Is it even possible to get a job?
 

Hello everyone,

I have just started my PPL and have planned / financed all the way to CPL, I/R, MCC and JOC via the modular route.

I also look at all the job openings ALL OVER THE WORLD and I can't even find a position that requires less than 1500 hours at least.

I mean let say through all my training I manage to clock up around 150-200 hours and let sat then I pay for hour building of 200 hours around £20000. Where on earth ANYONE is gonna get the other 1000 hours. Surely you can't just pay for hour building.

I even checked Rwanda Air and they need at least 2000 hours for a FO.

I really want to know what everyone else think and how are they planning to get a job with these hour requirements.

You can plan your training but getting a job is something you can not plan. If you get your licence at the end you have to live from day to day. You have to look, look and look every single day for a job. And above all you can not afford to be picky. You have to be extreme flexible. Do your training now, enjoy and what will come, will come in the end.

Good luck.

Ryanair is always short of people! And they don't care too much about your training background, as long as you did well.

Eastern hired 3 ab initio pilots last year. They prefer people with experience in commercial aviation. They also started a "cadetship" with AIS in the Netherlands to provide them type rated FO (with a temp contract I believe)

Loganair strongly prefers local FI.

Skybus needs commercial IFR experience on conventional cockpit and/or multi hours.

It's great that they offer an alternative path for those willing to stick it out in general aviation for a while, but honestly .. Don't count on them hiring you straight out of training.

-There are jobs for FIs, especially now. These often lead onto bigger things.

-Personal connections count for a lot. Go network.

-I personally know of modular candidates getting jet/turboprop jobs in the last year (Eastern, Thomas Cook, Stobart, etc). Some were 250hrs, others much more via instructing, light twins etc.

Hi here,

A good subject that this one is!

I have finished my ATPL CPL IR ME MCC in 2010 an I am struggling to find a job. I had to take an other job in 2012 which slow down my aviation career but for almost a year now I am fully focus on this first job.

My personal concern is more about my long time without any pilot job. I apply to many airlines and I never get any positive answer and I was wondering maybe they are scared because I finish long time about.

Do you think I have a big con against me there?

I am everyday in my books, watching videos, ... so I am fully ready I believe but they don't really now that.

If you're that long out of training, a lot of companies won't consider you anymore. Honestly, even 2 years out of training is too long for pretty much all of them. 5 years your credentials are basically dead, no matter how good or current you may be. It's HR you need to convince, and they're lazy these days! Especially Belgian airlines STRONGLY favour kids straight out of training. Honestly, even just flying for fun as a club member does not look good on your CV - as it's not commercial flying and basically just drilling holes in the sky.

You need to reset the clock on your CV to be considered again. For example:

1. become an instructor
2. Redo an MCC JOC course
3. do some scenic flying (Do you know Sky Serve Netherlands? They hire people every year)

I personally went with option 1. I simply walked into the head of training's office, told him i'm very interested in the FI course, and he said he'd hire me provided I did well on the course. Many schools and clubs have lost FI to the airlines the past year, and many are desperate for for the coming season! If you want to do this, DO IT NOW. You don't want to qualify as an FI when the flying season is winding down!

If I may leave you with a personal message - If it does not work out for you, and you feel like you have to put your flying dream on hold, realise there is no shame in it. Not everything in life works out, but at least you did all you could. I know from personal experience it's a very tough pill to swallow.

Best of luck mate, whatever you decide.

I'm aware the question I'm about to ask may rustle some jimmies.

Do you think the same struggle applies to those who have completed ab initio training at one of the 'big three' or atleast somehow managed to get into their holding pools (via an MCC JOC course etc)? It seems majority of cadets end up with jobs between 6-12 months after training at airlines such as EZY which are nortoriously known to be 'off limits' to low hour modular pilots.

There was a Dutch guy at my school (modular) who ended up in easyJet after having being selected for the AQC course in CTC. So sometimes even modular students can find their way in.

Come to South Africa and become a Flight instructor for 3 years until you have your ATPL and then you're sorted. ;) We're hungry for instructors here and the weather is mostly awesome.

I'm afraid this is spot on....

Im not from one of the Big three and I also got invited by two Airlines for Assessment. I have to say, I am rated on B737 but no hrs on type.

PLUS I am already finished with initial training since 2013 and flew average 1 hr a year, namelijk keeping MEP IR current.

Also Ryan Air wanted to invite me, but since I am already rated and I am not willing to re do TR for another 30k nothing will happen there for me.

You need to do an FIC or get yourself in a holding pool with an organisation which has ties with the airlines. Period

FIC: I believe that is a vocational decision... being a FI would give you no doubt a nice experience however is a vocation. You can not force yourself to do something you don't believe in (is like joining the air force for the sake of building hours, you would not do that). If it was free of charge ok but not investing 09/10k on it.

10k for FIC is half a TR on A320/B737, or the price of a full motion MCC JOC (as it was proposed, re do it to shape up yourself to the SOPs of the airline you are aiming).

Check the private aviation sector, try to aim for those jobs that are left vacant when the big ones hire (KingAirs, Citations, Metro, Cargo, Paradropping, etc...).

The FIC is a long path to a shortcut... it is up to you if you want to dedicate 1-2 years with a low salary and developing yourself (you are constantly improving for the first 1k 2k hours) for something you do not like and you wont follow.
For those who like it it is a very rewarding job and on the long run it will give you a nice salary and endless career opportunities (inside an airline or in GA).