PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Advice after finishing training - what do I do next (Merged)
Old 27th Aug 2009, 16:37
  #59 (permalink)  
TheBeak
 
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The problem for many is that they feel further away from being a paid pilot, having completed the ATPLs, the CPL and the IR than they did just starting the course. It is exciting back then, you have 200 hours of flying ahead of you, you don't understand the stress of doing a practical test and the money has no meaning for a while. Believe me it all feels very different afterwards. Employers outside of aviation aren't terribly impressed with an fATPL either, it doesn't spell commitment to them. It'll be a hard sell to convince them otherwise. I'd imagine less than 0.5% have a seemless transition from training to job. Most that do get a job have a 6-12 month wait. That is a painful time searching for the money to make the repaymernts when people are umming and ahhhing as to whether you will offer the commitment required to offer you a job in your meantime.

Do it the other way around, if you must at all. Work, work and work for 5-10 years if you have to in order to do this course without taking a loan. You will thank yourself for the breathing space when you are all qualified with a £80K blue plastic book and not a sniff of a pilot job or even any job. The advice of 'meat-bombing', instructing, banner towing and glider towing is wishful thinking. Good luck finding such opportunities. VERY few exist.

I guarantee you that paying for a job with Ryanair or one of these pay-to-fly schemes is not the answer either.
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