any commercial pilots?

[Grub]

Another little piece of advice... NEVER let your confidence exceed your competence... the cemetaries are full of hot-shot low time pilots

Yup, the high-risk time is between 150 nd 250 hrs. You think you've got it all. Thing is, aircraft piloting is like like riding a bike - there's always a catch and its going to hurt

[Jantar]

.... It's just cheaper to have bought a nice bike and have fun, than get my PPL to start and build the hrs.

Getting a PPL then building your hours would be the most expensive way to get into commercial flying. If you have the aptitude then get your class 1 medical, and enrol straight into one of the flying schools. Ardmore is pretty good and its close to you. Southland is probably the cheapest as the classroom part of the training is free.

The first few weeks are when you do your PPl and if you're not going to cut then you will be weeded out at that stage. Bite the bullet, man, and go do it.

[Jantar]

Yup, the high-risk time is between 150 nd 250 hrs. You think you've got it all. Thing is, aircraft piloting is like like riding a bike - there's always a catch and its going to hurt

A superior pilot is one who uses his superior ability to avoid the situations that would require his superior skill to survive.

[Grub]

Cool, I like that one Jantar ... haven't seen it b4

[The_Dover]

So what could my old man hope to earn being one of the most experienced SAR commanders in the world with 20+ years experience on the North Sea?

CPL, twin engine rating (currently on S61's but shifting to S92's) with Jetranger,212, 204, 205, Wessex, Wasp, Whirlwind and multiple other ancient licences?

I'd like the old cunt to move out here cos he likes his piss.

[Pussy]

A superior pilot is one who uses his superior ability to avoid the situations that would require his superior skill to survive.

It's actually "A superior pilot is one who uses his superior judgement to stay out of situations that may require the use of his superior skill".

Hey, Dover, get my number from Frenchy, might be able to put your old man on to something

[Swoop]

Buggy. Look up the Aviation Sports Club (ASC) "power section" on Whenuapai airbase. They do flight training there.
Their rates were "reasonable" some years back.

[balans]

I'd go miltary if I were you, the sock folding isn't an issue after initial training. Personaly I'd go for the British Navy if it wasn't for the pedantic medical.
anyway
Have a look at www.pprune.com the 'professional pilots rumer network' some good forums on training and employment options in the aviation industry world wide.

[wildpudding]

I'm training with the aero club here in New Plymouth, doing the full CPL,IFR,Multi and C-cat rating. Started pretty young(17) fresh out of school but enjoying it like nothing else.

If you go down the instructors road, expect to be living on basics baked beans for a few years. And you'll probably need a second non-aviation job to supplement your income. Sad fact of life, talking to a 1200+ hour B-cat yesterday, over 300hrs multi time, does plastering on his days off...

Though if you want to do it go for it, but I'd be wary about doing your training at a pilot factory like ardmore.

Stefan

[marty]

although he did just have an eagle inteview (yes i know he didn't get in - more due to his circumstances than experience though)

[ManDownUnder]

I understand terbang's the man...if not already posted (sorry - just a hit and run)

[marty]

How long would it take, before I start earning off it too? I guess the first step would be instructors, which I don't mind, but I know that I'm not going to earn what I earn now for a while. So, for eg, how long would it take for a newb to get to a ball park of 50g p/a for eg? I don't mind putting the hours in, and for something like this, it'd be cool as.. and I'd be doing temp work in macs still, help make ends meet for a bit


thanks for the advice so far btw

andy stevenson is paying around $45-50k to his xl750 drivers, but they live in timbuktoo. or Kangiqsualujjuaq. there is a job with him in the latest wings mag - need to spend 6 months driving a loader first though.

in Mali the flying is good, pay is crap. not a married man's place (well not for his wife anyway)

jump pilots in taupo are getting around $40-50k on contract. sometimes fly 11 hours a day. and it's flying, not sleeping on autopilot.....

Eagle FO gets around $40k, plus allowances. Captain starts (i think) on about $60k. you'll need about 400hrs multi, or a multi instructors rating to get an interview. unlikely to get a job at nelson or mt cook without a couple of years in a beech or similar first.

GA intructors get about $30/flight hour. too bad if it's shit weather.

if you have EU live/work rights, consider the CTC path. it'll cost you 70k quid, and you'll be tied to easyjet or similar for 7 years, but you'll be flying A320/737/757 at 250hrs, and after effectively a 7 year apprentiship, you'll be well sorted. CTC cannot train enough pilots for the LCs at the moment.

[justsomeguy]

Hey - good on you for deciding to do something about things mate. No point sitting and being miserable although it takes less effort.

Buggy - I thought about this pretty hard in 6th and even 7th form. You're looking at 2 - maybe 5 years of living on joke pay (compared to what a mac monkey with your experience should be on) until you get your experience up.

NZLiam - SN4PD - his bro is a commercial pilot with either Singapore or Cathay - one of them and is on around six figures a month or something - However it took him about 4 years in Africa gaining experience and a few years in some parts of the western world to reach where he is - and fortunately for him his parents didn't bother him with a loan.

Like most high paying professions you are looking at a few years of setting yourself up as you gain the hours and graduate to more complicated planes.

Are you willing to "become a student" again and live that sort of lifestyle again? Then spend a few more years repaying that loan?

For me - the amount of time and effort required to become what I wanted to didn't appeal to me.

Along with Bruce (Terbang) you may also wish to shoot Liam (SN4PD) a PM too for another perspective - including the more soft skills needed to become a commercial pilot.

[sAsLEX]

I'd go miltary if I were you, the sock folding isn't an issue after initial training. Personaly I'd go for the British Navy if it wasn't for the pedantic medical.

I would steer well clear of the brittish navy at present since they are downsizing and no one is being promoted past LT for the next 5 years, no new carrier, most bases shutting down..........