To those of us who are not flying..how are you dealing with it?
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: England
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turning it around
I used to be a flight instructor in New Zealand and converted my cpl on returning to the uk in 2009. After many months of fruitless searching and applying for flying jobs, kindly supported by my sympathetic wife, I eventually faced reality and started applying for jobs outside aviation. The CV was a real holdback as prospective employers saw the focus of my experience to date, combined with no UK employment since 2000, no job at all since 2008, and concluded that I was not even worthy of an interview.
Eventually in April last year I got an interview (my first!) and the person interviewing me had his PPL so we had a good chat and I got the job
Now I am planning my return to flight instructing but feel a little sorry to be leaving the company that was willing to give me a chance when no-one else would. Plus its a gamble to quit a job with no offer of employment. I don't know if I am able to take unpaid leave to complete my instructor rating conversion, or if the market is about to start moving (crystal ball gazers please PM me
) but sometimes you have to risk a lot to get the rewards.
Wish me luck
Eventually in April last year I got an interview (my first!) and the person interviewing me had his PPL so we had a good chat and I got the job
Now I am planning my return to flight instructing but feel a little sorry to be leaving the company that was willing to give me a chance when no-one else would. Plus its a gamble to quit a job with no offer of employment. I don't know if I am able to take unpaid leave to complete my instructor rating conversion, or if the market is about to start moving (crystal ball gazers please PM me
) but sometimes you have to risk a lot to get the rewards.Wish me luck
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Sweden/Turkey
Age: 36
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Currently I'm refuelling airplanes at a very busy airport. The pay is ok, I can pay the mortgage with only the MECPLIR-MCC debt that I have ATM, if I go and do a TR I probadly will not be able to pay it anymore without serious cost cuttings. I'm 23 and single also, wich helps alot 
The good thing about working at an airport is that you make good connections, many of the chief pilots are actually captains on the line and will recognize you since there's alot of small chatting while they do the walk around between legs and there can be opportunities to get that inside info that can help you showing up at the right place at the right time.
My aviation background was only regarded as a positive thing. It is a proof of that I'm dumb enough to transport fuel inside of the airport fence for a pay €800 less a month compared to the guys driving gas/diesel outside of the fence with the same qualifications, less stress, more comfortable schedules etc
The good thing about working at an airport is that you make good connections, many of the chief pilots are actually captains on the line and will recognize you since there's alot of small chatting while they do the walk around between legs and there can be opportunities to get that inside info that can help you showing up at the right place at the right time.
My aviation background was only regarded as a positive thing. It is a proof of that I'm dumb enough to transport fuel inside of the airport fence for a pay €800 less a month compared to the guys driving gas/diesel outside of the fence with the same qualifications, less stress, more comfortable schedules etc
