Halfbaked_Boy
3rd Jan 2012, 17:56
Hello,
My name is Jack and I'm 23 years old. I hold a JAA CPL with no additional ratings attached, as I ran out of finances. I have around 500 hours TT, all single pilot VFR performing aerial photography operations between here and the Republic Of Ireland.
I currently work at a plumber's merchants and I am saving money for my HGV licence which, after the initial expenditure, I anticipate will increase my cash income, thus reducing the time between now and being in a position to further my ratings.
Aged 18/19 I passed OAT's (at the time) assessment - I also passed the BA Cityflyer FTE programme assessment in Manchester, but was unable to afford or raise the finances to fund either or of these schemes. Like many, I assumed luck would find me and I would be flying a 737 for RYR aged 19/20!
However, enough background, here are the present concerns -
1) I am unsure whether to remain outside of aviation and SAVE, so three to four years down the line I am in a position of finishing what I started many years ago. My ATPL exam passes expire this October, I do not hold an IR, and have approximately £1,000 to my name at present.
2) The option MAY be present to return to aerial photography this Summer, although the earnings in that operation were circa 25% lower than working even at the plumber's merchants. Of course, this is highly weather dependant, and the operation shuts down in the UK between approximately October and April. So only a guaranteed £6000 (cash in hand) per year, minus every expense you can think of.
3) Here is a very sober concern to me - I trained for my CPL (and took the subsequent test) at a little known flying school at Cranfield. It is not one of the two obvious commercial FTOs at this location. They also train pilots for the MEIR. Here's a question I need to blend in with this concern - when I am in a position to continue, would it be in my best interests to return to this establishment, for the pure reason of simplicity when a recruiter opens my CV in the future and wishes to obtain details of my training record? I noticed at some point on the FlyBE website, a stipulation that CPL and IR training 'should' be conducted at the same establishment. Thoughts?
4) An insane thought, but it's on my mind so here it is. If I find myself in a future position of having the capability to do so, would I be better off simply writing to the CAA to inform them of the situation, and starting right back from block A and run through an integrated course? I may be in my 30s by this point, but for somebody who really wants to fly airliners, and having age on my side, should this be at least a consideration to retain at the back of my mind?
I think that's about it, and my sincere thanks go to you if you have read this far. This is NOT a bitter/depressive (call them what you will) post, it is an attempt at presenting my position as honestly as possible in an effort to request some outside help from those within the industry, and thus have a higher viewpoint of the battlefield so to speak.
I am very aware that there is the option of ditching aviation in its entirety - I have considered this at great length with myself and others, but I believe that my posting this message is testament to my final conclusion on that matter.
ALL replies will be taken very much into consideration and will be received with the utmost appreciation of your time and patience.
My name is Jack and I'm 23 years old. I hold a JAA CPL with no additional ratings attached, as I ran out of finances. I have around 500 hours TT, all single pilot VFR performing aerial photography operations between here and the Republic Of Ireland.
I currently work at a plumber's merchants and I am saving money for my HGV licence which, after the initial expenditure, I anticipate will increase my cash income, thus reducing the time between now and being in a position to further my ratings.
Aged 18/19 I passed OAT's (at the time) assessment - I also passed the BA Cityflyer FTE programme assessment in Manchester, but was unable to afford or raise the finances to fund either or of these schemes. Like many, I assumed luck would find me and I would be flying a 737 for RYR aged 19/20!
However, enough background, here are the present concerns -
1) I am unsure whether to remain outside of aviation and SAVE, so three to four years down the line I am in a position of finishing what I started many years ago. My ATPL exam passes expire this October, I do not hold an IR, and have approximately £1,000 to my name at present.
2) The option MAY be present to return to aerial photography this Summer, although the earnings in that operation were circa 25% lower than working even at the plumber's merchants. Of course, this is highly weather dependant, and the operation shuts down in the UK between approximately October and April. So only a guaranteed £6000 (cash in hand) per year, minus every expense you can think of.
3) Here is a very sober concern to me - I trained for my CPL (and took the subsequent test) at a little known flying school at Cranfield. It is not one of the two obvious commercial FTOs at this location. They also train pilots for the MEIR. Here's a question I need to blend in with this concern - when I am in a position to continue, would it be in my best interests to return to this establishment, for the pure reason of simplicity when a recruiter opens my CV in the future and wishes to obtain details of my training record? I noticed at some point on the FlyBE website, a stipulation that CPL and IR training 'should' be conducted at the same establishment. Thoughts?
4) An insane thought, but it's on my mind so here it is. If I find myself in a future position of having the capability to do so, would I be better off simply writing to the CAA to inform them of the situation, and starting right back from block A and run through an integrated course? I may be in my 30s by this point, but for somebody who really wants to fly airliners, and having age on my side, should this be at least a consideration to retain at the back of my mind?
I think that's about it, and my sincere thanks go to you if you have read this far. This is NOT a bitter/depressive (call them what you will) post, it is an attempt at presenting my position as honestly as possible in an effort to request some outside help from those within the industry, and thus have a higher viewpoint of the battlefield so to speak.
I am very aware that there is the option of ditching aviation in its entirety - I have considered this at great length with myself and others, but I believe that my posting this message is testament to my final conclusion on that matter.
ALL replies will be taken very much into consideration and will be received with the utmost appreciation of your time and patience.