PVRs started.....
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Sounds like the C130 fleet to me (spoken as a current J guy with who I know is going), any numbers on the Tri* and C-17? I know that a few are leaving those fleets maybe some on an exit date though.
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This will no doubt fall on deaf ears or annoy those who don't like hearing it. Check carefully that the grass is actually really greener on the other side. The private sector is in as much pain as the public sector.
The very experienced amongst you with tens of thousands of hours (especially as Captains) on heavy transports types will probably be fine but the rest maybe in for a nasty shock. The whole industry is in a real mess and the newer contracts don't pay anywhere near what the old ones did (BA, Cathay, Quantas etc. have all really changed). Jobs are very thin on the ground and many pilots with many thousands of hours experience are out of work.
If you think receiving special treatment for being ex-mil will be the industry norm, think again. Most airline HR departments know nothing about your achievements and will only be interested in whether you have a current type rated ATPL with enough hours on type.
Also BA's HR department apply little logic in their selection process and think 18 year old cadets make great airline pilots. Of the 800 they plan to take between now and 2016 only about 400 will actually be experienced pilots (ie. less than 100 a year) and there is extremely strong competition from large numbers of civi pilots, from other airlines and with plenty of hours on type for those jobs. Also, BA's seniority based promotion means that you could wait 15 or more years before getting into the left seat of an A320.
Worst case scenario for those without the right experience, you could find yourself spending a large chunk of cash getting the civi-licences only to find that you need to pay an eye-watering amount more for a type rating and then have to accept a pay cut for a contract outside of Europe (and maybe somewhere Third World). Worse after all that you may not even get a flying job - there really are guys out there with type ratings and 3-5000 hours but out of work for over a year or two.
I'm not mil aircrew myself (although I am ex-Army). For me, with my hours and experience (just a Frozen ATPL) there is virtually no chance at all. You guys maybe be able to make it but don't expect to earn more or have a smooth ride unless you have exactly the right quals/experience. Sorry to be gloomy but do be careful - I do regret leaving the Army.
The very experienced amongst you with tens of thousands of hours (especially as Captains) on heavy transports types will probably be fine but the rest maybe in for a nasty shock. The whole industry is in a real mess and the newer contracts don't pay anywhere near what the old ones did (BA, Cathay, Quantas etc. have all really changed). Jobs are very thin on the ground and many pilots with many thousands of hours experience are out of work.
If you think receiving special treatment for being ex-mil will be the industry norm, think again. Most airline HR departments know nothing about your achievements and will only be interested in whether you have a current type rated ATPL with enough hours on type.
Also BA's HR department apply little logic in their selection process and think 18 year old cadets make great airline pilots. Of the 800 they plan to take between now and 2016 only about 400 will actually be experienced pilots (ie. less than 100 a year) and there is extremely strong competition from large numbers of civi pilots, from other airlines and with plenty of hours on type for those jobs. Also, BA's seniority based promotion means that you could wait 15 or more years before getting into the left seat of an A320.
Worst case scenario for those without the right experience, you could find yourself spending a large chunk of cash getting the civi-licences only to find that you need to pay an eye-watering amount more for a type rating and then have to accept a pay cut for a contract outside of Europe (and maybe somewhere Third World). Worse after all that you may not even get a flying job - there really are guys out there with type ratings and 3-5000 hours but out of work for over a year or two.
I'm not mil aircrew myself (although I am ex-Army). For me, with my hours and experience (just a Frozen ATPL) there is virtually no chance at all. You guys maybe be able to make it but don't expect to earn more or have a smooth ride unless you have exactly the right quals/experience. Sorry to be gloomy but do be careful - I do regret leaving the Army.
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I'm not mil aircrew myself (although I am ex-Army). For me, with my hours and experience (just a Frozen ATPL) there is virtually no chance at all.
Couldn't be bothered going through it in detail.
Summed that one up nicely; fixed wing experience with an ATPL then the future is looking very bright at the moment BUT if all you've got is a load of rotary hours then you may have well be working down Tescos.
Or click on this link Pilots - work with us - flydubai, they are after non-type rated pilots (min 2500 hrs TT) and pay £6,500 a month for a FO and £8,500 for a captain (though you need 737 time for their captain slots). Not quite 3rd world, but anywhere in the middle east is close in my opinion!
