how did you bridge the gap?

[scubabri]

Personally, I'm trying to make my own luck. I really spend 80% of my waking day reading the boards, flight info and pprune, sending resumes out to people who I know are throwing my resumes away because I don't meet minimums. Mostly, I am just looking for a little light at the end of the tunnel, and trying to find angles that I missed.

I came out here to the Bahamas hoping that the jump pilot job that I landed would be a good gig, but I've only flown 60 hours in the last 4 months, and worse than that, I've had to use my savings to do that.

I'm not sure if I wasted my time out here, of course in hind sight, I think I could have done better.

I do know that in the last 4 months, I've learned a lot from reading the boards and that when I get to an airport that I can hit the pavement at, I will do just that. Hopefully, I won't spend to much energy suppressing the feelings of rejection, which is why I never went into sales..

I'm about to lose my jump pilot job and I am gonna head out to California, spend my last $3000 to get my CFI with no hope for a job, and hope for the best there. I honestly don't know what else to do. I'm 36 years old, a reject from the IT industry after 15 years, and it's just as bad, if not worse in the IT industry.

Sorry for the ramblings, I just needed to vent. I love to fly, it's something that I wanted to do since I was a kid. I wish I was a few years younger

Things are gonna pick up in the next couple years, the airlines are gonna change the way they do things. There will be more RJ's and from that there will be a need for more pilots. I see that in the next 2-3 years, we will be back to more jobs that pilots thing. I am confident of this, which is why I am sticking with it.

Good luck to everyone.

Brian

 

[PRO AV8R]

I instructed for about 700 hrs, did some ferry jobs, and some "sightseeing" missions, now flying 135 frieght and logging over 100 hours per month

 

[MYFpilot]

Get your CFI then your CFII and finally your MEI. I instructed for about 2000 hours, Had a lot of fun and learned a hell of a lot more than I ever wanted to know about the FAR's. BUT, more importantly I met the people who would eventually help me get into the right seat of a Brazilia. So, If I had to sum up my experiences into a Mastercard commercial, it would go something like this...

Cost of flight training: $30,000

Interest from loans and credit cards: $60,000

LOR's from former students and co-workers that get you the interview: Priceless

That's what you don't get from flying daddy's bonanza, towing banners, or doing traffic watch.

Oh, and also you get to amaze your interviewer with your superhuman knowledge of the FAR's

 

[low-n-slow]

Started cropdusting, freakin' low and behold found myself addicted. Not making the millions but I sure am enjoying myself!

 

[Iceman21]

Start cropdusting...

how does one start cropdusting?

 

[KlingonLRDRVR]

Scubabri,

I recommend that you hold off on getting you CFI until you can locate a small mom and pop operation who is legitimatly willing to allow you to work for them part time. This would be in exchange for you going to them to get your CFI. Just an idea.

KlingonLRDRVR

 

[scubabri]

I've been looking

Brian

 

[low-n-slow]

how does one start cropdusting?

There are schools specific for ag flying or you could pound the pavement knocking on doors and maybe getting hired on as a ground crewperson eventually working your way into the seat.
It is not as easy as it may have been a few years ago to break into the business but I believe if you want it bad enough...

 

[scubabri]

the biggest problem I've found is that there is a lot of people out there who will be more than happy to take your money for training and then say, sorry, no job. I can understand that if a person is just not trainable, or there is a personality conflict, but there are actually lots of people out there who that is how they do business. It's wrong, and along with Iraq, these companies should be wiped off the face of the planet.

It would be nice if someone posted a list of people to stay away from someplace.

This is not only for the high end PFT's but the low end as well. It's hard to weed out who's who. It's even harder when you have only so much cash in the bank for training, and if you give it to the wrong person, you could be done for.

Comments anyone?