CPL/IR, then what?

[BlueRobin]

In planning a potential professional flying career, I'm stuck on what job opportunities or routes there are out there in building pre-requisite time, experience and skill going from the CPL/IR to the RH-seat of a flight deck. Any ideas what osrt of jobs these may be? Courses are one thing, experience though cannot be bought that easily.

[Charlie Zulu]

Hi BlueRobin,

Whilst I am answering this, I'll assume a basic 250 hours after a modular JAA CPL/IR course because I am aware you already have a JAA PPL and a few hours besides.

If you are extremely lucky enough to be employed pretty quickly after qualifying with minimum hours (300 hours or so) then this probably won't really apply.

There are a few routes to gain experience.

1) Pay for lots of hours on your Maule and work within the same industry as you are at present.

2) Obtain an FI rating. But only do this if you really want to instruct. This would enable you to work during the week and then instruct part time at the weekend of jack you job in to instruct full time with a severe pay cut.

3) Banner towing, Glider Tugging, Parachute Dropping, etc etc... Difficult to get into and not very well paid (if at all).

4) Single Pilot IFR Taxi work. However JAA minimums call for 700 hours total time before letting you loose. Some companies have exemptions which call for a minimum of 400 hours total time but must include 40 hours of Multi Engine IFR time.

5) How obtaining an FAA CPL/IR CFI-I MEI as well so you can work in the USA as an instructor for a couple of years? Not very well paid but you'd get a lot of flight time and if at the right place maybe lots of Multi time too.

6) Bush flying in Canada / Africa / wherever...

7) Ummm.... running out of ideas now.

All the best!

Best wishes,

Charlie Zulu.

[BlueRobin]

Hi CZ, remember at the pro show that to get onto the flight deck, they said it might be a good idea to not get in the SEP FI rut and instead try and get into the CPL/IR FI rut? Would this be valid advice, anyone?

Other routes do see a bit few and far in between.

I see buzzc150 has started flying twins for an aerial photography company at Cranfield following his CPL qualification.