7 Year Gap Too Long?
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Location: Melbourne, Australia
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7 Year Gap Too Long?
I知 27 and hold a FATPL, CAP509, MEIR, CRM, LOFT, 300hrs. I got my qualifications from CCAT & Oxford in 1998. I looked for work for just under a year but I developed a sudden illness and required major surgery in 1999. I returned to my family in Australia, where I had been raised, to recovery from the first operation and prepare for a second. It took two years but I made a full and uncomplicated recovery.
Whilst in Australia I was given an unmissable opportunity to work in the film industry. I got to work on many great films and had a ball. I tried to keep my flying skills going with an hour or two a month. Ultimately, I, like most people on this site, have dreamed of being an airline pilot since a young age and I knew I had to give it another go. I return to the UK 2 months ago and I知 currently revalidating my ME IR at a flying school in Bournemouth.
My question is: will airlines be interested in a pilot who has a 7 year gap between becoming qualified and now with no real experience and low hours? My health shouldn稚 be a concern as I am fitter than every and I hold a current Class 1 medical.
Is this something I should address in my cover letter? or will a cover letter which is basically a life history put people off reading it? I always err on the short and sweet side when it comes to letters, but I知 not sure if airlines will see my graduating date and instantly rule me out.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Whilst in Australia I was given an unmissable opportunity to work in the film industry. I got to work on many great films and had a ball. I tried to keep my flying skills going with an hour or two a month. Ultimately, I, like most people on this site, have dreamed of being an airline pilot since a young age and I knew I had to give it another go. I return to the UK 2 months ago and I知 currently revalidating my ME IR at a flying school in Bournemouth.
My question is: will airlines be interested in a pilot who has a 7 year gap between becoming qualified and now with no real experience and low hours? My health shouldn稚 be a concern as I am fitter than every and I hold a current Class 1 medical.
Is this something I should address in my cover letter? or will a cover letter which is basically a life history put people off reading it? I always err on the short and sweet side when it comes to letters, but I知 not sure if airlines will see my graduating date and instantly rule me out.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Will
Personally I'd not mention anything of a medical nature.. outside of stating you hold a current Class 1 on your CV.
State all your film experience (sounds impressive!) and only at interview mention it "in passing". After all it wasn't your prior medical condition stopping you flying.. it was your desire to work in the film industry!
I personally wouldn't even mention it in a covering letter... its past history.. you have a Class 1... and you are ready to roll!
Good luck!
Personally I'd not mention anything of a medical nature.. outside of stating you hold a current Class 1 on your CV.
State all your film experience (sounds impressive!) and only at interview mention it "in passing". After all it wasn't your prior medical condition stopping you flying.. it was your desire to work in the film industry!
I personally wouldn't even mention it in a covering letter... its past history.. you have a Class 1... and you are ready to roll!
Good luck!
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Hang on a minute
Will
You gained your F ATPL etc when you were 20 years old, which does show an amount of determination and maturity. I remember what i was doing at 20 and it definately was'nt study. I believe this holds your character in a good position.
I would therefore think verycarefully before telling prospective employers that you gave it all up to work in the film industry in Australia. If you were a 5 bar, old school, bit arragont Captain of an airline; what would you think of that decision.
Like you, I have been involved with acting/theatre for the past six yearsand foundthat the only people really interested in your achievements in that field are other fellow thesps.
You may need to lie a bit but most people do. That's not a cynical statement as i worked in HR for many years and if you show me 10 CV's, i'll show you about 10 lies on it. Most people on this site (including myself) may stretch the truth just a little to give an edge.
Personally, I would just say that tyou went back to Oz for personal reasons and maybe some sort of family business. then leave it at that. Concentrate on your desire to start at an early age and achieve what you did seven years ago. Explain to anyone that EVEN after seven years of putting the whole thing on hold, you are as committed as ever to complete what you started.
Enthusiasm is very important.I am sure that if any of your film work included acting, that's something you can put accross.
Marlon Brando said " the most important thing for an actor is sincerity. Once you can fake that, you can fake anything"
I got three job offers from (non-aviation) employers in ther space of a month on my interview technique. It's just a pity i did'nt want the jobs. And a bigger shame i cannot get that chance in an airline at the moment.
I hope it all works out for you
J.T.K
You gained your F ATPL etc when you were 20 years old, which does show an amount of determination and maturity. I remember what i was doing at 20 and it definately was'nt study. I believe this holds your character in a good position.
