Yes I'm a pilot.... but can't find flying work..

[Chris Pickwick]

Just want to get an idea of how many guys out there without a flying job and how you've been surviving and bringing $ home...

I'll start the ball rolling....

2500TT (1200 738). Out of work 15 months. Wife and 2 kids. Currently driving a nice shiny delivery van Mon-Sat. For how long only God knows .....:confused:

Yourselves?

Chris

[LH-OAB]

2500 TT (700 TP). Out of work 14 months, single, unskilled minimum wage job Mon-Fri, instructing at weekends.

I'm now saying "I used to be a pilot"

[fade to grey]

there must be hundreds if not thousands - shame to see people with TP and jet time without a gig.

Look on the bizjet forum, there is a thread for those looking for work.

Hopefully as industry T+Cs continue to decline, alot of people will think twice about spunking £80000 on a far fethched dream,

[Johnny_come_lately]

Try working from home. Work for yourself, when you want. Get to some of the high street banks and enquire, as some of them have a list of reputable longstanding companies, they recommend.

Just a suggestion.

[KyleRB]

Sorry to hear about all this! :(

Chris P and others

Have you tried all the agencies like Parc, Rishworth etc. I reckon if you are prepared to live the commuter life for a couple of years there should be work in the Far East or West Africa. There is work going for experienced guys on 737, A320s and heavier stuff. Some don't even want type ratings. What about Emirates (if you have jet time)?

I am sure there is a web site called: latest pilot jobs . com

Good luck all!

[SVoa]

There is so much negativety on this forum. I really do understand and feel for people who have so many hours and cant find jobs. However!! I know SOOOOOO many people who have a steady career, a wife, and numerous kids, and one morning wake up, quite their job, get a massive loan to do their pilot training, and then cant find a job and piss and moan on here all day long that their lives are messed up!! These people, im sorry but I do NOT feel sorry for. Its everyones decision what they do with their lives and their money. But do not sit here all day long pissing and moaning about how the aviation industry is so messed up, because you took a leap of faith and it went bad. I personally know many guys and gals who have recently found jobs without paying to fly. Yes, type rating they had to pay, and some just got bonded by the airline.

In aviation today the fitest survive, and the fitest are those who have contacts, and who have a life status where they can afford to wait it out without getting locked up in jail because they owe so much money!!! (Im not saying you guys who have posted above are the ones who fit what I am stating in this post) But common, im sure we all know people who have made this stupid decision when the stakes are alot higher (wife, kids bla bla....)

Its not as bad as it seems, there are airlines hiring today..

SVoa

[dustyprops]

S Voa, what the hell was the point of that post. About the most useless one i've seen in a while.

Good luck guys, matter of time.

[Chris Pickwick]

Tried the agencies but the fact i'm not current, or can't find someone to allow me to get current, is not helpful.....

Chris

[KyleRB]

How about getting yourself current? Nothing ventured nothing gained!:ok:

Apart from making you "ready immediate" :p it also shows potential employers (and agencies!) you have initiative and are not content to just do nothing!

I personally would never let my type rating lapse more than year.

Good luck!

[Chris Pickwick]

my TR is current, I didn't let it lapse.

But I have not flown on type for the last 6/12 months etc ..

Chris

[d105]

Exactly the reason why I'm studying as an engineer next to my pilot job. It'll take me years to get the degree though. But the days of 45 year carreers with your national carrier are gone and will never come back, at least for the better part of all pilots. My advice is simple: even when you're employed, make sure you can quit aviation without hesitation the next day. If you can't, see it as a warning sign, because if you're forced to leave, you're in trouble.

[portsharbourflyer]

Laid off from my tuboprop job back in the middle of 2008. Only took me a day to line up an engineering contract. Really miss flying for a living, but now earning more than double what I use to earn as a first officer on turboprops.

[darkroomsource]

What good job’s can you get as an ex-pilot?

In this economy, and the way things are going, in the future, especially within the USA, the same jobs you can get as an ex-engineer, or an ex-scientist, or an ex-computer programmer, or an ex-manager, or an ex-accountant.

