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Job prospects on graduation.....

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Old 24th Feb 2004, 14:10
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Job prospects on graduation.....

G'day pplz

I'm starting a CPL diploma course with flight instruction this Monday at Basair flying college at Bankstown & i'm just wondering what the odds are of finding a job after i graduate? Under normal circumstances I wouldn't ask (cos flying is flying's reward, not money), but I have a $70,000 debt to pay back which I borrowed from a Credit Union ASAP & i'm wondering what sort of a salary (if it exists in the GA sector) or wage per week I'd be earning when i start out. Also what type of flying for a newbie pilot would pay the best & where are all the highER paid flying jobs in GA at locally in Sydney? I know its a long shot but I just thought I'd ask cos I really need the money to start putting money back in to the loan repayment. Or is it just a case of "don't quit the day job"?
Regards, Flyboy
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Old 24th Feb 2004, 14:49
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I do find it hard to believe that when your about to outlay $70k that you haven't done a little more groundwork than half a week before you start. If your under any stresses to pay that money back in a hurry, forget about it, IF you find work after your finished you'll be lucky to be putting food on the table let alone even paying the interest on the loan.......lots of searching around pprune should give you a fairly good indication of what the industry is like at the moment, if you find work it will be in a remote area, and it will probably be on a wage similar to what you would be getting on unemployment benefits......in one sentence you mention that flying is flyings reward......the reward of flying won't pay back the 70 grand!

Surely this is a windup?....or perhaps the marketing at flying schools is excellent!
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Old 24th Feb 2004, 16:19
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Sorry bro but all i have to say is, "oh my god".

Oh yeah, do you have a personalised plate like "747plt" or something?
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Old 24th Feb 2004, 16:35
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I knew all about the jobs being scarce & the pay being even worse & I wasn't looking 4 ppl to come n tell me how stupid i've been. Getting a loan to fly was the only option I had if I wanted to fly. All I wanted to know is what was stated in my 1st post.
Thanks.
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Old 24th Feb 2004, 17:29
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mate you will look back when you get through to the end of your training and hopefully with a good first job (which will pay around 9-12k p.a.) and realise what you have written. I hope you do well, just keep it real man. None of this "fly-boy" pretentious sh*it. That dosent go down well.
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Old 24th Feb 2004, 19:50
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fly_boy 4 flying

I hope you have not handed over the 70k yet! I shudder to think that you have borrowed so much for no guarantees.

What the flying school's tell you and what is reality are two different things.

I have the lot except an instructor rating I tried and tried to find a job at every opportunity, I do not regret having done what I did. I saved up a lump of cash and then blew it out the exhaust pipe, I did the same for each level of licence so that I was not in debt.

I am now undertaking a Commerce Degree at Uni to get something not related to flying behind me and I am a lot more confident of earning good money at the end of the degree rather than what I would earn in flying.

I suggest if I may, that you only go to PPL and see what you think, do some research along the way. And if you do not have anything else behind you get something!

Regards
Ash767

Ps If you have not handed over the 70k wack it into a high yielding online account to help offset you repayments!
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Old 24th Feb 2004, 20:10
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Give the kid a break and give him some worthwhile advice that may help him instead of bagging him.

Are you sure doing the diploma is the way to go?
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Old 24th Feb 2004, 21:09
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Hi,

I agree totally with Ash767 post!



I saved up a lump of cash and then blew it out the exhaust pipe, I did the same for each level of licence so that I was not in debt.
I am doind the same, saved for my PPL which im currently doing, now at the same time that i am flying i am working and saving towards the next stage of my flying.

But it also depends on our own personnal circumstances, i can do the above because i am still young and i have no commitments i.e: Children or a house to pay etc...

All the best with your decision
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Old 25th Feb 2004, 06:20
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Yeah i'm only 18 years old & just finished school last year.
BTW, what did you mean by putting the money into an online account so i can offset the repayments?
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Old 25th Feb 2004, 06:41
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Fly boy...

Perhaps with that sort of money you should have looked at a cadetship?

Surely your on a wind up, $70k for training? what have they promised you? Think hard before committing that sort of dough
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Old 25th Feb 2004, 07:46
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Well the course itself is actually $58,300, but my parents decided to get out $70K for other expenses. You end up with everything you need to get into Qantas (flying wise) plus a Grade III Instructor rating.
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Old 25th Feb 2004, 08:23
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Go for it-------if thats your inspiration ,then why not.

Hope your parents explained the evils of being $70 in debt,and i hope you dont think its a piece of cake to pay off like my son thinks.
I hope you have a job now or are prepared for night time work and weekends while doing the course,because loans dont wait for anybody----they climb.
Hopefully one day you will look back and say it was worth it,and expect to be in for a hard ride.

