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Old 28th Oct 2018, 12:53
  #21 (permalink)  
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Thx so much for your replies. Actually I thought there would be some guys from "mainland" Europe as well contributing to this post but I guess Pprune is mostly British dominated. Anyhow, I appreciate your advices a lot. At the end it must be easier for you guys getting access to interviews and assessments being native english speakers. I do have a 6 but still I've heard that most airlines prefer native English speaking pilots.

Like I said Ive travelled the world for the past 5 years looking for that first opportunity. I even visited Susi Air in Indonesia. Ive applied for RYR, Norwegian, Wizz, parachuting, small bush flying companies - you name it - even offered volunteering work for Aid organizations etc. Besides i work at one of the biggest Airlines in Scandinavia handling cargo and i know quite a few guys being Capt and part of Airline Training Division but still no interviews.I was told by some of these guys to get a TR, but having spend more than € 100000 so far this is not big on my wish list unless guaranteed some kinda job contract.

No wife, no children, could easily move anywhere in order to get a job.

I guess perhaps its time to be realistic and move on, call it a day. But still the dream of getting into the cockpit for a living keeps stucked inside my head.

Thx Y'all
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Old 28th Oct 2018, 14:54
  #22 (permalink)  
 
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Give up. Good idea.
rudestuff is offline  
Old 28th Oct 2018, 20:29
  #23 (permalink)  
 
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Or start thinking outside of the box. Why aren’t you getting interviews? It’s usually one of four reasons:
1: You are ginger.
2: You have the wrong number of hours.
3: You qualified too long ago.
4: You are too old.
So let’s address those.
1: Hair dye
2: It is possible to have too many or (more often) too few hours. Some airlines are looking for a particular demographic, and lately that seems to be: 22 years old, 200 hours, <6 months out of training. Some places don’t like SEP time much. Some value Instructor time ( or they’re trying to smooth out their experience gradient). Now if you have 300 hours, you can’t say that you have 1000. But you CAN say that you have 200. I know of someone who ‘forgot’ about 1000 hours in order to get an interview.
3: Employers like trainability. They want to interview people who will likely pass the Sim. Hence the 22/200/6 thing. Younger is seen as better. Fewer Single-pilot hours = Easier to train Multi-pilot. Fresh out of school = it’s all fresh and you’re more likely to pass the sim. So if your CV says you got your MEIR 5 years ago and haven’t had a flying job since, it doesn’t fill them with hope. There’s nothing stopping you from getting an MEIR revalidation then keeping it vague on your CV saying “MEIR at XXX School on date” (Putting the date of revalidation)
4: There’s not much you can do to hide your age, so there are 3 options. (A) tell the truth. (B) Just don’t put any dates on your CV or (C) When all else has failed, tell them an age you think they want to hear. If they interview you, after changing ONLY your age then you’ll either have (i) a shot at a job or (ii) a good claim for discrimination.

Or you can get REALLY creative. I know someone who seduced a girl from HR to get his CV to the top of the pile. Events can be engineered. Accidental meetings can be arranged, pets lost and returned, gratitude earned. If you really want something you will make it happen.

Or you could just give up.
rudestuff is offline  
Old 28th Oct 2018, 21:28
  #24 (permalink)  

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Have you considered flight instruction? Good for revisiting knowledge, skills, currency?
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Old 29th Oct 2018, 20:06
  #25 (permalink)  
 
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Originally Posted by rudestuff
Or start thinking outside of the box. Why aren’t you getting interviews? It’s usually one of four reasons:
1: You are ginger.
2: You have the wrong number of hours.
3: You qualified too long ago.
4: You are too old.
So let’s address those.
1: Hair dye
2: It is possible to have too many or (more often) too few hours. Some airlines are looking for a particular demographic, and lately that seems to be: 22 years old, 200 hours, <6 months out of training. Some places don’t like SEP time much. Some value Instructor time ( or they’re trying to smooth out their experience gradient). Now if you have 300 hours, you can’t say that you have 1000. But you CAN say that you have 200. I know of someone who ‘forgot’ about 1000 hours in order to get an interview.
3: Employers like trainability. They want to interview people who will likely pass the Sim. Hence the 22/200/6 thing. Younger is seen as better. Fewer Single-pilot hours = Easier to train Multi-pilot. Fresh out of school = it’s all fresh and you’re more likely to pass the sim. So if your CV says you got your MEIR 5 years ago and haven’t had a flying job since, it doesn’t fill them with hope. There’s nothing stopping you from getting an MEIR revalidation then keeping it vague on your CV saying “MEIR at XXX School on date” (Putting the date of revalidation)
4: There’s not much you can do to hide your age, so there are 3 options. (A) tell the truth. (B) Just don’t put any dates on your CV or (C) When all else has failed, tell them an age you think they want to hear. If they interview you, after changing ONLY your age then you’ll either have (i) a shot at a job or (ii) a good claim for discrimination.

