150 hours with Inst Rating OR 1000 hours?

[R1Tamer]

Discuss

You have a JAA CPL(H) with minimum hours and the JAA ATPL(H)'s tucked under your belt.

You have funds only sufficient to undertake a JAA Instrument Rating now OR pursue an Instructor Rating and try to hour build over the next twelve months.

Which route do you take to best position yourself for employment and why?

Thanks

R1Tamer

[212man]

"The IR isn't easy to achieve having spoken to many people on this subject now. I have even heard that IR examiners don't particularly like low timers taking the IR test. I believe in one instance, that a low time IR student was told he'd fail his test just before taking his test and guess what? He failed his first test!! Only what I heard so maybe there's no truth in it."

Sounds highly implausible, and probably just sour grapes. Ab-initio IRs are standard in the FW world; how do you think airlines sponsor cadets?

It is a mistake to belive that 'hours' in themselves will help you gain your IR; in some cases prolonged exposure to a VFR environment can be a hinderence. Continued training to IR standard, while the student is 'in the groove' and receptive to the learning process, may well be the more productive route, and will lead to better prospects with a large operator. If you are not looking at a large operator (i.e. offshore) then you may well be better off going for the hours.

[Bravo73]

Although he was talking about going from 0hrs to employment, Camp Freddie summarized it best in this thread (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=172799):


CPL(H) only £40k approx high risk, no chance of employent
CPL(H) + FI rating £60k approx, low risk much better chance of employment but rewards can be low until you become high time
CPL(H) + IR £70k high risk, potentially high returns is you get to the north sea, jobs scarce at present

spend smart go for the middle one



Regards,

B73

[Camp Freddie]

To add to that I would like to reiterate:

"CPL(H) + IR £70k high risk, potentially high returns is you get to the north sea, jobs scarce at present"

even though CHC scotia have been interviewing recently, this way could end in real tears, no job, no money and no way of keeping your hours building.

thats why the instructor route safer at the worst you can keep working your regular job and keep your hours increasing doing training at the weekends. which you could put towards paying for your IR and increasing your options and employability.

seems to me its all a matter of playing the odds, I for one would never have got to my current offshore role, if i hadnt been a high time pilot in the first place, gained almost exclusively as a flight instructor.

regards

CF

[332mistress]

I believe that only 10% of those who applied for the CHC Scotia jobs were found to be suitable for interview:{

332M

[Upland Goose]

Check out the Aberdeen Press and Journal (yesterday) and Flight International soon.

JCB ( 2 x S76 ) are on the prowl for First Officers!!

JAA CPL (H) and Instrument Rating (SE at least) essential - the rest will be provided.

Plenty of flying in all weather but with great equipment.

Not for the faint hearted so GSOH useful to stay the pace.

Does not fully answer the original question but as you can see -
the Corporate tide is turning!!

;)