Most airline HR departments know nothing about your achievements and will only be interested in whether you have a current type rated ATPL with enough hours on type.
Join Date: Jan 2001
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Bollocks
The employment world for rotary guys is rosy.
There are loads of well paid jobs for ex mil guys, and they don't involve jumping through endless HR hoops either.
Starting wage for rotary guys with mil experience is hugely above fixed wing.
The employment world for rotary guys is rosy.
There are loads of well paid jobs for ex mil guys, and they don't involve jumping through endless HR hoops either.
Starting wage for rotary guys with mil experience is hugely above fixed wing.
Not if you want to jump across to the airline world its not tourist. Would be genuinely interested to know where these well paid heli jobs are? I would be willing to continue on rotary post military so long as it pays well and isnt flying rigs from some depressing hole like Aberdeen or Hull!
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Aberdeen and Hull are not where I would choose to live, but then neither is London. At least the jobs are commutable, unlike many airline jobs, and have you investigated the start wages of airline FOs? Even BA, the holy grail of UK airlines is starting you on 50Kish.
If you have a decent rotary background and some mates you must be able to walk in to a better wage than that.
Right now, there is a police advert, and a royal helicopter advert, and that is outside of all the north sea and exotic special skills jobs around.
If you have a decent rotary background and some mates you must be able to walk in to a better wage than that.
Right now, there is a police advert, and a royal helicopter advert, and that is outside of all the north sea and exotic special skills jobs around.
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Tourist correct me if I'm wrong (I saw that add a few days ago now) isn't the Royal Helicopter job recruiting for a Chief Pilot?? With a salary of £65k ish.... Hardly all that good when there is no career progression available with that company! Do the people behind it also run Air Tanker?? Or maybe the rigs is where all those rotary mates will become rich!
This is the ad for Chief Pilot - Queen's Helicopter Flight:
Apply for the Chief Pilot - The Queens Helicopter Flight job posted by The Royal Household | AviationJobSearch.com
Apply for the Chief Pilot - The Queens Helicopter Flight job posted by The Royal Household | AviationJobSearch.com
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Pelikanpete
That is probably the biggest chip i've seen.
I cant be arsed to take you to task over the majority of the utter drivel you spout, but suffice to say that jobs are out there for the right experience levels, and certainly not the tens of thousand hour captains.
I'm non-type rated, have got through to final stages for 2 major players and been invited to interview for a third; I didn't even apply to one airline recruiting at the moment and got a phone call inviting me to interview. I'm not counting chickens whatsoever and don't intend for this to come across as a menage a une (pardon le francais rodney) but there are more opportunities for mil ME now than I have seen before.
Sorry its not worked out for you but for those that have the experience - things are progressing in the right direction.
That is probably the biggest chip i've seen.
I cant be arsed to take you to task over the majority of the utter drivel you spout, but suffice to say that jobs are out there for the right experience levels, and certainly not the tens of thousand hour captains.
I'm non-type rated, have got through to final stages for 2 major players and been invited to interview for a third; I didn't even apply to one airline recruiting at the moment and got a phone call inviting me to interview. I'm not counting chickens whatsoever and don't intend for this to come across as a menage a une (pardon le francais rodney) but there are more opportunities for mil ME now than I have seen before.
Sorry its not worked out for you but for those that have the experience - things are progressing in the right direction.
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Yeah fair call! Do you think they will take me on? I've flown half an hour in a Hughes 500 and got about 20mins on a Squirrel......... and if I'm being totally honest it's not a difficult as you boys make out
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I thought my comments would not be liked by some. My point was to be careful to look before you jump - the private sector opportunities and pay scales are not as good as they once were, even for drivel hating, sky gods like Chris Griffin. Don't know anything about rotary jobs just talking about airline jobs for the lower hour guys with no transport time. No chip, no agenda other than if I were in the later groups position I would not be PVRing - Good luck.
Last edited by Pelikanpete; 15th Aug 2011 at 21:46.
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I've had to do exactly the same thing renewing my life PPL and FRTOL after 15 years absence from flying. Somewhere deep in Lasors it does actually state the requirement which is something along the lines of:
If your pilot's licence is lapsed (ie not current) for more than 10 years you have to retake the FRTOL but do not have to pay the associated fees.
