Your flying career

[The_Pharoah]

hi all

I've been reading these forums for a while and enjoy it..esp the varied backgrounds that the pilots/wannabees have so just for my enjoyment (and probably other wannabee's), could anyone with the time post here with the following:

1. Age when received CPL
2. how financed
3. your career

eg.

1. 21 y/o
2. loan
3. 2 yrs up north flying C206s, taking up an F/O pos with Macair for 3 years (Cmd after 2), Jetstar F/O currently...etc etc

please embellish as necessary including any tips you've learned along the way. hopefully other wannabees can, at a glance, see how a lot of the airline pilots made their way incl the strongly suggested 'head up north'! :ok:

*runs away to make popcorn* :}

[Unusual-Attitude]

1) 35
2) Self financed, (3 years in Saudi :ooh:).
3) 6 months cattle mustering. West Qld.
10 months fish spotting. North West WA.
12 months ME IFR charter. Torres Straits.
Now cmd on turbine RPT.

Just got you're 'side note'...if you want a more detailed breakdown of how it's gone for me, send us a PM.

Ta, UA.

[Rich Pitch Power]

1) 31
2)self financed/loaned/stolen/worked in the game and borrowed some more.
3)PPL at age 18, long break to 2003, full time flight school student till it collapsed :mad::mad::mad::yuk::yuk::yuk:,CPL, Instructor Rating, Parachute Drop, Malawi charter boy for a few months, more instructing, initial VFR turbine twin job (2 stints in Africa):ok::ok::ok:, more instructing, more study, more instructing and just about had enough to tell the truth.

Best tip I can give you, go away and become a doctor/dentist/lawyer and buy yourself a warbird to play with on the weekends.

RPP

[flyhardmo]

1)20
2)sold car, worked 2 jobs (labouring is a great source of cash)
3)went west to Africa, begged, borrowed and pleaded for any job. 8 monthsF/0 Kingair for oil ops Cameroon, 2 pilots requ'd. 4monthsF/o bandit rpt Gabon. 14months C206 tourist flying tanzania, 5month F/O bandit Equatorial Gunea, 9 months C-404, Seneca tanzania, 2.5yrs capt twin otters tanzania. various in betweens 8 yr, 2 coups, one deportation later S/o B777 HK.

Advice. Nothing goes as planned. The only standardisation in Aviation is the Bull$hit. Timing is everything.

[Di_Vosh]

For Divosh:


1. Age when received CPL
2. how financed
3. your career


1. 39 (I had my first flying lesson at age 38 - 17 Dec 2001) :\

2. Self funded. Working in IT, and funded CPL through to MECIR.
Six and 1/2 months in Iraq (courtesy of Australian Army) helped fund 7 months in Darwin (basically losing money because of home loans/visits to family in Melb, etc). (Current job has positive cashflow :ok:).

3:

CPL in 2003.
Joy flights/Charter with a now-defunct flying school in MB (Civil), concurrent with casual work for Sharps until late 2006.
Aug 2007 through March 2008 in Darwin working for Ausjet NT :eek:.
Also did the odd Night freight with Tasfast.
April last year got a gig as a DEFO with QLink. Now based in Mildura. Loving every minute of it! :ok:


Love it even more when I get based back in Melb (Insh'allah!)

Cheers,

DIVOSH!

[Got the horn]

CPL at age 27 (first lesson when 18)
Student Loan
Instructing with organisation I trained with for 6 months after instructor rating. Then 3 months twiddling ones thumbs. Got a job as an Operations Controller with an airline for 3.5 years and instructed part-time. Had enough of the desk job so looked around for work. Got offers from a bunch of places, in the end settled on a full-time instructing job in NZ and been there 18 months.
Now: 33 years old, 1500 hours, 1000+ instructing and new planes on the way. Enjoying the instructing, great bunch of people to work with. Would love a multi-turbine job but in no hurry now.

[wishiwasupthere]

Di_Vosh,
Check your PMs.

Cheers

[flog]

1/ 34
2/ Self funded through career in IT / lots of contract and OS work
3/ RPP will love this - bought a warbird to play with on weekends - but seriously, am now running an adventure flight business with said warbird. Also flying 206s meat bombing when I can.

