It is quite simple.
The ATPL study course will give you a good, solid educational background because of the standards required to achieve the licence.
Do not be dismissive of what can be percieved to be irrelevant and out moded information. Once learned, the knowledge is stored ready to be pulled to the front when needed.
Reality: No ATPL (H) = No constructive career beyond the CPL (H) unless you want to and are happy to stick with single engine, instructional or charter type jobs. There is nothing wrong with this career path and many excellent pilots are more than happy to be in this area, but if you want to progress to the next level .....................
Yes, there is a lot in the ATPL syllabus which does not seem relevant to the job of a helicopter pilot, but at the end of the day you need to complete the exams to get the licence.
I am with Phil, the data base is not the way things should be done, but unfortunately the old system of "chalk and talk" has gone. So be it.
Holding an ATPL (H) IR with two crew, twin engine, varied experience (offshore, VIP, SAR, Air Ambulance, etc) plus 2500 or more hours will help to open the doors. Of course there is then the argument about how is the low time CPL to gain such experience?
Having a CPL (H) and less hours should be considered as a stepping stone, but unless there is a co-pilots slot available with the major players such as Bristow, CHC and Bond and you can beat the other multiple applicants for any available slot, the long term prospects of life as a CPL are slim. So keep knocking on doors, visit potential employers so they see you face, do the exams, build the hours, etc etc.........
It is true about being in the right place at the right time.
Thats life, It is competitive and requires a certain ammount of dedication and self belief to achieve ones desires.
Where I am we regularly recieve CV's from experienced military and civil pilots with 2000 - 3000 hours experience but we cannot look at them because they only have a CPL and we require an ATPL and IR. There is nothing personal in this, but for insurance and client requirements we need pilots with the ATPL and IR.
So instead of moaning about the relevance of the licence, there needs to be a realisation that the ATPL is what the industry demands and if someone wants a job it is what they need.
Sorry for being blunt, but there it is!
AMCP
Last edited by amostcivilpilot; 20th Mar 2010 at 18:08.