Or you can get REALLY creative. I know someone who seduced a girl from HR to get his CV to the top of the pile. Events can be engineered. Accidental meetings can be arranged, pets lost and returned, gratitude earned. If you really want something you will make it happen.

Or you could just give up.
Not really useful advice in what you write. Sometimes if you have nothing smart to say, it's better to not say anything at all.

I did number 4, by mistake, got dropped like a burning hot dog when they discovered I was 10 years older than I thought. There are 2 problems with that, are you really that sloppy that you can't fill in the form properly, maybe you are not up to the job if you are that sloppy.
The lawsuit claim for discrimination, hmmm. nobody new understands how small this industry really is, you might win one battle, but you will loose the war.
So the claim route for discrimination would be the final nail in your pilot career coffin.

It might not sound fair, and you might not like it, but thats the way it is.
I do know for some of the central European companies it does help if you know someone inside the company, who recommends you. It might give you the chance of an interview, nothing more. But that is generally the biggest issue, getting an interview, than after that you need to meet up prepared.

Fact is that when I completed my MEIR / CPL, I thought I understood what it was to be prepared, it took me another 12 - 18 months with good advice from airline pilots I knew, who would help me / coach me, how to be best possible prepared.
When you go to an interview there are certain replies / words, they are looking for. And if you have not prepared and aware of this, you might think you are ok, but it will not tick the boxes on their forms during the interview.
It's all smoke and mirrors.
2unlimited is offline  
Old 2nd Nov 2018, 04:20
  #26 (permalink)  
 
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Someone I went to flight school with finished a 2 year stint with a small turbo prop outfit in the U.K at the end of 2017. When he applied in 2015 they had over 1000 CV’s to sift through. He’s recieved word that on their recent recruitment drive they only had 40ish CV’s come through. Shows you how times have changed
TRENT210 is offline  
Old 29th Nov 2018, 20:49
  #27 (permalink)  
 
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I had a good read of this. I think i am as still confused as I was before I started reading this. So we have gotten to the stage where a few low-cost operations have gone to the wall. But at the same time we keep hearing that airlines are crying out for pilots of all ages to be able to fill gaps.

I have had a good 30 years in my current industry. Could have my ATPL by the time I am 47. However I am also a type 2 diabetic and have been for the past 15 years so its well controlled. With a bit of luck I would like to fly for a regional carrier. Happy on an ATR and come home to the family each night. I would be hoping that I have 17-18 years of good flying for ok money.

Now I read this and I think I have zero chance being the age I am.
airbourne is offline  
Old 29th Nov 2018, 22:15
  #28 (permalink)  
 
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Airbourne - there is always a chance but sadly the truth of the matter is that you have plenty of negatives against you already...

Firstly the age - which again you can say in this climate will be ok - given that Flybe need pilots and so do others...

Flying the ATR will not see you with a great wage but you can work on it etc..

The biggest issue I see is the Diabetic bit....

Still if you don’t try - you’ll never know.....

best of luck
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Old 6th Dec 2018, 21:06
  #29 (permalink)  
 
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Keep trying,,,
the bigger locos seem to have taken a lot from the smaller TP operators.

stobart, Flybe, loganair etc must be getting short and I don’t see how being mid/ late 40s could be an issue , it may even help as you probably aren’t gonna run off to BA, you may even stay and get a command.

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Old 7th Dec 2018, 23:16
  #30 (permalink)  
 
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So what you won't fly widebody. You won't fly jets. But you sure as **** will do some real flying and you are home to the family every night

Sounds good to me.
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