Desperation has reached another level!

[ATP_Al]

'Doctor pays NHS to learn how to operate!'

I was all set for a career in medicine before I took a trial flying lesson, so let's continue the analogy.......

A medical student studies for 5-6 years. Given that higher education is far from free they have every chance of racking up £40,000 worth of debt, just like an fATPL wannabe. They then work 70+ hrs a week on a junior doctor's starting salary of £16-18k. With time it gets better but that's the way it is and the people who do it don't expect any different.

Meanwhile the student pilot does 18 months of full time training (or an equivalent amount of part time training over a longer period) and immediately expects a jet job paying £30k. It doesn't come, but instead of working their way up the wannabe gambles on buying a type rating.

It is all to do with expectation. A jet F/O job with a major airline is a senior position that you have to earn. Some people will always be lucky and get these opportunities early in their careers. There is nothing wrong with aiming to be one of those people, but if it doesn't happen to you then you have not failed or been wronged by the industry.

Instructing, parachute flying, glider towing, ferry flights, traffic reporting, air taxi et al are what you should be expecting for your first few jobs. There is nothing wrong with aiming for the big boys, but remember that the junior doctor I mentioned earlier probably doesn't expect to be doing open heart surgery six months after leaving medical school!

Al

[flybyshark]

Well said Atpl_Al

This may be the hardest industry to break into, but can we honestly say its the hardest to do after that?

I dont know a single Airline Pilot that after all the usual moaning and groaning you expect from any job, they still smile and thank the holiest of holies they aint grinding a 9-5 in an office.

It may still take hard work to keep your skills up to scratch but hey! Aint it fun!

I for one will be knocking on all the operations in my region at the very least to get a job and if I get some multi work I will be damn happy!

Doesnt stop me applying to Ryanair though and promising my soul for a rating and a job!! If its there apply for it, is my moto!

[Gufo]

Got 100% in VFR coms in under 2 minutes, screwed up HP&L and only got 97%.

I guess some answer sheets are cheaper than a Citation

[High Wing Drifter]

ot 100% in VFR coms in under 2 minutes, screwed up HP&L and only got 97%.

The only worthwhile pissing contest I heard was between test pilots on how many types they collected in their logbooks. However, saying that I knew this bloke what got 100% in PoF, the only person at the time on record for having done so. If you met him you would realise it wasn't a fluke or an answer sheet job.

[hollywood285]

He may be clever but can he fly, I've met too meny pilots who can talk the talk, pass the written with +85% on the exams but the flying standards, well a natural 50 hour PPL can fly better!!!

[747 Downwind]

Bloody hell, what a thread.. get all sorts in here don't we!

Is there any evidence that some bod bought a citation or was it just the topic starter making a cynical remark using a certain degree of irony to suggest what some wannabes MAY do to secure a job. It appears they were trying to be a clever dick and half the frozen ATPL holders on this forum jumped on the bandwagon.

Even if he does exist you would think that maybe he is a John Travolta type, who lets be honest is not bothered about flying for a living cos their so rich.. it's a 5-10 mil jet not a 20-30k type rating!

rbr919.. shut up with all that Labour party crap, their a bunch of muppets who couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery, or a smoking ban in public places, or a solid political stance on Zimbabwe, or a thorough policy to tackle yob culture..
They couldn't give a monkeys about the current climate of social injustice surrounding aviation employment, you'd have to get Prestcott out of his comfy Jag first.

Spicegirl chill out.. I don't even think they're for real.
Stir-crazy.. nice words
Essexboy.. true words spoken by a scholar, just wish most of the boyz round Ilford, Barking etc had your intellect on a Saturday night, would save me a hell of a lot of grief

ATP_AL.. Nice piece. I initially pursued that path but even the air taxi sorts etc want experience these days, leaves some in a no win, no win scenario forcing them to pursue other avenues that they may wish not to undertake under normal circumstances

74 Downind

[RYR-738-JOCKEY]

A jet F/O job with a major airline is a senior position that you have to earn.

Well put ATP-Al. I totally agree with you up to the point about the economic aspects. A typical ab-initio pilot with 200hrs have payed up to 100.000 Euros. How is it possible to fly singles and earn virtually nothing and still pay off his debts?
An expensive education requires a well paid job. Fast. I wouldn't advise anyone to take the route that I did. Working nights and instructing on daytime. I think it's only fair that guys with 200 hrs get hired to fly jets. They certainly gamble on it. The problem here is how this business works, not that the low-houred guys are too demanding.

[purple head]

Hi, just want to give you guys some good news. I've just been offered a job flying 737-800's in China. I just finished my CPL/IR five weeks ago (total time 242 hours). The company will pay for my type rating, however I need to do some CAAC exams (5 in total) so the pay while I do the exams and type rating is not so good. I received a lot of help from a Chinese person, who I was put in contact with from a Chinese friend. She sat in and translated during the interview, made initial contact with various airlines through contacts she has and provided a lot of help, obviously she charges a fee for all this help. If anyone is interested please private me and I can pass the girls e-mail address.