Should I move to the UK
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Should I move to the UK
So work is painfully slow in coming to me here in canada even though I have 5000 hours with most of it on metros as a Captian and about 500 hours on the old F-28 as a F/O. My wife was born in London and still has her passport. My grandfather was also from London. I can do the JAA licence what do you guys think my chances are?
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http://www.avcanada.ca/forums2/viewt...t=608&start=25
Well folks...
I was issued my JAA ATPL today. It has certainly been worth while... although I am glad the process is behind me. Having a Canadian ATPL and 500 hours of blessed multi-crew time from a metroliner... I have written 14 exams, a completed radio test, finished type rating and passed my LST(IFR initial/PPC).
Although the process has seemed overly complex and even chaotic, it has been cheaper and easier than I thought it would be when i started out. The total cost in Canadian dollars has been roughly $6,000. The work load has been steady and rigorous but never overwhelming. The hardest part was the flight test, but I think my own nerves made it into a bigger deal than it actually was.
I am now flying an BAE ATP(Jetstream 61) for British Airways' regional based out of Glasgow in Scotland. Four weeks after finishing the written exams, I was able to get the job without having even completed the JAA ATPL conversion(i needed the type rating for the licence).
Am I better off over here?? Well as for now, I am very happy and I must say I am in a much better place than I was a year ago. My family is English and for the most part I new what to expect as far as the cultural differences are concerned. I miss Canada but plan to spend most of my 5 weeks off a year coming back to visit. However, I will be working over here for at least a few years...
If anybody out there is converting or contemplating a conversion from an ATPL to an ATPL with the 500 multi crew and would like to know what I had to do, drop me a PM. As for any other combination of backgrounds, I have no idea... finding out the rules for licence conversion here is like translating the dead sea scrolls. I am not even sure if they have not just been making up the rules as I have been going along.
I was issued my JAA ATPL today. It has certainly been worth while... although I am glad the process is behind me. Having a Canadian ATPL and 500 hours of blessed multi-crew time from a metroliner... I have written 14 exams, a completed radio test, finished type rating and passed my LST(IFR initial/PPC).
Although the process has seemed overly complex and even chaotic, it has been cheaper and easier than I thought it would be when i started out. The total cost in Canadian dollars has been roughly $6,000. The work load has been steady and rigorous but never overwhelming. The hardest part was the flight test, but I think my own nerves made it into a bigger deal than it actually was.
I am now flying an BAE ATP(Jetstream 61) for British Airways' regional based out of Glasgow in Scotland. Four weeks after finishing the written exams, I was able to get the job without having even completed the JAA ATPL conversion(i needed the type rating for the licence).
Am I better off over here?? Well as for now, I am very happy and I must say I am in a much better place than I was a year ago. My family is English and for the most part I new what to expect as far as the cultural differences are concerned. I miss Canada but plan to spend most of my 5 weeks off a year coming back to visit. However, I will be working over here for at least a few years...
If anybody out there is converting or contemplating a conversion from an ATPL to an ATPL with the 500 multi crew and would like to know what I had to do, drop me a PM. As for any other combination of backgrounds, I have no idea... finding out the rules for licence conversion here is like translating the dead sea scrolls. I am not even sure if they have not just been making up the rules as I have been going along.
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You can never have too many qualifications in aviation...we are a migrant workforce, not unlike wetback orange pickers in California....don't let the naysayers dissuade you from pursuing your goals....if you have the right to work..something you can't study for..than get the licence...something you CAN study for...your chances are what you make them..you apparently have the chance you had no control over....
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Metro...
I did the conversion last year and have not looked back. The job market is fluid here and will only get better over the next couple of years as long as Bin Laden and Co don't pull anything too severe....This of course would effect all of us.
With your time you would get a look from every carrier here in the UK. Direct entry commands are available with smaller operations. You will miss Canada but the jobs make up for it here. Only 6-10 hours on a jet to go home and holiday time here kicks Canadian standards. 4-6 weeks is common.
Good luck
I did the conversion last year and have not looked back. The job market is fluid here and will only get better over the next couple of years as long as Bin Laden and Co don't pull anything too severe....This of course would effect all of us.
