How to become a pilot

[kiwiflyboy]

I don't really have anymore to add to this, however, don't be put off by the fact of a schools size, you will see once you get inside the organization, that it is very one on one, and isn't a sausage factory, generally, the "retards" do get weened out eventually. I go to Ardmore flying school (starting multi-instrument this week hopefully), and don't really have anything bad to say about it. as long as you get a good instructor your away laughing...

[travnz]

I agree with Calvin, I dont know why you guys feel ardmore flying school is bad.

Also touching on what A185F had to say.
Working for the Low Cost Carriers in Europe/UK is less than ideal. In general pay is pathetic (contrary to popular belief), pilots are overworked. Conditions are terrible. Very little career progression. Your better off staying in NZ making your way up the ladder, Eagle, Air Nelson, etc.

[kiwiflyboy]

From what I gather, people find the idea of a large school a bad thing, people generally see the amount of people walking in the front door, and never really see how many finish off their training. As I said, the "retards" generally get weened out (a few slip thru the cracks every now and then, but they generally stack a plane into a fence/ditch/cliff somewhere)

[A185F]

Its not that mate, its how many people walk out and get jobs. Out of the last course to compleat, what are all the kiwi boys doing now ?
The reason I ask is that I have a friend who went though there 05/06 with 5? other kiwi fallas on with money borrowed from aunty helen and 1 of those 5 is doing a little bit of weekend part time instruction at some club somewhere north of aucks can't remember but yea, just the one has got work, my mate ended up working for vodafone to pay off his debt, still trying to get flying work but getting very un current by not flying.
I know heaps of people in that same situation, only the one from afs (know of heaps more) but I know quite a few from IAANZ and a few from NAC. From the experiences I've had with em, NAC are bloody good outta the big flying schools, know heaps of pilots who trained there also. The have good reputation in the industry, AFS doesent, actually its pretty poor but I havent done a full course there so I can't comment.

And out of interest on a side note, what is the ratio of kiwis to internationals on the courses there ?
The international students at these places are usually allright, they allready have a job lined up in their own country, its the poor kiwi falls that get promised everything and end up with nothing.

Now I'm not bagging the place at all I don't really know too much about it other than I went up there to do a type rating on the duckie and wasn't impressed with what the instructor could teach me, or couldn't for that matter. All I'm saying is that there are better ways of doing your training.

[kiwiflyboy]

I went into AFS without having being promised anything, I know what the job prospects are after i have completed my study. One must look at a flying school as any other tertiary training education (varsity included) and realise that there is no such thing as a promised job upon completion. A lot of people think that becoming a pilot isn't hard work, I was once told that 10% of pilots earn 90% of the money, and this is very true.

I have found that the people who are motivated and actually pull finger and get on with it, do well, lord only knows how many B cat instructors at AFS have done 30 hours multi (initial training) and sit there expecting to be given a multi-instructor position to make the 500 multi needed for somewhere like eagle, but in reality, the people who tend to succeed by staying current and flying the ducky as often as they can will move on to getting a job at a GA company like GBA or mountain, getting multi time and valuable 135 ops, or doing their time as a C, passing their B and then becoming multi instructors. Too many people listen to the sales pitch from the school (at the end of the day it is a business, and will always be run like one) and dont actually talk to people and find out what the industry is really like. There is no easy way to get a job in NZ aviation, it takes hard work and determination.

[mailman]

A185F while I agree with most of what you say there are also a certain number ( or at least from AAC) that can become an instructor and then get employed be someone like eagle air. Also I read an article in Flight International a few weeks ago that the international situation for pilots is very good because of things like the rapid expansion of budget airlines so there is a lot of demand for pilots, and also when Pacific Blue started up that gave many new pilots a break.

You are right about opportunities with the rapidly expanding budget airlines but also consider that the pilots in those aircraft are nothing more than glorified bus drivers and as with all training in aviation...you have to pay for your own.

Then again, the job market in NZ might be quite stark BUT that doesnt stop you from traveling overseas for jobs. I know a number of helo and fixed wing pilots who left NZ and now have pretty good jobs flying in various places around the world.

Then there was the time I had a tutu on the 747 sim up in Auckland a while ago. The chap we were with was going on about these young guys who work as hard as buggery doing every job possible to get the money for their flight lesssons so they can fly for the airlines only to chuck it all in 2 years after getting their first job because they burned out.

The job just wasnt what they were expecting it to be...and dont be fooled in to thinking this happens rarely because it happens a heck of a lot more than you think.

Mailman

[FlyingKiwi]

Too many people listen to the sales pitch from the school (at the end of the day it is a business, and will always be run like one) and dont actually talk to people and find out what the industry is really like. There is no easy way to get a job in NZ aviation, it takes hard work and determination.

I think this is actually the key thing; if you really have the drive and determination you may still not be guaranteed success, but you're a lot more likely to end up with some sort of job than the guys who turn up thinking that they'll do a couple of hundred C172 hours and jump in a B1900 and never look back.

[kiwiflyboy]

guys who turn up thinking that they'll do a couple of hundred C172 hours and jump in a B1900

That tends to happen to indians, but it isnt a b1900, its a 737/a320........... (not that im bitter or anything)

[nzav8tor]

Haha, that was a good trip Scott, back in the day.
Do you remember that 'thump' when we landed? I still have the photos somewhere.

My 2 cents...

If you want it bad enough, it will happen. No two careers are the same.
Talk talk talk to as many people as you can but don't be cocky.
Be paitient.
Enjoy every hour now because this is the most rewarding time of your career and you learn more at this end than at the other end.
And don't hit anything... Really bad for your CV.

[mailman]

Haha, that was a good trip Scott, back in the day.
Do you remember that 'thump' when we landed? I still have the photos somewhere.

Hahaha...I still have the video!

Regards

Mailman

[ZK-Brock]

A185F +others have posted in line with what I think I know about the industry. I would recommend people head over to PPRuNe and have a look through there (though don't make posts without thinking em through is my advice, some people there do like to bite ).

[kiwiflyboy]

also with pprune, you really need to sift out the stuff of value, and whats isnt worth the time of day (when somebody is just winding people up)

[ZK-Brock]

Yip, I find mainly the Flight instructors forum and the Private flying forums useful. Often when you're looking for info it's best to use the topic search.