For all the pilots out there -- how did get/what was your first job?

Question

Hello friends, [This is my boyfriend's account, hope he doesn't get mad! Haha]

I am enrolled for the professional pilot program at a flight school near my home in Vancouver, Canada.

Aside from getting all the ratings [my program encompasses all of them] ... how did you land your first job? And HOW long did it take you?

I have been contacting about every airline/cargo/etc recruitment office for info on how to START out as a Pilot, and one airline actually told me they are hiring Pilots with as LOW as 250hrs PIC! :O

Anyhoo... my real question is - how did you land your first job as a brand new pilot? What did you have to do? Do you recommend the instructor rating? Do some employers hire newbie pilots? Any difference for me as I am female?

Sometimes I feel like being a brand new Pilot might seem a bit demoralizing trying to find that first job... any advice or tips would be so great!

Thanks!!! And I hope to come across some of you pilots some day! Happy flying!

Answer 1

My first job was in Penticton for the flight school I took my CPL at.

The job I have now in Invermere I heard about from a friend and I applied and didn't hear anything for three years-then out of the blue 'can you come and work for us'.

Watch out for those 'dream' jobs where you get to fly right seat in a Citation with only 250TT.  Sure it's great but you will have to buy some 150 time to get enough PIC hours to become captain.

Check out avcanada for job postings and hire me postings.

Good luck!

Answer 2

I answered an advertisement for a pilot to fly skydivers in a C-206.  Same with an advertisement for an instructor.

Answer 3

instructing

Answer 4

I'm surprised they want 250 pic.  I thought they wanted 250 total time!  If that's the case, why worry?  the regionals are hurting for pilots.  You will get a job, don't worry.  I started by flying banners, but it looks like the new people will not have to pay their dues.  My friend just got her first job at ASA with very low time.  Have fun, and good luck.

Answer 5

I pounded the pavement and handed resumes to every chief pilot at every flight school in Southern California.  I shook a lot of hands and did a lot of networking, but I was rewarded with one of very few available CFI jobs (this was in the wake of 9/11 and jobs were hard to come by).

Finding your first CFI job is a matter of persistence.  You need to meet as many people as possible and be professional, courteous, and determined.

On a personal level, I cannot recommend going to an airline that hires at 250 hours.  Sure, its a job and it pays you a little bit of money, but flying something that goes as fast as a jet with that little time is scary and dangerous.  airlines that do such things tend to have horrible safety records and are known throughout the industry as being a little less than professional and honest (I'm looking your way Mesa Airlines).  This kind of practice allows them to pay you very little and undercut other airlines.

I recommend that you get a CFI, instruct for a thousand or so hours, then move on to an airline after that.  Don't be in too big of a hurry.  Stop, enjoy the sights and sounds of the flight school.  Smell the AvGas.  You will learn SO MUCH as a flight instructor that you won't believe you even survived with just a CPL.  You'll look back on yourself right now and laugh at yourself for being such a newbie.

Answer 6

Get all the requisite tickets and start flight instruction. If you go the university route you will qualify to teach underclassmen after you get the instructor ticket.