As I stare at the endless Invoices for flying hours and crunch the numbers for every item I have purchased to stage 1 including pens, paperclips, maps, fuel blah blaah... and flight time... I had the thought.. "When did this flying
get so
expensive?!
Even more depressing was the number crunching and realisation that this
still doesn't get any cheaper for the "Professional Phase". Cost of Hours Building - circa 10k, CPL - circa 7k-8k, IR -circa 15k, ME circa -kidney! +10% buffer... my other kidney!
And there taunting me on the table from the corner of my eye was my Class 1 Medical, in section XIII: Limitations.... emblazoned with those 3 letters "OML".. Valid only as or with qualified co-pilot (Applies only to Class 1 Privileges).
Awaken the devil and his taunts to chants of "You haven't got a hope in hell compared to ALL the other
unrestricted Class 1 Pilots who will also be searching for the elusive "first job"... Single Pilot Operations: Not Applicable.
Bye Bye.. Flight Instruction, Air Taxi, Glider Towing or
any sustainable wage for single pilot ops and severally restricting me from trying to build the experience required to even stand a chance of getting a job and being "different from the crowd".
Do I risk it and hope that I knock on the right doors? for Multi Crew or save my 2K that I am about to fork out for the ATPL's.. and the rest of the CPL/IR/ME/ etc
Perhaps I'm being cynical or as I prefer to look at it a realist.. Either that or go forwards on a wing and a prayer for the "peace of mind" that I tried... Albeit at a potential cost of another £30k!
Answers/Advice on a postcard most welcome.