QantasLink trainee first officer...
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Darwin
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I recommended that pathway a little while back to a bloke in your situation and he ended up at QLink. Its also the pathway I took many years ago and I am now in the LHS of a jet. Nothing is guaranteed but as I understand the situation, instructing is still the one area of aviation that hasn't been hit badly by C19. Given the size of your debt at the moment extra for an instructor's rating won't be that much but you won't be able to put it on fee help. Your best option would be to do the rating with a school that can offer you a job afterwards. Thats my advice, others have a different view especially about instructing but from where I am currently sitting I haven't flown for a while but instructors havent stopped. Good luck and hang in there.
In Australia new fixed wing cpls are limited to:
That (in a "normal" industry, not a damaged one) goes on for three to four years, until you manage a full-time turbine job.
- Flying piston singles up north - WA, NT, QLD. The down side is that you have to be Johnny-on-the-spot (living in the town, odd-jobbing and vising the airport once a month or so to annoy them) - when the job appears which is normally due to one of the current pilots advancing (which requires the airlines to be hiring).
- Flying instructing down south - NSW, VIC, WA. The downside is that you have to pay for a rating, and it's normally a zero-hour contract, so you'll need income support until you build up a student base.
- In both cases - scrounging for twin hours where you can - positioning, flight tests, ad hoc charter, ride-alongs.
- Being friends with an aircraft owner who would like a second pilot.
That (in a "normal" industry, not a damaged one) goes on for three to four years, until you manage a full-time turbine job.
Last edited by Checkboard; 22nd Nov 2020 at 14:20.
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You think you have debts, think of the students of Soar that are debt ridden and have nothing to show for it.
in fact one of the young students is Nerita Somers, any relation Nigel?
You are long down the list of work, so many experienced guys and girls out there.
Lot of the jet jockey I know are taking up GA cargo and instructor jobs either in the air or theory.
All I can say is keep trying but don’t expect to be in the right side of a jet/turboprop for many years.
Remember, you are in debt but you don’t pay that back until you earn a certain amount of income and then its taken from your tax anyway. So in reality its debt, but its not the same as many airline guys/girls that have debts and mortgages in the 100’s and thousands and even the millions.
So stop worry about the debt, its not as if your paying it now anyway, and even in a low paying GA job you won’t have to pay it anytime soon.
Get another job out of the industry and self fund hour building and extra ratings and endorsements then come visit flying in a couple of years, and forget about the debt you don’t have to worry about it anytime soon.
Cheers..
PS: Long time lurker, decided to join. Currently an instructor with 2OCU.
in fact one of the young students is Nerita Somers, any relation Nigel?
You are long down the list of work, so many experienced guys and girls out there.
Lot of the jet jockey I know are taking up GA cargo and instructor jobs either in the air or theory.
All I can say is keep trying but don’t expect to be in the right side of a jet/turboprop for many years.
Remember, you are in debt but you don’t pay that back until you earn a certain amount of income and then its taken from your tax anyway. So in reality its debt, but its not the same as many airline guys/girls that have debts and mortgages in the 100’s and thousands and even the millions.
So stop worry about the debt, its not as if your paying it now anyway, and even in a low paying GA job you won’t have to pay it anytime soon.
Get another job out of the industry and self fund hour building and extra ratings and endorsements then come visit flying in a couple of years, and forget about the debt you don’t have to worry about it anytime soon.
Cheers..
PS: Long time lurker, decided to join. Currently an instructor with 2OCU.
AHJ, lots of great advice, and relevant, but have you seen his previous posts about working for free and making youtube videos? Seems to be a high speed cheerleader arcing the fight...
Why mention your 2OCU job though?
Why mention your 2OCU job though?
You think you have debts, think of the students of Soar that are debt ridden and have nothing to show for it.
in fact one of the young students is Nerita Somers, any relation Nigel?
You are long down the list of work, so many experienced guys and girls out there.
Lot of the jet jockey I know are taking up GA cargo and instructor jobs either in the air or theory.
All I can say is keep trying but don’t expect to be in the right side of a jet/turboprop for many years.
Remember, you are in debt but you don’t pay that back until you earn a certain amount of income and then its taken from your tax anyway. So in reality its debt, but its not the same as many airline guys/girls that have debts and mortgages in the 100’s and thousands and even the millions.
So stop worry about the debt, its not as if your paying it now anyway, and even in a low paying GA job you won’t have to pay it anytime soon.
Get another job out of the industry and self fund hour building and extra ratings and endorsements then come visit flying in a couple of years, and forget about the debt you don’t have to worry about it anytime soon.
Cheers..
PS: Long time lurker, decided to join. Currently an instructor with 2OCU.
in fact one of the young students is Nerita Somers, any relation Nigel?
You are long down the list of work, so many experienced guys and girls out there.
Lot of the jet jockey I know are taking up GA cargo and instructor jobs either in the air or theory.
