Your first job as a pilot?

[r22butters]

Its Saturday night, I have no date, there's nothing on t.v., and well,...since the world didn't end ,...what the Hell,...I think I'll start a poll.

 

For those of you who have managed to start your careers within these past 5 years, how long did it take you to find that first job as a pilot?

 

For those of you still looking, how long have you been looking?

 

Feel free to mention what job you did/are doing, while you looked/are looking for, that job.

[ChprPlt]

Went to SSH and got hired with them right after I got my CFI. 4 months later that didnt end so well.

[Pohi]

Well I got a CFI job right after I got my certificates. It's the next job that seems to be the rough one.

 

Got the magic 1000 and started looking

Got the magic 1500 and continued looking

Got the magic 2000 and am still looking

 

I guess in the world of "you need to know somebody" I just don't know the right somebodys :-)

 

I have been hitting up every dive bar in town, because I heard that's where pilots hang put, but the only kind of jobs that end up on the table, are for jobs under the table and I am usually on the wrong end of the deal.

[IFLY]

Passed my CFI on Sunday, asked for a job at a different flight school on Wednesday, was accepted on Saturday, SSH blew up the next day on Sunday.

 

Jerry

[rotormandan]

Got a CFI gig across the country where I was living. I emailed, called, faxed everyone in the country just about. I would pick a state a day and send all the schools there emails after looking them up. I didn't organize my searches at 1st. Then the school I work at actually found my resume of Vertical Reference. We all found out after I started working for a few months that both the owner and chief pilot had told me no via through emails but when it came time to hire some one they picked me randomly off of vertical ref. We all thought that was funny and I know it was very lucky.

[Trans Lift]

Got offered a job just after my CFI checkride at the same school.

[kodoz]

Finished CFI Dec 2008 and decided not to do CFII until the economy picked up. Managed a short term work-exchange with Boatpix last year, but didn't get hired onto something regular until February this year. Now I need to find time to do that CFII....

[heligirl03]

Started flying March 2007, CFI November 2008, took 5mo off and got married, CFII May 2009, CFII/tours/photo job at my school same week. 1000PIC December 2010, Ditch tours January 2011. I've made a ton of friends and I've enjoyed every single day of learning, teaching, and tours. I can't imagine doing anything else. Life is good!

[wardy]

Got done end of January last year. Things were quiet at the time. Then I got a few nibbles but the schools were reluctant to take me on as I had 6 months left on the visa. Great to see things on the up again though. And the prospect of a new, 3 year visa!! You've heard it once, you'll hear it 1000 more times, "its all about timing". Keep the chin up Butters! Check your PM's

[Spike]

There was a time well beyond the past five years when it was 100 times tougher to break into this business. Back then, there were no entry level CFI jobs at all. Most CFI jobs were occupied by high time ex-Vet Nam pilots. Today’s market may not be the gravy train of 10 years ago, but certainly it’s not the worst this industry has seen when all is considered…. IMHO, limiting the poll to the past 5 years only provides a tiny snapshot of the bigger picture…..

 

To put it in perspective, form my first training flight to my first job was about 10 years….. To me, 5 years unemployed ain’t nothin…

[kodoz]

To put it in perspective, form my first training flight to my first job was about 10 years….. To me, 5 years unemployed ain’t nothin…

 

"In my day...."

 

Good post Spike

[r22butters]

...IMHO, limiting the poll to the past 5 years only provides a tiny snapshot of the bigger picture…..

 

Getting into this business has always been a gamble. Some make it quickly and easily, some take yeeeeeeeeeeeeeears, and some never do.

 

I figured the more recent, the more relevant.

[Boatpix]

If you are a cfi and can't find a job and don't want your career to end because you can't find a first job you can always pay us $20,000 for 100 hours in our R22 program and be guaranteed a first job: http://www.helicopteracademy.com/hire.htm This has worked well for soooooo many people. If you have a job and a credit card we can make this work.

[rotormandan]

Because he's hasn't paid enough $$ out to get rated already. Why $20,000? He's already a rated CFI so you don't need to train him. He already flys the R22 so you don't need to transition him. I'm absolutly positive that it won't take 100hrs to learn how to take pictures. It doesn't take 100hrs to train for any job really. Anyway he's already flown with you guys before so you should already know how he flys. Why not offer him an interview instead of a sales pitch.

[Spike]

Getting into this business has always been a gamble. Some make it quickly and easily, some take yeeeeeeeeeeeeeears, and some never do.

 

I figured the more recent, the more relevant.

 

 

It’s your poll and you can determine its contents and/or what information it will provide. It’s a free country… However, if anyone slaps down 70K for helicopter training with a notion it’s a gamble, then surly you’re going to fail. People should gamble in Vegas, not with their education….

 

We’re adults here right? There’s risk with any endeavor. If you don’t mitigate those risks, then you’re going in blind. If you do the appropriate amount of research, train at the right school and gain all of the required certificates while keeping a positive attitude then the risk should be minimal. This is evident by your poll.

 

The truth of the matter is if you were hired tomorrow, then we’d be reading posts of a different tune……

 

Right corner……

Find red “-“……

Press…..

