Singaporean self-sponsored CPL holders - where are you?

[Yantz]

prodi9y:

Hi there, great that you are pursuing your licence down under, where are you doing it to be exact? Yes I understand the problem of the family that one has to behind. Well I am going to MFA to get a CPL licence and thankfully my family and my other half are understanding enough to let me go.
I will probably work in Malaysia to gain hours if I can't find a job in Singapore. I am lucky to have youth on my side with no financial commitments so I will go all out to fufill my dream.

[prodi9y]

ljjthegreat:
I have not spoken to him since I came over about a month back. If I recall correctly, he intends to instruct 1st. As for instucting, think he intends to look around in Malaysia after that but that will mean the pain of going for conversion. His decision stems from the fact that DCA requires higher hours for a PPL holder to do modular CPL.

Yantz:
When will our MFA course start? I have a friend that is starting on 23Nov as well. For myself, seriously going to consider instructing as well in Australia.

[prodi9y]

ljjthegreat,

I am fully aware of this... But I am keeping my options open & like yourself, don't mind working far from home if there are opportunities available.

[phrixus29]

Another way of working around this work permit issue would be this,something I have personally done myself and have seen others do too..

It would be to not apply for a work permit after you graduate from your flight training course but to keep extending your student permit instead.
This is what I did for an extra year,though I did not have to use it but I extended my student permit and especially flight students,they can work on campus under a student permit for a year after graduation and this happens in Canada(check this out with the Australian Authorities whether the regulation is similar)..If it is the same,work under a student permit but this would only allow you to work as a full time flight instructor then which is your start in the industry..Tell your school head to type you out a letter indicating that you are still a student,and you are also working part time...

If you really want to make it real,another way would be to do the PPL,then CPL,then do your Flight Instructor's rating...Start instructing on the student permit and with the typed out letter from the school indicating that you are still a student as well as working on campus as a flight instructor does not lie to the authorities.It is real..You would be instructing as well as completing your Multi,IFR ratings..So while you work,you will be completing your course as well..allows you to build your hours along the way as well..

Trying to get a work permit could be risky because these countries would prefer not give you a work permit and when your application is rejected and then you decide to use plan B(extending of the student permit),that's when the authorities will start keeping a close look at your actions because they will start to know that you are trying all means to just stay in their country..I mean,personal advise would be to use the student permit and work..and while you are working,perhaps,send in an application for change of status to Permanent Residency..Because in Canada,when you attain your Flight Instructor's Rating,and then apply for PR status,you get your PR within 6-8 mths..in Australia,we hope its similar..That's an option..

[phrixus29]

I would also like to make this clear to all that in developing countries for example,they allow you to fly in the country as a flight crew without even doing a conversion of license..

Where there is no Conversion required,a simple Validation would be enough for one to be able to fly in their country..

Validation: When a State validates a foreign licence, it recognizes it as valid for use on aircraft on its own registry.

In general, the validation process is used for short-term authorization while the conversion process is used for longer-term authorization.

[phrixus29]

Well,

1.caribbeans,

2.africa(pick a spot<--africa is huge),

3.maldives,

4.malaysia for that matter(Because they are more than willing to give you a work permit if you have their requirements<-- i have been offered before,thats why i know),

5.india(loads of flying schools looking desperately for instructors and they will validate your license),

6.Nepal (there are some good companies there and i have canadian friends flying for them)


So these are just a few i guess..And yeah with regards to our parents not approving of us going to diseased location,thats bound to happen..I had to talk my parents into it before i took the job in africa..They were not happy about it but well,sometimes as an individual,only you would know..Because if i hadn't had taken the job in africa,then my next question is going to be, "So,who is going to give me a job?"

I had to take it because opportunity knocked on my door and I was not going to turn my back on that opportunity...If I was going to be choosy,then I guess I would be knocking my head on the wall till today...Because I remember while I was there,I kept applying and no response..So you see,sometimes its about opportunities leaving you with no choice but to just grab it,and thats exactly what I did and I am glad I did...I can safely say I have many african friends now,and I have made so many mother like figures too..So,its all good you know..

[AiRBuS_380]

hi,

NZ is flooded with fresh pilots.... from university programmes, flight schools etc... as well as the surplus coming in from its neighbour Australia.

good luck... this i can confrim as i come from a NZ flying university. Its tougher then trying to get a job in places like malaysia etc.

great way to fly

[Macarto]

In my Opinion there is no best possible route. Best Possible routes are relative as different people come from different backgrounds and have different goals. Some may enrol in universities with integrated CPL course to have a degree as a backup plan. While others would go full fledge flying as thats their main goal and they have no qualms over possible obstacles as they believe they can succeed. So to me the best possible route would be to find out what u can achieve and what is realistic enough for yr plans in yr aviation career, is being far an issue like u said parents and so on.. Is money the issue so that u have to choose msia over Oz?

[phrixus29]

hi ljjthegreat,

I totally understand your concerns...In our lil small world of self sponsoring ourselves and moreover coming from a country that will not even assist us in gaining employment even with a flight school or having any form of G.A,it definitely thus makes our lives wayyyyy much more tougher...agreed...

In fact,other nations would rather hire their own locals as compared to us foreigners...But I guess if you guys can get this in your heads as to becoming an instructor first to gain some hours and then move on,it will take out the complications from the picture..If you flight instruct at your school you trained in,( which is the best way to get your first job and with an extension of student permit or whichever way you decide),you would have gained some hours and also you would become more marketable...

