shaun ryder : Thank you.
Although I may offend other posters, who I'm sure may think "I said that". I found your post structured in such a way that I'm left with the feeling I understand what you have explained.
Yes. There are times to bite one's tongue. But I'd hope this forum isn't such a setting. That said, I'd like to tease a few things out if I can.
What I do find interesting is the range of opinions from "seasoned commercial pilots" who are giving advice on "their" industry. This isn't a dig, but hardly any of you say the same thing for the same reasons, which makes it difficult to know which seasoned commercial pilot to pay more heed to
Like any two humans; not everything that is said/typed is received in the way it may have been intended, nor will two individuals completely agree all the time on any given subject. Different personalities and experiences lead to different positions, and therefore different advice.
My aim in approaching the forum/thread was to gain an insight into what makes one pilot more
employable than another, not limited to airline employment. The context of the question was, of course, my own situation, because I was asking for my own understanding and wish to relate what ever responses I gained to myself. Yet my age was not the main question
although It's become the main focus of the responses, as had Jet airlines.
* I understand (from reading.... a lot of these type of posts), that age IS a factor, yet stories can be found to the contrary all over. Equally, the issue with older guys is never really explained with regards; is it all about the actual age or is there other 'employability' issues. Personality, experiences, soft skills, technical skills or just an unfortunate choice of mis matching socks at interview.
* I find it hard to believe that most pilots must be singles, with no family, house, or routes to affect flexibility if having a family is such an issue on gaining entry to the airlines.
I would expect the issue of moving to equally apply to ALL candidates and current staff regardless of age. Again. This might also explain the ability for turbo prop guys to remain turbo prop guys and not folow the oney and jump into a RHS of a jet, or for a person to remain with a company because it doesn't create the need to shift about constantly. My point here is that I think most careers would present the need to re-locate for it initially, and thus moving to setup somewhere isn't particularly a new concept. It isn't for me anyway. Having said that. The effect on my own family unit is not lost on me, it' simlpy a family deision and somthin one would hope (as it is in my case) would be sorted and understood before £XYZ has been spent.
There are good inputs in this thread all the way from the start; yet complete contradictions from one poster to another. The difficulty is that "seasoned commercial pilots" telling us about "their" industry don't say the same thing
An example of this is a previous poster on this thread indicated that the recruiters would be thinking 'could you spend a long time in a small space with this person', inferring posative personality, and 'life' skills count as a positive.
Yet you state you don't care for 'life experience, all you want is a switched on cookie with modesty'.
I can argue with neither, as I can relate it to my own work situation where I'd actually want your switched on cookie AND someone who you can spend hrs with in a small space
I understand that recruitment sim checks are failed by candidates due to both over and under assertive personality traits, as much as technical skill. No mention of age relating to standards though surprisingly. Or that could just be because the older guys don't make it that far. I'd be interested in the stats for new MEIR issues relating to the age of applicant; then seeing how much of a % over 40 actually represents. Then run the same for new entries into work and see if it's all adding up.
I also found interesting research as to CRM development and flight deck personalities, and how lack of flight deck communication has been a factor in accidents. That culture differences in the ME where the captain is said to be God and the FO simply does what he's told yet Euro model is monitoring and assisting yet without blindly following without clarity or briefings as and when required.
BusAirDrvier: I see you getting increasingly frustrated. I can actually see where James is coming from as not being 'in' the industry we only have external references to go on. And of course... you will know yourself. They show a different picture of salary than you are showing.
The lowest airline basic salary I've seen is Flybe Turboprops at £28k. Rising year on year. Jets being around £40k. These, of course, are probably not bonded. Are you able to give some real life current examples to contrast? I know you used £1400pm but is this current and for Airlines or other work?
I'm not trying to 'call you out'; I simply can't find that level of pay anywhere other than ONE corp jet setup that takes low hrs.
General question (not age related);
How does the license and or medical insurance work? Is it like a critical illness insurance that in the event of you failing a medical, losing the CPL, one gets a large payout to compensate for the loss of earnings moving fwds?
What sort of pension deals are normal?
Age question: Assuming I accept that the Airline see older guys as slower and more of a training risk. Which on face value as a general comment I might be willing to accept.
May I ask how old you experienced guys are? Who of you are Captains, and at what age did you do your command courses? When was the last time you went through a TR?
Do you feel that you (as you are getting older) are finding it difficult to continue to pass the sim checks? Would you say that as you have got older (regardless of how old you are) you find it hard to keep up with the new young blood in the RHS straight from CTC and the like? Do you see ANY difference in the Modular pilots vs Integrated? Would any of you encourage your children to follow you into the industry?