Urgent advice needed

[technohouse]

Hi Guys,

I'm brand new to this forum but I do understand that cross posting is not allowed.

I am in urgent need of advice, particularly from Instructors and examiners.
please read my post here: PHP?T=260178

If this link doesn't work, please find my post in The spectator's balcony.
Topic: urgent advice needed regarding CPL training - am I too old?

Many thanks if you have the time.

Richard

[NorthSouth]

I was 44 when I got my CPL and 45 when I finished my FI rating. Worked for me, but then I'm only a PPL instructor. Even going for a straight airliner job is possible at that age - some companies are fed up with paying for young whipper snappers' type ratings only to see them bugger off somewhere better after the minimum time.
NS

[helilad]

Go for it ,you have already wasted enough time.Its one of those decisions you make and must continue to believe in till you reach your goal !

[technohouse]

Thanks very much for your positivity guys.

After my original posting, all I got was very negative responses.

I've spent the last 36 hours feeling dreadfully disappointed and with shattered dreams. I was working till late last night, so I never checked the forums or my mail - I got another very encouraging private message from class a who told me to take all negative comments with a pinch of salt.

Hence now, feeling a whole lot happier about things, I am emailing the training school with a few final questions before I commit myself to doing my training with them.

What are your opinions about this? I don't think there are any JAA affiliated schools in South Africa but the other school (Progress Flight Academy) in Port Elizabeth say they follow the JAA Syllabus as closely as possible and do a modular course which is 155 hours and takes you through from nothing to getting your PPL, cross country, multi engine landing class and night rating, then you have to come back to Europe to do your JAA: CPL and IR.
The school which I prefer offers SAR: CPL and Instrument rating, FI and ATPL ratings, which I also want.

I am not that bothered about being JAA qualified at the moment as I am quite happy to stay there for a couple of years. All I want to do is fly! somewhere in the world! If I get a decent job there, I will stay longer.

Some of the most negative comments I have received are that being white and non South African, I will never get a job down there. The school of my choice Aptrac, say that they will offer "selected candidates" employment as a FI if you do all your training with them. Sounds like no guarantees there.

Anyway, that's about it for now.

Thanks for your encouragement and I look forward to your replies.

Cheers

Richard

[NorthSouth]

By a quirk of fate Progress Flight Academy is where I did my PPL in 1996. In those days it was a lot cheaper in South Africa. Not so now.
Progress have tried to make their syllabus as attractive to Europeans as possible, and their programme of PPL/multi/night, total 155hrs gives you the max benefit back in the UK - you can then go straight into the JAA CPL course. SA's a great place to fly and the best SA instructors are among the best in the world. But the attempts to set up JAA-approved training in SA have left a trail of wreckage over the last few years and there is still no JAA training in SA.
If your ultimate intention is to get a commercial job in the UK there's no point in doing a South African CPL, ATPL or FI, and not much point in doing an IR. This is because they are basically not convertible. You will have to do the full 650 hour JAA ATPL theory course and pass all the exams even though you have already passed the South African ones. To convert the IR you will have to do at least an additional 15 hours dual instruction and pass the IR skill test. That alone will set you back over £5k. You will also need a JAA Class 1 medical and a UK Flight RT Licence.
You'll hear a lot of racist crap talked by white South Africans about how hard done by they are. Admittedly the ones who are now having to compete in the jobs market might argue with some justification that they can't be held responsible for apartheid, but the old regime where the only route to a captain's seat was if you had the same DNA as the existing captain was thoroughly corrupt.
You won't get a pilot's job in SA if you're not an SA citizen. Period. Colour of skin doesn't come into it. This is because there will always be many more South Africans wanting to become pilots than there are vacancies.
Anyway I wish you the best of luck with whatever route you choose. Just be careful of SA schools that seem to be offering you the moon.
NS

PS check your PMs also

[FlyingIsFun]

similar situation to another respondant... I completed my CPL last year age 43 and am currently part way through the FI course, my aim being some part time PPL instructing as a skilled hobby. I have already been offered one position at a local airfield. They cant wait for me to finish so I can start flying for them. I was also encouraged to continue through multi-IR by my CPL experience ,being told by several people in the industry that I am not too old to go through to ATPL. However I am still employed elsewhere... so maybe next year !