The truth hurts
Hi all.
I've been watching these forums for a couple of years now but I have to say that this is one of the most down to earth threads I have come across. I haven't posted before but I feel the need to add my own story to the mix.
Back in 2008 I had a stable well paid job, a mortgage, girlfriend and lots of money in the bank - in short I had a 'normal' comfortable life. I'd been a keen glider pilot for 5 years and having heard about integrated ATPL training I suddenly had the insane urge to pursue a career as an airline pilot. The thought of flying a shiny 737 for a living and earning £30k+ seemed like an ideal way to a secure future...anyway, did the research, talked to FTOs, believed the "you can expect your first job as a FO within 3 months of graduating" sales pitch and in Jan 2009 handed over my life savings and started training. And yes, this was as the ecconomy was taking a nose dive, however the FTO gave the old "you'll graduate just as things start to improve" routine "this is the best time to train" and I foolishly believed it.
So, after graduating in August '10 and obtaining my little blue book where am I now? Well, I'm 32 and I've spent a year applying to airlines not to even get an interview. I have no money and I can't get a job of any kind.I can't even claim job seekers due to lack of NI credits earned during my ATPL training! I have a truck licence and 8 years experience but I can't even get a job driving a truck let alone flying a plane. I still have a mortgage to pay and my wife now has to earn the income as my clever idea of a good career and prosperous future hasn't materialised. My moral is at an all time low. The only plus is that I don't have any debt.
It's fairly obvious that there is a huge pool of unemployed wannabies all climbing over each other for a job. It's also clear that the airline industry has taken a dive (along with most others at the moment) and is not in a position to recruit. The airlines have no problem sourcing pilots and know that they are doing US the favour by giving out the odd job here and there. They are being as fussy as they like in choosing new recruits and cashing in on their desperation for that first job "Yes we'll give you a job if you pay us £30k for a TR, buy a uniform, work 24 hours a day and accept little to no pay for the first few years...". Yes people are getting jobs but people are also winning the lottery most weekends...In my opinion it's just not worth the stress and hassle at this time to continue obbsessing about getting that first flying job during a time when the odds are against us in a big way.
Despite the ever-optimists I don't believe that a miraculous shortage of pilots is going to happen within the next few years. You only have to look at the job markets in general to see how dire everything is.
My MEP and IR ratings are expiring imminently and I can't afford to renew them. I have decided not to bother and instead I hope to join my local flying club (when I have some funds) so I can fly maybe a hour a month and mingle with people from the aviation community. I'm putting the airline dream on the shelf for the time being and contemplating plan B - maybe I'll finish my degree and retrain for a job with more reliable chances so that if plan A (flying) doesn't happen at least life can go on. If it looks like opportunities are opening up again I'll renew my ratings and start applying again. However I'll have to draw the line at some point. I don't have all the time and money in the world and there will come a point when it will no longer be viable to pursue this dream. I'll give it 5 years tops after which I shall call it a day and continue with plan B. You can't put life on hold indefinately on the off-chance that a flying job will come along.
I've listened to all the "if you don't try you'll never get a job" and the "chin up it'll happen in time" b--lox but we have to face reality. Yes there might be ways to keep your foot in the door by starting at the bottom somewhere doing pond-life jobs, but I'm 32 and trying to settle down, I can't just sod off to Africa or to some other obscure country. I can't afford to spend years shoving baggage around Stanstead for minimum wage. I don't have the time or money to do an FI rating and nor can I afford to live on FI wages (assuming I could even get a job doing that) much that I'd love to. I also can't afford to pay £30k for a type rating and be stationed in random places around Europe at a moment's notice by some cheap airline who forgets that people have lives. Maybe if was was younger and single and had no other life ambitions other then flying I might go down the above mentioned routes, but the lengths we have to go to get into this industry can have a serious effect on our home lives and sanity.
The thing is, pursuing a career in avaition is not just another career move, it's a life changing journey. Whatever life you had before you started will never be the same again. As I've also come to realise, even if I could get a job as a FO somewhere, the lower salaries and antisocial working conditions in airlines at the moment won't do much for quality of life. I've worked in road haulage for 8 years and the working condidtions are identical to those pilots face so I know exactly how it affects homelife - working nights and weekends, bank holidays, Christmas etc never being able to promise you'll be at someones birthday or event. Having to change plans last minute because you didn't get home on time due to delays. It's very easy to end up a lonly miserable person...unless you make your job and collegues your new family...because they'll be all you have..
It's all very well if you're 20yrs old, have no life or responsibilites, have access to lots of money and have all the time in the world. Go for it, you have nothing to loose. But if you're late 20s or early 30s and you want a 'normal' life then this is definately not the time for thinking about becomming an airline pilot. Ultimatley it all depends on how flexible your livestyle is as to how you can go about getting into this malarky. If, like me, you don't have infinate flexiblity to take any small opportunity that comes up that MAY increase your odds of a future airline job then serious consideration is required as to whether it is worth it in the first place. Personally I wish I'd used my £60k for better uses such as investment or property etc
Anyway, I applogise for rambling on but I hope it has given people some points to think about. I think more people should share their real-life stories whether they're woe or success so that we can all learn from each other.
All the best to you all.