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Old 27th Jul 2011, 12:29
  #3 (permalink)  
askell
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: France
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First, I agree with previous answer.

Now, I spent part of my life looking for a way to fly. I am 41 and I am flying, now. But it took me some time. I guess that you have two possibilities: either you join a major as a cadet. Then, you don't have to pay anything, you have a good salary and you fly nice aircraft. At the end of your career (not at the beginning), you may even fly the A380.

Some additional info, at this point: the price of a TR is not proportional to the size of the A/C. An A320 simulator is as expensive as an A380 one, more or less. ANd if you have to train on a lighter aircraft (corporate) for which no sim exists, then you will have to train on real A/C and this may exceed the price of an A380 TR.

Second option: you cannot join a major. Then, all routes are possible, from never flying at all, to direct entry on A320 with a self sponsored TR... The route I followed is not the one you will follow, and what's working today may not work tomorrow.

You may hear (read) older pilots telling you that flying directly on jet A/C is a non-sense. They are probably right. BUT. In the past, most of them had the opportunity to start on propeller A/C, then to move on turboprop then jet. Perfect. Today, if you start on propeller and you want to fly something else, they will ask you "How many hours on Turboprop ?". If you decide to self sponsor a B1900 TR, you may fly, but you will be paid peanuts. "Doesn't matter", you will think, "cause I am building up FH". Yes, maybe. But when you'll go for an interview for jet, they will ask you "how many hours on jet ?".

I have a former colleague, he was a captain on corporate jet, had several thousands of FH. When he went for an interview for A320, he was asked "how many hours on glass cockpit ? None. Oh, sorry, I should have better read your CV. Good bye."

I am not telling you should not start. I am just telling you: stop dreaming, take information everywere, fly as much as you can, because experience is finally always what they want, be ready, flexible, always consider several alternatives for the future (work on ground if you cannot fly, but in aeronautics, consider expat, consider putting your money in instructor training, but also Citation TR, etc.). Then, decide, by yourself. Know that you are buying a LOTO ticket and you should be the only one who decide the numbers. For some time, you may not meet the requirements (not enough FH, enough FH, but not on turboprop, not on jet, not on glas-cockpit...).

And one day, you will be at the right moment at the right place.
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