What would you do?

[skypest]

Greetings o wise ones
I am stuck at a bit of a junction in life and just wanted to see what any one else would do in my situation.
The facts
1. I am a 30 year old, born and bred in England, but I am also an Australian citizen by descent.
2. I hold a PPL(H) or at least I would do if the British weather and my job would allow me to complete my final skills test, never the less I have logged 55 hrs and chomping at the bit.
3. I have saved around £55,000 for my helicopter career.
4. I have family both in Blighty and Oz.
5. The job I currently have Pays very well (which covers my hefty mortgage and not a lot else) in exchange for what seems to be my soul and due to silly hours would never let me even think about distance learning.
6. I have looked down the heli adventure/bristow route. But the waiting list for the JAA does not suit my timescale.

You can probably see where I am going with this.
Do I :
1. Struggle on with my training in the U.K bearing in mind the cost of living and loss of earnings whilst trainingnot forgetting the increasingly unpredictable u.k weather (I am slightly tormented by trying to do my PPL during one of the worst weather years...... Ever) to emerge with my prized JAA CPL(H) and not a lot else.

2. Go to Oz, hour build, get a bit of a tan, then return to do a JAA CPL(H).

3.Make use of my Oz citizenship, move to the gold coast where as well as enjoying all the things that living near the beach brings I would do the full CASA CPL(H) with someone like Professional Helicopter Services at Coolangatta airport, knowing that my pounds are now affording me a lot more as Ozzy $, whilst being aware that I now am an Australian pilot so this is where my helicopter career must be.

I hope I haven't just wasted your time by making you read this. If you have a little more time could you let me know firstly what you would do and add anything at all for me to consider.
Also if I were to pull the pin and choose option 3 and after a while My beloved England were to call me home, what is involved with converting from CASA to JAA.

Hope you can help.
http://www.pprune.org/forums/images/smilies/confused.gif

[Hippolite]

Pull the pin and don't look back.

There are many opportunities in Australia not just aviation related. Having saved your GBP55k, you would comfortably have enough money to do your CPL/ATPL and IR in Australia and work up from there.

You could also potentially use the money to either build hours or to finance a year's living expenses while you look for helicopter work.

The only thing to remember is look at the pay rates of any helicopter jobs you may get in the early stages and ensure that you will be able to provide for yourself and your family (if you have one)

HH

[skypest]

Cheers HH
Thats the answer I was leaning towards.
The way I was seeing it was after doing the JAA CPL(H) financially I would be led down the FI route. which I would rather do towards the end of my career
when I could instruct as an old salt so I could harp on to some poor young and keen student about my search and rescue days and say things like "back in my S61 days.. yarn yarn yarn."

The great thing is I am not married and I don't have kids, so I can travel pretty light.

thanks for your input I appreciate it.
sp

[206Fan]

Hey Sp..

Yea id hit oz again as said above.. Me and a mate are going to brisbane in july and gona work and start the CPL course with PHS, can't wait.. To expensive here and the weather is a bit messy at the minute!

:ok:

[Hippolite]

Skypest

Send me a PM with your email address

[i4iq]

Or why not go to the US, hour build (much cheaper) and then go to Oz?

[IHL]

Or:

Why not go to Canada. A 100 hr commercial will cost you about CDN 55K which is about 22,ooo UK LBS.

Big demand for pilots in Canada once you have some experience and I think Canada has a bilateral agreement with New Zealand on pilot Licensing.

If its in your heart and you have no family commitments then stop saying what if just go do it.

The one caveat on working in Canada is -you better like camping!

[Heliringer]

Go for a J1 visa and do your CPL in the states then work as a flying instructor until you build up 1000 hours or so then take your pick of OZ or UK. You would be more employable with those hours rather than just a bare CPL.

Plan 2. Come over here and train with PHS or Chopperline as they both have avenues for newly qualified CPLh's to get work and build experience. (I would choose Chopperline)

The market here is really good at the moment and if you're prepared to travel up north and knock on a few doors you will get a job.
The down side of OZ is the crap pay you will receive as a new pilot and it wont get much better until you crack about 1000hours or so.
Anyway a couple of ideas for you mate and good luck with it
Cheers
Ringer

[Whirlybird]

Possibly silly question....I assume you've been to Oz, if only for a holiday or to visit family, to see if you like the life there?

[skypest]

pay is at this stage is not the governing factor, the flying is. So I m not afraid of a little door knocking.
Just interested. Why chopperline?

[skypest]

Yes, I have been to Oz a few times and I love it. But there's a big difference between holidays there and career there. I suppose I am seeking assurance that it will be worth it for my career.

[biggles99]

Hi Skypest,

As a patriotic type it grieves me to say that in principle I agree with most of the comments so far, with one twist.

If you've done the course almost to completion in the UK, with the same instructor or 2, you'd be nuts NOT to spend just a little bit more with the same people and arrive in OZ/ Canada/USA with a JAA PPL(H).

regardless of the rules/regs, you'll find that you wil be made to go over old ground as the new people finish your training, and comments such as "oh so that's how they do things in Blighty" will probably irritate you, as you dig deep for more hours as P/UT.

You'll find it much easier to get credibility if you can wave a log book and PPL(H) around rather than say that you gave up the UK course to seek pastures new.

Spend the last 1000GBP (not LBS, IHL!!!!) and finish the course.

Big Ls

[skypest]

Sorry big ls
I forgot to clear that point up in my original thread.
I fully Intend to complete my PPL here In Blighty and make use of it with at least 4 or 5 sorties at my leisure under my own command. I can't wait.
Plus I have had great instructors ( James Kenwright and his team at rise aviation) Who would like to see closure to their hard work.

[Heliringer]

Skypest,

Chopperline are part of Curry Kenny aviation who own/or part own Aviation tourism Australia. Check out the Avta webpage and you will see that they have quite a few operations that may employ you after your CPL h . They also have very good instructors working for them.

I don't work for Chopperline but I did train there and was very happy with the quality of training I received there. Others may have different opinions.
Cheers
Ringer

[206Fan]

Their website..

http://www.chopperline.com/

I have chopperlines full pricelist in my email..

[aclark79]

I say go to the states first, get your 1000 hours there as an instructor, but don't go J1 first, go on an M1 visa first, get your private and I believe 50 hours into your Com, then return, come back on the J1 and finish though CFII. A couple of reasons... it gives you more total time in country to get your hours. Wht if you don't get a job at a really busy school, what if your training takes longer than you thought, you could (and I've seen it happen) run out of time in country before 1000 pic.

[Efirmovich]

Skypest, my advice would be to put the £55K to work in a pension fund or on the Horse's. You have more chance of making a good living from them than in Heli's ! :bored:

E.

[WylieCoyote]

I'd consider wheather you want to end up working back in the UK or not in the future, you'll find it harder to convert Ozzie to JAR than the other way round and more expensive, you'd also have to have a shed load of hours before most employers in the UK would consider you as you wouldn't have the local weather experience that comes with flying in the UK.I'm not saying you don't get challenging weather in Oz because I'm sure you do, but employers will think 'oh he's just been getting a tan on the Gold Coast' how's he going to cope when it gets a bit crappy i.e like it has lately.
Why not get a JAR CPL then convert to the Ozzie licence, I'd have thought that would give you more options in the future.