UK career opportunities for 40 year old newly qualified JAA-CPL(H) pilot

[dobbiej]

Hi there,

I have put my name down for training at the Bristows Academy in Florida next year with a view to getting this qualification. I've entered flying late but fancy building up my qualifications.

When I get back to England though, what realistic employment opportunities will there be? I have other options to boost my income if I have to, but would be interested in persuing flying as much as possible. How is the employment market going in the UK in general; is there reference material I could use to research this?

Are there other courses / training modules I could do in the UK once back to boost my prospects more?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jeff

[moyesboy]

I was talking ot a heli pilot this summer - he owned his own heli.
He said that the heli leasing companies don't last long and are constantly folding and opening - ie it is very difficult to make money out of running helicopters.
This doesn't mean that there is the same difficulty in makign money as a heli pilot- just that you are unlikely to have continuous employment!
Other than that I have no idea and can only judge by the fact that I see a lot of helis flying about my area (s. manchester/sheffield).

With all aviation jobs (I know a fair few people who are commecial fixed wing pilots) the problem is getting the first jobs when you have fewer hours than the other pilots looking for work. Like with airline pilots you will be up against "retired" forces guys who have loads of hours...

[oneredpanther]

Hi Jeff,
Congratulations on taking the bold step towards your CPL(H), particularly later in life!

Rather than post a huge volume of material repeated elsewhere the first thing you absolutely must do is to read PPRUNE (the Professional Pilots Rumour Network) since it's the centrepoint on the web for pilot career discussion. Register an account, introduce yourself in the appropriate forum and you'll find a wealth of information. Be warned though, it can be a sobering place but don't take everything seriously; PPRUNE does attract the whingers and whiners of the aviation world for sure but the experience and knowledge is second to none.

Finding that elusive first job is always hard and I would recommend some hour-building in the US in addition to your licence. A multi-crew cooperation (MCC) course will also be invaluable if not already part of the CPL since most operators are big on these procedures now.

PPUNE is your best bet though, so I wish you all the luck in the world!

Panth

[Disc]

I was in Vegas a few years ago apparently doing the Helicopter tours allows you to clock loads of hours really well. We spoke to our pilot he was from Ireland and said a lot of people get their heli license then use the tours to wind those hours up and up.

on a good day they do 5 trips maybe 45 mins a trip as well.

It was stunning I'd love to of flown a glider off the top of the Grand Canyon for sure

[SteveDean]

Hi. I have held my CPL(H) for the past 2 years, and have found it fairly difficult to find enough work in the UK. Same old story, not enough experience but cant get a job to get the experience. I am about to start my Flight Instructors course in Jan and have phoned lots of heli companies who are desperate for instructors. So if you are a low hours heli pilot I suggest getting your FI rating.

I hope that by working as a freelance instructor around the uk the commercial work will com. If you need any more help or advice feel free to email me stephentdean at yahoo.co.uk.

[Bubblefish777]

I would imagine getting work as a Heli Pilot is a nightmare.
Purely based on the fact so many ex-forces pilots are out there ... I've been a passenger in Heli's a fair few times for business so the only places I know of that have a lot of Heli activity is in the Carribean for inter island hops and in the North Sea on the rigs. (Inter Rig hops) However in each case ALL the pilots I came across were ex forces.

[SteveDean]

There is still work out there, just for experienced aircrew. You're right though ex military types tend to have the right experience needed to work in the better jobs, ie offshore, search and rescue etc. But there is a shortage of pilots, with many forces pilots going to the airlines.

The off shore companies are short of pilots at the minute, but they want CPL(H) 300hrs+ and and Instrument Rating(£40K). With both of these qualifications chances are they will employ you. Just got to find that £40k though.......

or get CPL(H) 250hrs and a Flight Instructors ticket and work should come flooding in. Well thats what I've told the bank manager anyway.

[colin n]

funny old world

i got a few thousand twin turbine hours and want to be an electrician.

[colin n]

nah, only joking.

my cv will be out there too.

[Nige321]

I assume you have read this:

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=253856

N