What are my chances?
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Cairns, Australia
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What are my chances?
I'm a low time CPL heli pilot, an Australian trained in USA, (Fixed wing in Aust), and nearing 40.
I've had the FAA license since 97 and am just now doing the Australian conversion.
Does anybody have an educated guess as to what my chances are for paid work as a Pilot, and where to start looking?
Go ahead.... Ravage me!!
I've had the FAA license since 97 and am just now doing the Australian conversion.
Does anybody have an educated guess as to what my chances are for paid work as a Pilot, and where to start looking?
Go ahead.... Ravage me!!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Cairns, Australia
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nothing aviation specific; I was building golf courses, and ended up an irrigation designer.
But i worked 7 yrs in S/E asia and speak B/Indonesia.
Do you think the expat time alone is any assett? knowing the ropes etc?
But i worked 7 yrs in S/E asia and speak B/Indonesia.
Do you think the expat time alone is any assett? knowing the ropes etc?
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Norwich, CT USA
Posts: 146
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, I would not know how they do it in OZ. As you do know, in the US most new pilots are flight instructors. They build some time, then go off either to alaska or the grand canyon and do tours for a couple of seasons to get turbine time, then down the the gulf and after a few years of that, anything they want to do.
Your problem is not going to be age, its not having a whole lot of time in the logbook. Its going to take a bit of effort on your part, you will have to beat the bushes some for work. Make a lot of phone calls, you may also have to do some traveling around too. You have your work cut out.
Your problem is not going to be age, its not having a whole lot of time in the logbook. Its going to take a bit of effort on your part, you will have to beat the bushes some for work. Make a lot of phone calls, you may also have to do some traveling around too. You have your work cut out.
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Missouri, USA
Age: 59
Posts: 235
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For what it's worth I'm about the same age with the same ambition. Have several hundred hours in fixed wing but am just now in training for the rotorwing add-on before starting the CPL(H) and CFI(H). It would be nice to know what lies ahead for us, but not knowing is what keeps it exciting I guess. Best of luck to you!
Join Date: May 2004
Location: That Bit up the Top Down Under
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You won't get a start as an Instructor over here.... In Aus Nearly all of our instructors are guys that have 'been there and done that', which is how it should be I believe.... but thats for a different thread. The only way to get work over here is to turn up on doorsteps, and talk to management and the line pilots, suss out what is going on and what opportunites exist in the area. Aus is a small industry, once you get into it, you will find the most people know each other, so be very careful with what you say to who, as you don't want to get a reputation. The easiest line of work to get into, and probably the only one you will to start with, is flying something like an R44 for scenic work, and the best place for this is up in the NT. Heaps of 44's up northern Aus, and the road trip is worth it.
Best time to turn up is March/April, start of the tourist season, and you might get a start loading, and flying one day a week to give the other guys a day off.....(Thats what happens here and most other companies up here) and then progress to 6 days flying over the year or two.
Don't even bother just emailing or sending resumes. Nobody will look at them up here, unless you have them in your hand. A phone call doesn't hurt, but tell them that you are just calling because you are on your way up and want to drop in. If they don't think you are keen enough to come up here to start with, they are not interested. persistance will pay off. It did for me, and now people actual offer me work..yes i know..hard to believe.....
Its a hard road, and the pay is normally sh*t, and you live in some interesting places.....have spent two years living in an uninsulated shipping container out of Katherine, but its the best fun i've ever had, too young and stupid to know any better i guess.....
And the climate up here definately makes flying a little ore interesting.... all that stuff you learnt about DA's (?? what was that stuff again??) will make sense...
If you are after some companies that work up here PM me.
Good Luck.
Go hard or go Home
Best time to turn up is March/April, start of the tourist season, and you might get a start loading, and flying one day a week to give the other guys a day off.....(Thats what happens here and most other companies up here) and then progress to 6 days flying over the year or two.
Don't even bother just emailing or sending resumes. Nobody will look at them up here, unless you have them in your hand. A phone call doesn't hurt, but tell them that you are just calling because you are on your way up and want to drop in. If they don't think you are keen enough to come up here to start with, they are not interested. persistance will pay off. It did for me, and now people actual offer me work..yes i know..hard to believe.....
Its a hard road, and the pay is normally sh*t, and you live in some interesting places.....have spent two years living in an uninsulated shipping container out of Katherine, but its the best fun i've ever had, too young and stupid to know any better i guess.....And the climate up here definately makes flying a little ore interesting.... all that stuff you learnt about DA's (?? what was that stuff again??) will make sense...
If you are after some companies that work up here PM me.
Good Luck.
Go hard or go Home
Join Date: May 2004
Location: That Bit up the Top Down Under
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Loachboy and flapnfeather....replies are in your PM's Maybe you two should have a chat?? Always helps to talk to other guys in the same situation. This industry is small....one day you might be able to do each other a favour. 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: YQLD
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm a low time CPL heli pilot, an Australian trained in USA, (Fixed wing in Aust), and nearing 40.
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: LONDON
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
africa
hi hescott,...iam not expert on jobs..but father was in irrigatin in srilanka...he worked in africa.....current devolping countries such as uganda,kenya....i think you got ,amelgamate irrigation and flying some dam building,in victoria...working in irrigation and flying, i think you need to pitch some wild ideas to the ministries,its one my wild suggestions....kofi annan was in irrigation before...good luck...yes africa...chinese companies are investing....in africa....give them a call with your eastern influence....iam sure you in there allready.....lux