With your time you would get a look from every carrier here in the UK. Direct entry commands are available with smaller operations. You will miss Canada but the jobs make up for it here. Only 6-10 hours on a jet to go home and holiday time here kicks Canadian standards. 4-6 weeks is common.
Good luck
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Metro Head
Yes why not come on over to the UK and join all the others legal and illegals already here and on their way and lets get the population up to 65 Million asap and we can all fall over each other in this crowded little island.
Yes why not come on over to the UK and join all the others legal and illegals already here and on their way and lets get the population up to 65 Million asap and we can all fall over each other in this crowded little island.
Red On, Green On
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It's horrendously expensive to buy a house (25% of the size and 400% of the price in Canada), schools are very variable in their quality, your tax bill is going up, not down, the roads you want to travel on are busy, small and full of arrogant pr*cks, and you'll be horrified at the cost of living.
Apart from that, it's fine.
Apart from that, it's fine.
Red On, Green On
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Weather:
The UK has lots of it, and it's the eternal topic of conversation, so start practicing comments like:
Not much of a summer is it?
It's so wet I've developed webbed feet.
You'll find that we don't take well to extremes of weather either - so more than two days in a row of >25C/75F is a heatwave, any one day at/below 0C is "Britain freezes in arctic blast", more than 0.5 in of snow and the entire road and rail system grinds to a halt and more than 2 inches of rain in two days and we have floods.
Apart from that it's fine.
The UK has lots of it, and it's the eternal topic of conversation, so start practicing comments like:
Not much of a summer is it?
It's so wet I've developed webbed feet.
You'll find that we don't take well to extremes of weather either - so more than two days in a row of >25C/75F is a heatwave, any one day at/below 0C is "Britain freezes in arctic blast", more than 0.5 in of snow and the entire road and rail system grinds to a halt and more than 2 inches of rain in two days and we have floods.
Apart from that it's fine.
Metrohead,
I'm an Aussie living in England and can tell you that the job market here is MUCH better than just about anywhere else. The negative comments here are from Brits who just don't get that 4000hrs scores you a C210 in the Aussie bush or a beaver on floats where you are.
With your experience you will have no problem scoring a job, and if you can stump up the money for a type rating (A319/20/21 or 737 being the obvious ones) would probably score a Jet f/o position with about 2-3 years to command.
The weather sucks, the houses,gas and beer is expensive, but as far as job prospects go, well, I'm here and not out on Sydney Harbour, which must tell you something!!
I'm an Aussie living in England and can tell you that the job market here is MUCH better than just about anywhere else. The negative comments here are from Brits who just don't get that 4000hrs scores you a C210 in the Aussie bush or a beaver on floats where you are.
With your experience you will have no problem scoring a job, and if you can stump up the money for a type rating (A319/20/21 or 737 being the obvious ones) would probably score a Jet f/o position with about 2-3 years to command.
The weather sucks, the houses,gas and beer is expensive, but as far as job prospects go, well, I'm here and not out on Sydney Harbour, which must tell you something!!
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Metrohead,
having just done the reciprocal of what you are thinking about doing then my answer would be NO! UK is a lovely place, but: the weather is pants, taxes are unreal, everything is a lot more expensive than Canada, people are less friendly..................the list goes on!
Oh and they dont have Molson in the UK
having just done the reciprocal of what you are thinking about doing then my answer would be NO! UK is a lovely place, but: the weather is pants, taxes are unreal, everything is a lot more expensive than Canada, people are less friendly..................the list goes on!
Oh and they dont have Molson in the UK
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el dorado
Yes by all means bring your Ferrari. Within weeks it will either be stolen or vandalised by one of the many 1000's of mindless yobs. UK is the car crime capital of Europe,something else a_a failed to mention
Yes by all means bring your Ferrari. Within weeks it will either be stolen or vandalised by one of the many 1000's of mindless yobs. UK is the car crime capital of Europe,something else a_a failed to mention
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Yes why not come to the UK. Everyone else is. You don't even have to have a job and if you do you'll end up paying an endless amount of tax and get absolutely nothing back for it.
There's quite a lot of Brits who would love to leave the UK if possible and the anount of long haul pilots who are leaving increases by the week as they just can't afford to live here!
There's quite a lot of Brits who would love to leave the UK if possible and the anount of long haul pilots who are leaving increases by the week as they just can't afford to live here!