I would therefore think verycarefully before telling prospective employers that you gave it all up to work in the film industry in Australia. If you were a 5 bar, old school, bit arragont Captain of an airline; what would you think of that decision.
Like you, I have been involved with acting/theatre for the past six yearsand foundthat the only people really interested in your achievements in that field are other fellow thesps.
You may need to lie a bit but most people do. That's not a cynical statement as i worked in HR for many years and if you show me 10 CV's, i'll show you about 10 lies on it. Most people on this site (including myself) may stretch the truth just a little to give an edge.
Personally, I would just say that tyou went back to Oz for personal reasons and maybe some sort of family business. then leave it at that. Concentrate on your desire to start at an early age and achieve what you did seven years ago. Explain to anyone that EVEN after seven years of putting the whole thing on hold, you are as committed as ever to complete what you started.
Enthusiasm is very important.I am sure that if any of your film work included acting, that's something you can put accross.
Marlon Brando said " the most important thing for an actor is sincerity. Once you can fake that, you can fake anything"
I got three job offers from (non-aviation) employers in ther space of a month on my interview technique. It's just a pity i did'nt want the jobs. And a bigger shame i cannot get that chance in an airline at the moment.
I hope it all works out for you
J.T.K
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Keep it simple.
I did my training 13 years ago, I have many gaps too I do not mention. Keep your CV clean.
Airline do not want to deal with "trouble makers". Sometimes it is better to say you have travel around your house for a couple of years than say you were in a deep forest chasing the blue and yellow moskitos.
I did my training 13 years ago, I have many gaps too I do not mention. Keep your CV clean.
Airline do not want to deal with "trouble makers". Sometimes it is better to say you have travel around your house for a couple of years than say you were in a deep forest chasing the blue and yellow moskitos.
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Hiya, my tu'pence worth,.......
Got a PPL at 18, ATPL at 27,........... been flying jets now for a year. Worth the wait me thinks,...... was an engineer in between, just waiting for that kick up the backside to take the plunge, and also a nice cheque to land on my doorstep,.......
Go for it!! - I was wasted in London one night and this random bird said, "you will regret the things in life that you DONT do, MORE than the things you will do and regret"
Think there was logic in her madness!!!
FP
Got a PPL at 18, ATPL at 27,........... been flying jets now for a year. Worth the wait me thinks,...... was an engineer in between, just waiting for that kick up the backside to take the plunge, and also a nice cheque to land on my doorstep,.......
Go for it!! - I was wasted in London one night and this random bird said, "you will regret the things in life that you DONT do, MORE than the things you will do and regret"
Think there was logic in her madness!!!
FP
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Frank P
That statement about regret was 'beautiful'.
I am here sobbing like only an actor can after winning an oscar.
If you come up with more statements like that i am going to adopt you as my spiritual leader.
In all seriousness. I agree. I took the plunge and made some large sacrafices. It has not gt me a job just yet but it will i am sure (sooner rather than later would be nice).
JTK
I am here sobbing like only an actor can after winning an oscar.
If you come up with more statements like that i am going to adopt you as my spiritual leader.
In all seriousness. I agree. I took the plunge and made some large sacrafices. It has not gt me a job just yet but it will i am sure (sooner rather than later would be nice).
JTK
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Will
If you can afford it..............Instruct.
It's not the most glamourous of aviation jobs but it will get you lots of hours and current again with plenty of P1 time.
I had 4 years out of CAP 509, instructed for a couple of years then part time for 18 months (while earning some real money) then got a job.
Make plenty of contacts when instructing and im sure your job will come.
Mr Poncherello
One of the best quotes ever take note Will and the best of luck!
If you can afford it..............Instruct.
It's not the most glamourous of aviation jobs but it will get you lots of hours and current again with plenty of P1 time.
I had 4 years out of CAP 509, instructed for a couple of years then part time for 18 months (while earning some real money) then got a job.
Make plenty of contacts when instructing and im sure your job will come.
Mr Poncherello
Go for it!! - I was wasted in London one night and this random bird said, "you will regret the things in life that you DONT do, MORE than the things you will do and regret"
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Well all these group hugs and snappy little motivational quotations are indeed heartwarming, but I feel somewhat obliged to point out the friggin obvious, that having only 300 hours and being 7 years uncurrent on any form of flying, is a MASSIVE handicap and a big black spot on anyone's CV. Most chief pilots will file this dude's CV straight in the bin. And even if by some miracle he gets an interview, every other pilot there will run rings around him in the sim ride.
