What would you do?
I'm 25yo kiwi living in Australia currently earning ~150k/pa in a mining job (love the money, hate the job). I've got 7hrs in my log book (5hrs actual training and 2hrs due to long gap between flights). Flying for a living has always been the dream and I've decided to give it a serious crack now but I'm a bit confused as to the best way to go about getting it done.
Would you:
a) pay as you go and get it done on time off - I work 9/5 roster. Based on my living expenses this would take me about a year to get 200hr CPL with a MECIR through the place I did my previous flying in Adelaide.
b) Save up the coin and do it all in one go on a fulltime course back in NZ. I'll stay in my current job (assuming contract continues) until I've got the coin up, again approx 12mths time to get the $$ up.
I have a girlfriend in tow (looking serious), and I'm determined to get my training done without getting into debt. She wants to move back to NZ in the next couple of years so AirNZ/link will be the midterm goal. Am I better off doing my training in Australia now or should I save the coin up and take advantage of the exchange rate and do my training in NZ.
How tight is the job market it in NZ? I saw recently that apparently instructors are in demand, but i can't find any jobs being advertised so I'm assuming that if that is the case that schools are pulling from their own ranks?
Do pilots in NZ have an 'award' agreement like in Australia or am I looking at going back to minimum wage as an instructor/GA pilot?
Also, what are peoples thoughts on the ANZ Aviation Institute FTO program - worth the extra time in school, or grind out my CPL and ratings and get on with the job and just build the hours and go the more 'traditional' route.
Sorry, lots of questions. I read through the DG&P forum as much as possible and searched re: training in NZ but couldn't find the answers I'm after.