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its not that bad a place, yes the weather is predictably unpredictable and its almost impossible to buy somewhere in the south thats less than abt £250,000 and the roads are packed and taxes high but everything is within a 5 minute drive, jobs are plentiful, lots of places to rent available, people are not unfriendly just what we are used to so living next to your next door neighbour and not knowing there name is common and we dont say hi to all and sundry whilst doing our shopping but it has a charm and if it was that bad millions wouldnt flock here every year and thousands wouldnt come here illegally either.Plus its the home of football and the passion wd put any country to shame....
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Stay in Canada !!!!
House prices are ridiculous, the people "on the whole" are unapproachable and customer service is non existent.
Quality of Life is far better in Canada.
And yes I have lived and flown in both.
House prices are ridiculous, the people "on the whole" are unapproachable and customer service is non existent.
Quality of Life is far better in Canada.
And yes I have lived and flown in both.
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Income tax 40%, sales tax 17.5%, local income tax £1800, soon to increase to £5000. Crime high, schools poor, health service in crisis, pensions in meltdown, roads gridlocked. But look on the bright side: we have a fantastic government.
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Yes, you should move to the UK. I did it 5 years ago, with almost no experience at all. I have been flying the 767 ever since. I have been comparing terms & conditions with the Canadian market ever since and there simply is no comparison. However I did manage to get in on the housing ladder here before everything went haywire, I think I would find it pretty hard to do now.
Do not listen to those who say stay at home. If I had done so when I was posting similar questions on pprune I would still be a 152 instructor. Yes the weather is crap, yes it is expensive here, but what people don't realize is that Canada is expensive in other areas. There is a huge misconception in this country that Britain is the most expensive/worst place to live in the world and that all our problems will be solved by moving somewhere else. You can see this on the numerous television programs like "no going back" where extremely naive people move away to Australia, Canada, France etc thinking that they are in for the easy life, only to make the shocking discovery that things were actually easier at home! Life is hard no matter where you are and the simple FACT is that the best place in the world for a pilot to work is in Britain. And hey, 900 hours a year is the limit here, not 1200 like in Canada! Quality of life is better based on this fact alone.
The aviation industry is the second largest in the world and due to the prohibitively high cost of getting a licence there are a lot of jobs around. If you can sort out the money then just do it.
I should also mention that I was concerned I would get a bad reception here and people would think I am taking jobs etc. Based on the sort of xenophobic rants you see on this website you could be forgiven for thinking this but the reality is that people are really interested in you and I couldn't have had a warmer reception.
But yes the weather really is bad here. If the weather was better the aviation industry wouldn't be so big so we have the weather to thank for our jobs.
Go for it.
Do not listen to those who say stay at home. If I had done so when I was posting similar questions on pprune I would still be a 152 instructor. Yes the weather is crap, yes it is expensive here, but what people don't realize is that Canada is expensive in other areas. There is a huge misconception in this country that Britain is the most expensive/worst place to live in the world and that all our problems will be solved by moving somewhere else. You can see this on the numerous television programs like "no going back" where extremely naive people move away to Australia, Canada, France etc thinking that they are in for the easy life, only to make the shocking discovery that things were actually easier at home! Life is hard no matter where you are and the simple FACT is that the best place in the world for a pilot to work is in Britain. And hey, 900 hours a year is the limit here, not 1200 like in Canada! Quality of life is better based on this fact alone.
The aviation industry is the second largest in the world and due to the prohibitively high cost of getting a licence there are a lot of jobs around. If you can sort out the money then just do it.
I should also mention that I was concerned I would get a bad reception here and people would think I am taking jobs etc. Based on the sort of xenophobic rants you see on this website you could be forgiven for thinking this but the reality is that people are really interested in you and I couldn't have had a warmer reception.
But yes the weather really is bad here. If the weather was better the aviation industry wouldn't be so big so we have the weather to thank for our jobs.
Go for it.
unmiseowl,
Australia has 49% tax, 10% sales tax, and the average earnings for pilots is around 40% of what can be earned here.
The grass may seem greener-though back home it's usually brown!!
Australia has 49% tax, 10% sales tax, and the average earnings for pilots is around 40% of what can be earned here.
The grass may seem greener-though back home it's usually brown!!