Does having a job in an airline help in becoming a pilot?

[andpmatthews]

I am open to anyone's views on whether having a job in an airline as cabin crew, ops etc.. would help you if you were then train to get an f-atpl and apply for an FO job? be it the same or other airline?. .. .People I have spoken to say it would but are there any recruiters out there who can give an honest opinion?. .. .Although it seems hard enough to get any kind of job in an airline a the moment.

[Lucifer]

Probably nothing more than in knowing a few more people on the inside, or knowing how that business in particualr operates. Would depend what you are aiming for ie small or large operation.. .. .Personally I would rather go for other jobs to demonstrate my ability to acquire skills and vast amounts of information quickly, or similar managerial skills.

[Shadowpurser]

I would say it doesn't make a difference. If your good enough and your what they're looking for that seems to be good enough. Very few pilots I've met at work have prviously had jobs in the company (B.A.) HOWEVER! If you have a job e.g. crew you have an idea of what they are looking for and can also draw on the pilots on hand every day for help. Plus when your applying lots of the questions are similar in wording if not the same (they expect a bit lengthy reply on the cadetship one)so you've got one up there as well. Just keep thinking you part of a team - I can see the difference in the new influx of pilots in recent years and they are a lot younger (due to the cadetship) and lot more TEAM than some of our shall I say "older gents" who think CRM (Crew resource management) is a new car by Mercedes.

[Hap Hazard]

f-atpl, I can only speak from my experiance, but yes it does make a differance in many cases as you get to know the right people, especially in OPS!. .It worked for me as I was in the pool for a right hand seat job, but in the meantime managed to secure a better job with another company!. .That was when things were better, however it can only help your CV as it means that you are learning aviation related skills, stuff quite a lot of companies like as there is so many 300hr CV's to choose from, so any aviation related experiance can only help.. .On my course for my first airline type there were three of us who had some form of experiance in ops, despatching or cabin attendant.. .If you have already done all your training then in these times you wont do yourself any harm by working in any aviation ground job, especially one that brings you into contact with management.. .Goodluck...it is worth it!!

[ImNot]

Without a shadow of a doubt, I've seen it happen and wished I had had the foresight. Particularly if you have alot of front. Going down the ops route appears to be far more sucsessful than cabin crew. It gets you in touch with the right people. Definite case of not what but who you know.. . . . <small>[ 13 March 2002, 01:33: Message edited by: Im Not ]</small>

[blended winglet]

Op's jobs definately help,. .I was in an engineering job previously for the white hatters, they were'nt interested helping in me with regards to a flying position at the time,. .I know guys from op's backgrounds who got jobs ok though.. .. .I made it on my own anyway & ironically enough. .flew for them a few years back, then I saw sense. .& quit flying charters as they're not fun at all !. .(in my opinion). .scheduled is far more civilised :-))

[Deep Float]

Been in Ops for 13 years. Frozen ATPL (CAP509) since 1998. Not been that lucky. Still hoping though.... .. .I don't think it makes any difference, but I know a few who have gone that way. Mind you, when people say they have done it like that, they don't usually tell you that their father, brother, uncle or other close relation was a training Captain and really got them the job.

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

I'd say its a good option if you have nothing else really good up your sleeve to do. . .. .The more Operational the position in the airline the better. Its all about networking at the end of the day when it comes to getting a shot at that first break.. .. .Current employment law helps you. Any company wishing to recruit must first advertise internally if it is reasonable to do so. On day one of your new job as deputy hangar sweeper tell the HR dept. that you are CPL qualified and interested in changing roles within the company. This will ensure that IF they ever recruit for low time CPL/IR such as yourself they MUST ask for your application first. . .. .Nice way of jumping at least one queue.. .. .Being a pro-active kind of chap within Company X there is no reason at all why you shouldn't in your first year have several informal chats with senior pilot managers about your ambitions. Its going to make that interview flow and awful lot easier if you've met the bloke on the other side of the desk before and he has an immaculate personnel file in front of him telling how you did well at your last appraisal, met your performance targets and are generally well regarded by your co-workers.... .. .I've advised quite a few chaps privately to follow this course of attack.. .. .Good luck,. .. .WWW

[JB007]

Speaking from personal experiance - yep! Ops is a great start and if you prove yourself to be what the airline is looking for there is no-reason why you shouldn't get an interview.. .. .Any airline experiance is a huge bonus.... .. .Drop me an email if you need any further info... . . . <small>[ 14 March 2002, 23:05: Message edited by: JB007 ]</small>