ao767brad

Late 80’s I was earning about $9000 PA working in GA so some of those guidance councillors were right, it took 6 years from paying $12,000 for a commercial licence until I made more than 20k a year. Anyone planning on being a pilot for the money is barking up the wrong tree. Out of 26 that started at TAFE doing aviation studies in the late 80’s, 4 of us are still flying, 3 for airlines, that is a story more of dedication and perseverance than a quest for income. It certainly doesn’t provide for families at the moment during stand down, I’d rather be a tradie today, we needed an electrician recently and the fixed price job worked out at over $300 an hour for the time it took with no materials supplied by him and that was the cheapest quote.

Spenaroo, there is always going to be a reason “why not“, the industry is cyclical and has in my 32 years always turned around. Whether it’s the pilots dispute, SARS, GFC, bird flu, there is always the naysayers, but training to go all the way through to an airline job is about patience and persistence, not waking up one day and saying that’s what I’m going to do. I’ve mentored a few people in your shoes over the last decade and all of them have found a way to complete their commercial and those qualified have found work. You might wait a while if you want airlines but I can attest that there are a number of flying jobs that are just, if not more rewarding from a personal satisfaction perspective than pure airline jobs. I’m available to chat if you want specifics as I know 2 mid 20 year olds completing commercial courses this month both having changed career at about 25, as you say bad timing, but it’s a long term plan for both of them.

Just been for my first fly in a GA aircraft after nearly 20 year absence and forgot how much I enjoyed it. Have never left aviation but just the private stuff, really enjoyed having a fly with a few young guys I have mentored through a program at work and keen to continue in the GA universe. Unpleaseantly surprised at the inflated prices some places are charging out aircraft if young pilots need to access the VET fee help for flying lessons, gone are the days of going to TAFE to learn the theory as many of us older pilots did. Looking forward to hearing if anyone has recommended aircraft for private hire around Sydney or Central coast (+-150km radius) as the ones I have seen at Bankstown so far have been rather tatty and unfortunately not planning on doing enough hours to justify share ownership like Alpha, but looking for something that I can treat like my own (ie clean and maintain) and be proud to take the family in?