Building hours for that first job...
Hi there,
First of all this isn’t a thread asking for a job and I did not post this thread in the hope of getting a job offer from a forum user.
I completed my CPL + MECIR nearly 6 months ago and I have been getting through the ATPL exams once funds become available for me to book them. I’ve been keeping my eye out on the AFAP website and reading the Aviation section of the Australian Newspaper every Friday in the hope of trying to find a low hour job offer that I can apply for.
So far nothing is available for me. Only jobs requiring a minimum of 400 hours (I only have about 200). I haven’t been bothered to apply for these jobs as quite simply, I do not meet the minimum requirements and I don’t want to waste the operators time with looking over a resume that doesn’t meet their minimum requirements. I bet they would get a lot of resumes that simply don't measure up.
I am writing to get some advice on how to secure that illusive first job. My pilot resume is nothing flash. I have a couple of questions for those in the know that might be able to assist me.
Should I spend a couple of grand and get some 182 / 206 time?
Spend money on a 172 to get my hours up?
Should I invest 14k in an instructor rating in the hope of getting an instructing job?
Should I approach private pilots at the airports (YBAF / YBCG) and ask if I can co-pilot to get a bit more experience and possibly log some time? Surely there would be a couple of aircraft owners out there that aren’t looking to make a career out of flying.
Would it be a good idea to find people that do a few ferry flights?
Obviously the above is for aircraft that I can fly (<5600 kg MOTW, retract. & manual prop. pitch)
I had a read over the fellow forums member that went up north in the hope of finding a flying job. It was one of my plans but I was a little discouraged when nothing became available for him. Perhaps it was his own undoing in starting the thread while he was looking.
Sorry if this is a little long winded but I wouldn’t mind some alternative thinking, ideas and suggestions that could assist in getting some hours up. It would really be a great help.
Thanks.