MECIR or FIR?
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Australia
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MECIR or FIR?
Just about to finish my CPL and am wondering where to go from there. Where are the best opportunities? Assuming there are equal opportunities for both, which would look better on the CV, 2000 hours with an MECIR or as an instructor?
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Daniel, opportunities are not the same for both.
If you are bent on the airlines, then charter experience would be good. Head north and start with single engines and then gradually work up to twins, picking up an IR on the way.
Don't treat instructional work as a hour building job - you would be doing a disservice to your students, and it would show. Only teach if you wish to instruct as a career.
Unfortunately you have to pick your stream early - that's the current state of the industry.
If you are bent on the airlines, then charter experience would be good. Head north and start with single engines and then gradually work up to twins, picking up an IR on the way.
Don't treat instructional work as a hour building job - you would be doing a disservice to your students, and it would show. Only teach if you wish to instruct as a career.
Unfortunately you have to pick your stream early - that's the current state of the industry.
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Dude get a mecir, learn your sh*t and get a charter job.
keep your head in the books and stay sharp. progression will happen way faster than any intructor
Take any opportunity to get a few 209 hours in your book if possible too!
keep your head in the books and stay sharp. progression will happen way faster than any intructor
Take any opportunity to get a few 209 hours in your book if possible too!
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Agree with Reverse flight. Get some time under your belt and pick up the CIR along the way. Chances are you need the rating straight away and it will lapse. More dollars required down the track to get back up to speed for the renewal or even inital issue again if lapsed long enough.
Based on past experience of CPL students heading north, most actually needed NVFR. Even a couple that had MECIR came back to get it at the Chief Pilot's request before even getting the gig.
ATPLs. Try and get them out of the away before you go in either direction.
As far as instructing goes, don't do it unless you really want to. If its just for hours, you will get bored, frustrated and it is not fair on students.
Good luck and don't
it up!
In-cog
Based on past experience of CPL students heading north, most actually needed NVFR. Even a couple that had MECIR came back to get it at the Chief Pilot's request before even getting the gig.
ATPLs. Try and get them out of the away before you go in either direction.
As far as instructing goes, don't do it unless you really want to. If its just for hours, you will get bored, frustrated and it is not fair on students.
Good luck and don't
it up!In-cog
Here's a thought - learn to fly a single VFR, then NVFR, first. Do these really well, looking at every flight as a way to provide a professional service and then to increase your skills and knowledge. On every flight, don't just climb in, push 'go to" on the GPS, and sit back fat, dumb, and happy. Pretty much everything you've been taught in PPL and CPL has been taught for a reason - a reason which one day may save your life. Jump at any opportunity to fly a different type of plane, and know the aircraft. Know their limitations, their speeds, how to handle them, and know the most common maintenance faults so you're ahead of the game. Ask questions of your chief pilot, and then listen to the answers. Then, and only then, look at MECIR or ATPL. In my opinion, it's a waste of money to do MECIR until you've got some hours under the belt. Unless it's kept current, you just have to go back and do it all again if it's not used often enough. And just because you think you're ready for a Chieftain or a turboprop with a total of 150 hours command time under your belt, an employer may view this a bit differently.
BTW, in my opinion, don't even think of instructing unless you love to teach. Otherwise you are doing your students a dis-service.
That's my 2c worth.
BTW, in my opinion, don't even think of instructing unless you love to teach. Otherwise you are doing your students a dis-service.
That's my 2c worth.
Spot on about dedication, Out & In.
You may progress faster going straight to charter, but the FIR will be the best thing you could possibly do for you own flying skills and knowledge of the rules as long as you are committed to the role.
BTW, you must hold either a NVFR or a CIR to hold the instructor rating. (NZ instructors who convert to Aus can't teach night sequences unless they have an Aus NVFR.)
Consider getting some charter time under your belt prior to doing the FIR. The experience will be invaluable (as opposed to teaching out of a textbook).
As already stated, you won't be using the CIR for a while anyway (piston single IFR with pax not legal), but on the flip side, there are a lot of positions requiring a certain number of IFR renewals as criteria these days. Good to get started and you turn up with over 200 hrs for your first job (as opposed to a bare 160 odd).
Food for thought.
Ps, anyone get the feeling Martin's hit the wrong button on his GPS?
You may progress faster going straight to charter, but the FIR will be the best thing you could possibly do for you own flying skills and knowledge of the rules as long as you are committed to the role.
BTW, you must hold either a NVFR or a CIR to hold the instructor rating. (NZ instructors who convert to Aus can't teach night sequences unless they have an Aus NVFR.)
Consider getting some charter time under your belt prior to doing the FIR. The experience will be invaluable (as opposed to teaching out of a textbook).
As already stated, you won't be using the CIR for a while anyway (piston single IFR with pax not legal), but on the flip side, there are a lot of positions requiring a certain number of IFR renewals as criteria these days. Good to get started and you turn up with over 200 hrs for your first job (as opposed to a bare 160 odd).
Food for thought.
Ps, anyone get the feeling Martin's hit the wrong button on his GPS?
Last edited by MakeItHappenCaptain; 5th Oct 2011 at 14:44.
