Best way to spend £3k to boost job chances?

[Doug E Style]

Recently been left £3k and would appreciate advice on the best way to spend it with a view to boosting my job chances. I'm 35, British, fATPL on integrated course at well known UK training outfit (graduated late 2002), current IR, MCC but only 175 hours. Have had one interview (UK regional jet operator) so at least some people see me as employable.

I see my choices as:

1. IFR time in a piston single (twin would be better of course but approx 2.5 times the cost). I feel that getting to at least 200 hours would be a psychological boost but would it be any more than that?
2. Jet sim time
3. Another MCC course for the tuition and sim time.
4. Any of the above but with some money put aside to renew my IR (which will more than likely be at my own expense again this year).

Any opinions from those in the know will be gratefully received.

Thanks.

Doug.

[buzzc152]

You might try going to the US. With the current exchange rate you could well afford 50 twin hrs. However, finding a school/club that will rent you a twin with so few hrs will be problematic.

I'm looking at this very option at the moment, so if you find anything, please let me know.

Buzz

[traumahawk71]

Hi Dougie

have you thought about getting an instructors rating with your money. That way you'd be able to build up quite a few hours as an instructor with the added advantage of being paid, though its not that much.

You could hold out in the hope of getting further interviews and should the need for a sim assesment arise you can hire a simulator before hand to practice.

From my experience twin time is an advantage to some extent as companies have started asking for around 50 hours or more of twin time.

As for hour building well it all helps.

I myself went the instructor route and had just 200 hours when i gained my commercial. In just over a year I have built up a further 700 hours through instructing so in my case it was well worth the investment :D.

I recently attended a pilot recruitment day and met lots of guys there who had well over 1000 hours and a few of them had some turbine expereince as well. It seems that just sending out CV's will not get you very far and that the best way is to go along to your local airport, and personally hand over you CV. At least that way they get to meet you and you have more chance of giving a good impression

Good luck with the Job hunt, the markert certainly seems to be on the up at the moment.:ok:

[flyinghome]

hey Doug E Style,

i agree with the previous post, go get yourself an instructor rating. best way to go, continue applying for jobs while doing it and when u get it if you havent got a job in the mean time it will keep ur proficiency up as well.
also all the little regulations that change and aip changes that occur ever minute will be in ur knowledge bank as you are always reading and delving into new subjects to enhance your and your students knowledge. and also i think in my personal opinion and alot of people will disagree if and airline recruiter see's that ur trying to better your experience with an instructoe licience they will maybe look upon u better than someone that has done nothing the last couple of years only to apply for jobs and keep there licences current with the odd flight once a year.

fh

[GusHoneybun]

The Instructor ticket by far and away the best way to spend money post CPL issue. OK, it's 6 grand, but spent elsewhere will only get you around 60 hours in a single in the UK. So once you've more than 60 hours instructing, bingo, the rating has paid for itself and coupled with that you're getting a wopping 12 quid an hour on top. As pointed out before, your exposure to AIP changes and other little gems will keep your knowledge sharp. One of the other benifits is that you make so many contacts through flying. The next guy in for a check flight could be a training captian renewing his SEP. I wouldn't have my job banging round low level in a TP now if I hadn't done the instructors rating.
However, I know that it's not everyone's cuppa tea. You must want to be an instructor and if you are not genuinely dedicated to your students progress then you will end up loathing it. It's easy to forget that these people are spending over 100 quid an hour and they deserve to have someone who is fanatical about their progress plonked next to them. It is very hard work, frustrating, challanging, rewarding and down right scary at times ( students always like to enter spins on the last lesson of the day ).

Another way to use the money effectively is to consider getting into a group. On a real cheapy aircraft shares are around the 1 to 2 grand mark and flying is around 20-30 quid an hour. Use this time to perfect your flying, take a safety pilot and practice instrument flying (if the kit is there of course), kidnap an instructor and do aerobatics for handling improvement.

[lscajp]

Doug E Style check your pm's

[Doug E Style]

Thanks for the replies. I didn't mention getting an instructor's rating in my initial post as apart from the cost of the rating itself, I also have to consider the money I will lose through not working. As I have a family to support, this is something I cannot undertake lightly. Still, if I don't do something constructive, it could be a while yet before they get to me down here at the bottom of the barrel!

"Doug"

PS. There is a PM for you, Iscajp.

[traumahawk71]

Hi Doug

Glad to be of some help.

One thing to remember is that you don't have to give up your day job to be an instructor. At my old flying school we had a number of guys there who continued to work in the week and instructed on weekends. I really admired those guys as its very hard work doing it that way and takes real dedication.

As mentioned before its not everyones cup of tea but it can be really benificial to your flying skills. I thoroughly enjoyed the instructor course and learnt so much from it.

Joining a group is another option and could be worth looking into.
All The best TH71