Oh dear. This is the first time I've logged on in months. Now I remember why. There are some harsh truths on here, but also some nasty comments I don't understand. As someone mentionned earlier WWW was merely voicing predictions, and how correct they've been. (Can you advise me on some stocks and shares.) I did my research for several years before starting the modular route, and qualified with CPL/IR/MCC in January 2008. Unlike the optimists from Cabair and Oxford, I spent the latter half of my training (working full-time) thinking I'd made a monumental mistake. I always knew that 260 hours was "scum of the earth" territory. The last 18 months have only reinforced this. Not a single interview, from Europe to HK, and everywhere in between. A friend of mine flies the A300-600 Freighter in Far East, and it is amazing, demanding, and rewarding. (I agree about this rediculous misconception about cargo. I would be thrilled and do pretty much anything to get to that position. In no way is it 2nd rate flying. Quite the opposite I would say. Max T/O weights. Into challenging destinations. Superb in my opinion.)
I know multiple former XL pilots, and I feel for
some of these guys immensely. (
Some of them were the most arrogant pilots I've ever met.) I know several that still have found no work. If they are in that position, how do guys like me stand any chance.
What staggers me is that a gentleman with whom I work, and has seen me struggle, has taken his son to The Flyer open day, followed by an Oxford day, and has been sold an £80,000 Integrated course starting in October. Deposit paid. I nearly burst into laughter when he told me, followed by tears.
Just writing my thoughts here so little structure to this.
My conclusion is that there will be no real improvement in two years as the government and "experts" predict. My CPL/IR/MCC will be 3 and a 1/2 years old. My sharpness and proficiency will have suffered. My wife's patience will have been exhasuted, and my keenness all but evaporated. My debt will be gone in 18 months, and the thought of taking on more is about as appealing as sticking a pineapple up my a**. Newly qualified MPL pilots with their new blue books will be far fresher than me, an increassingly cynical 35 year old.
I work on the ground at a huge airport, and the public is becoming increasingly vile. Yesterday two co-workers were verbally abused by passengers. One lady called a
, and a colleague from St. Lucia called a
. Do I really want to spend hours in the air with these people???? Getting home at 0700?? Not sure anymore. Having done 10+ hours in 757-200 sim recently, actually got bored after about 5 hours. Heaven forbid, I've said it. Bored.
WWW. Boy do I wish I'd known you 6 years ago to avoid this nonsense. Out of the negative comes a positive I suppose. I'll stop wishing my life away, and turn my back on this fantasy. No IR renewal for 18 months, if I can be bothered. Feel better now!