Flying Pikey, loving the attitude.
Make the most of it, keep flying. Only a lucky few have an easy ride.
I finally got my break last January and started an airline job through CTC ATP. This was 6 years after I started flying (4 after IR) and there were periods of despair interspersed with great experiences instructing and survey flying.
Had a few interviews, failed a sim ride, got stranded in a hold pool (BigJarv knows what I'm talking about), but it all came together in the end and CTC happened to be the turning point, though I hadn't held out much hope when I applied.
Keep plugging away, things go up and down. Don't be in too much of a rush to get an airline job - they're not as glamorous as some people think (but the money's good
).
Just make sure that when the industry picks up again (which it will), you're near the top of the pile. And in an interview, if you can show evidence of patience, perseverance, realism, humility, and currency (not talking cash here), you'll be the one who gets the job in the end.
T McC.