[Chadzat]

1) 19
2) Loan, still have a very large portion of it! :{ Worked a supermarket job while at Uni and first year after getting CPL to at least be able to live.
3) First 10 months post-CPL I flew for 3 different operators scrounging hours wherever I could- doing scenic flights, charters and shark spotting.
Got my big break with a job in Alice Springs, stayed there for 12 months and worked way up from C210 to the PA31. Been in current job for 14 months now all multi IFR on C404's and PA31's, bit of everything- RPT, pax charter and night freight. Good variety but the NF gets old very quickly. I have found it amusing reading the various other night freight threads on pprune and can't believe so many people love it. Each to their own I guess.
Currently have ATPL 1600TT with 800 Multi command.

Advice- Actually try to give a f**k about what you are doing. There is nothing worse than working with other pilots who just dont seem to care. Never burn your bridges. Aviation is too small.

[The_Pharoah]

guys thanks a lot for the replies...keep 'em coming...it is VERY interesting! :ok: for the 'late starters' like myself...seems to be a common theme of being ex-IT! I'm a chartered accountant and work a lot with IT guys on a day to day basis....don't blame you for wanting to change careers. :}

[codgepiece]

1.) 19
2.) Borrowed, begged, worked (pumping petrol, plus every school holiday since I was young), inherited some shares (sold them), no social life. Finally paid it all off when I was 24
3.) Got a job doing scenics, my self and three tourists to 10,000 feet in a 150 HP C172 to look at a volcano, meat bombed in 206 and 182, nearly 2 years in 206 and 182 on cattle stations mustering in QLD and the NT, back to NZ got MECIR then did night freight in Aztruck in winter across the North Island (7000' LSALT, freezing level who knows???) decided I wanted to live so came back to Aus worked as a ground operator/data processor for an aerial survey company which gave me a good background knowledge then low level survey pilot for another mob, been there nearly three years, coming up on 3kTT and 1k multi, very happy, enjoy the variety, don't often go to the same place twice, ferry aircraft all over the world, but downside is not home often and messes a bit with your social life.

Good luck out to all those wannabees out there

CP

[629bus]

1.
21, about to turn 22

2.
Loan

3.
Uni Degree
Instructing
Light twin CHTR
Metro III/23
Dash 8
Boeing 777 200/300/300ER

Now 31

:cool:

[The_Pharoah]

1.
21, about to turn 22

2.
Loan

3.
Uni Degree
Instructing
Light twin CHTR
Metro III/23
Dash 8
Boeing 777 200/300/300ER

Now 31 http://static.pprune.org/images/smilies/cool.gif



:D

[squidward]

1. Age 38 finished CPL

2. Self financed from previous non-aviation job.

3. Drove 3000km's and 4 months looking for my first job. Worked on a cattle station, mustering on a 182, and other station hand type stuff for 1yr. Next job was 6mths more mustering (182), and some IFR Baron work flying the boss around. Then got a start with a charter / RPT company for 3.5yrs. C206, 210, 402, 404 and finally the metro. Now an FO on the A320.

So there is hope if you are a crusty old fart like me, but you had better want it badly enough because its a long road and the money is not quite what it used to be. Esp difficult if you have a wife and kids........

[j3pipercub]

1) 22 (Got CPL, CIR and FIR within a matter of 6 weeks)

2) Worked, worked worked, three years in an office as a data entry biatch, cleaned 747's and worked in a Factory packaging commercial and industrial pesticides, had to leave the last job due to nose-bleeds.

3) Uni degree first. Instructed for a total of 6 weeks with a mob down in Canberra, something to do with the ranges down there. There was a "mix-up" with regards to our agreement of wages. Promptly departed and flew meatbombs out of Toogoolawah and Byron for 10 months, then a ground ops job for a small-ish charter mob. Line pilot for two years with said charter company and now flying boxes around for a different company. With the exception of the Instructing, enjoyed almost every second of my flying, no fires, failures or major malfunctions touch wood. Two radio failures and a tyre run flat on landing, you want to see short field landing?? :}

Advice

TNC - Trust No C*NT, they're all out to kill you!!!!! That is a huge exaggeration, but if you approach all of your flying with that approach then I can pretty much guarantee that you will escape most of the mess. Don't be rude, just don't trust that someone has checked the oils for you, or dipped the tanks and put the caps back on properly, or got your weather or dailied it properly.

Cheers

j3

[The_Pharoah]

1. Age 38 finished CPL

2. Self financed from previous non-aviation job.

3. Drove 3000km's and 4 months looking for my first job. Worked on a cattle station, mustering on a 182, and other station hand type stuff for 1yr. Next job was 6mths more mustering (182), and some IFR Baron work flying the boss around. Then got a start with a charter / RPT company for 3.5yrs. C206, 210, 402, 404 and finally the metro. Now an FO on the A320.

