Don't wait until things pick up - when they want you , they want you NOW

Few of you seem to be talking about the climate emergency affecting opportunities. Yes, Covid-19 could be a real industry killer but long term we will start to see a sea change in people’s desire to make as many flights. I’m seeing it now and it’s probably a good thing. Flying less will happen and people’s conscience about the damage it’s contributing will start to be a big factor. Time for aircraft and engine manufacturers to really accelerate the research and technology in to finding a viable alternative to jet a1.

I’ve been flying for a living for 34 years, 24 of them in the left seat of reasonable sized airliners. At the moment I’m working out how long my savings will pay the mortgage if the airline I fly for asks me to take unpaid leave. I certainly wouldn’t be investing those savings in flight training at the moment. Give it six months and see how the dust settles.

Good time to begin ATPL training?
 

Hi all,

I'm wondering if people think that it would be a good time to begin training for my CPL (starting from zero) and then possibly progress to the airlines? I don't mean starting next week but hopefully around September time (maybe earlier/later) if/when we get a hold on this pandemic.

I know all airlines around the world are going to be hit dramatically over the next couple of months as passenger traffic diminishes but that can only really last for so long right?

y thinking would be as the world economy contracts, fewer people will be going into the aviation sector due to cost/demand/etc. and training prices will drop/level off as demand for instructors reduces, so this would be a good time to begin training?
Also, will falling oil prices impact the cost of fuel?

All of these thoughts are hypothetical as I understand we really don't know what is going to happen. I'm just wondering if anyone else feels the same or can give me some different ideas/scenarios.

All opinions are greatly appreciated!
Thanks.
Conor

I think it will take years not months until the dust settles and there a places for shiny new pilots.
the travelling public are going to take a long time to recover from this.
hopefully I'm wrong, but I wouldn't be in a rush to drop 100k in1the hope if getting a job in a couple if years when there are now 100s of highly qualified and experienced pilots searching for jobs.

Don't start training yet. You - or your parents - may need the cash soon. BIG economic storm inbound.

Strap in.

I started an integrated course on 2nd March in Spain. Tomorrow (if I’m lucky) I’ll be heading back to U.K. - gutted isn’t the word.
I’m the wrong side of 35 as it is, so starting the course was a risky move to start with but this situation has basically ended the dream. I’ve put the course on ice to see how the next few months pan out but realistically it’s bad times.
I’m not trying to get any sympathy, but in answer to the OP - I’d think very long and hard about what’s going to happen when you’ve finished your course. From what I have read and heard this is pretty catastrophic for the industry.
BUT - best of luck whatever you choose, and I hope it works out for you.

That really, really sucks. But it won’t be too late in a couple of years. Getting a job at 42 vs 40, no difference.

Do you mind answering a couple of questions for general benefit please?

1. Did it all come out of the blue? FTE must have known it wasn’t looking fantastic by the 2nd March or was it all completely fine until it wasn’t?
2. Do you have a career to go back to? Maybe not into the exact same job but skills to keep you going for a year or two?

Really do hope it all works out for you, genuinely.

VariablePitchP thanks for your words, to answer your questions
1. I wasn’t at FTE, but when I arrived here the virus was not much more than something to talk about and all of a sudden it had taken over the planet!
2. Yes, I’ve got a business I can focus on now, and I can go back to my old job if I need to.
at the end of the day, I just want to fly so I’ll probably do my ppl and start looking at a modular course so I can pace myself in time for the massive hiring spree (joke). We will see what happens.

In my experience...…….If the market's booming then a bust isn't too far away! If the market's bust, a boom isn't too far away. So, take advantage now, although I would wait a month or two given the present situation.

Not much consolation to you, but..
I passed my CPL/IR the same month as Air Europe went bust. Shot a few hundred well qualified pilots onto a job market which was 1/10th the size it is today, so it had a catastrophic effect on my chances of finding a pilot job. I was 35 that year. Head down, kept current on something with propellers at my expense. 2 years later the market recovered and rapidly expanded with the growth of the LoCo airlines to the point of a pilot shortage in year 4. 25 years later, I am done with aviation and have had a fine and lucrative career from it.
I would expect the turn around to be 2 years, if you can bear to wait. Best of luck.