Can't find my first pilot job

[G-Rees]

hello there,

I have just gained my frozen ATPL and been looking for my first officers job but having no luck what so ever. I have been looking for 2 months now. I am starting to worry slightly i won't find a job.

I would love to fly turbo prop or corporate, don't really fancy the airlines at all. I would be willing to do a free trial for a week to show my flying abilities. I have a huge passion for flying and loved aviation since I was a child which i think shines through when being interviewed.

I would be VERY grateful if anyone knows of any contacts anywhere in the UK that may be interested in giving me a trial with them.

Thanks ever so much,

Owen

[nick14]

welcome to the club sir!

you are one of many that are graduating into the job market hoping for that first job.

the only advice I have for us is just keep at it, target your operators and tailor your CV and Covering letter to suit. when you do post the aforementioned enclose a copy of your course report from your school (assuming its a good one/they write them for you)

try to keep current by selling your soul(and washing the odd club a/c)

best of luck to us all!
:ok:
Nick

[CAT3C AUTOLAND]

G-Rees,

You are young with time on your side, and looking for a job for just 2 months, is not a long time! It takes some guys, myself included years to get a job.

Another thing is making contacts does not happen over night, you have to earn peoples respect before they will consider you. You have your whole life ahead of you, keep plugging away.

[Anonymus6]

it might make you feel better if I say I talked with a guy the other day with more than 2000 hours on the 737 and he is looking hard core for a job. Hi is thinking to take a FI job.

I have a little bit more than 2000 hours and having hard time to find a job.

It is going to be a couple of dark years ahead.

good luck

[Fat Clemenza]

The key is:
Never give up
Maintain knowledge and practice up to date
Make contacts

Took me years, hundreds of applications and several trips overseas to get there.

After all the sacrifices...no regrets whatsoever. If you believe in something and you know it's the right thing...be stubborn:ugh:

[adverse-bump]

A weeks free trial? what the hell are you, a pilot or broadband deal!

most tr take 6 weeks to do! so what do you intend to show during your first week of ground school!

[inner]

I don't wanne be in your shoes. Only 2 poor months looking and already panicing. What are you going to do when it takes 1,2 or more years?????

Most of the pilots here had to fight several years to get their first break. Well if you are really so keen to fly like you're saying, get your *ss into aviation!!! Show it to the world by instructing, doing aerial photograph, dropping para's or do some bushflying in africa.

I remember when i did my atpl, a pilot told me that the real hard work would start when i'm graduated.

Good luck, let the adventure start. :ok:

[Fireboy]

I've been looking for over a year now and the only job offer I had was Ryanair.

I decided on the FIC and I haven't looked back. I now have 500+ hours working part time for a local school. I still have a full time job but I work shifts so I couldn't be in a better position. What I'm really trying to say is, do the FIC.

[bucket_and_spade]

I smell boll***s.

[nick14]

you had a job offer from Ryanair and you turned it down to instruct???

[1013 with altsel]

I turned down a job offer with Ryanair to instruct!!! Instructed for 500 hours and then got an airline job! The airline paid for my type rating and paid me from day one!

Good luck to everyone out there looking for a job!

I think a few people need to change their attitudes !

[Deep and fast]

Cheap credit is not as readily availible as it was and Ryanair is not a cheep entry into work. I also turned it down, but I did get an offer from bmi reg so it wasn't just because of the initial outlay. I had worked for enough C@&£s in my time so working for O'Leary didn't fill me with much enthusiasm.

Sorry guys but whatever OAA told you, be ready for the long game.

Do FIC course stay current!!!!

D and F :8

[Wireless]

I would be willing to do a free trial for a week to show my flying abilities

Most companies will have their policy on recruiting and training flight crew and wouldn't see this as a benefit. If you pass your rating and line training you're ok. If not then you may get the boot. They'll have it worked out don't you worry about giving them a "free trial" lol. If anything they'd probably have a chuckle if you offered that.

[plumponpies]

G-REES
You gotta be ****tin' me!!! 2 months and your panicking already!
Get a grip man and step in to the real world.:ugh:
You will get a job eventually but as said before it could and in the current climate probably will take years.
Just never, ever give up.

[ChrisLKKB]

I smell boll***s.

Yep, no one is that stupid or insulated from reality.

[MIKECR]

G-REES,

As others have suggested, an FI rating would be a good option for just now. There are always the odd openings here and there with the airlines but for now recruitment(UK wise and Europe) is pretty dead. The Far East and African states are recruiting just now but it seems more experienced TR's pilots that theyre looking for. Things may pick up again next year in the UK with the likes of Flybe and Ryanair but for the meantime the doors are closed.

Back to the FI - it will get you flying, keep you in the 'loop' so to speak, help you make contacts, keep you current, put plenty hours in the logbook....the list go's on. I cant think of any negative's!!