Although I don't think any of us want to be ex-anything.

[Uncle Wiggily]

4000 TT, Typed B744, B747, LR-Jet, IA-Jet. Not enough time in B744 to meet min. hour requirement in Type for Parc or any other contracts. Not current in other Types. Have not had flying job for 2.5 years. Married, kids, drive taxi for since 2009.

[Herod]

d105 makes a good point. I was lucky and only had four employers in 39 years, and of those one was for 24 years and one for 12. Things went pretty well for me, but I did sometimes wonder what I would have done if it had all gone pear-shaped. Get another string for your bow if you possibly can.

[Borealis]

To you guys who´ve been posting here lately; Hang in there! The snowball has started to roll, and it should only be a matter of (short amount of) time that your experience becomes significant.

[737bomar]

To all those looking for work , good luck and hang in there....I hope the economy is turning around soon

[Finals19]

1300TT, majority MEP air taxi, no turbine tho. No proper commercial work for nearly 2.5 yrs although I maintain current class and IR ratings as I am a strong believer in keeping the faith and that things will turn.

I just keep in contact with the regionals TP operators, keep current (although not multi!) and in the mean time have an ok job with a telecoms company (say ok but salary only in the low 20K's). Wife, no kids.

[fireflybob]

It's called life! I had a period of just over 3 years where I worked in the railway industry as a signaller as I couldn't find gainful employment in aviation as a pilot. And I was very experienced with over ten years in training but had had a break from flying due to a family bereavement.

I know from personal experience that it can be very challenging when you want to fly but the jobs aren't there but you just have to make the best of it and go find something to do which keeps the wolf from the door. Thankfully I got back into flying again but the experience I had working in another industry taught me a lot and I now appreciate what I am doing now even more.

[Jaydubya]

4500TT Experience on Classic and NG, Not flown for 26 months Jobs are out there but lack of recency and age (47 and FO) going against me.
But caddying at Golf club, good fun and money not too bad until things pick up. feel like the worst is over Airlines are recruiting again.

[stefair]

Guys, hang in there! I have the strong feeling the market is about to get going again. Two of my buddies have recently been contacted by CTC. One of them already swimming in their pool, but not as their own cadet, however, he was asked if he was available for "immediate TR training." The other was offered to do his MCC with them so he can be thrown into their pool. Something is going on!

AL are recruiting, so are BA. LH Group are said to be in demand of several hundred of cockpit crew over the next couple years. EK are recruiting a few hundreds.

Keep applying and most importantly, keep the faith! Chances are you'll be sitting in a cockpit and getting paid to do so very soon.

[Uncle Wiggily]

If life hands you lemons, make lemonade....but your lemonade is going to be crap if you don't have some sugar.

[Fatboy Ginge]

To all of you currently without jobs you have my sympathies especially when you have a family to support.

Can I make a suggestion though. Herod said to get another string to your bow and this is good sense.

How many of you have ever considered training as an HGV driver.

Medicals won't be a problem as I imagine you have a Class 1 medical.

Currency - Once you have your licence (and I'd recommend going the whole hog to your C+E) then sure employers would love experienced drivers for full time but there are a lot of agencies out there who supply ad-hoc contractors for companies who would keep you working. There is a shortage of GOOD drivers in the haulage industry and I imagine your mentality as pilots would be suited to the type of work available. You only need to renew your medical at 5 yearly intervals after 45 up to 60 and then it's yearly.

Monetary outlay... Allow £1500 for your C licence and approx £1200 for your C+E. You can't get a C+E without the C. Any decent HGV driving school will give you a free assessment and ALWAYS go direct to the driving school. There are a lot of companies out there who offer training but only place you at a school without getting involved themselves and are there purely to take your money, some will tell you they have access to so many thousands of jobs but again you can find them yourself with a bit of legwork or by contacting a local agency. You'll get far better service and a better chance of success going direct.

Also a decent driving school will be more than happy to put you in touch with past pupils if you want some sort of reference. Since getting my C+E licence last year I've had 4 phone calls from people who are thinking of doing theirs, I had nothing but positive things to say about the company who trained me.

Just a thought!