Search Sort Posts:  Oldest to newest Newest to oldest

17/03/2008, 11:32 PM Lee Joined on 17/03/2008 Posts 9 Non-Airline flying Jobs, advice if you have it? Hi Could anyone advise me what kinds of non-airline jobs there are in the UK for would-be pilots who want to fly first then make a modest living second! The reason i say non-airline is because I am 35 this year,I havent started PPL yet but will be soon and realisticly any form of flying for a living will do. How difficult are these jobs to get, experience and flying hours wise? Thanks Lee        Report

19/03/2008, 5:18 AM puff o'wind Joined on 08/02/2007 Posts 180 Re: Non-Airline flying Jobs, advice if you have it? Lee, air taxi jobs etc are tough for starters to get because they like experience. The usual route is to start as an instructor.  Smaller lines or turbo prop outfits will be your best bet - and feed you into the majors. How hard? Like the others really...very hard! It's a lottery because as new pilots we all wear the same daft card round our neck..."will fly for food"! and they know it. But that's life I guess. Just do it and it will fall into place, it always has.  I dont know a single pilot who hasn't got a job eventually -  though it can come to a war of nerves sometimes!   Good luck David    Report

19/03/2008, 7:49 AM Lee Joined on 17/03/2008 Posts 9 Re: Non-Airline flying Jobs, advice if you have it? Thanks for the advice. I shall do my reseach into smaller lines and Turbo prop outfits and see where it leads me. Do you know much about other random flying jobs like towing banners, arial survey or taking parachute jumpers up? But "Just do it". That must be the best advice. And so i shall!!! To be honest, I already know that just the experience of getting my PPL will be amazing. I can't wait. I remember when I had a trial lesson last summer at Cambridge. The instructor said to me "O.K, now we are up, where do you want to go". My reply was " I don't care, I just want to fly"!!!!! Thanks Lee.      Report

21/03/2008, 5:50 AM puff o'wind Joined on 08/02/2007 Posts 180 Re: Non-Airline flying Jobs, advice if you have it? The banner towing / survey work...very limited in the UK but possible. Glider towing...I think you have to be a glider pilot too these days, very limited and closed world, but possible. Para dropping...you have to be a jumper yourself! Again, limited but possible. The best bet is the lower end airlines to be honest.  The work is there and you'll see more of it the more you enter the world of flying. Its a long haul, just get going!   D    Report

03/04/2008, 1:46 PM Jan Joined on 03/04/2008 Posts 1 Re: Non-Airline flying Jobs, advice if you have it? Hi Lee, Same position as you, 36 and counting, but I still aspire to be paid to fly and give up this boring (but relatively well paying) job. I think I will try Canada though, I hear they have severe shortages of commercial pilots for <ATPL jobs. Good luck.    Report

03/04/2008, 7:27 PM McGoo Joined on 15/11/2005 Posts 225 Re: Non-Airline flying Jobs, advice if you have it? Do you have the right to live and work in Canada then?    Report

05/04/2008, 9:13 AM Lee Joined on 17/03/2008 Posts 9 Re: Non-Airline flying Jobs, advice if you have it? Jan Good luck with that. Never been to Canada but I imagine the scenery is amazing. I still cant belive it's taken until now ( 35 ) to realise what it is i am supposed to do with my life. I got on with life (wife and children) for so long that I forget there is a world out there.   But good advice from "puff 'o' wind",....Just do it. And I am determined to do it.   Never give up.            Report

24/06/2008, 12:58 PM London Flyer Joined on 24/06/2008 Posts 4 Re: Non-Airline flying Jobs, advice if you have it? Hi Lee, Like you, I was late to the aviation world, starting my PPL at 37, then went on to complete CPL/IR at 40 - no spring chicken! The legislation at the moment is such that you have to have at least a CPL in order to be paid for any kind of flying. That may change under the PPL instructor proposal, but not yet. So if you are looking to be paid anything, that is what is required. If you then consider that after a large amount of time and money will need to be spent, and you still want a non airline job, I'd suggest instructing. There are quite a few jobs for instructors, but that will require an extra amount of training to get the rating. If you think that instructing is the way forward, you will only need a CPL - not Multi Engine or IR, but for the extra money, you can then look for an airline job. There are airlines that take guys of our age and although I haven't been successful yet (after 6 months since completion), there are still opportunties out there. If you would like any more info or advice, please feel free to PM me.    Report

18/05/2011, 2:47 AM nasubzna Joined on 18/05/2011 Posts 5 Re: Non-Airline flying Jobs, advice if you have it? hello lee,   "Just do it". That must be the best advice. And so i shall!!!To be honest, I already know that just the experience of getting my PPL will be amazing. I can't wait. I remember when I had a trial lesson last summer at Cambridge. The instructor said to me "O.K, now we are up. microsoft office standard 2007 microsoft office 2010 beta Do you know much about other random flying jobs like towing banners, arial survey or taking parachute jumpers up?    Report

02/04/2012, 10:12 AM maymilk Joined on 02/04/2012 Posts 5 Re: Non-Airline flying Jobs, advice if you have it? Everything will be all right,tomorrow will fine! ______________________________ enjoy game so much! WOW Gold Buy WOW Gold Runescape Money nike air max 2012    Report

Pilot WebPilot CommunityCommercial Trai...Non-Airline flying Jobs, advice if you have it?

(please select) Forums Home |- Search Forums |- Active Topics |- Unanswered Posts User Options |- Sign In |- Join this community |- Forgot Password Announcements |- New Message Board FAQ Pilot Community |- Aviation General |- PPL Training |- Commercial Training |- Rotary |- Microlights |- Gliding |- Air Shows, Events & Fly-ins |- Flight Sims |- Jokes & Humour |- Group Flying Pilot mag & PilotWeb |- PilotWeb |- Pilot magazine