confused & bewildered

[vector-victor]

Dear Fellow Aviators,
>
> At the moment I am in the process of completing my PPL(H). I can say
> without hesitation it has been one of the most enjoyable times during any
> of my flight training. My final goal (nay dream!) is to fly commercially.
> I have just remortgaged my house (with my wife's consent of course), and
> was considering doing hour building, followed by an AFI(H) course,
> thereafter after CPL /ATPL Nav subjects ( I think? perhaps somebody can
> enlighten me on this matter). With a view of ending up being the proud
> owner of a CPL/ATPL(H) Licence (plus a few obstacles thrown in by the CAA
> of course).
>
> As I have now finally succumbed to purchasing a P.C., I was extremely
> pleased to find various aviation web sites.But I think I may have 'Jumped
> the Gun'. After accessing various topics on your excellent bulletin board,
> it appears that my chances of finding a job as a heli-pilot at the end of
> it all is nothing short of remote.
>
> Can anybody give me some sound advice on what to do, as I don't know
> whether to cut my losses and try and go down the fixed wing route. What
> with policy changes being imposed on us by our euro-cousins the dream is
> becoming faded around the edges.
>
>
> Yours Stumpy

[barsandstars]

Be careful my friend.
Flying helicopters can be very rewarding, as you've started to find out. However, you may have probably picked about the worst time in the last couple of decades to take it up as a career.
The big North Sea helicopter companies used to have a good career structure for pilots, and especially those just joining. That, believe me, is not available any more. One company has just paid off pilots who had been loyal to their company for between 20 and 30 years.
You say that you have just re-mortgaged the house, well look very closely at the job opportunities first before you carry on rotary, as it will cost more for a helicopter CPL than a fixed-wing, and at the moment the fixed-wing will look after you and your family better in the future.
Hey, if you're a jet plank wing pilot you can use your helicopter PPL for weekends.

[tigerpilot]

As one of the recently departed from the N. Sea, I must wholeheartedly agree with mty colleague "BarsandStars"!

Drop the "H" and go for the "A", you can always "H" for fun with the big bucks that you earn from one of the airlines!

Before I started "H"ing, I remember an ex-military colleague of mine saying that having helicopter hours in your logbook was like having VD on your medical certificate (pre AIDS days!). Looks like he was right, and now I have 11500 VD certificates!

Good luck in whichever way you choose to go.

[vector-victor]

Thanks Tigerpilot. If it hadn't been for the chat,from good people like yourself, I would have probably made a large error of judgement.
I've actually got a flying lesson in the Robbo today, which I'm really looking forward to. But I guess the stage that I'm at now with the PPL(H), it really would be a waste of money if I didn't at least complete the course. I don't know if you have followed this thread of mine, but I have actually got a lapsed PPL(A)as well. So I guess that the total time on my licence will count for something?
Have you any ideas on the next steps I should take? I've been in contact with PPSC enquiring about their ATPL correspondence courses, and their going to send some gumpf when they get their JAA certification at the end of September.(I don't know if you know of any other 'theory' establishments. I've heard Coventry mentioned?). Thanks once again for the sound advice. I'll buy you a beer sometime!

regards
vector-victor

[HeliAv8tor]

Dear V-V, if you are serious about completing ATPL ground school, try Bristol Ground School. Alex and his team are very good (they managed to get me through first time!) and they are resonable on the price. Call on 0870 9024396 or Fax on 01275 474773.
Happy landings,
HeliAv8tor

[Cardinal]

Before you do anything too drastic, consider the context of the advice Barsandstars + Tigerpilot have generously offered. The aviation employment scene is ALWAYS bad compared to getting into more pedestrian vocations. You will have to bleed to achieve your career goals in aviation, this is a given. For some jobs (like flying heli's in the U.K.) you may have to bleed more than for others (like flying for a regional). It will never be easy. I don't presume to know the career dynamics at work in your case, but I am not at all comfortable making final, life-altering decisions on the basis of a couple messages on a bulletin board, no matter how well intentioned they may be.

[vector-victor]

This is very true Cardinal!
But I really don't know what else to do? apart from seeking advice from people already within the industry. Obviously I realise that any training establishment will try to sell their own product. But at the moment I feel as if I'm taking three steps forward and five steps backwards.
The Heli school which I'm training with at the moment are a great bunch of people! They tell me that they'll give me a job instructing on helos,when I get an AFI Rating, and I have no reason not to believe them. But for the hour building alone I'm going to need something like £20,000!!Plus the cost of the AFI course at the end.
Where, if I go down the fixed wing route, it looks ( wrongly, possibly? )that I could be well on the way to achieving A CPL/IR.
If you have any ideas, as to how I should approach this career change for me please feel free to drop me a line at: [email protected]
Or post it on the Bulletin Board.

Many Thanks for the advice

vector-victor

[vector-victor]

This is very true Cardinal!
But I really don't know what else to do? apart from seeking advice from people already within the industry. Obviously I realise that any training establishment will try to sell their own product. But at the moment I feel as if I'm taking three steps forward and five steps backwards.
The Heli school which I'm training with at the moment are a great bunch of people! They tell me that they'll give me a job instructing on helos,when I get an AFI Rating, and I have no reason not to believe them. But for the hour building alone I'm going to need something like £20,000!!Plus the cost of the AFI course at the end.
Where, if I go down the fixed wing route, it looks ( wrongly, possibly? )that I could be well on the way to achieving A CPL/IR.
If you have any ideas, as to how I should approach this career change for me please feel free to drop me a line at: [email protected]
Or post it on the Bulletin Board.

Many Thanks for the advice

vector-victor

[Captain Catastrophy]

If you wish to fly make sure you get a frozen ATPL (A) and start ASAP as the rules are all about to change with the implementation of JAR. PPSC will certainly tell you what you need to do and I have heard Bristol highly recommended as well. Flying is a disease and if you have caught the bug than all other professions will appear very pedestrian. Good luck

[AllyPally]

Hi V-V
What Cardinal said is true but for information my company has lost all its 3000hr co-pilots to fixed wing along with several captains. We have not had an above inflation pay rise for 5+yrs (our last was 0%) Most new recruits are using helio flying as a stepping stone to fixed wing. Perhaps so many people can't be wrong. Got to go now as I'm off to hours build for my ATPL(A)!!
Cheers
AP