First job questions (Merged 2012)
Finished IR early Sept 98, Blagged an interview over the telephone with Debonair Airways in mid Sept, passed interview in late Sept and job offer shortly after, signed contract exactly one month to the day after passing my IR. Started Debonair airways 146 ground school in Nov 1998, and am now Capt with Easyjet on the 'bus. Life was so much easier then!
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Canada
Age: 46
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Took me 6 months of working as a loadmaster and ramp attendant in Northern Canada to get into the right seat of a Caravan. That eventually led to an FO position on a Hawker Siddeley 748 and more recently PC12 captain position. I might finally get out of the north and back to civilization this summer but nothing is certain!
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Only an ocean away
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Started modular training in 2007, spent all of my hours building flying around Europe visiting different airlines and trying to meet the recruiters. Out of the 19 different airlines I visited I got to meet 3 recruiters and ended up with two job offers. Networking, networking, networking. That's my only advice.
I started my type rating on a 10 tonne turboprop a couple of days after I finished my CPL/IR back in 2008. Got laid off two years ago, flew for another company for a while overseas and am now about to start on a CRJ-700 in the homeland of my wife.
Get to know people, knock on doors and always expect the angels to p!ss in your beer, those are the main lessons I've learnt. Nothing ever goes quite the way you expect it to and you always need to have backups and alternative plans. I wouldn't do anything else in the world though and I still love going to work every day.
I started my type rating on a 10 tonne turboprop a couple of days after I finished my CPL/IR back in 2008. Got laid off two years ago, flew for another company for a while overseas and am now about to start on a CRJ-700 in the homeland of my wife.
Get to know people, knock on doors and always expect the angels to p!ss in your beer, those are the main lessons I've learnt. Nothing ever goes quite the way you expect it to and you always need to have backups and alternative plans. I wouldn't do anything else in the world though and I still love going to work every day.
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: spain
Age: 52
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I finished December 2007 and by now i'm waiting.
3,5 years by the moment but I hope a world aviation change.
Actually is very complicated to get a pilot job but not impossible, and I know that it will be.
3,5 years by the moment but I hope a world aviation change.
Actually is very complicated to get a pilot job but not impossible, and I know that it will be.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: A long way from home
Age: 44
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July '07 Finished integrated training.
Feb '08 Started instructor rating.
Mar '08 Instructor job with same company as I did the instructor rating.
Aug '08 Got a jet job, but it turned out to be a fictitious company.
Continued instructing and working for the TRTO (I'd done the rating with them)
Nov '09 Got a job on a large corporate jet, the same one as I'd done the TR on earlier but the job had fallen through.
2 years and 4 months to get the "Dream Job"
FWIW I would recommend being creative and flexible in your approach to getting the job. Don't just send out CVs and fill in job applications. Get varied experience and go out and meet people. You may be a pilot, but working as an ops controller or a fueller or whatever will give you the opportunity to meet people. Without my "other experience" there's no way I would have got this job.
Good luck.
Feb '08 Started instructor rating.
Mar '08 Instructor job with same company as I did the instructor rating.
Aug '08 Got a jet job, but it turned out to be a fictitious company.
Continued instructing and working for the TRTO (I'd done the rating with them)
Nov '09 Got a job on a large corporate jet, the same one as I'd done the TR on earlier but the job had fallen through.
2 years and 4 months to get the "Dream Job"
FWIW I would recommend being creative and flexible in your approach to getting the job. Don't just send out CVs and fill in job applications. Get varied experience and go out and meet people. You may be a pilot, but working as an ops controller or a fueller or whatever will give you the opportunity to meet people. Without my "other experience" there's no way I would have got this job.
Good luck.
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: somewhere on this planet
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the only people who reply are people who find employment, the most majority have found nothing and will not post anything here.
They have changed jobs years ago, and won't comment here.
answers here don't reflect the reality of the market! be careful!
They have changed jobs years ago, and won't comment here.
answers here don't reflect the reality of the market! be careful!
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Out of a bag
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Mar 07 - Started Training
Aug 08 - Finished
Oct 08 - Successful interview with a european regional carrier - into the hold pool
Majority of 09 - Waiting in the hope of coming out of the hold pool.
End of 09 - realised that nothing was likely to come of it, so did an FI rating so I could teach at my local club and build hours that way.
Apr-Nov 10 - Tour of duty with the TA in Afghanistan.
Dec 10 - Offered interview with a UK lo-co.
Jan 11 - Successful interview and start type rating.
Mar 11 - Start line training and loving it.
Yes, I'm one of those who paid for a type rating, however, I did so with a firm job offer in hand pending successful completion. Previously, my employer bonded cadets for the cost of the type rating, taking payments out each month from pay. I'd have ended up paying for it either way.
At least I've got a permanent contract and I know I'll be getting paid each month regardless of how much flying I do.
The airline has a great atmosphere and you are known as a person rather than a staff number. Wouldn't change anything (unless I'd had a stab at a paid for type rating!).
Aug 08 - Finished
Oct 08 - Successful interview with a european regional carrier - into the hold pool
Majority of 09 - Waiting in the hope of coming out of the hold pool.
End of 09 - realised that nothing was likely to come of it, so did an FI rating so I could teach at my local club and build hours that way.
Apr-Nov 10 - Tour of duty with the TA in Afghanistan.
Dec 10 - Offered interview with a UK lo-co.
Jan 11 - Successful interview and start type rating.
Mar 11 - Start line training and loving it.
Yes, I'm one of those who paid for a type rating, however, I did so with a firm job offer in hand pending successful completion. Previously, my employer bonded cadets for the cost of the type rating, taking payments out each month from pay. I'd have ended up paying for it either way.
At least I've got a permanent contract and I know I'll be getting paid each month regardless of how much flying I do.
The airline has a great atmosphere and you are known as a person rather than a staff number. Wouldn't change anything (unless I'd had a stab at a paid for type rating!).
PPRuNe Handmaiden
Well done dj, hope it goes well. 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: norway
Age: 34
Posts: 17
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bananas
I finished my training december 2011, did modular training, ppl,ir,cpl/me, and instructor ratings in florida. got around 1200hours after 2 years, then i went back to Norway and did my jaa conversion and passed on all 1st attempts. then i applied for a job in Qatar airways in February, and got in. so i will begin Airbus training in July. i recomend modular training instead of integrated. and use the time to be a instructor (cfi,cfii,mei), and build up as many hours as u can. and u will save alot of money it! Good luck to all u guys, THE GOOD TIMES ARE COMING, just wait and see, soon it will be pilot shortage around the world!
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Italy
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To superpilot
Hello,
a couple of question for you!
when did you apply for air Memphis?
Are you current on A320?Do you know if they are recruiting only type rated applicants?
Anxiously waiting for your reply
Thanks in advance
Bernardo
a couple of question for you!
when did you apply for air Memphis?
Are you current on A320?Do you know if they are recruiting only type rated applicants?
Anxiously waiting for your reply
Thanks in advance
Bernardo
Finished modular summer '04 and started work for a TP operator in Nov that year one week after finishing work with my old employer. Six and a bit years later I'm now with BA and starting my Jumbo conversion his week
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Indonesia
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Air Memphis is a DC9 Job...could think of alot worse for 4000us a month haha..... Havent got Air Memphis' email as I did it all through DELETED.
I am currently doing the caravan job.
I am currently doing the caravan job.
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: UK
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How long? I got offered an instructor position during my MCC course, before I'd even done my FI rating. That was end of 2005. I instructed for 12 months then started flying jets in 2007. Very lucky me thinks. Modular trained.