Help needed

[asnamara]

Hello everybody, i'm new to this forum, and i'd like to ask a few questions.:D I've been reading posts on this forum for quite some time as well as the "words of advice" from Puritan (thanks Puritan), and have found that most people who are looking for a first airline job have already a few hundred turboprop or jet hours/experience.

I currently am finishing up my Australian CPL and should be going straight on to do the Instrument Rating and Multi-Engine Endorsment.

By the end of the IR i would only have TT250 of which only 80 command.

now here are the few questions:
1. Should i then get a frozen ATPL and would that help in getting into an airline?
2. How and where do most of u get the first few hundred (300-400) hours on turboprop? Is it with a smaller regional airline and charter work?
3. And finally a question that is common among my fellow student pilots here, and probably with a couple of people on this forum: "Is there any hope for me?" :uhoh:



Thanks in advance for your advice and comments,
Cheers, :ok:
asnamara

[redsnail]

Ok, I gather you're in Australia and planning to work in Australia? If so, this will apply.

Firstly, the term "frozen" ATPL is short hand for CPL/IR with ATPL subjects completed. If you want to join the airlines or be PIC of something bigger than 5700kg you'll need an ATPL.

Secondly, most folks in Australia have a few thousand hours of piston single/twin flying before stepping up to a turbine. Most folks in Australia either instruct for their few few thousand hours or go "bush". Many will get an instructor rating, do a year's worth of instructing and then head "north" or "west" for bigger twin charter/RPT work.

After you've done a few years of piston flying then you will hopefully be attractive to a "smaller" turbine outfit and get some good multi crew time and experience. All being well, the likes of VB, QF, Jetstar, National Jet etc will hire you. Don't forget Rex and Qantaslink either. At the moment, many Aussie pilots are being hired by SE Asian airlines who for some reason haven't been employed by QF.

Of course, you can be hired by QF with only 500 hours in command of any thing. (assuming you don't go in via their Cadet scheme)

Will you make it? Determination, ability and most of all, luck will answer that one. Remember, the harder you work, the luckier you'll be.