Letter in 'Flight' - unwarranted whingeing?
 

There is a letter in Flight International this week which needs comment.

Essentially the letter writer says that since being made redundant from a 'UK Regional Airline' he has been unable to find a new position because he is unable to 'pay for a type rating'.
He states he has many years Captains experience on a variety of turbo props. He also says he is on the 'scrap heap' at age 49, well that is quite frankly a very stupid thing to say.

I find this letter quite startling. Has this person even contacted any regional airlines in the UK? Paying for a type rating is the doyen of jet operators as these are the airlines most likely to attract the young newly qualified who will pay. Many turbo prop opertors are finding it hard to keep experienced f/o's to upgrade to the left seat, and so need DEC's.

I know for a fact that Loganair, flybe, Scotairways, City Star Airways and Eastern Airways are activly recruiting experienced turbo prop Captains at this very time. None of those employers requires up front payment for type ratings. They might require a move of base of course.

I think it is a poor show to write to a publication such as Flight International with what is essentially a very biased view. Now is a great time to be job hunting if you are an experienced Aircraft Commander, jet or turbo prop. Whingeing self centred letters to the press are not required, unless of course there is some other agenda, but if there is such an agenda, come out and say such. :mad:

Discuss....

Maybe all of these operators and more did indeed interview said letter writer, but after meeting him decided they would rather knaw their own arms off than fly with him. Hours in the logbook aren't the be-all and end-all for recruitment.

Something some folks fail to grasp, is that just because you have the licence, it does not entitle you to the job. Newcomers are particularly prone to this, but older folks too. - as the chap above says, hours are not all that count.

He says he has thousands of hour experience on turboprops and a jet, but not obviously the 737 which he makes reference to, so target your job hunting to the airlines who operate the types you are rated on.

Whilst I don't condone airlines forcing you to pay for your own type rating, you can't really expect the airline X to pay for yours when there are still people willing to pay it themselves. It's a strategy which might not earn them friends - but it'll save them the £20K outlay for each new pilot they take on which is what the beancounters are most interested in.

Also a negative approach, admitting your 'consigned to the scrap heap' is not going to help either. You're not going to write the most polished letter nor come across in an interview very well if you already have that outlook.

He supplied his name and address too - :E daft so-n-so. I hope he realises now he can only apply to companies who's HR Depts don't have access to Flight.

Writing a letter is much, much cheaper than taking out an advert of similar size and prominence:ok: :E

Gentlemen, I think you should all look away from your computer screens right now. Go to the bathroom. Take a long look into your eyes snd ask yourself how life might be if your airline laid you off or went belly up.

This is a fickle and vulnerable industry. The guy writing to Fllight has a point to make. So, hear him and respect his courage for speaking in public.