All I can say is keep trying but don’t expect to be in the right side of a jet/turboprop for many years.
Remember, you are in debt but you don’t pay that back until you earn a certain amount of income and then its taken from your tax anyway. So in reality its debt, but its not the same as many airline guys/girls that have debts and mortgages in the 100’s and thousands and even the millions.
So stop worry about the debt, its not as if your paying it now anyway, and even in a low paying GA job you won’t have to pay it anytime soon.
Get another job out of the industry and self fund hour building and extra ratings and endorsements then come visit flying in a couple of years, and forget about the debt you don’t have to worry about it anytime soon.
Cheers..
PS: Long time lurker, decided to join. Currently an instructor with 2OCU.
Don't suppose you need a FO in the back seat of an F-18 who hasn't ever sat foot in them? ill even hang off the wing of an f35!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Darwin
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I am trying to get a break in the industry so I'm asking questions to get advice.
I am trying to get a break in the industry so I'm asking questions to get advice.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Darwin
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That is not the issue. The issue is trying to break into the industry during covid. This was why I brought up flying for free in another post (which attracted a few haters in the private message area).
You’re not the only unemployed pilot out there
you do realise, don’t you, that the suggestion by brokenagain was a way of trying to break into the industry during covid?
or does that sound like a little too much hard work and your expecting a free and easy ride with things basically given to you?
if that’s the case, don’t even bother with aviation.
you have been given a LOT of valuable advice and tips, for free, despite holding an unpopular view of how to get into a job.
the reason it’s unpopular is because just about everyone before you has gone and done the hard yards to make it where they have in this game.
its your choice whether to take the advice of those who’ve got the experience. I’d suggest you take notice of such advice. Change your attitude a bit and you might get that break you are so desperately searching.
a hard worker (whose not willing to do it for free just to screw everyone else over), who is enthusiastic and goes above and beyond what is expected, will stand out and impress your bosses/potential bosses.
now you could just be a troll. Even so, there will be other newbies reading all this advice and hopefully they take it.
if you not a troll, the other newbies who accept the advice given throughout your threads, which you seem reluctant to accept, will likely get the jobs ahead of you.
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: N/A
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Pilots have often done many jobs outside the industry whilst waiting for flying work. This is especially relevant during a time where there is low/no demand for pilots. I have read about Qantas & Jetstar 787 pilots driving buses & Aus post delivery vans whilst waiting for things to pick up again. The idea here is to do whatever it takes to support yourself whilst waiting for the industry to pick up again, as well as using this chance to upskill & find different ways to make a living. It takes a bit of humility and courage, but it is very good character formation. Remember that pride always comes second in aviation! You've got to do what you've got to do to get to where you want to go to. Think outside the box a little bit - you don't necessarily have to be doing something in aviation right now! This is a very good chance for you to learn additional skills outside of aviation.
you do realise, don’t you, that the suggestion by brokenagain was a way of trying to break into the industry during covid?
or does that sound like a little too much hard work and your expecting a free and easy ride with things basically given to you
or does that sound like a little too much hard work and your expecting a free and easy ride with things basically given to you
a hard worker (whose not willing to do it for free just to screw everyone else over), who is enthusiastic and goes above and beyond what is expected, will stand out and impress your bosses/potential bosses.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Darwin
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Pilots have often done many jobs outside the industry whilst waiting for flying work. This is especially relevant during a time where there is low/no demand for pilots. I have read about Qantas & Jetstar 787 pilots driving buses & Aus post delivery vans whilst waiting for things to pick up again. The idea here is to do whatever it takes to support yourself whilst waiting for the industry to pick up again, as well as using this chance to upskill & find different ways to make a living. It takes a bit of humility and courage, but it is very good character formation. Remember that pride always comes second in aviation! You've got to do what you've got to do to get to where you want to go to. Think outside the box a little bit - you don't necessarily have to be doing something in aviation right now! This is a very good chance for you to learn additional skills outside of aviation.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Darwin
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would avoid putting such cliches out there in aviation. Ultimately in life that holds true however in terms of the aviation industry there is alot of luck involved, and I have witnessed some really good, well qualified pilots get screwed over whilst some pretty ordinary operators who had connections in their younger years just breeze through. In the end everyone ended up where they wanted to be, but I wouldn't say that just being a hard worker in aviation necessarily counts for anything. I think it is a myth that needs to be dispelled because it will only lead to bitterness. This becomes a bit of a issue as all airlines work along seniority lines so if your goal is to be an airline pilot once you get in there is very little you can do to accelerate your career. So getting screwed early in your career can actually have a detrimental affect on your entire life.
Last edited by 717tech; 27th Nov 2020 at 11:23.
Out of 12 who started with me 3 are left. Only one is flying a jet and we got CPLs 15 years ago.
The other were out of the industry within 2 years of finishing.
The other were out of the industry within 2 years of finishing.
Last edited by Climb150; 27th Nov 2020 at 13:58.
