Do you really think the economy is starting to pick up with 10% unemployment in the Euro Zone???
Sorry to disapoint but don't be misled by the Daily Mail headlines that are massaging the figures to make everyone feel better about things. After all it wasn't exactly a bbq summer last year even though we were told it would be.
If you really believe the economy has rounded the bend it will be a couple of years before the prosperity trickles down to the airlines and then it will take some time after that for all the out of work high hours pilots to be soaked up.
Sorry to be glum but I'm in exactly the same position as you, the days of the airlines being so desperate for pilots that they poached the guys off of helicopters from the North Sea aren't about to come back that fast...
Muddy Boots