approx £32000 'basic'. The cadet salary then comes up to meet Direct Entry salary within 5 years. But just looking at year 1. £48000-£32000 =£16000 which BA have just taken toward the TR, Line Training, cuban cigars... whatever. You're down 16 grand in year 1 alone! The disparity would get progressively less over the next 4 years as you come to meet Direct Entry salary but thats 16 grand just in 1 year. What's the final figure? (Rhetorical question).
FR TR on its own costs approx 20 grand. Just THINK about it a bit.. Ok no risk with BA etc as you didnt pay up front but thats all for you to weigh up. Nothing is free anymore. It's just how they do the numbers..
It's all food for thought. I'm not criticizing peoples choices or how any of the airlines work. People need to realise that everything has changed and it will never go back to the way it was. Whatever reasons people want to come up with for that will ultimately change NOTHING!
Airlines will be going bust soon with recession, winter, credit crunch and oil prices (which will increase yet more as the west enters winter). When they do go bust the job market will be saturated with rated and experienced airline pilots. Newbies will then have yet fewer opportunities to get through the door. Alot of people will soon be CPL/IR, no TR, plenty of debt already and a very low chance of getting in the airlines. (That's to add to all the already crowded hold pools). Sad but true.
If you really want this, take the first opportunity you get. Take some risks (as best as you can calculate them). Be prepared to take the rough with the smooth.
For me, i wanted to do this since the day i saw my first plane.. I'm happy spending my working life doing this. I went through alot of sh
t to get here and asked myself at several points. Is what im doing to myself really worth it? But i made it. It wasn't rosey. It's hard work and it can be very pricey!
I'm an FO on just over 500h. I'm on about 50 grand a year! That's in the region of a prop Captain at Flybe.. Joke isn't it.. Can i complain? Personally I dont really care about money.. Just my debts. When they're dead i may well just leave the airlines and p
ss off to Africa, knock on doors and find a job with the likes of MAF medivacing people from dirt strips with my stick and rudder skills. Who knows.. Chase your dream, don't hang around umming and arring and reading all this cr
p. Get in and get on. Get the hours.. Increase the options available to you and with it your potential..
Howard Hughes is long dead (allegedly but almost certainly).. Michael O'leary is very much alive..
Randomness over..
Good luck peeps..
