Getting A Fair GO PLEASE HELP!

[bushy85]

Hi all just want to know or would like some advise on how i can get more hours i have about 150 ATM working out of BK's but its really hard for anyone to give you a GO! i am a firefighter and a paramedic and have forked in and with Emergency Services for the past 10years if any one have any Advise on how to go about it i would be really thankful

Kind Regards,
bushy85
New Member

[Ray McCooney]

Mate, It is hard to get those hours up but just about everyone you see flying for a living has been in your position.
A couple of options I would consider: Take a year of unpaid (or paid if you can get it) leave and go knocking on doors. Hit the NT/North Qld, find a place that puts on Low timers and hang about until a vacancy comes up. Pilots tend to move from these areas when they have built up some hours.
Option 2: On your days off find a local Ag company and try and get some loader/driver work, this normally leads to ferry flights and building hours.

Keep at it and you will find a job, it's hard but if I managed to find work, anyone can

[bushy85]

cheers mate thankyou for your reply i think i should of put crewman in there i have 150hrs aircrew time most out of a BK but cheers thanx for gettin back to me so quick

Kind Regards,

[driftwood]

Its hard for everybody it seems sometimes people forget we all have to start somewhere even the ones who hire and fire, someone gave them a go once

[bushy85]

yeah thats it mate and that is all i am asking for is a go ppl wont look at you if you dont have a lot of hours and i understand that but also how are thoes ppl ment to move up in the industry if no one will give us a chance or poing me in the right direction ive put my money where my mouth is now i just need that foot in the door

[WkInTheSky]

Bushy85, where are you based?

[Nawty]

A lot of people have put money where their gob is Bushy....you ain't the lone ranger there.

I would however hold of on the advice to travel north and knock on doors.....till after the moo cow debacle is sorted.

[bushy85]

i am based in sydney yeah i know it just gets a bit frustrating as you all would know ive knocked on doors with careflight westpac and a few others around sydney and they always say the same thing but all good i am sure my time will come

[CYHeli]

Bushy, who did you train with? I assume that you tried the networking thing with them?

In your networking, consider private owners/pilots as you may be able to keep your experience up whilst not spending money. I made friends with a bloke who owned a H500 and soon had my endorsement and then flew around with him building turbine hours. Those hours helped me get my first paid job. Like you I was in the emergency services (Vic Pol) and took 12 months leave without pay for that first job.
Now I'm way. Persistence beats resistance.
It's not an easy road, make your own luck!

[hoverthrust]

I sympathise with you. It is soo hard to build hours.
So many operators WILL use and abuse you because of this too when they do take on a low hour pilot. That doesn’t make it any easier, it compounds your situation. When I turn up to Operations it’s almost like I have a disease. “the low hour disease” and mainly due to their insurance, after all a CASA testing officer has ticked off the pilot to fly, and sure supervision early is needed, it would be so good if this insurance situation could change.

I have lots of experience in aviation but all down to those hours, and I’m reminded of it everywhere.

If I can follow on from the advice before you defiantly need to get out of Sydney. There are no low hour jobs in Sydney. The road trip is hard. I have circled Australia twice, living out of a car, then trying to look fresh at a new doorstep. I have collected a few hours but it’s still not enough to get a permanent job, almost given up twice, but still hanging in there, I don’t know how.
I know there are operators too that love low hour guys and can mould them into “the way we do things”, but they are usually in remote places. Those jobs are few and far between.

Best of luck
HT

[Nawty]

I'll sell you my log book.

[LivinAtLarge]

For the love of GOD he is talking about aircrew hours NOT pilot hours.... read people, read.

Although the same does apply for pilots.

Sorry, slow day at work, boredom started to set in.

LAL

[redline]

Finnished cpl (h) training in November with 75 hrs (cpl A conversion)......started full time flying for an outfit in Feb.....did 3000hrs in the three years there.... moved on into bigger and better things....all started at 21 yo with no industry contacts.

You can have all the friends in the world.....if you can't fly tho (and i mean fly!!) then your never going to make it in the big league

Red

[Bedouin Prince]

Finnished cpl (h) training in November with 75 hrs (cpl A conversion)......started full time flying for an outfit in Feb.....did 3000hrs in the three years there.... moved on into bigger and better things....all started at 21 yo with no industry contacts.

You can have all the friends in the world.....if you can't fly tho (and i mean fly!!) then your never going to make it in the big league

Red

Thats my story as well (halve the hours thought). Walked out of training and into work without an industry contact or friend.

[blades]

Finnished cpl (h) training in November with 75 hrs (cpl A conversion)......started full time flying for an outfit in Feb.....did 3000hrs in the three years there.... moved on into bigger and better things....all started at 21 yo with no industry contacts.

You can have all the friends in the world.....if you can't fly tho (and i mean fly!!) then your never going to make it in the big league


Red

Thats my story as well (halve the hours thought). Walked out of training and into work without an industry contact or friend.

My story as well.

[black duck]

Yeah, I think it's more about being willing to put in the hard yards and being in the right place at the right time, than being "in the Know" or purple circle or what ever.
Just my thoughts BD

[CYHeli]

Good point LaL.
Driftwood, the idea of networking is to make friends.
You might help them and they might help you, it works both ways.
Just so that you don't think that I know what the hard yards mean, follow this;
1999 I got my cpl(h), including B206 end. Started hangar rat-ing.
2003 I did my H500 endorsement.
2004 road trip with wife and two kids, 20,000 kms in 4 months.
2005 started as a casual at Phillip Island.
2008 started first full time job at Mildura.
I would hardly call that having a job handed to you on a platter by a friend.
Persistence beats resistance.

Have you ever noticed that those that have the most luck make the most effort.
I do not think that I am special, just stubborn.
Keep being stubborn and do it with a smile, you will succeed. At least you have seen the world.

[NoMoneyz]

Have you ever noticed that those that have the most luck make the most effort

If only that were true. You either have it or you dont, while effort invested is always helps you would be foolish to say its the main factor...in more areas than just piloting.

[driftwood]

I just want to pass on my apologies for an ill thought of and childish post, a couple of beers and talking to a mate about situations doesnt give me the right to question anyones integrity or assume jobs were not earned.
If through childish frustration of my current situation in the industry, I have offended anyone with my poor post, I apologise.
Driftwood
No Probs. You're not the first and I'm sure you wont be the last! Have tidied up the thread a bit to reflect......Mod

[CYHeli]

I wish you luck driftwood.
I'm instructing now and I would like all my students to get a job, or at least get the chance to fly as often as they can. Let's face it, that's why they do their training in the first place. Engineering is the same. Crewman who want to hang out of aircraft, winch operators, down the wire guys. Guys (and gals) who have a dream. Chase it!

In reality not everyone will get a job, but if you get the chance to keep doing what you love, even as a hobby, then do that instead. The difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.

It's not always fun, but smile anyway. It's more fun than sweeping out horse stables, but people like Pegs enjoy that too!