Worth sticking around?

[airsquare]

What do you reckon? Yes, it's another frustrated sop story...

On a number of occasions I've reached that point where you're ready to throw in the towell, but kept going. However I think I've hit the most severe wall of them all... I've been flying and working on getting this career going for 10 years now.

It took so long mainly because the place I was learning to fly it at was hopeless and I was too inexperienced to see it, so it was about 4 years to MEIR and CPL as a fulltime student. I absolutely worked my behind off for minimal reward to boost my chances of getting a job there, but by the time I was employable the CFI left and the new one didn't like females in aviation so that was that. I spent a few years bouncing around in the last industry slowdown, then worked my way to self-fund an instructor rating with 4 jobs (while studying) and finally got my first flying job. There was minimal work available but it was something.

Finally got my big break with fulltime flying, done well in single engine with promotions etc, but when I'd done my time to get some multi-engine work there, I was about to be given the multi nod but I stupidly took one promotion which would give me a small delay, but this ended up delaying me into the time where the recession hit us really bad and now no more new multi-engine can be financed, and this continues to remain indefinite. I've been busting myself here for 3 years now and have all the worthless :mad: single-engine hours I could want. I've looked at alternatives to get myself qualified to instruct multi-engine but I can't make that work.

I have done nothing but go over and above and nearly destroy myself in the process, but I feel as if I'm as useful to an airline now as I was five years ago. I have always hated GA and I just want to get to airlineland as quickly as possible. In particular I'm really frustrated with my current job and all of the stress involved, and I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. :bored: Then again, the money is better than elsewhere, and I really don't want to go and live like a broke student again, so going elsewhere has its own cons.

I still desperately want to fly for an airline as much as I ever did and it would gut me to throw that away, but I'm reaching a point where I need something or I don't know how I'll continue being stuck in one place.

Ideas? Thoughts?

Anything at all really?

(Sorry, not able to name my place of work. Also no comments related to females in aviation please, not interested). :)

[Polorutz]

Hi Airsquare,

It saddens me to see that you are in that position, obviously instructing wasn't your ultimate goal.

From my very limited experience while being in New Zealand I saw that in order to get into the small operators, IE, Eagle you'd need some considerable multi time so staying with the school you're with would be useless unless you get that promotion you delayed.

I don't know about the school you're with but maybe you could work for a bigger school which hasn't been totally destroyed by the recession?, I'd try CTC (although chances are you might be already working for them), they usually have a lot of student turnover.

In case you already work for CTC then ignore my previous comment, have you considered trying to get out of NZ and trying to find someone who might hire you into multis? there are some new schools in the middle east for example.

What about bushflying? It might be single engine (most places in botswana for example) but it would be airline oriented (as in taking people from a to b) and you might be able to climb up to multis. Obviously finding a bushflying job can be a tough cookie as well.

Anyhow, recessions are not forever, when it picks up eventually you'll get chances to go back up the ladder and onwards towards the FO seat, chin up! you're flying for a living!, that's a lot better than most people.

-Polo

[MartinCh]

Don't tell me you're not employable in one of the bigger Australian FTOs with plenty SEP instructional experience. NZ isn't the biggest place, but there are many Kiwis who try their luck next door.

It's past 'hiring season' for those few African tourist sites for bush flying, according to other threads on this website. Also, one would have to be there in person..

Some guys mentioned on PPRuNe that if lucky, recently, one could get into Vietnam Airlines with not too much experience for FO job. Again, no idea how it's right now.
One of very few contracting expat jobs that don't require tons of multi-crew airline hours in logbook.

[airsquare]

Thanks guys, the encouragement is appreciated.

MartinCh, thanks for the Aussie tip! Anyone have any current info on how easily Australian FTO doors are opening thesedays?

[ElitePilot]

It sounds like you've had a rocky ride but i'm sure a lot of people, more so these days have a story to tell to break into the airlines.

To start I would say definetely carry on since you crossed the point of no return a long time ago financially and effort wise.
I would not consider any flying time as worthless compared to sitting on the ground not flying. A question though you said you've always hated GA, why is that? Flying is flying at the end of the day, what are you're goals and if it's airline why do you want to get out of it? My experience of instructing is that it can be hard work and quite demanding and if you're hearts not in it that's gonna have a big effect on you're students?
Anyway without knowing more it sounds like you need a break from what you're doing now and maybe look into charter work in oz or asia? Any change is bound to give you a different perspective and motivation.