[A340rider]

Hahahahahaha 1 week free trial....like the Sky Movie channel haha...what happen if the Airline forget to cancel you after week free trial..do you never leave them they have to take you on for 12 month contract hahaha....

2 Blinkin Month you poor sod...I would say 18 month is a average..Theres som funny amigo/amiga on here...what a hob nob biscuit...:}

PS... English Speaker Question..Change topic...(not choclite bar haha)..What is it mean when someone reffer to me as 'a tool' barman in my pub say this word to me..think this means screwdriver does he mean i want a drink screwdriver..vodka orange?? I drink hard mans drink BAILEYS with ICE!! for Tuff nut

[eghi r20]

The trick is to keep plugging away. In this climate slow and sure wins the race, not put you ass on the line then go bankrupt when the possible job offer after a T/R goes up in smoke.
Keep current, do whatever, para drop, banner, glider tow etc, or the FI course why not. In 12mths you will have a few hours and may get an offer that includes a TR. dont sell your soul unless you can really really afford it.

Throw enough cash at any problem and it will go away eventually, keep paying for TR etc, you will get there. But for the rest of the population caution has to be applied to all things.ANY company can fold and leave you high and dry. That applies to employers AND Flight schools etc.

Dont forget, lots of pilots have great fun flying as they work up to their first jet job. Climb that greasy pole. :ok:

Lastly......be prepared for it to take years. Not a few weeks. !

fly safe

[Fireboy]

bucket and spade, I would think twice about posting a comment like that!

nick14 I don't know about you but I just can't lay my hands on 25k for an FR TR. When you have other financial commitments it's just not that easy.

I decided on the FIC because I already have a really good job which pays the bills and I get 14 days off per month so I'm more than happy to work as a flying instructor for half the month. At least I finished the CPL/MEIR and done something positive to keep current and gain lots of experience. It really does help when you get airlines like Flybe who insist you have 50hrs in the last 12 months, so far I think I'm ticking all the boxes!!

Fireboy

[ChrisLKKB]

Fireboy, fwiw my response earlier was made under the assumption that bucket and spade was refering to the original poster (seems to be a lot of trolling on here these days). Sounds like depite the lack of 25K you're in quite an enviable position :cool:

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

This is a useful discussion but I think G rees may well be a troll.

Calm down.

WWW

[ford cortina]

Well if Grees is not a troll he is is fool, 2 months looking....... lord help me if I were him i would blah blah blah etc........hit head against wall blah blah blah:ok:

[airmiles]

Yes G Rees 2 months is nothing!! I have been looking for more than 2 years, and believe me when I say it is a long hard slog, but NEVER give up. If you truly love flying keep at it. FI is the way to go. In the last two years I have sent so many CV's and letters again and again. There are people out there who have major difficulty finding a pilot job. It is hard and not easy, and do not ever think it is. Also you have your age on your side. I think it is pretty sad though that you complain of not finding a job after 2 months of sending your CV. Come on be realistic, I know of people who it has taken them 5 years to find that first pilot job. Every pilot who has trained and done the ratings all want an FO job; we all do else what is the point of doing all the hard work in the first place. You can complain after you have really tried to find a job, but 2 months... I am sure you haven't applied to half the places you ought to have with your experience..

[johnnyDB]

Funny how someone mentioned 18 months as being the average, as this does realy seem to be the case!

[bucket_and_spade]

Correct - my bo****ks comment was referring to the original poster :ok:

Call me bitter and jaded but I can't believe that anyone that's naive about the industry/current climate. I'd be v. worried if they had an fATPL and were!

Sounds like the mods may agree...

[boogie-nicey]

Many of you are commenting on a classic industry whereas you fail to factor in the current economic situation into finding that first job. It's an ever deepening spiral and not like it used to be in the "good old days". The luxury of having to merely wait and sweat for a couple of years before your first break will be no more. The fact that you have a long line of other wanabes ahead of you isn't going to help but nor is the simple fact that as airlines and operators go out of business then the waiting line will become compounded even longer. What do I mean by this, well as operators cease to trade then their experienced work force will fill that line ahead of you. With a darkening industry landscape the only openings will go to the more experienced jockeys ahead of you and before long you could find that things are moving so slowly it seems like driving upto Edinburgh at 5mph. Frustrating yet there's nothing you can do about it.

Divert your attention away from aviation and be more receptive to the economic ticker tape that is rolling through with dire news. The issue of the day should in my humble opinion be survivability my dear friends.

As for 2 months well what can I say there will soon be (6 months from now) people in their millions looking for work in any and every industry. Whatever 'next' step you undertake in aviaiton ensure that it's not too expensive you cannot afford to take large gambles or risks. Always reduce your exposure to risk and if you win then that's a bonus but first priority should always lead to being risk adverse. You can't afford to be otherwise can you ....?