Has anyone done it?
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Portsmouth
Age: 38
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Stick with the sea!
I too gained my PPL whilst at college with the aim of becoming a commercial pilot. Still in the aftermath of 9/11 and a complete lack of funds I decided to head to sea to earn some money with the view of returning to flight training once finances allowed.
8 years later and i'm still at sea, work on a super-yacht earning a decent wage with a 13th month bonus, 10 weeks away followed by 10 weeks at home. I cannot deny that I occasionally look back and wonder if I could have done it but on the other hand my life/work balance couldn't be any better. Especially with free high speed broadband allowing Skype calls home, medical insurance, bonuses, job security and all travel expenses covered. Obviously this is probably at one end of the seafaring scale but at the end of the day I have 6 months off per year to do as much general flying as I want.
I too gained my PPL whilst at college with the aim of becoming a commercial pilot. Still in the aftermath of 9/11 and a complete lack of funds I decided to head to sea to earn some money with the view of returning to flight training once finances allowed.
8 years later and i'm still at sea, work on a super-yacht earning a decent wage with a 13th month bonus, 10 weeks away followed by 10 weeks at home. I cannot deny that I occasionally look back and wonder if I could have done it but on the other hand my life/work balance couldn't be any better. Especially with free high speed broadband allowing Skype calls home, medical insurance, bonuses, job security and all travel expenses covered. Obviously this is probably at one end of the seafaring scale but at the end of the day I have 6 months off per year to do as much general flying as I want.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: UK
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Just a thought ; anyone out there thought of starting a "Pay to sail" scheme? Forget these hard won cadet schemes. Idea would be to attract the dumbed down brigade with fat wallets, well, Mummy & Daddy's , and they will pay YOU to train them to the standard of taking the Bridge ! Gosh, I see HUGE rewards for anyone taking up my suggestion. Mr Souloo, .....You have the Con ! Sir John Cass College is going to be bursting.
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: on this planet
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Has anyone done it?
Either way you will have to pay for it
So don't waste your life and money going modular - its a waste of time and money.
If I has my turn again - I would go integrated .....
I would go to the "reputable" schools because they all have their hands in each airlines pockets.....(FIFA)
I would certainly not try and save the pennies now -
You will have to pay double after and still have no hope because your age will have moved on.
Sorry to be curt but I have been through it as many have and suffering now.....
Watching integrated walking into jobs with monarch - easy etc.....
The rest have no look in.....
So don't waste your life and money going modular - its a waste of time and money.
If I has my turn again - I would go integrated .....
I would go to the "reputable" schools because they all have their hands in each airlines pockets.....(FIFA)
I would certainly not try and save the pennies now -
You will have to pay double after and still have no hope because your age will have moved on.
Sorry to be curt but I have been through it as many have and suffering now.....
Watching integrated walking into jobs with monarch - easy etc.....
The rest have no look in.....
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
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I must agree with the majority of the other posts.
Having been Master on ships and both short haul and long haul on jets I gave up flying and went back to what I felt was a better career with better prospects.
The comments about not getting a look in if you go modular are nonsense. I found this to be no hinderance and your maritime qualifications and experience will be looked upon much more favourably than the average applicant.
Regarding salary, at the upper levels you could take home upwards of £120,000 with a ship's command and keep in mind that with Seafarer's Earnings Deduction that no tax or NI is due if you spend over 183 days outside the UK so every penny goes in your pocket. As previous posts state this would be possible with only working 6 months a year and you can learn to fly to whatever qualification you wish during leave and time at home giving you the option to apply to airlines at a later date if that's what you want to do.
Good luck whatever choice you make.
Having been Master on ships and both short haul and long haul on jets I gave up flying and went back to what I felt was a better career with better prospects.
The comments about not getting a look in if you go modular are nonsense. I found this to be no hinderance and your maritime qualifications and experience will be looked upon much more favourably than the average applicant.
Regarding salary, at the upper levels you could take home upwards of £120,000 with a ship's command and keep in mind that with Seafarer's Earnings Deduction that no tax or NI is due if you spend over 183 days outside the UK so every penny goes in your pocket. As previous posts state this would be possible with only working 6 months a year and you can learn to fly to whatever qualification you wish during leave and time at home giving you the option to apply to airlines at a later date if that's what you want to do.
Good luck whatever choice you make.
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: NL
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lubeoil, may I ask how long you were out of shipping before returning? Did you find it easy to pick up where you left?
My CoC has unfortunately expired, at times I have been contemplating a return to sea although the time away from family still holds me back.
My CoC has unfortunately expired, at times I have been contemplating a return to sea although the time away from family still holds me back.
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Manchester, UK
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Best of luck with your decision OWU, if someone's paying you at this point that puts you way ahead of the airline option. At least there's no P2F for ships. (Yet!)
I had to choose at 18 between a BP deck officer cadetship and going flying; no regrets but I suspect BP would have put me ahead financially.
I had to choose at 18 between a BP deck officer cadetship and going flying; no regrets but I suspect BP would have put me ahead financially.
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Asia
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nowadays to start a pilot career, you have to be young. Not only because airlines love it, but because youngs still wear pink glasses on nose and only see the "dream" job where you get paid for playing Flight simulator in real. They are ready to pay for flying or at least to earn peanut (debts) for years.
The job is nice, but the career sucks, really really sucks. Year after year, terms and conditions are lower.
The job is nice, but the career sucks, really really sucks. Year after year, terms and conditions are lower.