My son borrowed(after my donation) a 1/3 of what you have.,to get his CPL-H .Took him 5 years to get a job and that lasted 2 months.Luckily he starts again next month for 6-8 months ,but i think his contract is out after this season.Think gross wage around $700 a week but over a year works out around $20g.
So you become multi skilled then--------pour gas ,stack shelves in supermarkets---anything ,to pay the bills whist waiting for another job etc.

Best of luck anyway...keep ya eye on Pprune for info
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Old 25th Feb 2004, 10:10
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1. check out course VERY closely
2. Put money in an account and pay as you go, if they don't like it...see piont 1
3. change your Pprune handle....this one may shown an attitude of ...well...others have already said!
4. NT and WA are good spots to begin work , check out some stations as well as GA companies , G3 work is all well and good but you may fing it will take forever to get hours.
5.pay off the loan by working as many jobs as possible and stay motivated by setting goals.
When you get there it can be a fantastic career albeit really crappy pay in GA
Again lose the handle and if your attitude is same as handle....adjust attitude real quick

Luck and 99% hard work
Max g
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Old 25th Feb 2004, 10:27
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Ok, I admit it...Im confused!

"everything you need to get into Qantas (flying wise)"

Please explain this statement fly-boy 4 flying
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Old 25th Feb 2004, 10:31
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I shudder to think of borrowing $70k for the course. But as you say you do end up with all you need at the end.

My question is who guaranteed the loan? If its the folks then make sure that they can afford the repayments and don't lose the family house if you can't service the debt.

Go for it and good luck. Just try to get some life experience along the way.

Do not pay the $ up front. Worse case pull out of the course, go and get a part time job, live rent free at home. Put $300 per week into flying and in 2 years you will have the cheapest CPL/ Multi IFR avaiable, oh and a sh*t load of life along the way.

You will be more employable at the end.

Mate you are only 18!!!!! You have a life time ahead of you.
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Old 25th Feb 2004, 10:48
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fly_boy 4 flying

Check you private messages.

Regards
Ash767
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Old 25th Feb 2004, 12:00
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Hey guys, thanks a lot or your advice. Your advice is invaluable (and sobering )
What I mean is when I say I end up with all Qantas want (flying wise) is that I get MEICR with CPL & Instructor Rating (although an instructor rating isn't required) etc.
Yeah, my family own a couple of other properties so we've put the security on that. I've already got a part time job which pays...mmmmm.......ok i guess.
Ash767 thanks a lot for your pm, i'll discuss it with my parents.
I'll also be living at home while I study & fly too so I don't really have to worry about rent and all that stuff.
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Old 25th Feb 2004, 12:26
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Have you checked out doing your training in the US? You can get what they call a J1 visa at certain schools which will enable you to study then work for up to two years get all your ratings then you can work as an instructor and get paid for it .

The way the dollar is I would look into it and I'm sure you could negotiate with them as well.

That and being an Aussie boy over there could REALLY add to your life experiences.
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Old 25th Feb 2004, 12:45
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Flametree, although cheaper, one should never
underestimate the importance of getting to know
your peers in the country you wish to work.

The "not what you know but who...etc" is still
the key to success in australasia
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Old 25th Feb 2004, 15:04
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I am a a bit worried about you repeatedly quoting this 'all I need to get into Qantas' stuff ... I hope you realize (at the risk of stating the bleedin obvious) that you have absolutely no chance whatsoever of getting into Qantas with a fresh CPL/IR from Bankstown.

Unless you are supremely well connected (or have a lot more where that $70 grand came from) then you will have to do some long hard years of graft, flying GA and working your way through piston singles and twins, and then a few years flying turboprops and regional airliners before you can get Qantas (or Virgin or any other hot-ship jet operator) to take you seriously.

Money wise, well that depends on what kind of work you are prepared to do and how far you are prepared to travel ... there's a lot of pressure on grade 3 instructor jobs at big airfields like Bankstown and that is reflected in the fact that they get paid absolutely 0.0001% of b*gger all. Like, about enough to pay the cost of petrol and sandwiches and that's it. Forget about paying rent, let alone the interest on $70,000.

I'm not familiar with bush pilot salaries for low hour types but I don't imagine they're anything flash ... and with all due respect I expect you will find that many employers will steer clear of an 18/19 year old for that kind of work.

Listen to High Altitude he is talking sense. If your folks can't afford to service that $70,000 debt for at least 5 years minimum, without any help from you, then you are putting yourself and your family into a very very risky situation.
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