R6_kid takes to the air!

[slopster]

I've did a bit of jumping out of a perfectly good herc last year. Fucking fun

[cold comfort]

All going well I will be going up for a trial flight at North Shore Aero Club on Sunday (depending on weather report as of tomorrow). This will be my first time up in a light single engine aircraft since I was 10yrs old. I will be going up in one of their Robins, as it turns out im too tall and heavy for the old 152's!

Who else is on the way to getting their PPL or CPL, or already has achieved either?

PPL, current though its bloody expensive and infrequent. Good luck with the training tho. Would like to go to a microlight option to keep the cost down. There is a "recreational" licence now for us oldies who may fail the medical (not that i ever have or anticpate doing) but its cheaper too.

[Jantar]

GREAT NEWS MATE
Now come over to REAL flying. Throw that noisy petrol consuming contraption away and fly a real plane. (Sailplane that is)

No prizes for guessing what a Jantar is then.

[Pogo2]

Nothing beats flying does it - the trick is to keep on going and don't let it lapse.

I have a CPL with 2300 hrs flight and aircrew hours. Most of my flying is paid for by the state and some other agencies. Best part about it is most of it is below 500ft doing stuff. Biggest aircraft flown (albeit with alot of help) is an Orion otherwise a lot of smaller stuff.

Its a tough choice - plane or bikes. Equally addictive except bikes are cheaper!

[FROSTY:Me]

No prizes for guessing what a Jantar is then.

.
Shit Never even clicked--What club?

[Jantar]

.
Shit Never even clicked--What club?

I took the name Jantar when I flew GML with the Taupo club. Currently I'm with the Central Otago Flying Club on Twin Astir and PW5

[FROSTY:Me]

Very cool.Every time I'm in Taupo I mean to have a fly there.Always theres "summat else" to do.
It's another form of torture for me at the KB track days.I"m seeing 100 odd Kbers on the track having fun from the track control box then I get the ol double shadow flicker as another glider is off behind the tug right over the top of me at 150m

[R6_kid:Me]

Nothing beats flying does it - the trick is to keep on going and don't let it lapse.

I have a CPL with 2300 hrs flight and aircrew hours. Most of my flying is paid for by the state and some other agencies. Best part about it is most of it is below 500ft doing stuff. Biggest aircraft flown (albeit with alot of help) is an Orion otherwise a lot of smaller stuff.

Its a tough choice - plane or bikes. Equally addictive except bikes are cheaper!

How do you find the New Zealand market as an active pilot? I've heard it's hard to get jobs in NZ as a newly completed CPL pilot - and most people have told me they end up being instructors and working a second job to make ends meet - a mate even has his parents chipping in for rent as he isn't able to get enough income as a pilot and waiter!

[Jantar]

My son did his CPL and instructor's rating at Chargemore (sorry, Ardmore), He then started working there as an instructor, and earned about the same as a checkout chick at New World. So he left New Zealand and went to Kununara in Western Australia as a commercial pilot. That was even worse as although the wages were higher, he didn't get enough flying hours to make a living, and had to take a second job stocking shelves at the supermarket.

He took a year off flying and followed his girlfriend to Sweden, then returned to Darwin where he found more flying opportunities than he could shake a stick at. He is curently working for a charter company in Darwin flying 206s & 210s, and is about to move onto the 402 and 404s. He has been advised that he will be on their metroliners within 18 months. And he is already earning 3 times the amount at chargemore.

However the aviation industry in New Zealand is short of pilots, they just don't pay enough.

[Pussy]

However the aviation industry in New Zealand is short of pilots, they just don't pay enough.

Ain't that the truth! For the duty hours, after hours phone work, and danger involved (in my branch of the aviation industry), the remuneration is appalling

[R6_kid:Me]

Ain't that the truth! For the duty hours, after hours phone work, and danger involved (in my branch of the aviation industry), the remuneration is appalling

what branch is that? I was under the impression that ag pilots would earn rather well - and it seems to be some of the most exciting (and dangerous) flying you can get in to.

[Pussy]

what branch is that? I was under the impression that ag pilots would earn rather well - and it seems to be some of the most exciting (and dangerous) flying you can get in to.

For the hours involved, it's not flash, especially if your area is a windy one. And believe it or not, it's not that exciting. Probably average 13-15 sowing flights per hour (so very repetitive), the cockpit in most ag aircraft is a hostile environment (hot ,noisy, un-ergonomic), and the job in general has it's hazards. If you do want to go ag flying, be VERY certain about it, I would recommend going the airline way.

[Aero165]

Do it without the motor! I love it

[Biggles08]

what branch is that? I was under the impression that ag pilots would earn rather well - and it seems to be some of the most exciting (and dangerous) flying you can get in to.

Hey R6 Kid, Good on you for taking the first step. I've got my PPL with about 135hrs mainly in C152's and C174's. Like most people here I'm not current either. My last flight was well over a year ago due to cost's too, even though I was flying out of Whenuapai (which is probably one of the cheapest areoclubs in the country). I was wanting to go CPL way but I just can't justify the outlay to the risk of return. I have a house to pay off and currently have a fairly well paid job and can't bring myself to risk it all for no guaranteed job at the end of it all (not to mention my partner whom I need to consider too). Its great fun and I will certainly do more of it in the future but I'm guessing only on the recreational level.

Good luck with your flying

[Pogo2]

How do you find the New Zealand market as an active pilot? I've heard it's hard to get jobs in NZ as a newly completed CPL pilot - and most people have told me they end up being instructors and working a second job to make ends meet - a mate even has his parents chipping in for rent as he isn't able to get enough income as a pilot and waiter!

There is a saying in aviation, especially NZ - How do you make a small fortune in aviation - start with a big one!

Most pilots start their professional career as instructors and as one fellow KBer said, the pay is terrible. Maybe $10-20 per day for turning up then $20-40 per flying hour. So if you don't fly then its $20 for a days hanging around. And most have spent $40-50k plus to get qualified. In my personal opinion it also scary that pilots with a couple of hundred hours are teaching others to fly. Yes some are good ones, but 200 hrs and you are just starting your journey, let alone being an expert.

No one will employ a new hatched CPL with no experience and a lot do go overseas to earn more coin.

If you do want to do you CPL get your Class 1 medical now. You don't want to spend a bucket of money on flying only to find out that there is an issue with a medical.

CAA thought they had an issue with my last medical and despite a cardiologist saying there was nothing wrong it cost me over $2000 to prove my health was fine.

Cadetships could also be the way like you said in your PM.

Regardless all the best and give it heaps!!