What jobs are you doing whilst waiting for that first flying job?
 

Hi all,

Tought this topic might be interesting.... What sorts of jobs are all you trainee and qualified (f)ATPL's doing whilst waiting for your first flying job, and secondly do you enjoy it! :}

Me:

24, Network Admin, London's West End, It's OK I suppose.

Senior(=old) Test Engineer with a european car manufacturor. Sick of it.

I'm working on a boat in the middle of the North Sea in the oil and gas industry. It's like being on a cruise except you have to do a 12 hour shift every day. It is curing my debts quicky though. Every day I look at the sky wishing I was flying. 26 years old

aviation related - slimmest of margins!
 

I worked for a HR company that services BAe, got me into the flying club at Blackpool which is fantastic.

Also pursued Ops jobs at first choice and MyTravel (jobs going there now I hear) as the inside route works a treat.

got a flight job abroad now though, but would have continued in the job I had as it was a good ocnnection point for jobs out of Blackpool and elsewhere, networking can be fun.

I would seriously chase down any ops jobs, be it in small operations or airlines. Practically everyone I know that went down this route came good within 18 months. Sounds long, but it keeps you in the game and its too easy to drop out of it.

Great idea for a thread!

I worked previously in various ground handling jobs, while doing a BSc and PPL, during my integrated flying training did my MBA and am now getting some hands on corporate experience in a European airline. I got the job towards the end of my flight training and am very happy with what I am doing. (except for the hourly reminders of how much I wish I was flying the aircraft!)

To anyone doing their flying training, keep the business studies in mind - without opening another major "Pilot's with university degree's" discussion, I have found it incredibly interesting.

Otherwise - I thoroughly enjoyed loading, cleaning, checking-in, dispatching, boarding and the whole lot back when I did my PPL - I found the experience gave the extra motivation to put everything possible into my flight training.

Received the licence a fortnight ago, Cv's on the way out as of last week - wish me luck!
:D s.71

I have my flying job now and have had for over a year now.


During and after my training i worked on the ground as a dispatcher for a ground handling company 'oop norf'.

Believe it or not i got my job with an airline i used to handle for...........would you believe that?:}

throughout the flying training?

Dairy farm in NZ, petrol station, insurance comapany, kitchen, online gambling agency and then back into the kitchen.

nice thread

Andy

Working 4 days a week, no hassles, and being paid the equivalent of a decent captains salary !!! ........... and beginning to question my sanity :hmm:

....still looking though ;)

CPL/IR October 2005 with 400 hours total. Aged 38. Currently an aircraft refueller at Manchester. Networking is an everyday occurrence when meeting pilots all day long.
My contact list is coming on a treat. Hoping to get a break this year.

Network, network, network. Get a job on the ramp is my advice.

Dropped a few CV's off today for internal post. Half the battle is knowing exactly who deals with recruitment. Then find out their e-mail address and then you have a chance of making contact.
A good CV layout on good quality paper is also a good idea.

The number of nice dear John letters that I have received from jet operators who say that they will keep my CV on file and for me to keep in touch, all because of my CV layout. And that's with me being 38 and having only 400 hours. If you have spent thousands on training, then a little bit more to get your CV up to scratch is worth the cash.

Advice on where I got mine done to anyone who PM's me. (PP) :ok:

Burying dead cows with an antiquated caterpillar-bulldozer in the middle of Indiana, pretty smelly job :yuk: !
Thereafter as check-in agent, then PANS-OPS for a major airport (very nice & well paid, good networking). Now happily flying freight and not complaining!

26 years old, 600 hours, currently at university building up the debt even higher:{

Worked in a cinema making popcorn, then selling suits, translation work, and now 20 hours a week in a clothes shop while finishing off my degree, see what the summer brings!!!

22 yrs old, worked at a paper shop since 15yrs old, and still there. Guess it pays enough to buy new charts :ugh:

Meanwhile worked many temporary/casual jobs such as factory hand, door to door, and in Insurance company for 2yrs.

Instructing voluntarily! :O

Superpilot - first, just WAITING for that first job is the wrong way to go! You have to make it come your way.

Secondly, there is no substitute to working in the aviation industry or on an airport to make connections and do intensive networking. Quite frankly, sending CVs and waiting for a positive answer just doesn't work anymore. Airlines receive litterally HUNDREDS of CVs every day, so the only way in is to be recommended or to get to know the right person(s). I'm sorry to say, it won't happen unless you keep working in the aviation industry in some capacity. I've sent over 350 CVs over 3 years with no luck and it's only through networking that I now see some light at the end of the tunnel.

CVs are even more of a waste of time, paper and postage now that an increasing number of airlines have on-line application forms.

(CPL/IR, 440 hrs, Flight Dispatcher).

Cheers :cool:

c250 hours fATPL, flight dispatcher. Good opportunity to meet crews, but poor pay & conditions.

One bonus is the amount of background knowledge you learn about the operation of an airport....possibly seen as quite a useful edge.

Not viable on a long term basis, unless you have some other means of income or support.

:)


LF

Washing cars,which is bad enough on its own-below minimum wage,covered in chemicals all day cleaning up after lazy b@stards who probably don't wash themselves!
What makes it worse is having to deal with car sales men all day:mad:

I get to finish early and go flying though!:ok:

Worked in the transportation & logistic business: full of nuts, screaming and depressed birds and rushing 8 to 10 hrs a day for peanuts or...less.
Debts are almost sorted but MCC is still missing so it won't be long before I go to the bank on my knees :bored: .

Something in sight as FI and other free flying (free of revenue too!) but I won't bet a penny before I have hands on it.

For the time being, anything that keep the cash flowing, no matter how much. Still, I completely agree that CV bombing is an almost useless practice: networking is the key.

Wish U all the best

PZ:ok:

Well ..im 31 ..1100 hours ..FAA JAA CPL ATPL CFI (well i gues everything)
no jet hours ..finished conversion 1 week ago ..will start in 3 weeks in china as flight instructor ..after that 747 ..what else !!!

Finance!
 

I'm selling mortgages if anyone want finance or equity relaease for funding the lot ppl to ATPL TR etc give me a shout excellent rates

Some good points there!!

Working at an airport will also give you an insight into the ridiculous times of day you have to peel yourselves away from the mattress! Getting up at 0300 is a different ball game to rising around 5 ish!!

All the best guys:ok:

Gotta stick with guys and girls cos sooner or later something will stick hard and firm.

I've been driving coaches,lorries and pulling BT cable for brother in law. At the weekends I'm either instructing or examining to keep current. Have around 1200hrs 32yrs old and if nothing else I've been networking quite well this yr so far.