Post IR dilemma
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Post IR dilemma
Hi everyone thought I'd seek some advice from people who may have been in a similar situation.
I'm finishing the IR very soon and am getting to the stage where I need a plan for life afterwards. By the time I finish I'll have the not so grand total of about 290 hrs, and I'm a coffin-dodging 37 years of age.
From talking to people currently in, just got in, and trying to get into the industry it looks like the market is ok if you've got over 6 or 7 hundred hours, or perhaps lower if you've got a couple of hundred multi-engine hours
I can either go the instructor route, or go back to my old quite well paid life for a spell of contract work and build up lots of ME hours at weekends, flying IFR round the country/abroad taking the wife shopping etc. I'm aware in the back of my mind I could also go buy a Type, but I've sort of discounted that for the time being for lots of reasons.
So I'd be interested to hear people's views - what would look better to an employer (I'm thinking of TP/jet operator rather than air taxi) - 700 odd hrs batting around in a cessna, or fewer but still a good number of ME hours?
Ideally I'd love to instruct, but poor/no pay for at least another year is really making me reluctant, and my wife's sense of humour is definitely not the same as when I started this caper. So, whaddya all think?
cheers, SS
I'm finishing the IR very soon and am getting to the stage where I need a plan for life afterwards. By the time I finish I'll have the not so grand total of about 290 hrs, and I'm a coffin-dodging 37 years of age.
From talking to people currently in, just got in, and trying to get into the industry it looks like the market is ok if you've got over 6 or 7 hundred hours, or perhaps lower if you've got a couple of hundred multi-engine hours
I can either go the instructor route, or go back to my old quite well paid life for a spell of contract work and build up lots of ME hours at weekends, flying IFR round the country/abroad taking the wife shopping etc. I'm aware in the back of my mind I could also go buy a Type, but I've sort of discounted that for the time being for lots of reasons.
So I'd be interested to hear people's views - what would look better to an employer (I'm thinking of TP/jet operator rather than air taxi) - 700 odd hrs batting around in a cessna, or fewer but still a good number of ME hours?
Ideally I'd love to instruct, but poor/no pay for at least another year is really making me reluctant, and my wife's sense of humour is definitely not the same as when I started this caper. So, whaddya all think?
cheers, SS
Join Date: Jun 2002
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SS
Im in exactly the same situation, I am now embarking on the instructor route for 2 main reasons, 1. you have already suggested and 2. i can fly for free while getting into a professional role, oops i forgot theres a third too, so I can be a better pilot as well.
I have been qualified for about 9 months and not a sniff even with first time passes at everything, lots of PFO's though, If you have contacts that would help, If not try and get a foot in the industry door. I think its been said on here before its not so much the age but if you had 1000 hrs it would be far more productive, hrs to comensurate with age sort of thing.
On the other hand if you can afford to do say 4 hours multi a week or more on constructive flying I would look at getting my next 100 hours that way before the instructor route, 100 hrs multi P1 worth a lot too.
Hope this helps
CF
Im in exactly the same situation, I am now embarking on the instructor route for 2 main reasons, 1. you have already suggested and 2. i can fly for free while getting into a professional role, oops i forgot theres a third too, so I can be a better pilot as well.
I have been qualified for about 9 months and not a sniff even with first time passes at everything, lots of PFO's though, If you have contacts that would help, If not try and get a foot in the industry door. I think its been said on here before its not so much the age but if you had 1000 hrs it would be far more productive, hrs to comensurate with age sort of thing.
On the other hand if you can afford to do say 4 hours multi a week or more on constructive flying I would look at getting my next 100 hours that way before the instructor route, 100 hrs multi P1 worth a lot too.
Hope this helps
CF
Join Date: Oct 2004
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Post IR
Six sixty
I am in a similar position. With the age thing as well. I am 34...today actually.
I spent many a sleepless night wondering what to to. I have 450 hours and no sight of an F/O position.
I started an FI course and will be finished next week. I have been offered a job and even though it pays monkey nuts, i am looking forward to it.
With summer coming, i hope to build up masses of hours.
Some people say its the wrong type of hours if you want an F/O job. I believe that 1000hours looks better than 200 hours. And besides, you never know who you might meet.
Also, i strongly feel it hones your handling skills. Let me give an example. I was extremely lucky last week when a friend of mine arranged a long sim session on a full motion 767-200.
They were quite surprised that, along with other things, i could fly a single engine circuit on speed with 2reds/whites.
I am sure it was due to the fact that i was general handling every day for the past three weeks. (on a mighty pA38 tomahawk!!!). You know the PA38: everything, i mean everything happens at 85kts only. What a bucket!
Do an FI course. At least you would always have it for days off.
Regards
James T Kirk
I am in a similar position. With the age thing as well. I am 34...today actually.
I spent many a sleepless night wondering what to to. I have 450 hours and no sight of an F/O position.
I started an FI course and will be finished next week. I have been offered a job and even though it pays monkey nuts, i am looking forward to it.
With summer coming, i hope to build up masses of hours.
Some people say its the wrong type of hours if you want an F/O job. I believe that 1000hours looks better than 200 hours. And besides, you never know who you might meet.
Also, i strongly feel it hones your handling skills. Let me give an example. I was extremely lucky last week when a friend of mine arranged a long sim session on a full motion 767-200.
They were quite surprised that, along with other things, i could fly a single engine circuit on speed with 2reds/whites.
I am sure it was due to the fact that i was general handling every day for the past three weeks. (on a mighty pA38 tomahawk!!!). You know the PA38: everything, i mean everything happens at 85kts only. What a bucket!
Do an FI course. At least you would always have it for days off.
Regards
James T Kirk
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I agree with what has been said above. I was 'forced' into the FI course after a couple of years of nearly getting in with airlines. For me, the course was a last resort for several reasons - primarily the outlay of cash, but also because I felt that I wouldn't enjoy instructing and that I wouldn't be able to live on the money. As it turned out, I actually loved the job and believe that it made me a much better pilot. In addition, my outlook on life became much more positive because I was finally flying for a living. My self-confidence improved and I learned alot about flying and teaching. The teaching side of it was actually one of my favourite elements of the job and I intend to continue instructing in my spare time.
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Very difficult to know what to do, there is in reality no magic answer except perseverence, doggedness and shear good luck. But any information could be of use, try dropping a line to [email protected] they're advertising in the back of flight this week.