It's a bit of a hassle but things do change in 15 years and you cannot be expected to remember everything anyway, so best that people have to prove their competence.
If your pilot's licence is lapsed (ie not current) for more than 10 years you have to retake the FRTOL but do not have to pay the associated fees.
It's a bit of a hassle but things do change in 15 years and you cannot be expected to remember everything anyway, so best that people have to prove their competence.
Incidentally, I have spent about five of the last ten years working abroad including some pretty scabby parts of West Africa and the Middle East. I think it is entirely reasonable for people to warn wannabes about how difficult it is - it's just a shame that wannabes always ignore the warning and jump in with both feet. As long as flying schools are churning out far more pilots than there are jobs, people will suffer massive financial consequences and disappointment
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PPL aged 17 then no flying again until I left the Army in 2008. Since then Frozen ATPL via the modular route. Total time working in scabby places over 10 years has been in excess of 5 years (none of it flying).
You've trawled through my previous posts to try and clutch at any ammunition that might rubbish what I've said. If it makes you feel better then I'm happy to agree I was wrong, there has been no recession, there are jobs for everyone and the terms are the best they have ever been. No need to look before you leap just get in there and PVR - if you're a QSP with 1000 hours rotary and a PPL all airlines will be climbing over themselves to employ you. Anyway, this is all getting rather tedious - so just ignore my original comments if you don't like them.
By the way I'm not the one with the chip, some of you lot have a post history that makes you look like RAF trade union leaders.
You've trawled through my previous posts to try and clutch at any ammunition that might rubbish what I've said. If it makes you feel better then I'm happy to agree I was wrong, there has been no recession, there are jobs for everyone and the terms are the best they have ever been. No need to look before you leap just get in there and PVR - if you're a QSP with 1000 hours rotary and a PPL all airlines will be climbing over themselves to employ you. Anyway, this is all getting rather tedious - so just ignore my original comments if you don't like them.
By the way I'm not the one with the chip, some of you lot have a post history that makes you look like RAF trade union leaders.
Last edited by Pelikanpete; 16th Aug 2011 at 07:48.
PVR date confirmed on JPA today (less than 6 months)
Job offer in writing last week
Mid-life crisis "me present" on order
SPVA pension prediction bigger than Pensions Calculator
One very happy bunny
Job offer in writing last week
Mid-life crisis "me present" on order
SPVA pension prediction bigger than Pensions Calculator
One very happy bunny
Well done LEON, If thats the right thing to say...
Nice to see confidence put into practice. I hope your happy in the new regime - wherever that is.
Does that mean less posts in here?
Nice to see confidence put into practice. I hope your happy in the new regime - wherever that is.
Does that mean less posts in here?
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For the record, I believe BA's starting pay is higher than 3 years ago (pay cut, pay rise) and T&Cs unchanged. Well, you now have to work an additional 5 hours a year on short haul. Another 2 weeks off this month.....
My grass is so green, I need to get out and cut it again.
Oh, and I wonder what the CP of TQF (helo division) entail.....garden parties galore and a crack at Pippa?
My grass is so green, I need to get out and cut it again.
Oh, and I wonder what the CP of TQF (helo division) entail.....garden parties galore and a crack at Pippa?
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Pelikanpete,
You should be posting on the wannabees forum. The fact that you were in the army has no relevence to your current aviation credentials or adds nothing to your understanding of post service prospects for military pilots. Get yourself on to wannabes so you can drip with the others who have dropped 50k on becoming a pilot. This forum is for military pilots to bask in self pity undisturbed by uninformed punters. Why did you not join the AAC anyway?
You should be posting on the wannabees forum. The fact that you were in the army has no relevence to your current aviation credentials or adds nothing to your understanding of post service prospects for military pilots. Get yourself on to wannabes so you can drip with the others who have dropped 50k on becoming a pilot. This forum is for military pilots to bask in self pity undisturbed by uninformed punters. Why did you not join the AAC anyway?
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Pelikanpete - you don't bear a striking resemblance to Idi Amin do you by any chance? I once was aware of a bloke who did look a bit like him and talks a lot like you do...
