ok ... whats the script ???
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: uk
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ok ... whats the script ???
Having done my time at Cabair and acheived my lovely licences, I fell into a gutter for 2 years whilst searching for a job.
Having picked myself out of it and done an FI rating, I got a FI job.
Having done that now for 7 months, I'm scratching my head. I have got the extra hours, almost 1000 now. I have applied to the smaller companies. I have tried to network, tried to find out more, and been told to FO at every turn.
Now, I dont want to fly around in single engine VFR for the rest of my life, infact I dont want to do it now, but I thought it would help me to that elusive first job.
Having seen no change in opportunities and having seen that new graduates are getting employed before experienced instructors, I really wonder what to do next.
I attended a citiexpress seminar, and was told that they would take on a newly qualified cadet with 180 hours, as apposed to an FI with 999 (you need 1000 or more to be considered)
Sorry but have I missed the boat, surely getting the experience helps ??
Would the passengers rather have an inexperienced cadet or a experienced FI ?
Well, I am getting restless, and despite seeing the countless stories about type ratings, i really am no further forward with actually understanding if they help or not. Does it not just put me that next step up in the pile of CV's, but still not near the top of it ?
Should I just think myself lucky, shut up and keep trying ?
Should I f*** it and do the type rating and hope ?
Should I drive buses ?
Having picked myself out of it and done an FI rating, I got a FI job.
Having done that now for 7 months, I'm scratching my head. I have got the extra hours, almost 1000 now. I have applied to the smaller companies. I have tried to network, tried to find out more, and been told to FO at every turn.
Now, I dont want to fly around in single engine VFR for the rest of my life, infact I dont want to do it now, but I thought it would help me to that elusive first job.
Having seen no change in opportunities and having seen that new graduates are getting employed before experienced instructors, I really wonder what to do next.
I attended a citiexpress seminar, and was told that they would take on a newly qualified cadet with 180 hours, as apposed to an FI with 999 (you need 1000 or more to be considered)
Sorry but have I missed the boat, surely getting the experience helps ??
Would the passengers rather have an inexperienced cadet or a experienced FI ?
Well, I am getting restless, and despite seeing the countless stories about type ratings, i really am no further forward with actually understanding if they help or not. Does it not just put me that next step up in the pile of CV's, but still not near the top of it ?
Should I just think myself lucky, shut up and keep trying ?
Should I f*** it and do the type rating and hope ?
Should I drive buses ?
Join Date: Nov 2003
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unsettled,
Unfortunately nobody knows....
The pax don't care a jot what or who is in the right hand seat.
With some flight (>1000hrs) experience and no job myself I would offer the opinion (though it pains me to say it) that 1000 FI (or any other 'light' hours) won't make you a better Airbus/Boeing pilot. If anything a 19 year old with a history of computer games will be better suited to flying an airbus than someone who knows how to start a chipmunk with a shotgun cartridge or who can start a 30 year old plane every time by getting his hands dirty and wiggling the right bit under the cowling.
BACX didn't give me a sniff while a less experienced (and older) mate of mine got an interview - why?
Your FI job will show determination and a dedication to flying (not much else though - however much you would like it to).
Invitation to interview is as much luck as anything (if I had 7000 applicants for 5 jobs I wouldn't spend weeks grading the CV's to get the absoulte top 5 or 10. I could pick up the top 200 and know that there are 5 in there that will be perfectly capable of doing the job, why bother looking through the rest?)
Also, if 20 pilots from the company recommend someone, why look throough unsolicited CV's at all - you still have to get rid of 3/4 of the applicants with personal recommends?)
On the plus side, companies won't recruit everyone at 18 straight from school, they need a mix of personalities (and if nobody had ever done a job other than airline flying how boring would that time in the cockpit be?). Also it is very hard to determine at 18 who has command potential/determination to succeed (as opposed to pots of cash to throw at a CPL) - you will be better able to demonstrate these qualities.
At the end of the day it is about supply/demand with a dash of luck. I was amazed when I did my licences (I am ex-mil) how many people were also doing them in a depressed market. I can only put it down to blind optimism, which is now coming back to bite people on the ar$e as nobody owes you a job in this game. All I can suggest is to keep plugging away - it may take some time - and if it takes too long bin, the FI job and keep trying while on the ground since 1000 FI hours may or may not be seen as a bonus 3000+ FI hours only ever puts the big boys off for some reason.
