Oh god, what am I thinking...
Supercharged PPRuNer
Joined: Nov 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 1,188
Likes: 15
From: Doon the watter, a million miles from the sandpit.
Fascinating thread - my two penneth.
For those of us towards the start of their modular training who haven’t yet jacked in the day job and committed thousands to an IR, September 11th has probably helped clarify the situation, if nothing else. Until then, I was trying to balance paying the bills with the need (as I saw it) to qualify as quickly as possible, and try and find a job while the sun was still shining. For a few weeks last summer, I even considered resigning from work, re-mortgaging everything down to my underpants, and writing a huge cheque for an integrated course. <img src="eek.gif" border="0">
Fortunately, caution is my middle name and I didn’t do it (I like being able to sleep at night, knowing the bills are covered). Six months on, I feel extremely lucky not to have over-extended myself. So what next?
As Scroggs (and any commercial pilot worth his stripes) have already pointed out, the industry works on roughly ten year cycles of steady growth, followed by a nosedive. Seemingly random events trigger the collapse (the Gulf war, Bin Laden), but the warning signs are building for some time (e.g. overcapacity). The crucial thing to remember – particularly for those in their early 20s who think they’ve missed the boat <img src="wink.gif" border="0"> – is the long term trend, which is on and ever upwards. Aircraft are becoming ever more efficient, pushing seat costs down, while disposable income (again, long term) is ever increasing. The inevitable result is increased demand for air travel (and we haven’t even mentioned the extra stimulus of low-cost carriers).
Eurocontrol predict aircraft movements will double between 2000 & 2010. Think about that for a second, and consider whether it really matters if it takes you six months longer to qualify than you planned. The caveat – as is continually pointed out in these pages – is that keeping an IR current is very expensive, so in so far as you can, don’t commit to this until you are confident of the employment situation (or you can finance keeping it current yourself).
So, bearing in mind the long term, my PPL / IMC & night will take another year or so. My ATPL writtens (and a little hours building) will take another year, and all the while I will stay with the day job, paying the bills and sleeping at night. Then, assuming the market is healthier than today (God help us if it isn’t) I’ll allow another year for the CPL/IR, which will give me a shiny licence around January 2005.
Allowing up to 2 years to find that first job (and possibly instructing for a while), I’m aiming to be in a right hand seat by my 35th birthday. That would also put me right in the middle of a 10 year cycle, and – hopefully – some way up the seniority ladder before the next collapse.
Now I can’t tell anyone what’s right for them (and an awful lot can happen in 5 years) but the plan makes sense to me, today. Just don’t ask me to predict tomorrow’s lottery numbers. <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
For those of us towards the start of their modular training who haven’t yet jacked in the day job and committed thousands to an IR, September 11th has probably helped clarify the situation, if nothing else. Until then, I was trying to balance paying the bills with the need (as I saw it) to qualify as quickly as possible, and try and find a job while the sun was still shining. For a few weeks last summer, I even considered resigning from work, re-mortgaging everything down to my underpants, and writing a huge cheque for an integrated course. <img src="eek.gif" border="0">
Fortunately, caution is my middle name and I didn’t do it (I like being able to sleep at night, knowing the bills are covered). Six months on, I feel extremely lucky not to have over-extended myself. So what next?
As Scroggs (and any commercial pilot worth his stripes) have already pointed out, the industry works on roughly ten year cycles of steady growth, followed by a nosedive. Seemingly random events trigger the collapse (the Gulf war, Bin Laden), but the warning signs are building for some time (e.g. overcapacity). The crucial thing to remember – particularly for those in their early 20s who think they’ve missed the boat <img src="wink.gif" border="0"> – is the long term trend, which is on and ever upwards. Aircraft are becoming ever more efficient, pushing seat costs down, while disposable income (again, long term) is ever increasing. The inevitable result is increased demand for air travel (and we haven’t even mentioned the extra stimulus of low-cost carriers).
Eurocontrol predict aircraft movements will double between 2000 & 2010. Think about that for a second, and consider whether it really matters if it takes you six months longer to qualify than you planned. The caveat – as is continually pointed out in these pages – is that keeping an IR current is very expensive, so in so far as you can, don’t commit to this until you are confident of the employment situation (or you can finance keeping it current yourself).