If you get a bonus to fly on the line as a pilot,yeah,thats definitely a head start for sure..but what are the chances??

Roadblocks,you are all going to see alot..i went through these stuff too,had so much of stress myself but if you want to make it,I guess, you got to think positively..You got to be a fighter...I am sorry but you sound like you are messing with your mind abit too much...Nothing is perfect and it seems like you want all the creases out before you take the plunge...Life doesn't go this way brother...We are not taking our O' Levels or A' Levels where we can mug and perhaps get perfect scores...

Life,in general is not like taking a math exam..know your fractions well and you get full marks...You will have to keep altering your routes,revising your plans to climb to the top..

You may ask,if I don't get to work for long in a country because I have visa issues,I don't think so I have plan B and how am I going to alter my route??...Trust me,I got an answer to that too but these are things I have knocked my head on the wall too to figure those answers...If I were to type everything out,I might as well write my book,you guys purchase it..lol...

You know,the best tool in life is your telephone..make some calls..call up the schools,speak to them about employment after flight training(they will not guarantee you anything but ask whether foreighners have worked at the school and if others have done it,it means there's a way), make some calls to the immigration department of the country you wish to train in and tell them the ideal situation you wish to be in and whether you are allowed to work on campus and for how long?

As for jobs after that,then its another set of head knocking but its bound to come because then you have hours and you are more marketable..

You know something guys,you want something ,follow this principle and this is the principle I use :"Take The Bull By Its Horns"

[cougar77]

Why dont you guys join the airforce if you are eligible. Then you dont have to pay to fly but instead get paid, clock a couple of 000's hours then join SQ or Spore based LCC's after the airforce which many have taken this route.
Those that dont qualify for the airforce, sad to say its a rather difficult path but not impossible.

[prodi9y]

Originally Posted by phrixus29

You know something guys,you want something ,follow this principle and this is the principle I use :"Take The Bull By Its Horns"

Another related quotable quote that I believe in flying is:

The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough.

[phrixus29]

prodi9y


You the man!!!Now this is getting interesting..That's right,totally agree with you..

You want it,you fight for it,at the end of the day,a fighter is always one that wins...It is for sure gonna be a struggle but your mindset has to be this and even if your career reaches no where and you unfortunately become a career flight instructor,you have to still pat yourself on the back because you are still a pilot and you still made it in the industry..

Just to tell you,I have friends who are older and they are single engine pilots,though taking home a gd salary but they never progressed in that sense into jets and they are family guys and they are very happy guys because they know they got what they want..to be pilots right...Its when greed starts taking over,thats when more stress is imposed upon ourselves..

Good one prodi9y..

[airplane79]

Another related quotable quote that I believe in flying is:

The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough.

A quote from the late Prof. Randy Pausch from Carnegie Mellon... nice one, prodi9y.

[prodi9y]

Anyway, for those uninitiated here's the link to the Video.

For those undecided, this has helped me made my decision & I hope it helps you too.

[Sonic69]

Hey Prodi9y! Don't you have to study for your BAK exam?

What are you doing posting on the forum?

There's a wealth of info on this thread alone for S'poreans wanting to be pilots. But, it still comes down to taking the first step of getting a PPL. Any ICAO PPL will do. That way, you know for a fact that you can hack it as a pilot at least. Then, you can do more analysis paralysis as to which country's licence is 'BEST' for you.

After that, its the holy trinity of licences - CPL, ME, IR. Without that, you have practically NO CHANCE of being hired as a pilot.

Get the licence then worry about how you're going to get a job. If you want to line up your ducks before taking a shot, you'll never do it and will be forever just talking about it. Phrixus has shown it is possible with a Canadian licence. Prodi9y and myself are doing Australian licences, and there are other pro pilots that have FAA, Aussie, Malaysian and NZ licences, so it is all possible. Since we are throwing slogans about, here's a short but apt one - "Just Do It!"

[mosca_sg]

Don't think I've seen anyone talk about this site yet..well I'm thinking of getting a PPL and saw this website..

Sport Flying Club

Does anyone have any idea on whether it's trustworthy? The website itself looks rather dubious to me..

[prodi9y]

@mosca_sg

Call or speak to them to find out for yourself.

[Sonic69]

@mosca_sg

What's dubious about it?

[singapore_flyer]

restricted ppl in this case simply means that the cross-country requirements are not met, it dosnt mean that the license is improper or the club is improper. the cross-country endorsment can be easily made up when you decide to do a cpl. I doubt you'll bother flying around leisurely with your ppl so it dosnt really matter if the club can't do navigation if you're set on doing cpl afterwards.

[singapore_flyer]

i meant for someone who wishes to fly professionally, he would not stop at the ppl level. so his ppl would not be for leisure flying but a necessary step towards his professional goals. more likely than not he would start on the cpl course almost immediately after getting his ppl, which is why it won't matter if x-country is done at the end of ppl or before starting cpl.

in the context of this thread, of course i can assume that a commercial pilot wannabe will not spend much time flying leisurely with only a ppl. and please quote the whole sentence which includes 'if you're set on doing cpl afterwards.'

i cant accept your inability to understand simple reasoning in english.