Guys, having read Checkboards posts when they first came out and waiting avidly for the next installment, I would highly recommend giving them a read. They are fantastic.
WannabeQF, I hope you get everything you wish for.
Personally,
CPL/MECIR/FIR all around the same time Dec 05. It cost to renew it the first year but when company X asks for blah renewals, I have two more than most with my experience.
Moved half way across the country for a full time instructing position. Upon arrival and paying bond on a unit etc. was promptly informed that I would only be causal and paid by the flying hour. Unphased, I went back through the inactive student file and got a really good base of students going, was doing 3 hours of instruction a day. However the last straw came when the owner moved my three students for the day to the full time staff who were not doing anything. He did that without telling me, or even calling me to tell me. I left that school needless to say but I made sure I had signed up about 20 people to do a PPL theory course I was meant to teach. I pulled the plug 2 days prior to it starting, hey I'm casual... They still taught the course, just cost them twice as much, for another ground instructor.
So bereft of work and a lot less money in the bank, I moved back home. A mate I had been to uni with and helped get a job as a meatbomber told me they were looking for jump truckers again. So I went out and had a look and before I knew it, I was flying a s/e turbine with 300 total time. Was it award? No. Did I pay for the endorsement? Yes. Do I regret that? No. So after flying meatbombs around for close to 12 months, I got a bit tired of the constant dodgy-ness that seemed ops normal in that world. So I decided it would be a good idea to try and move on to something else.
Next I worked for a charter company, the next logical step. I had heard stories from guys who had made the step before me about 'charter' pilots saying our skydiving time was worthless. I was lucky and didn't find that attitude where I worked. I was the second crew on a mine charter for 6 months as well as doing a ground ops job. The ground ops job is probably the only thing I regret doing in my career, although it did give me a good insight as to how the other half lived so to speak. So after 6 months, I was the first pilot in about 4 years to make the transition from ops to flying. I got a gig at the company's satelite base flying resort guests. It was an awesome job, especially when you could sweet talk the check in girl and get a plane load of American Uni girls in bikinis. I still have the photos I took as my desktop background. But aside from the err scenery and apart from a few 'wombats' the guys I flew with were an awesome bunch and I would never trade my time there for anyrhing, even a jet command. You hear that WannabeQF? I spent two years at that company, and I had a ball. Sure there were days when you didn't want to go flying in the VFR aeroplanes, and the resulting pressure from the boss, but these were all very minor things compared to the big picture. It was time to go when I did however, as I was losing my love of the job and cetain people.(Pax and resort guets) can cause you to lose faith in mankind.
So then that leads me to my currently job flying bank runs. It is a completely different sort of flying, but still just as fun. I enjoy the loaders and the playful abuse we hurl at one another, and the aeroplanes.
Wages.
With the exception of my current job, I was employed as a casual. Did this bother me? Occassionally. But for me it beat the alternative of working for a living. In the first 4 years I never earnt more than 35k a year, with the meatbombing year about 26. I got by and the bills got paid. Sure I couldn't go away every weekend etc, but it was a pretty good wicket and I still managed to save for a 4 week Euro trip in that 2 years.
Other
Your flying is what you make it. It can either be a source of much joy on your journey or a boring waiting room to the majors. Ultimately your choice.
Drink lots of beer, preferrably with the guys you work with. Try not to get anyone offisde. You don't have to be best friends with them, but unless they've tried to kill you in an aeroplane or threaten you with physical violence, try to be on good terms with the other pilots. Very small industry you know...
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Refuellers and Engineers are the best form of gossip/who's hiring etc. And carry the ladder for them, they'll think you're a champion. Then next time you need a snag fixed on sunday or fuel in the pouring rain, they might actaully do it..
No matter how hot you think she is, DON'T sleep with another pilots girlfriend/missus. Another small indutry etc tip. I know a couple of guys who would have had an awesome opportunity if they had used discretion .
Don't do too much crazy, stupid ridiculous stuff on empty sectors.
Take a camera with you. And spare batteries and a memory card.
Hope this helps
j3