No offense mate but unless you are Superman, then you will have forgotten a LOT of what you once knew, and whatever instrument scan and basic IFR procedure you once had, will be well and truly down the pan.
First things first, you don't actually hold an FATPL any more, because your ATPL exam credits are only valid for a rolling 7 years from the date of last IR renewal. If you haven't flown IFR or actually had the ATPL issued in that time, you have lost your ATPL theory credits and you are going to have to go do all the ATPL theory exams again. It's all JAR now and it's even harder than it was back in 1998. It's also a damn sight more expensive, it'll cost you a few thousand quid and a few months worth of full time study to get those bad boys re-sat. I would suggest doing this BEFORE you carry on getting your MEIR revalidated, otherwise you'll be multiple months uncurrent again when you've finished!
If you don't wish to waste your own and a bunch of chief pilots' time, you have to first of all get current on something, anything, just get some hours to get the feel of being back in the saddle before you even bother to fill in a bunch of long winded airline application forms. As the other people here have said, some kind of VFR or instructing or something is probably the easiest way back into the business.
Good to see you're getting your IR renewed now at this place in Bournemouth but I would seriously ring up the CAA or look about in LASORS, you should urgently check that thing out with the FATPL credits, I think you could be making a big mistake spending the big bucks on IR revalidation at this stage if you haven't actually got the theory credits any more.
Getting back to the level you were at on the day you finished flying school all those years ago is not impossible by any means but not easy and probably not cheap either
No offense mate but unless you are Superman, then you will have forgotten a LOT of what you once knew, and whatever instrument scan and basic IFR procedure you once had, will be well and truly down the pan.
First things first, you don't actually hold an FATPL any more, because your ATPL exam credits are only valid for a rolling 7 years from the date of last IR renewal. If you haven't flown IFR or actually had the ATPL issued in that time, you have lost your ATPL theory credits and you are going to have to go do all the ATPL theory exams again. It's all JAR now and it's even harder than it was back in 1998. It's also a damn sight more expensive, it'll cost you a few thousand quid and a few months worth of full time study to get those bad boys re-sat. I would suggest doing this BEFORE you carry on getting your MEIR revalidated, otherwise you'll be multiple months uncurrent again when you've finished!
If you don't wish to waste your own and a bunch of chief pilots' time, you have to first of all get current on something, anything, just get some hours to get the feel of being back in the saddle before you even bother to fill in a bunch of long winded airline application forms. As the other people here have said, some kind of VFR or instructing or something is probably the easiest way back into the business.
Good to see you're getting your IR renewed now at this place in Bournemouth but I would seriously ring up the CAA or look about in LASORS, you should urgently check that thing out with the FATPL credits, I think you could be making a big mistake spending the big bucks on IR revalidation at this stage if you haven't actually got the theory credits any more.
Getting back to the level you were at on the day you finished flying school all those years ago is not impossible by any means but not easy and probably not cheap either
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Thanks everyone for your replies, it痴 all been very interesting and has convinced me I知 doing the right thing. Should it result in a job then great, if not, then at least I gave it my all.
I have taken everyone痴 points on board and I知 currently constructing my cover letter & CV with this in mind.
Just a quick reply to Luke SkyToddler before he freaks anyone out in the same situation. Frozen ATPL subjects are valid for a period of 7 years from the expiry date of your Instrument Rating. I gained mine in Dec 1997, expired in Dec 1998, so for me they are still valid. I知 also glad to say my instrument flying is a lot better than I thought it would be. Having flown several simulator sorties, my instructor thinks I should only require 10 hours or less on sim before being proficient. Which is happy news for me and my wallet!
Thanks everyone!
I have taken everyone痴 points on board and I知 currently constructing my cover letter & CV with this in mind.
Just a quick reply to Luke SkyToddler before he freaks anyone out in the same situation. Frozen ATPL subjects are valid for a period of 7 years from the expiry date of your Instrument Rating. I gained mine in Dec 1997, expired in Dec 1998, so for me they are still valid. I知 also glad to say my instrument flying is a lot better than I thought it would be. Having flown several simulator sorties, my instructor thinks I should only require 10 hours or less on sim before being proficient. Which is happy news for me and my wallet!
Thanks everyone!
