Keeping your licence current?

[Kelly Hopper]

With so many guys out of work right now I was wondering how you keep licence validity? In order to stand 1/2 a chance of any new job you have to be current on type. What do you do? Spend thousands in the hope or????

[kitekruncher]

Assuming you are talking JAA here? Having just applied to renew my Licence (this comes up every 5 years now)all you need is £132 plus a valid LPC and a valid medical.

As ever helpful the CAA PLD will point you towards LASORS.

Now as to applying for jobs I guess that depends on employers criteria. If its AOC they will have to give you an OPC in any case.

[hs.72]

I cant continue....My carrier is over! I have family and can't spend more money on my certificate. They have taken to much crap because of my flying ambitions..... The industri is taking advantage of the situation and there is no chance for me to get back. It's a tuff buiz. and I hope everybody out there the best of luck.....

Over and Out :ok:

[Time Traveller]

It is frustrating the number of places that require you to be in check to be employed. As kitecruncher says, if they have an AOC, an OPC/LPC will be required anyway, and is all that is required to get on line, right out to 5 years from the last flight on type (in the UK at least).

[S.F.L.Y]

Being in the same situation for a while I've realized that valid licenses are no more enough. Companies want pilots with valid type rating and experience on type to cut all of the costs...

[PicMas]

SFLY

If that is the case, the business will certainly vanish in the foreseeable future.
When all the rated pilots with time on type retire, there will be no available/eligible pilots and all aircrafts will be on the ground.

Seems like NOW is the time to invest in aircrafts while there are still pilots around to fly them.

:E

[Kelly Hopper]

PicMas

Oh it's even worse than that. I am current on a particular type but can't even get a look in to any job as the avionics pack has been changed and I am not familiar with the new set up!!!! WTF?

No rating required. No course required. Nothing but a couple of famil flights (which anyone would need anyway) but I get binned because of it.

Quite honestly, this business needs to lose all it's pilots as you get sod all respect from anyone in it!

[the_weakest_link]

Hey guys,

Seems a very downbeat thread on here.....there's jobs out there if you look hard enough.

(So long as you're good enough anyway :} )

[Kelly Hopper]

Ummmmm... where exactly?

[the_weakest_link]

Well, there have been a few in Flight International for starters.....that's where I found my latest job!
Sure there's probably other places you could look too though.

[Kelly Hopper]

Well my point in this thread is that:

a) somehow we have to keep our licences current.
b) No-one stands any chance of any job right now without the correct type rating.
c) whatever ratings you have need to be kept current somehow? By paying $20,000 for a recurrent course????
d) still not good enough as not "current" (ie. within the last few weeks) with flying the aircraft.
e) "arh yes but you are experienced on the 800 not the 900!!!!" (same f***ing aircraft)

So yes I have the wrong ratings but when I find a possibility I also find the agency being "no" driven from the outset.

As you imply opportunities in the back pages of Flight and this is the Bizjet column perhaps you could advise me of the numbers of bizjet jobs on offer? Actually I have just done it myself. 149 jobs in total. 5 on bizjets. 3 I'm not typed for. 2 I am but these are the 2 that are giving me answer e) above!
Any other ideas?

[the_weakest_link]

Fair enough.
Have you tried "finding things to do" around your local airfields' handling agents?
A couple of ex colleagues found work through chatting to crews as they passed through, and spent the rest of the time "chatting up" the girls in the office. :D
Is at least one way to hear of vacancies (or at least potential ones).
Don't always need to be current on type if your face looks like it will fit (neither of them were).

[CargoOne]

There are still jobs on the market, but many (or most) of them not advertised, you need to get into the loop first.
Currency.... surely pilot who flown the type last week will get a bit of preference, but normally "within last year" is ok.
No type rating or no hours on the type? Sorry, those CVs are placed in envelope hand written with "open when no suitable pilots avail on the market"

[Kelly Hopper]

Yep. Done all the networking and have in theory many oportunities. The problem is that after 6 months now not one, not one has actually materialised into anything!
I am at risk now of becoming a "nuisance to far" as I am pushing a little too much with everyone. But the issue seems to be that no-one is flying. I hear that the ramp in VNO 3 is now empty whereas a year ago you could not park?
Many many hours spent everyday but just nothing to even chase. :{