Once upon a time a wannabe flyer went to his local flying club and started lessons and eventually gained a PPL, he then built hours and gained a professional license (before this, for those older than I, they instructed on their PPL until gaining sufficient hours to upgrade to CPL) They then instructed on poor pay and yearned for a turboprop job, passengers by day maybe freight by night but they flew with experienced seasoned veterans who continued to give guidance, NBD’s at night plenty of hand flying non precision approaches into regional airports.
Several years later they may of got a command on the TP or moved on to the right seat of a jet maybe the same company maybe pastures new. Again they had to build experience and we’re probably seat locked for years. A few years later they may get a command upgrade or move right seat onto the long haul fleet.
The ultimate goal for many being left seat long haul, but to get there the journey was long but airlines were smaller as were their fleet sizes, it was bound to take time to get to the top.
The above is now a fable cast to the past, Integrated, pay to fly, Oxford, CTC, and the riches brought by cheap loans, credit cards, rich mummy’s and daddies and the have it now culture and not forgetting the hunger of the ever expanding airline industry and their share holders, the sandpit Asia etc. etc. has brought about the current state in the market.
Instructing? Well that’s done if your really desperate and need to stay current.
Turboprops? Are there no jet jobs? Ok that’ll do but only until that jet job arrives and I’ll be off like a shot.
So that brings us to the UK jet job market! There aren’t many new starter full time positions anymore, cadets on part time, flexi crew, 70% contracts, and 100hrs experience for 20K. Low pay low and every lowering T&C’s. That is what we have become, the cheapest person for the job. Why pay more there’ll be off soon and there’s plenty more to replace those leaving and there willing to work for even less!
The UK jet market has replaced the turboprop job in the old fable above, you gain a few years experience maybe a short command before moving on to the sandpit, china, India, where the T&C’s and packages are still respectable as they need the experience you have already gained. Imagine being in your twenties castigated to 30 years plus as an expat?
Unfortunately that is what our industry has become! Its no individual’s fault it’s the industries fault including ourselves!