Also, and it is irritating again, without a recommend companies will not bend the rules - quite often as those sorting the applications know nothing about flying. If the criteria states 1500 hours, an applicant with 1500 C150 hours will get the nod while someone with 1450 twin tubo prop will not! So if anyone is asking for >1000 and you are applying with 999, make sure you apply again - don't assume they binned your application on other criteria - they may have been that pedantic!
All the best regardless
RP
Unfortunately nobody knows....
The pax don't care a jot what or who is in the right hand seat.
With some flight (>1000hrs) experience and no job myself I would offer the opinion (though it pains me to say it) that 1000 FI (or any other 'light' hours) won't make you a better Airbus/Boeing pilot. If anything a 19 year old with a history of computer games will be better suited to flying an airbus than someone who knows how to start a chipmunk with a shotgun cartridge or who can start a 30 year old plane every time by getting his hands dirty and wiggling the right bit under the cowling.
BACX didn't give me a sniff while a less experienced (and older) mate of mine got an interview - why?
Your FI job will show determination and a dedication to flying (not much else though - however much you would like it to).
Invitation to interview is as much luck as anything (if I had 7000 applicants for 5 jobs I wouldn't spend weeks grading the CV's to get the absoulte top 5 or 10. I could pick up the top 200 and know that there are 5 in there that will be perfectly capable of doing the job, why bother looking through the rest?)
Also, if 20 pilots from the company recommend someone, why look throough unsolicited CV's at all - you still have to get rid of 3/4 of the applicants with personal recommends?)
On the plus side, companies won't recruit everyone at 18 straight from school, they need a mix of personalities (and if nobody had ever done a job other than airline flying how boring would that time in the cockpit be?). Also it is very hard to determine at 18 who has command potential/determination to succeed (as opposed to pots of cash to throw at a CPL) - you will be better able to demonstrate these qualities.
At the end of the day it is about supply/demand with a dash of luck. I was amazed when I did my licences (I am ex-mil) how many people were also doing them in a depressed market. I can only put it down to blind optimism, which is now coming back to bite people on the ar$e as nobody owes you a job in this game. All I can suggest is to keep plugging away - it may take some time - and if it takes too long bin, the FI job and keep trying while on the ground since 1000 FI hours may or may not be seen as a bonus 3000+ FI hours only ever puts the big boys off for some reason.
Also, and it is irritating again, without a recommend companies will not bend the rules - quite often as those sorting the applications know nothing about flying. If the criteria states 1500 hours, an applicant with 1500 C150 hours will get the nod while someone with 1450 twin tubo prop will not! So if anyone is asking for >1000 and you are applying with 999, make sure you apply again - don't assume they binned your application on other criteria - they may have been that pedantic!
All the best regardless
RP
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Hi unsettled FI,
Can empathise with you mate cos in the same boat myself.An instructor with 800hrs,i been applying for jobs(mainly air taxi)and seemto be gettin knock backs left,right and centre.It seems to work like this...if you got 700 hours..they want 1000! If you got 1000..they want 250ME! If you got 250ME..they want a type ratin!..If you gotta type ratin...they want 500hours on type!! If you got that then they want EFIS!!If you got that then the buggers want 500hours EFIS!!!Where does it all end??
For me the line is quite well defined..I dont have anymore money to throw in the pot.My wallet is already 45000pounds lighter.I dont really know what my advice would be to you.apart from plugging away and keepin your fingers crossed.Each to his own off course but i would be wary about shelling out for a type ratin unless i had a cast iron offer(which dont exist in aviation!!).Whatever you decide.i wish you all the best mate.
Can empathise with you mate cos in the same boat myself.An instructor with 800hrs,i been applying for jobs(mainly air taxi)and seemto be gettin knock backs left,right and centre.It seems to work like this...if you got 700 hours..they want 1000! If you got 1000..they want 250ME! If you got 250ME..they want a type ratin!..If you gotta type ratin...they want 500hours on type!! If you got that then they want EFIS!!If you got that then the buggers want 500hours EFIS!!!Where does it all end??
For me the line is quite well defined..I dont have anymore money to throw in the pot.My wallet is already 45000pounds lighter.I dont really know what my advice would be to you.apart from plugging away and keepin your fingers crossed.Each to his own off course but i would be wary about shelling out for a type ratin unless i had a cast iron offer(which dont exist in aviation!!).Whatever you decide.i wish you all the best mate.
