Going for it or not..advice please!
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: France
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Wow
User 777
I don't often reply to threads such as these much these days but felt compelled to do so due to SOME of the responses you have received.
I am constantly amazed how many people are prepared to pump out pure negativity about 'making the move' to aviation. Particularly when you pass what is deemed the ideal age profile. So, I can only give you my pennies worth.
I never flew an hour until I was 34, for me the move was motivated by all the same reasons everyone else quotes, passion, lifestyle, dream job etc etc. After many years in a very unrewarding IT job. Well I made it, thankfully, but here's the realistic bit, it took me 6 yrs following that initial flying lesson, which included 2 years flying instruction and 6 months flying for a horrific survey company that shall not be named. So with 1500hrs mostly SEP hours I got a break after 100's of failed CV's (I estimate around a thousand refusals actually) and 2 unsuccessful airline assessments; during this period my income became a 5th of my previous income, with a young family arriving, lots of despair, lows, & more lows etc, i got a job on a small bizjet. I now fly the Falcon for a large European management company and I love it, it scares me how much I love it, I now live hoping I never lose it. I'm an FO, 42, I earn a good salary and live the lifestyle I set out to achieve. I may have to accept that I am still 5yrs from command, but frankly if I pay the bills and put a little aside, who cares, I am where I set out to be.
So take on board a lot of the good advice you've received from others in this thread and be realistic, accept the risks and move forward in the best way that suits you. Don't be drawn into the 'You'll only ever get a job if you go with CTC/Oxford or the likes' Do it the way that suits you and your wallet. Because in my opinion, having been through it, that only helps if you are the right profile for the majors, and you may have to accept with your age that might not be you. There is a very enjoyable career to be had in many other niche arenas so be clear where you are heading before you set off on your journey.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
I don't often reply to threads such as these much these days but felt compelled to do so due to SOME of the responses you have received.
I am constantly amazed how many people are prepared to pump out pure negativity about 'making the move' to aviation. Particularly when you pass what is deemed the ideal age profile. So, I can only give you my pennies worth.
I never flew an hour until I was 34, for me the move was motivated by all the same reasons everyone else quotes, passion, lifestyle, dream job etc etc. After many years in a very unrewarding IT job. Well I made it, thankfully, but here's the realistic bit, it took me 6 yrs following that initial flying lesson, which included 2 years flying instruction and 6 months flying for a horrific survey company that shall not be named. So with 1500hrs mostly SEP hours I got a break after 100's of failed CV's (I estimate around a thousand refusals actually) and 2 unsuccessful airline assessments; during this period my income became a 5th of my previous income, with a young family arriving, lots of despair, lows, & more lows etc, i got a job on a small bizjet. I now fly the Falcon for a large European management company and I love it, it scares me how much I love it, I now live hoping I never lose it. I'm an FO, 42, I earn a good salary and live the lifestyle I set out to achieve. I may have to accept that I am still 5yrs from command, but frankly if I pay the bills and put a little aside, who cares, I am where I set out to be.
So take on board a lot of the good advice you've received from others in this thread and be realistic, accept the risks and move forward in the best way that suits you. Don't be drawn into the 'You'll only ever get a job if you go with CTC/Oxford or the likes' Do it the way that suits you and your wallet. Because in my opinion, having been through it, that only helps if you are the right profile for the majors, and you may have to accept with your age that might not be you. There is a very enjoyable career to be had in many other niche arenas so be clear where you are heading before you set off on your journey.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Join Date: Aug 2011
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Dear user 777,
this job requires only one thing : luck.
you have guys who apply at BA or Air france and got contract the next day, and you have 100'000 guys who have to pay all rating from 0 to ATP and flight instructor + several type ratings, several 500h line traning, and who can still not get a job.
I know a lot of these kids who one day were thinking with a CPL they could fly a citation jet.parent really worry or wife very upset asking for divorce.Kids miserable...
so it 's up to you, but if you fail and lose all your money and your wife because you don't find a job after 5 or even 10 years, or a bad paid job as a flight instructor where you can not even pay you rent, what will you say?
you will risk everything just for the joy of flying?don't be ridiculous!
if you want to know what is flying commercially:
wake up at 4 am, go to the airport,
take off at 6 am in your warrior , make 6 legs of 1.5 hours(between each flight, stay at least 1 hour in your plane while waiting for refuel and simulate PAX boarding or PAX not coming),
then come back , stay another 30-45 minutes at the airport to simulate immigration.
then go sleep in a bad hotel ( you are not authorized to go home),
and do the exact same things for 3-4 days...
after come back here on Pprune , and tell us how great it was!
About food, take sandwiches, because as you are going to be paid badly and we need to take this into consideration , you have to save money somewhere to pay your training back...and after your 3 days of exciting trip , pay the rent of you plane(3x the normal rate), and please don't complain, because many guys pay line training (you must pay 3x to simulate line training)..
and if now you tell me you can not rent an aircraft because you don't see the point to fly for nothing, I think you are right, because it s what most pilot do and this industry is already down since long time because nobody do anything.
Pilots are not the smartest people on earth and airlines know that.
this job requires only one thing : luck.
you have guys who apply at BA or Air france and got contract the next day, and you have 100'000 guys who have to pay all rating from 0 to ATP and flight instructor + several type ratings, several 500h line traning, and who can still not get a job.
I know a lot of these kids who one day were thinking with a CPL they could fly a citation jet.parent really worry or wife very upset asking for divorce.Kids miserable...
so it 's up to you, but if you fail and lose all your money and your wife because you don't find a job after 5 or even 10 years, or a bad paid job as a flight instructor where you can not even pay you rent, what will you say?
you will risk everything just for the joy of flying?don't be ridiculous!
if you want to know what is flying commercially:
wake up at 4 am, go to the airport,
take off at 6 am in your warrior , make 6 legs of 1.5 hours(between each flight, stay at least 1 hour in your plane while waiting for refuel and simulate PAX boarding or PAX not coming),
then come back , stay another 30-45 minutes at the airport to simulate immigration.
then go sleep in a bad hotel ( you are not authorized to go home),
and do the exact same things for 3-4 days...
after come back here on Pprune , and tell us how great it was!
About food, take sandwiches, because as you are going to be paid badly and we need to take this into consideration , you have to save money somewhere to pay your training back...and after your 3 days of exciting trip , pay the rent of you plane(3x the normal rate), and please don't complain, because many guys pay line training (you must pay 3x to simulate line training)..
and if now you tell me you can not rent an aircraft because you don't see the point to fly for nothing, I think you are right, because it s what most pilot do and this industry is already down since long time because nobody do anything.
Pilots are not the smartest people on earth and airlines know that.