[apiaguy]

Because he's hasn't paid enough $$ out to get rated already. Why $20,000? He's already a rated CFI so you don't need to train him. He already flys the R22 so you don't need to transition him. I'm absolutly positive that it won't take 100hrs to learn how to take pictures. It doesn't take 100hrs to train for any job really. Anyway he's already flown with you guys before so you should already know how he flys. Why not offer him an interview instead of a sales pitch.

 

 

While I may not completely agree with Boatpix and their plan.. it does seem to work to some extent. What you just said makes absolutely no sence. Every statement is an example of a bad attitude. He is offering a valued commodity in the helicopter industry as illustrated by the people that use his service and succeed. Sure, you might get lucky and get a CFI job at 150 or 200 hours, but as you know it's not likely. So if the answer if to pay some more for more hours at a reduced rate, what's wrong with that? He is a business and needs to make it worth it for him.. you're the poor fool who decided to enter a crowded industry that doesn't provide a reliable pathway for its own.

[r22butters]

It’s your poll and you can determine its contents and/or what information it will provide. It’s a free country… However, if anyone slaps down 70K for helicopter training with a notion it’s a gamble, then surly you’re going to fail. People should gamble in Vegas, not with their education….

 

We’re adults here right? There’s risk with any endeavor. If you don’t mitigate those risks, then you’re going in blind. If you do the appropriate amount of research, train at the right school and gain all of the required certificates while keeping a positive attitude then the risk should be minimal. This is evident by your poll.

 

The truth of the matter is if you were hired tomorrow, then we’d be reading posts of a different tune……

 

Sounds about right,...and yes, I admit,...I was the fool who didn't do the research. If I had, you wouldn't be reading any posts by me at all.

 

However, the poll isn't about me. I was just curious as too how people "these days" were doing, not someone from 1982, and well,...it seems there doing just fine.

[r22butters]

While I may not completely agree with Boatpix and their plan.. it does seem to work to some extent. What you just said makes absolutely no sence. Every statement is an example of a bad attitude. He is offering a valued commodity in the helicopter industry as illustrated by the people that use his service and succeed. Sure, you might get lucky and get a CFI job at 150 or 200 hours, but as you know it's not likely. So if the answer if to pay some more for more hours at a reduced rate, what's wrong with that? He is a business and needs to make it worth it for him.. you're the poor fool who decided to enter a crowded industry that doesn't provide a reliable pathway for its own.

 

Boatpix is alright,...as long as you are not an already rated pilot! (who didn't train with them) looking for a job.

 

 

Wait a minute!,...he got a 'green' and I got a 'red'?,...even though I was basically agreeing with him? ,... ,...

Edited May 27, 2011 by r22butters

[Spike]

not someone from 1982, and well,...it seems there doing just fine.

 

Not so.

 

Some thought it was a gamble. No one made it quickly and easily, some took yeeeeeeeeeeeeeears, and some never did.....

Edited May 28, 2011 by Spike

[r22butters]

Not so.

 

Some thought it was a gamble. No one made it quickly and easily, some took yeeeeeeeeeeeeeears, and some never did……..

 

I don't know about that. So far over half found a job within the first three months, and only five of us are still looking.

 

I kinda like Heligirl's story. It may have taken her two years to get rated, but it looks like once she did, she went straight through.

Edited May 28, 2011 by r22butters

[rotormandan]

While I may not completely agree with Boatpix and their plan.. it does seem to work to some extent. What you just said makes absolutely no sence. Every statement is an example of a bad attitude. He is offering a valued commodity in the helicopter industry as illustrated by the people that use his service and succeed. Sure, you might get lucky and get a CFI job at 150 or 200 hours, but as you know it's not likely. So if the answer if to pay some more for more hours at a reduced rate, what's wrong with that? He is a business and needs to make it worth it for him.. you're the poor fool who decided to enter a crowded industry that doesn't provide a reliable pathway for its own.

 

 

I'm not clear on what you didn't understand but I'll try to re-word the point. R22Butters is already a rated CFI in R22's (if I have my facts right) Boatpix is offering him a chance to basically pay for a job. He's not offering "a few more hours at a reduced rate," he's asking R22Butters to pay for 100 hours ($20,000) of training to have the job which is quite an excessive amount. He doesn't need 100 hours to learn how to take photos and fly around boats. A private student would benefit greatly with the 100 hour offer to build time for commercial but R22Butters is an R22 cfi. Seems like Tom could offer him an interview instead of a sales pitch as R22Butters isn't a student. Maybe R22Butters pays for 5-10 hours of training to learn the operations, how to fly the way Tom wants, and get recurrent in needed since Tom is used to hiring his own students who already know this stuff (should be 1000-3000) but 100 hours is completely ridiculous for this situation.

[r22butters]

...R22Butters is already a rated CFI in R22's (if I have my facts right)...

 

Sorry to break it to you Dude, but I’m not a CFI. I’ve tried a few times, but can’t seem to get past the whole ‘blowing chunks’ as a passenger, while someone else performs maneuvers, part! Its also why I cannot take pictures from a helicopter. I guess I should have started in Australia, or Canada?

 

However,…your point is still valid!

[rotormandan]

Oh, I stand corrected. Your struggles make much more sense to me. Either way it won't take 100hrs to learn photo flights. Good luck.

[Boatpix]

it always works out for you if you go with boatpix.

[Trans Lift]

Not for everyone Tom, I've heard stories....