So there is hope if you are a crusty old fart like me, but you had better want it badly enough because its a long road and the money is not quite what it used to be. Esp difficult if you have a wife and kids........


its stuff like the above which gives me hope :ok:

[B58]

1. CPL aged 22 after PPL age 16

2. Bank Loan half and self funded rest from working my butt off doing anything from mowing lawns to working on cars etc.

3. First job Alice Springs 51/2 years doing charter in PA32 206 210 Be58 C340 Pn68. Then off to CS for 3 years IFR charter and RPT C310 and 404 and then FO on the Dash 8. Currently enjoying every minute of flying a proline 21 Kingair for the RFDS in QLD, Which was my career goal from the start, now aged 35. Everyone has a different dream for their career in aviation, work hard, listen and learn from others and you will eventually get to where you want to be, be that a major airline or a small charter mob. Most of all try and lots of FUN along the way.

[empacher48]

1. 21 years young.

2. Self funded, worked every weekend and holiday I could from age 12 to get the money.

3. First job when I was 23 scenic flying around Mt Cook until 6 weeks ago. Now doing an ATR type rating.

[senshi]

1. 23 years old in Sept of '06.

2. sold an investment property that I purchased when I was 19.

3. Completed my FIC and instructed for 7 months, then completed ATPL's, after which I headed to FNQ. Flew a PA-32 for a 3 months then onto a PA-31. Moved to Darwin to fly 402's & PA-31's on RPT routes for 6 months then onto a Metro III.

:ok:

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

1. PPL-22, CPL-33

2. Bank loan and self funded with help from the Oz and NZ Taxation offices

3. Professional degree (not IT!); business related private flying in Oz - C172/180/182/185/206/210, PA28/32, M20, BE35; casual charter in NZ - C172, PA28; banner towing; aerial photography for NZ Forrest Service - C206; aeroclub instructing - PA38; Postgrad degree (still not IT!); casual charter in Nth Qld, mostly mining support - PA23/31, B55/58, C310/402; business related private flying - C182RG/210/310/402, BE35/36/55/58

Ended up back where I started, flying-wise at least!

Not everybody aspires to a big shiny jet!

Dr :8

PS: ......but a little shiny jet would be nice! :E

[clear to land]

1. 20 (1988)
2. Left school after Grade 10, worked for $ for PPL/Class IV. School again a year later, kept working,bar, cotton picking etc small loan (@ 22% interest, thanks Labour!)=CPL/Grade 3.
3. Various GA charter/instructional, then 89 and recession we 'had to have'. All major GA lighties. NT until 92, then Army Helicopter/FW. Coastwatch Dash 8, RFDS, 737NG and now 777(all models).

[Tankengine]

1 : 18

2 : Parent loan for CPL, self for Instructor and Instrument ratings.

3 : 7 years GA, Joyflights, Instructing [eventually CFI], Charter mainly in C310 and Navajo, Qantas on Classic and 767, 744, 737 and now Capt A330.
Gliding for fun though!:ok:

[The_Pharoah]

keep it coming guys, this is awesome. :ok:

[b_sta]

Really interesting how many people are flying as a second career, and not starting commercial flying until well into their 30s. Great stuff.

[damo1089]

What would you guys say about a degree in aviation?
I would imagine employers would generally not look for an aviation degree, and I have never seen one as a requirement, but im currently on the road to getting one, and have just started learning to fly 2 weeks ago. I'm thinking of ditching the degree component so I cant get out there faster.

[j3pipercub]

damo1089,

please, not here, there are other forums for that topic, some just recently.

j3

[Ultralights]

1 -PPL at 15, (worked at KFC and hospital laundry after school to pay for it) CPL at 30 private hire for the 15 yrs in between.

2-funded working 2 jobs as engineer at QF and self employed contractor

3 first flying job, CFI got sick of hiring an aircraft to me every weekend, and after 15 yrs told me to get CPL and Instructor ratings , as i already had the required hours, he will give me a job.... so i did, and he did.. now Senior instructor for that same small school and actually really enjoy it, as all our students are there purely because they want to.
soon to be signed off on the bosses Caravan and Navaho.
still work the second contract job fixing aircraft for the NAVY/RAAF (BAE)

[Stretch06]

1/ 25yo

2/ First 150hrs Military then got scrubbed. Remainder to CPL/NVFR self funded / loan.

