Getting an AOC

[eason67]

I am 37 and sick of reading about how I wont get a job because of my age and how no one is interested unless you've paid out £60,000 or whatever, gone to Jerez and brown nosed those in the industry.

How can I get an AOC????

I'll bloody do that and employ myself flying my own plane doing air taxi or something.

Any thoughts?

[Crashlanding]

Its not an easy process to get.

Firstly you will have to read your ops and have some choices (are you appling for plane <19 or 19+ ie which type of AOC), either pay a company to create your application, and some extras like checklist, MEL, MMEL etc, when I checked on this about a year ago expect a charge of around 40k.

If your doing it off your own back.

There are things that need demostrating, eg mantenace scheduals, pilot rosters, aircraft checklists, company structure, proof of finance, etc, but you can read most of this from the CAA web site
You have a fee to pay to the CAA cannot remeber what that is but its just a fee before you even get a cert, and you could start writing many blank cheques till they give you your aoc as they are very specific

Also remeber if its single pilot ops, you cannot do IFR untill the 700 hr mark.

But you can do VFR at under 500 hrs if you have a valid IR rating

Good luck, I think we all need it

[High Wing Drifter]

Thinking back to the ops procs notes, the hardest part would probably finding and justifying your choice of ops, quality and maintenance (whatever) postholders at a bargain price (i.e. deciding what you can do yourself and hiring the right people for the other management positions). The processes and documentation is probably well understood and the requirements reinforced over time so there is little mystery, just stress and hard work getting it set up. But there isn't a manual on using good judgement!

Finance? Well as that is Step 2 the rest is academic :uhoh:

[FLYbyWIT]

Did'nt I hear about an eighteen year in oxford starting his own operation utilising Air Meds Caravans or something like that.
In America it seemed so feasible, I remember speaking to two different yanks who started off their careers years ago operating there own senecas / barons whatever on mail runs etc etc.

[JB007]

Forget the idea!!!!

[nick14]

Hi,
Ok now am i being niaeve in not knowing what an AOC is?
I consider myself to be fairly well informed on the aviation world but i have never heard of an AOC?????

Nick

[High Wing Drifter]

From memory it is the Air Operators Certificate (or something like that). Issued by the CAA to allow you to conduct transport ops within defined contraints (max weight, ETOPs, distance, etc). It specifies how you will manage the operation, finance ops, train staff , maintain equipment, what type of goods, what type of a/c, cargo/pax or both, who is in charge of what, etc, etc.

All very vague, but I think that is the gist of it. You will cover it in summary form in the Ops Procs part of the ATPL theory.

[Dutchie]

If you think that 60.000 is much and starting an AOC cheaper :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p
Thanks you just made my day :O

[Craggenmore]

eason67,

My mate's 37 and started his first ever type rating today..........................with First Choice............................ on the A320.

Craggs

[Captain101]

HOWEVER -

If you want an AOC for single engine VFR flights departing and arriving at the same airfield (i.e pleasure flights, photography, banner towing, glider launching and other aerial work) then I think it costs about £80/month - Bargin. Check out the CAA website for info.

Buy a C172 and do local pleasure flights & photography?
Buy a riems rocket and do banner towing aswell?

They say the only way to make a small fortune in aviation is to start with a large one - Prove them wrong.

Hope this helps.

Note - The 700hrs required for Public Air Transport must include 400hrs P1 and 100hrs Multi.

[Phil Brockwell]

I think you would be better off spending the money it would take to set this up on a few type ratings.



Phil