Self sponsored TR: Worth it at the moment?

[portsharbourflyer]

Stefair, this issue has been discussed numerous times before, you may only put the cost of a type rating against tax if you are working as a self employed pilot. In this case you will be an employee therefore you will not be able to claim any tax reflief on the type rating.

[stefair]

portsharbourflyer, Yes, but this only applies to the UK. The aforementioned company is a non-UK based operator and the country the company is headquatered in allows offsetting the initial flight training and type rating costs against the tax bill. One does not need to be classed as a self-employed pilot. All needed is the completion of either a vocational training or university course prior to starting flight training.

[jet.man123]

Stefair, Just be a little cautious with this tax issue, obviously to offset the costs against tax, you must be paying tax in that country to start with. Now if you are "contracting" they will probably pay you gross of tax and leave it up to you to sort out. As you are in Northern Ireland, you would come under the UK tax regime and they won't have any of this! infact, they will tax you on any money brought back into there tax domain. If you are for instance working as a contractor within the EU, those countries will need you to demonstrate via an SC60 or the like that you are paying tax somewhere, if you can't they will tax you at their rate.. These things are usually sorted out because you certainly won't be the first one to do this. just beware with places live Lithuania, the basic rate is 51% plus.. stopped at source...up to you to try and get it back!!!

[Norman Stanley Fletcher]

I just happened to be surfing here and came across this discussion. I am a Training Captain with a large Airbus operator and have some thoughts on this issue. Maverick_supersonic seems a sincere guy looking for a sincere answer. There was a flurry of activity on the SSTR front last year and my airline along with a number of others saw the opportunity to get even cheaper pilots than normal. Overall the SSTR has now become a much less favoured option as the risks to the airline are considerable due to the variable quality of the candidates produced. The option of 'buying' say 150 hours line training as well as the SSTR is also receding for the same reason. A number of companies who have done so have had their fingers burnt with heavy landings and poor performances etc. That is not to say that everyone who does the SSTR is bad - it does say that the risks of low calibre candidates appearing on the line with real passengers are substantially increased. A number of airlines have had less than satisfactory experiences and, in my judgement, there is considerably less likeliehood of obtaining employment from mainstream companies now than was the case even a year ago. Others will point to the guys who now have temporary jobs with companies like easyJet etc. That is indeed so, but these are the successful remnant of last year's scheme. I personally do not believe that many companies will take the same risks to produce the necessary high quality candidates as they did in the past. The bottom line is that airlines require minimal safety risks and new pilots with low hours overall and even lower hours on type are a substantial risk. Unless considerable effort has gone into the selection of such candidates (using CTC or similar), then the risks become unacceptable.

Cutting to the chase, I believe that to go for a SSTR right now would be financially ruinous in the current climate as there are substantial numbers of qualified and airline-experienced FOs looking for jobs. Under such circumstances why would any company take on a self-selected and unknown quantity when proven candidates are available immediately? Harsh it is, but I genuinely believe that is an accurate view of the current climate. Best of luck whatever you do.

[M80]

Originally Posted by stefair

The company used to pay for the TR but not anymore and I was asked during my final interview if paying for my TR would be an option for me. I agreed. Though I am still hoping that the company will pay for the TR after all but at this stage they do not.

Hi Stefair - could you explain something for me? Why would the company pay your TR if you've already agreed to pay it?

[stefair]

Sure. I was asked in the interview if I was generally willing to pay for my TR, as it was not decided at that stage whether the company was going to pay for the TR. And I agreed I would. Nevertheless I am still hoping they will pay for it and make me sign a bond.

[maverick_supersonic]

Thanks for all the replies and special thanks to Mr. Fletcher for your input from a training captains point of view.

I'm definitely butting the SSTR idea aside for the mean time. I guess another year of instruction won't do me no harm

[davidsata]

a smart idea

Hello my friend,
I'm in a similar situation as your's (considering TR and foreign certifications) but at this time i think that keeping what you already have could be the smartest idea you could keep in mind

In past weeks I've been looking for a conversion to an ICAO CPL to write some ATPL exams and looking for an a320 type rating to apply in ANY airline that could possibly hire me; in my country I have even asked for jobs without salary just to get a bunch of hours logged and try to jump to anyplace in this planet to fly as an airline pilot but still nothing

I have submited not less than 2 hundred applications and sent i dont know how many e-mails requesting interviews or possibilities to get hired

What i really suggest to you, is to be relentless in your quest of a job in an airline but while you do that, not even think to leave your job as an instructor...

by now apply as many times as you want in everyplace you know they have airplanes you want to fly and maybe you are lucky and they give type rating
or if you get an arrangement you could negotiate for you to pay the type rating with a contract already signed for you to stay

I agree with your idea that we have to take some risks to be in a higher position but these days i think paying a TR without an arrengement or leaving a job you are quite comfortable with, could be not the best idea since you have a lot to lose

be patient, after all this bad times the aviation is living good times will come

godspeed yourself