3/ Instructors rating once CPL, casual work for 6months, now full time instructor about to upgrade to Gr2.

Stretch:ok:

[Raropilot]

1. CPL 18 :} (PPL at 17 - first lesson+solo at 16)

2. Initially had a few thousand in savings of my own and my parents, which paid for the bulk of my PPL. Then decided to go full time out of school and picked up a student loan (forever grateful) to pay through to and including CPL/MEIR adn eventually C-Cat. I Worked 3 jobs just to live while training and during instructing.

3. C-Cat/Gr.3 Instructor for 6 months. A few months after my 20th Birthday I got an offer from back home in Rarotonga, Cook Islands where i flew as an FO on Emb110 Bandeirante's Inter-island/Domestic RPT+Freight (and the odd regional charter to nearby island nations like Tahiti and Niue) Did that for 2.5yrs. Now in NZ again for past 6 months flying DHC8-Q300's

Im now 23, Have close to 2600TT and still loving the job! :ok:

Kia Manuia!

[Green gorilla]

PPL 19. (1989)
CPL 23
Bank loans
Started out charter flying a C210 and C310 B58s
Then Kingairs for 6 years
Now with Aerorescue Captain Dornier 328.

[Pinky the pilot]

30

Spent about 6 years slogging around the Cooper Basin with a Seismic Crew, making up explosive charges and dropping them down shot holes.

First job was flying a C206 on a casual basis around the Cooper Basin! Based in Moomba. Then to PNG on Bongo Vans until company went broke. Chased birds out of almond orchards in Victoria for a few months then back to PNG, Bongos and C402. Left PNG involuntarily.

Worked casually for a few years, Glider towing in Pawnees with occasional trips in Chieftains for a now defunct Regional. Now out of the Industry and have not flown anything for four years.

[calmaashs]

1) 22 yo

2) worked full time 3 years to pay for flying on weekends.

3)started out doing firespotting on scouts in WA for 3 seasons for first 1000hrs, developed a love of low level stick and rudder flying, moved the kunners for first float job, spend 1 mth on c207 and ga8 before getting on the C206 float stayed for 6mths, then casual on Beavers in sydney for 3 tmhs, full time on caravan in townsville for 9mths, full time back in sydney on C206, beaver and van for 18mths, and now captain twin otters in the maldives the last year at 3000hrs.

Have loved every job so far!

[185skywagon]

1. 31yo.
2. self financed.
3. Flew for friend in C210 in his Charter business(210 was available for my CPL training).
After suitable experience was gained, bought 182, and started doing low level survey and feral animal control.
Became partner in above business. Sold 182, bought a 185, sold 185 and bought later model 185F. Currently CP of above business and still in partnership with friend.

I have risen to level of my incompetence. ;)

[longrass]

Suprising there's no trust fund babies posting, maybe they are too embaressed to admit their parents generosity

[harrowing]

0. 11 years ppl 700 hours C150 (used to be $27/hour dual) C172/182/210 PA18 PA28+R PA32 8KCAB A36 B36 AA5A/B DH82 M20 Robin
plus some CT4A /MB326H (RAAF got halfway!) and a bit of UH1H, AS350B and HS748 when I could sneak up front
then about 10,000+ hours driving a very stationary wooden desk
not forgetting a few quiet drinks/hours/stories/dreams at aero club bars
1. 33 (1988)
2. self-funded plus cost-share + PJE + glider towing
3. freelance CPL(below the poverty line with a wife and first son) Maule V35 PA23 PA34+T PA32+R PA31-310/325/350 B55/58
then at last kero SD330/360 DHC6 DHC8-1,2,3,400 for the last 19 years waiting in vain for the coffee, tea or me offer
7 log books plus the first half of the eighth yet to be done in retrospect

or:
1. 33
2. self
3. more like a job now :ugh: well sometimes!

[Arnold E]

Is the Bo just for fun?

[AvEnthusiast]

Inspiring! let's keep track of it.

[mcgrath50]

Great stuff. Don't forget the advice guys it's the best bits.

