Bush flying, volunteer flying, flying doctor.. etc etc
 

Hi all, ok let’s give this a go, I’m currently doing my ATPL ground school in the UK, I have 100 hours and a PPL. When I finish my ground school, I’m looking for a way to build up hours cheep. I am a little out the loop on how things are working though.... can anyone help?
Simply, I’m unsure what I need to do what!

What rating/qualifications do I need to be a bush pilot etc.

or a friend mentioned volunteer flying? What do I need for this? Are there people that will just take me with a PPL, or do i need IR, CPL and a load of experience.

If I’m in the UK, will flying in another country be possible, if it’s paid or unpaid? (Australia, Canada for instance)

What do I need to be paid as a pilot?

Thinking ahead, when I have finished the remainder of my training and have a CPL and IR. Does getting a job flying fire planes or bush work benefit me for an ultimate goal of the airlines? If so, again, how do I get there, and what do I need to get a job there?

Please ask if you need any more information regarding my questions.

Thank you!

am a little out the loop on how things are working though.... can anyone help?

"i..............oh.............well.............if you...........oh dear........bother "
I don't know what else to say.

Hmmmmmmmmm

Maybe this will help.
Compile a list of all the possibilities for flying, then list all the employers under each category and choose which one you'll work for. Give them a reasonable amount of notice of your impending arrival and of how much flying you'll do and for what salary.

Sorry this is clearly sarcastic but I'm unable to think of anything else.

For Canada the answer is "No".

Australia = no. (Visas etc)

Bush flying etc all require a CPL.
If you want to fly for remuneration, you need a CPL.

If you want cheap hour building, I think most go to the US.

WRT to airline flying, I used to say get some experience up, bush flying is fine etc because you think commercially, ie consider fuel, freight, pax and wx. But now it seems that the airlines that are hiring prefer you to do their expensive type rating and to work for slave money. :ugh:

However, I would still head out to Africa etc and see what happens. (But you need a CPL)

.. and mate, volunteering your services is ok for charity organisations (eg Angel Flight in Oz) but not commercial operators. Don't be exploited.

Head out to Africa!!!! Why? What can you do there? Why do so many people think that if you go to Africa or Asia you will probably find a job as long as you have a CPL. You wont. Harder than finding a job in Europe. You can get a job but probably only if you know someone.

if you go onto the ryanair thread all the anti ryr guys will tell you there is hundreds of jobs at this kind of flying in africa....it must be true:}

What they said (CPL needed to make money, CPL requested to volunteer almost everywhere, visas...), but forget too about firefighting!

For some reason, it´s often seen as an easy way to get hours, an easy job to get... Let me tell you it isn´t. Those 'little' planes tend to have turbines attached to their noses and moving those propellers, so you´re not gonna get into one anytime soon after you finish your CPL. Then of course, the operation out of miserable lines barely visible on the ground where you wouldn´t drive your 4WD that sometimes we call landing strips, the coordination of the attack with the other planes and the guys on the ground, flying a very heavy plane down low, releasing 60% of your weight in a couple seconds right there, trying to keep the thing from stalling (and a stall with high power, on a high power to weight ratio plane, near the ground, isn´t a thing you´re gonna enjoy)... Nop, forget about that unless you have it as a final goal, because that´s what it is, not a step to get to the airlines.

Volunteering in Papua, Africa... they´re gonna have tons of commercial pilot CV's available, yet, the tendency is to call only those with a truck load of experience, as in "we don´t want time builders here"; and not without a reason, since the areas of operation tend to be rather difficult.

Now for something a bit more positive, you could try with the gliding or skydiving clubs. They often have their good share of commercial pilots available 'at home', but maybe you´re lucky and hit the right one. Then, the older guys owning a private plane in your area; those that trained with you for their PPL´s or those at the airport that saw you start flying... It´s not all that rare that they 'adopt' a youngster they know as their co-pilot, letting him fly and log the time. Not that you can make 100 hours per month that way, but it´s fun and they´ll be the happiest guys in town if you pay a meal every now and then :}

Cheers

The only way I can think of involves getting friends to backseat and pay upto half for the flight... that way you get the hours you need and your friends get to enjoy a half price jolly :).

You just need to get out there and think positive! Keep knockin' on those doors and you will be presented a flying job really soon. Now pick yourself up by your bootstraps and shoot for the stars!

Skydiving or Jump pilot flying is an excellent way of keeping current and adding a few hours on your C.V. However, most DZ's ask for a minimum of 500 hours. Its more about the nature of the flying, the intensity of it and the fact that (contrary to popular belief) much of the flying is not conducted on perfect VFR days. Its ultimately a quasi commercial operation. Oh, and then there are the rough shod farm strips.

Best hour build in the US initially or find some lo (!) cost flying in the UK (VLA class aircraft perhaps?)

Best way to own up time is to own an aircraft urself :D

I did start-up an Air Cargo Operation 5 yrs back using B727-200 hoping that i could fly the plane myself someday, but b4 i could the company was sold to another management. Now im back to ground zero also seeking job to build up my hrs up..or in any opportunity arises i might set up another company for charter of C206 n hope it works this time :confused:

Yep I hate to disappoint you but you are going to need it all - CPL, IR and at least 500hrs.

Go and do your flying instructors rating and get a job that way. You have got to be looking at at least £30,000 for all. Then you can start building some hours.

It may take some time - but if you are young - you don't give up - and you keep looking forward - you will get there - it just might take a bit longer than you had first appreciated.

There is no jobs for instructors at the moment. your be very lucky if you get anything on the instructors sides of things. even if you will or would work for free. there 4 time more instructors trainning up at the moment than ppl students doing the course...

you siad about Bush flying, volunteer flying, flying doctor.. etc etc , remember you may have to get a converson even having a JAA CPL licence to fly in other countries and visa's.

unlikley in canada, due to i know people training here in the u.k due to the lack of jobs..

any volunteer flying is very unlikely specially in the u.k, unless your paiding the full cost.... flying doctors u.k, (i do a bit of work here and then with a frozen atpl licence) unpaid, right hand seat work, .
i am lucky if i can get any thing now, due to the downturn....


remember there lots and lots of CPL's pilots out there at the moment. not to mention ATPL pilots as well..

flybe quoted me once they have 300 pilots applying a month!!!

eekkkkk!!!!


good luck, i would just say, make sure you have flown from england to spain, france, and other e.u countries.... thats how i manged to get something. even if its very, very small work here and there....
i still fly every month, do that as well....., cost is always a problem, but theres lots of pilots out there