So, bearing in mind the long term, my PPL / IMC & night will take another year or so. My ATPL writtens (and a little hours building) will take another year, and all the while I will stay with the day job, paying the bills and sleeping at night. Then, assuming the market is healthier than today (God help us if it isn’t) I’ll allow another year for the CPL/IR, which will give me a shiny licence around January 2005.
Allowing up to 2 years to find that first job (and possibly instructing for a while), I’m aiming to be in a right hand seat by my 35th birthday. That would also put me right in the middle of a 10 year cycle, and – hopefully – some way up the seniority ladder before the next collapse.
Now I can’t tell anyone what’s right for them (and an awful lot can happen in 5 years) but the plan makes sense to me, today. Just don’t ask me to predict tomorrow’s lottery numbers. <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: S. East
Hey G SXTY
A well written post which makes sense.
To the moderator: sorry about the language in my last post- didn't know what the rules where. I post a lot on skydiving sites and pretty much anything goes on those in terms of language.
regards
Springo
A well written post which makes sense.
To the moderator: sorry about the language in my last post- didn't know what the rules where. I post a lot on skydiving sites and pretty much anything goes on those in terms of language.
regards
Springo
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 100
Likes: 0
From: UK
G-SXTY
Cool post,Makes more than sense to me mate, Its gospel!!!!!!
Im the same as you G-SXTY except i plan on instructing before even looking atthe airlines. I have even budgeted for it.
The best advice i could give is to take a career break. Although im aware not all employers offer this!
Rob
Cool post,Makes more than sense to me mate, Its gospel!!!!!!
Im the same as you G-SXTY except i plan on instructing before even looking atthe airlines. I have even budgeted for it.
The best advice i could give is to take a career break. Although im aware not all employers offer this!
Rob
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 133
Likes: 0
From: Heathrow
Guys and Gals,
I know this is not the right place to ask, but can someone help me out how to start in IT?
It pays well and thats what I need to get my ATPL quicker.
you can mail me at [email protected]
I would appreciate to hear from you.
Thanks!
I know this is not the right place to ask, but can someone help me out how to start in IT?
It pays well and thats what I need to get my ATPL quicker.
you can mail me at [email protected]
I would appreciate to hear from you.
Thanks!
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: S. East
Well, as I started this post hopefully I can decide to go OT on it too.
A quick run down on my IT career to date.
Finished Uni and got a job in the South East paying £12,500pa (yes, you read that right).
Over 2 years my pay rose to £17,500 and I had lots more experience and had passed some Microsoft exams.
Got another job on £23,000 and passed more exams and am presently on £27,500 (have earned a lot more due to on-call and overtime however that has all stopped now due to cut backs).
So IT isn't all mega-bucks.
As for what to do to get into IT. Take any job you can, even if it is picking up the phone and logging technical calls (thats how I started) because if you don't know anything about computers then that is a good place to start. Also try:
<a href="http://www.jobserve.com" target="_blank">www.jobserve.com</a>
<a href="http://www.newmonday.com" target="_blank">www.newmonday.com</a>
I'm looking for another job at the moment but the market is only just picking up so it may take time.
One question: as I'm totally new to all of this and don't have any flying time what does the abbreviation Wx stand for (I'm managing to cope with most other abbreviations on here)?
A quick run down on my IT career to date.
Finished Uni and got a job in the South East paying £12,500pa (yes, you read that right).
Over 2 years my pay rose to £17,500 and I had lots more experience and had passed some Microsoft exams.
Got another job on £23,000 and passed more exams and am presently on £27,500 (have earned a lot more due to on-call and overtime however that has all stopped now due to cut backs).
So IT isn't all mega-bucks.
As for what to do to get into IT. Take any job you can, even if it is picking up the phone and logging technical calls (thats how I started) because if you don't know anything about computers then that is a good place to start. Also try:
<a href="http://www.jobserve.com" target="_blank">www.jobserve.com</a>
<a href="http://www.newmonday.com" target="_blank">www.newmonday.com</a>
I'm looking for another job at the moment but the market is only just picking up so it may take time.
One question: as I'm totally new to all of this and don't have any flying time what does the abbreviation Wx stand for (I'm managing to cope with most other abbreviations on here)?
Supercharged PPRuNer
Joined: Nov 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 1,188
Likes: 15
From: Doon the watter, a million miles from the sandpit.
WX = Weather.
(And in the if you're flying in the UK, you'd better get used to it). <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
(And in the if you're flying in the UK, you'd better get used to it). <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