[Transition Layer]

1. CPL at age 20
2. Roughly half-half split between my parents support and part-time work throughout uni (earnt more last year at uni than first year in GA!)
3. Aviation Degree
SE Charter/Scenics - C210/C206
Instructing - Singles
Multi-Engine Charter/RPT - PA31, C310
Airline back seat - B744


Suprising there's no trust fund babies posting, maybe they are too embaressed to admit their parents generosity
Not for me mate...they didn't spend a cent on any private schooling unlike many others in my family, so they were more than happy to help out with flying training costs.

And from the look of your spelling it seems your education was quite inexpensive too!!! :D :D

[wizbang123]

Restiricted PVT (GFPT) @ 18
Hydro Ceramic technician (dishwasher) 4 years
Flight school in USA Commercial, MEL Instrument rating, CFI
Hawaii 1 year instructor/part 91 then part 135 tours C-172
Found out about the worlds biggest job benefit (jumpseating) traveled the world for free
Pago Pago, American Samoa Part 121 flag and domestic, twin otter First Officer/ Airline dispatcher.
Philadelphia CRJ FO, hotels most nights, constantly tired, but in the jet, Stoaked!!
Realisation- Shiny jet cool but lifestyle not all its cracked up to be, back to Hawaii 135 scheduled ops C-402 twin PIC time, based on Maui, surfing, windsurfing flying past the biggest sea cliffs in the world, Massive waves at Jaws, landing at Kalaupapa.
Back to Aus to try and break into aviation at home, IREX, ATPL conversion, Baron Chtrs then onto night freight in Metro based in Melbourne (not for me)!!!!
Otter and Caravan charter flights. Gold Coast, Citation co pilot at same time.
Current situation King Airs middle east, Weather Modification.
Still very glad i chased the dream and became a pilot.
Best advice, enjoy every day of your flying career, measure your success in this game by how safely and efficiently you get the job done each day,not just by how much you earn and what sort of equipment you fly, The old story about the instructor, looking at the regional turbo prop pilot, dreaming of the day he is flying that turbo prop, Whilst the turbo prop pilot is looking at the shiny jet, ETC.... Space shuttle captain looking at the instructor thinking oh yeah those were the days!! Live the moment, sucess is about the ride, not the destination

[werbil]

1. 19
2. mainly inheritance, borrowed some off parents
3. Five years in a scenic flight operation - mainly 172's - setup operation under flying schools AOC, got my own AOC after 18 months (AOC only took a couple of months to get - CAA never sent me a bill and didn't require a flight check for the chief pilot approval - things are a bit different nowdays).
Ten years managing holiday accommodation full time. Two years in thought aviation as a career was over. Five years in picked up a casual job flying charter in a 172. Two years later decided to try and get into floats full time - did an endorsement, moved to Whitsundays and waited for an opportunity.
Now flying DHC-2 and C208s on amphibious floats - three years in and love the flying just as much as the day I started.

Tips -
Always fly professionally - its amazing where eyes and ears are.
Evaluate your own performance critically - learn from experience.
Aviation is a small community - avoid burning bridges.

[The_Pharoah]

Wizbang123 - good post. I'm honoured that since joining in 2002, you've posted 5 times including the one in here! :ok:

Good to see that not everyone wants to fly big shiny jets at FL350. :}

[FNQ Driver]

1)24
2)Self financed and bank loan
3)Started flying lessons when I was 20,had PPL by age 22 and CPL by age 24.
Was self funded until halfway through CPL and said enough was enough and went to the bank to borrow the rest.Was also working for a truck dealership selling parts whilst I was doing my training.
2004-Finished CPL.
2005-looked for a flying job.
2006/07-Scored a job on a station flying 182 mustering cattle in NW Qld.
2008-Borrowed more money from the bank to do MECIR and B58 endorsement.
Still in NW QLd now flying B58 for private company and going all over NW QLd and the odd BN trip.
Aiming to be an Aeromedical pilot.

Love flying and wouldn't want to do anything else :ok:

[moneytalk001]

1) 22
2) Paid for it my self with two jobs and a bank loan. Paid back every cent.
3) Work as an instructor for 3 yrs, got a gig flying B1900C (FO) for 2 months company went belly up. Got instructing jobs overseas for 2 yrs then on B737 FO, now A320 FO. It's been great...

Good luck to everyone..:ok:

[beaver_rotate]

1) 23
2) 3 x personal loans (2 I still have :() and selling a unit I had (when I used to have money) that made me some cash
3) 10 months cattle station SW QLD C206
7 months flying skydivers in C182 and PA31
The last 18 months right-seat of Dash 8 and C404 (all on RPT ops.)