View Full Version : Motivation to carry on.
The recent posts by wannabes have been met with a negative response from most of the people 'in the know' concerning employment for baby pilots.
I'm half way through my ATPL(H) exams and have approx. 300hrs:- 166hrs muti/ 95hrs AS350/40hrs R22. Is my only way in to get a insructors rating and loads more hours?Also are the North Sea operators expecting new boys to pay for there own instrument rating?
Give me some hope someone and stop me reaching for the extension to the car exhast pipe!
Draco
12th Jun 2002, 18:38
I'm not in a position to help, but I am very interested to see what the answers will be.
As a matter of curosity, how is it that you have so many turbine & multi hours without having a commercial licence? It seems unusual. Are you ex-military?
Rotorbike
12th Jun 2002, 19:25
The answer to your first question is 'no' but does depend on how much you are willing to move. If you want to be UK based then I would change the answer to a 'yes' unless you know someone who can help or you just strike very lucky. The way you asked the question suggests that you don't wish to instruct. Unfortunately for most it's the first stop on a career path.
Your second question is currently yes but last summer the answer would have been no. And next year it could change again, very much supply and demand. Post large wage increases nobody is leaving and many with instrument tickets have crept out from behind their boxes willing to head out into the North Sea again for the larger wages at the end of the month. The feeling from up that way is that they are very top and bottom heavy (low-timers and approaching retirement) with low numbers in the middle. So the opportunity for low-timers might not happen in the short term but you can never tell.
The most successful civilian trained guys I know haven't been afraid to move where the work is available....worldwide.
You already have 100 hours more than I had when I got my first job so it really isn't impossible ;)
Choices for those 300 hours or less include instructing, tuna-spotting, tourist flights (not major tourist area) power-line patrol, co-pilot. And before I get slammed I know of guys that have had an opening in each with 300 or less hours.
:D
Thomas coupling
14th Jun 2002, 15:15
The line from a famous song:
"....the long and winding road..."
If as RB stated you wish to use your ATPL in anger in the UK, then you'll need hundreds and hundreds more hours :eek:
There is no short cut I'm afraid.
Depends what your end aim is?
Rob a bank or better still forge a licence!!!!The CAA have had a couple of those lately:D :D :rolleyes: :D
Sorry.........................