Irish and moving to Australia to train.

[stig]

Am I crazy ? I plan to move to Australia from Ireland shortly to follow the dream.(ie helicopter pilot) I'm 33 this month and would be starting almost from scratch apart from my PPL fixed wing. My question is am I crazy starting off at 33.? I am an engineer by profession but never had the opportunity to train to be a helicopter pilot. I want this more than anything. I know I have the aptitude and the determination. (ie. Its not just pulled from the air) My concern is my age. I'm in touch with a school down under at present but would like to hear people's advice in general on a a good school and of course honest replies regarding my age would be appreciated. I'm not having a mid life crisis re my age. I just know that I will have a shelf life.
Thanks .

[Ray McCooney]

Your age is no problem. Just make sure you have a work visa for when you have the licence because no visa = no work and a trip back to Ireland to go through the JAA conversion.

As for schools, it depends on where you plan to stay. If you are planning on Western Australia, Heliwest. If Queensland, Chopperline. Victoria, PHS or The Helicopter group. These companies do take on some new/low time ex students which is why I would look at them.


Good luck
Ray

[rotor-boi]

Hey there buddy,

Welcome to the forum firstly.

Secondly - Although i haven't started my training yet but the best advice that many will give is when you get to the wonderful land of 'Down Under' Travel around to a few schools that you find particular interest in... Talk to the rookies in training there, instructors and even book in for a TIF (Trial introductory flight) with 2 or 3 of the most favorable schools.... Then get a hands on experience and go from there. Thats the best advice i can give you.


As for the age sorry buddy have no words of wisdom.

Best of luck with it all!

Berra

Also i found this thread for you - viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3296&p=28595 - should answer some questions for you!

[i4iq]

Stig - as others have said, your age is no problem, I know of quite a few who started later than that and still got on in their careers.

You might want to consider getting your medical before you come to make sure you're ok there.

All the best in your pursuits,

[kindhearted]

I dont think your age is an issue (I'm 44 and still hr building on choppers) but one thing I thought you might want to consider is doing your cpl fixed wing in OZ as it might be easyer to get work than a rotory job for a start! (there have been several times I was offerd work flying planes )
and you can cross over to rotory cheaper as you will already have a lot of flight time. Plus the fact that you will have a better feeling for the country and its conditions you will be flying in as well as industry experience ( this maybe disputed by some ) but the bottom line is getting started somewhere. and trust me that can be hard but what better way to meet people and see the country than flying around it and getting paid at the same time.
I have worked flying helis on the east, NT,and WA plus flown helicopters the full length and width of the country and it is amazing the people you meet when you stop to fuel or have a brake who most certainly will be one of your employers in the future
as for flight schools I think it is worth thinking about what type of flying you want to do after scenics! because as you may already know its all about having the hrs in your book and CONTACTS . so as a prior post said , do some trial flights with different schools and look around where they are based for industrie work , shake some hands and show your face in the odd hanger .
My main advice would be to try to find a training company that is close to a maintenace facility for both rotory and fixed wing that way you might get some work and also meet people in both industries plus if you can fly and fix both you will be an asset that will be spoted by someone ( this I say from my experience) having done 12 months as an AME whilst being a line pilot at the same time!
Above all else enjoy the ride and good luck , but remember (money makes the world go round) so give some thought as to how you will keep $$ comming in while you are working your way up the ladder ! Good luck mate

[Bionic_kid]

As for schools, it depends on where you plan to stay. If you are planning on Western Australia, Heliwest. If Queensland, Chopperline. Victoria, PHS or The Helicopter group. These companies do take on some new/low time ex students which is why I would look at them.
Ray

I'm in a similar position (altho at the end of my training) as a pomme who's come over on a student visa. I dont think Helicopter group can offer a student visa, PHS is out of action for those until mid-end of this year. Chopperline is taking international students (and a beautiful area to fly).

33 isnt too old, I have a friend who's an international student as well around that age and didnt have a problem with the student visa but has since finished and is struggling to figure out how to stay here. One option is to stretch the training over 2 years and this allows you to stay for 18 months for "experience building" after that there's the rural areas visa that lets you live in a "rural area" and work and after 2 years of doing that PR is possible.

lots to figure out esp after you finish training. if you fancy the fixed wing alternative then there are better options with the big burner companies.

[Robinsondog]

Bring your cricket bat, I see on the morning show here an ad by RyanAir about the superb Irish Cricketers. some of our guys need a flogging too.
RD

[Tugga]

Hi mate or should i say Gday mate, im a 26 yo irish guy doing my Cpl at the moment in australia. Im in the process of organising my permanent visa at the momant as ive been offered a job. i started training in october and hope to be finished in april as far as i know you can only get an 8 or 9 month student visa to do your cpl. the rules are changing however and from july 1st they are making it easier for people over the age of 30 especially if you have a qualifacation to apply for residency. ive been away for about 4 years now and giving the way things are going at home im doing all ican to stay over here. the aussies are a pretty good bunch once you get used to the beer. if you want information about different schools and visa info pm me your email and ill get in touch with any advice i can offer as i dont use bladeslapper very often.

[R22Million]

G'day Stig

You will be no more insane than the rest of us out here.. I do have one issue with your age.. that i think i may as well point out.. even if it makes me sound like a muppet

I'll stick my neck out and say that (for the first 5-10 years of our careers) 7 out of 10 pilots are single.. if they aren't.. they soon will be .. why... because new pilots are required to follow the work, which is usually in some well out of the way location, on very poor wages.. and then when you do get your hours up and become employable you will still travel the country and the world. Following the work as it becomes available... This might sound ideal.. and it can be.. but i'm your age and ive been doing this for a while now and it ain't all Glamour and Groupies .. one highly experienced pilot once mentioned to me he found his career 80% boredom, 10% terror and 10% pleasure... which seems about right..

So to sum up mate.. if your not afraid to be bearing down on 40 and, highly likely, still single then welcome aboard!! It is a highly addictive pursuit this Helicopter Career and you want to be doing it for the right reasons... not because you want to.. but because you want to do nothing else!

Best of luck Mate