Mechanic to Pilot........

[andy.heli2006]

Hello

I know it's all been discussed hundreds of times on here about "should I or shouldn't I" but it mostly seems to be people in the USA making the decisions and discussing it.

Does anyone have any recent experience with training towards the CPL with a view to future employment in England or Europe?

I'm an Ex Airforce Airframe Technician with 7 years experience on Puma and Super Puma, both military and civil. I've recently passed my PPL H and now life doesn't feel the same.!!!! Mooching about in the hangar just doesn't do it for me anymore. I used to enjoy watching the Lama and Kmax with the longline out of the window.............now I'm just jealous.......(I'm working in Switzerland)

So:-

1, Where do people train these days, USA or Europe?

2, Are jobs really as hard to find as people on here seem to make out? Will my Engineering history help me here? I'm 33, still got time I hope?

Would be good to hear from anyone with any experience training recently in England or Europe or maybe any engineers that fly now.

Andy

[WLM]

Hi Andy

33 is not old Mate, hang in there and you will get to your flying job. In the US as an example, it seems that bush work and slinging companies like engineer/pilot. For one it saves a bit of money, and 2 you do not have to convince 2 employees that remote work is good.
However your experience is on Puma/SuperP, so not so many in remote work.
I would say your best chance is to try Canada, do your CPL there, then hopefully something will come your way for your particular experience.
But really, you would make more money and live in far better conditions if you remained in your engineering profession.
It is a fact that qualified engineers can dictate their salaries...

Anyway good luck
Cheers
WLM

[Heli-kiwi]

Andy,
I am in exactly the same boat - 7 years airforce (NZ), 34 and just finishing my eng licences now. I finished my CPL last year and am looking at Canada late this year to get some flying work.
One thing I have learnt though is that some employees will promise you the world when it comes to flying but will ultimately "use" you for your engineering abilities so you will have to make sure you don't get trapped into wrenching the for the rest of your days if you want to fly.
I believe the engineering will be an excellent backup for off season work or if you just get short on cash while looking for work overseas. Flying has been a lifelong ambition for me and I am glad I have done the CPL and can now just start to see doors opening.
If you are single and can earn good coin to pay for the flying then I say go for it if it is going to make you happy, Life is too short to be unhappy in your job.
One thing I can recommend is perhaps buying a share in a training helicopter - I did here in NZ and it saved me about $260 per hour and I never looked back.

Good luck HK

[RVDT]

Back in the old days...............

Not being from an affluent background, unlike some of my friends, I figured if I was going to stay in the game and spend a large amount of hard earned on flying licences it would be better to have maintenance qualifications as well. If you lose your licence for medical reasons you can stay in the game.

By 25 years of age I had CPL(A), CPL(H), and LAME with ME and turbine types on both sides of the camp. I was lucky that the guy I worked for paid for my PPL(H). I was working 70 hours a week for him which I was paid for and it was not traded off against the cost of my licence.

Working for the same operator I built up some time and finally got a job. Without experience, you are still without experience and the maintenance qualifications did make a difference. That was 25 years ago.............

Currently I fly and maintain an EC135P2 and frequent the nicer places on the planet, Caribbean, Mediterranean, and the view is always changing outside the window and it is well rewarded, you work it out!

Also get to meet and fly some VVIP's.........

And yes I have done plenty of the less salubrious jobs to get here, venison recovery, cattle mustering, longline, firefighting.........

It will be of benefit in my opinion. Go for it.

Not dissing the cyclic attendants here. You can teach a monkey to ride a bike but he's ...ked when the chain comes off!

[Flying Mechanic]

I went from Engineer to Pilot, u will have no problem getting that first job at all.I know all the Tuna fleets in the pacific have Pilot/mechanics on board. My first few years in flying i was always fixing the planes after work, and between the flying jobs, alaways back to the hangar, its money for old rope.Now I fly MD11's for a cargo, and have alot of respect for the guys that keep us flying.

[andy.heli2006]

Hello

Thank you all for your responses to my post. I have pretty much decided to go to the states to train and am going through the process of trawling the internet, sending emails etc......think Bristow academy looks like the best bet for the FAA and CAA license.

I've been encouraged by what I’ve read here, it's nice to hear people putting a positive spin on people training and taking the step into the CPL H world.

Andy