Do I have a future in this industry?- Opinions please!

[Gearupandorrf]

G'day everyone,

Based on the info below about me, how realistic do you think my chances are of one day flying for REX- or possibly even an Embraer or 737 for Virgin Blue?

Current age: 33
Total Hours: about 300-Including about 40 twin (Duchess) plus a Baron/ Travelair endo.
Licences: Oz CPL (but also hold UK issued JAR CPL/ IR with UK ATPL theory).

For various reasons, going back to the UK is not a viable option for my Wife and I- and my observation is that there is just as much competition amongst low hour Pilots for jobs as there are here in Australia (we came home last year after 3 years of looking for a break).

My initial plan is to complete an Instructors Rating at MB or EN, and teach on a casual basis a couple of days a week- until I can nail down a more permanent position. On this basis, I reckon I could have about 500 hrs within a year or so- and then looking at heading up north and getting into an Operator where progression onto Twins is possible.

This is going to be made a bit easier by the fact that we have our House paid off, and we could look at renting it out when the time comes to leave Melbourne and head north.

I've been away from flying for a little while, and have just started part time studies toward a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. Although I'm enjoying it- the main thing that I'm learning at the moment is that I'm itching to be flying again.

Based on the info above, how realistic is it of me to believe that when I'm in my late 30's and with a few thousand hours, an Airline such as REX or VB would consider me?

Please let me know your opions- be they good or bad.

Many thanks in advance,
Gearup.

(PS: I've deliberately left Qantas out of the equation, as I know how anal they are about the "experience commensurate with age" thing- which as I understand has come to be known as "application not competitive" to get around discrimination laws).

[wrongwayaround]

Hi Mate

Given the current climate of the industry, your chances of getting the job you desire is fairly good. I'm in airline C&C and can see some marvelous things happening from the airline and the regional end.

'Word of mouth' is all we have to go by sometimes. But 'Word of mouth' tells me that regional operators (Easterns, Rex) are finding it most difficult to find pilots with the required hours. For legal reasons, they are required to take pilots with a minimum of 500 hours multi engine.

'Word of mouth' also tells me that at this current time, Rex only has about 90 applications on file with people who meet the minimum requirements. Usually they would have hundreds.

I say go for it. You sound like an intelligent gentleman and the industry could use you. Lets say you get the minimum requirements for Rex at age 36; you've still got about 30 odd years of good commercial aviating in you :)

I will also recommend (and others may be able to back me up?), but from my experience the people who go straight into Charter/Scenic jobs up north get into airline flying quicker. Some people who do instructing purely to build a few hours end up spending alot of money on the rating, don't teach the students with passion - and generally build a grumpy attitude as it takes longer to get hours.

Go straight up north and get your experience.... You 'smash' through the hours up there....

WWA :ok:

[AerocatS2A]

One of my instructors started flying in their thirties, ended up in Ansett NZ before its collapse. Another friend got a job in Air NZ at 40. As long as you're not dead set on Qantas you should be quite employable. In fact, something you have going for you is that you may be able to present yourself as someone who wants a career in a regional airline such as Rex rather than looking at it as a stepping stone.

[Howard Hughes]

Go for it, get stuck in!

As others have said, I would head straight up north, money spent on your instructor rating could be better spent on looking after your family. In my experience, I started working in aviation at about 36, you will probably find that people are willing to give you a go as you bring other skills to the operation and hopefully any young bravado has long since vanished!

Good luck and keep us informed.
Cheers, HH.:ok:

[remoak]

GO for it!

I can only share my own experience - I started my airline career at 30 and was a check and training captain on a jet by the time I was 40. I'm just about to head off to a Chief Pilot position in a Euro jet operator - and I'm nothing special. Anything is possible if you have the ability to press on in the face of many disappointments, and the see the prize at the end of the journey.

BTW one of the really, really special things about being a senior trainer or chief pilot, is that you get to give guys like yourself their break in aviation. it has been a real privilege, and not one of those guys has disappointed me. The path to getting in front of the guy who can hire you, though, is mostly up to you.

I'm curious though, as to why you couldn't get a job in Europe? There is a serious shortage developing of qualified guys over there. The company I am going to next is having major problems finding recruits.

[OPT/MAX]

You'll be fine.

I believe REX is already having troubles finding experienced guys. In the end, they will lower their requirements. It's just the way it will go. Virgin are going to need a few hundred pilots over the next couple of years so they will be constantly sucking the regionals dry, then they will lower they're requirements.... Good time to be up and coming

All the very best :ok:

[A Yak From Yemen]

Supply and demand. Regionals more than likely yes, jet operators more the age vs experience thing plus effective networking.
Most of the recent hires into VB I think were all 20 - 35 and some turbine exp. Good time to be in the hunt in the next couple of years.
Would you be looking to stay in Oz or go overseas, despite what you read on this forum I can tell you friends of mine are both happy in Oz and O/S as well as a few who are grumps both here and there!

[Clown Act]

No, start a farm as oil is going to run out shortly.

Pilots are going to be about as employable as horses were after the motor car was invented. The Arabs have vastly overstated the amount of oil reserves in order to make themselves richer.

Have you seen "The Good Life"?

With an exploding population, our entire transport infrastructure will go the way of the dinosaurs and we will have to rely on food that is locally grown because we will be unable to bring in food from other areas because we will not have the transport infrastructure to do so.

My advice for the coming years, if you live somewhere cold, enjoy imported pineapples while they last. If you live somewhere hot, enjoy potatoes. Build a big still and ferment whatever vegetables you can grow to produce some quality moonshine and drink yourself through the changes that are coming.


Sorry if i haven't been much help.