COMMERCIAL PILOT the First 500 Hours
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COMMERCIAL PILOT The First 500 Hours John Radge _________________________________________ This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If accounting advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Copyright © 1995 John Radge All rights reserved. This book, or any part thereof, may not be reproduced in any form or in any language without the written permission of the author. Printed and Published by Jillore Services Pty Ltd 71 Spencer Road KILLARA, N.S.W., 2071 Ph: +61 (2) 9905 8206 ISBN 0-646-25381-6 1. Aeronautics, Commercial - Vocational Guidance Radge, John. _______________________________________________________________________________ ✈ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thanks to: Australian Civil Aviation Authority (formerly Department of Transport and Communications). Federal Airports Corporation. Cessna Aircraft Company. Axis Aviation Pty. Ltd. My Father, John Radge, for his patience and assistance. To the many persons whose comments have helped in the refinement of this book. _______________________________ About The Author John Radge is a flight instructor out at Sydney’s Bankstown airport. He commenced his flying career in 1990 as a charter pilot with a major computer company in Sydney. He then worked in the Northern Territory for various companies as a charter pilot and Acting Chief Pilot before settling back to Sydney. Comments are welcome by telephoning John Radge direct on (018) 479898. __________________________________________ ________ PREFACE The purpose of this book is to assist you in maximising your potential for employment in the aviation industry and to provide you with some ideas that will strengthen your success potential as a pilot. Aviation is a difficult and expensive industry to break into. The varied paths that one can follow is daunting enough for the budding pilot without the added frustration of knowing the wrong path could limit your career or waste a lot of your money. What you're about to read is the collection of, what I consider to be, the basic groundwork knowledge required before embarking on a flying career. Unfortunately, it's not until one has committed a lot of time and money that they start to get a feel for how the industry operates. Attempting to plan any career without having experience or knowledge can be costly... more so with aviation. Hopefully this book will act as a guide to smooth your path and reduce mistakes. The first 500 hours is considered to be the make or break period for pilots. The first 500 hours is the period that shapes or moulds your flying that carries you through your career. For this reason it is important that a plan is put together and followed to completion. Conducting training in a haphazard fashion can cost you dearly. Your first flying job after completion of the training is a very important step in your flying career. It is a sad fact that a large percentage of new commercial pilots never get a first flying job. That is to say that these same people are unable to get employment flying and seek employment in a different industry. To maximise your ability to secure the first job, you must have a plan of training to match your intended first job. Commercial Pilot - The first 500 hours, walks you through all the stages leading from your first lesson to securing your first job. The first chapter looks at why you want to be a pilot. Chapter two deals with the General Aviation industry, it’s health, trends and future. Chapter three deals with training. Chapter four deals with how you go about securing that first position as well who to contact. Chapter five looks at the Mecca of General Aviation, the United States of America. The USA has many training and employment opportunities that aren’t available in Australia. Chapter six looks at setting up your own flying business. Chapter seven looks at success secrets and why some people succeed whilst others don’t. Finally chapter eight heeds advice for the new commercial pilot working in the industry. Prospective aviation operators are listed in Appendix Two who may be contacted to find that elusive first flying position. The information gleamed in this book will, hopefully, make the path to a career as a commercial pilot a lot smoother with less heartache. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION_______________________________________________ Career Paths Analyse - Why You Want To Be A Pilot? The Sacrifices Location What Sort of People Are Pilots? Pilot Image The Rewards 2. INDUSTRY___________________________________________________ Industry Health And Cycles Why Is It The Way It Is? Recession Gulf War Pilots Dispute Cost Recovery Airline Cadet Scheme US Public Liability Laws On GA Aircraft Manufacturers Increasing Government Charges On Businesses DOA To CAA Statistics 5 Aircraft On Australian Register Aircraft Movements Flight Crew Licences General Aviation Activity 3. TRAINING____________________________________________________ The Airline Career Path The Standard Path Introduction Students Pilot Licence First Solo General Flying Proficiency Test Private Pilots Licence Command Time Building Commercial Pilots Licence Airline Transport Pilots Licence How Much? How Long? Which Aircraft? Text Books, Documents And Publications CAA Publications Centre Trevor Thom - Aviation Theory Centre Additional Training Costs Theory Where Do I Train? What To Look For In A Flying School Part-time? Full-time? Tertiary Courses Bachelor of Aviation Degree Bachelor of Aviation Studies Degree Associate Diploma of Applied Science (Aviation) 3. TRAINING Cont... Shortcuts Aircraft Ownership Syndicates Ultralight Flying Additional Training Type Endorsements Type Ratings Aerobatics Rating Multi-engine Endorsement Command Instrument Rating Night VFR Rating Agricultural Rating Instructor Rating Other Courses Cockpit Resource Management Dangerous Goods Awareness Course Flight Engineer Exams Tax And Flying Pilot Medical Financial Assistance AWAP Austudy 4. EMPLOYMENT_______________________________________________ GA Average Conditions Charter Pilot Flight Instructor Considerations Remote Or Urban Move Around Or Stay In One Spot? Factors Affecting Employment Potential Married Or Single Age Gender Being Contactable Strategy Overview Resume Chronological Resume Functional Resume Combinational Resume Cover Letter Referances Who To Contact Employment Agencies Magazines Networking Aviation On Line Now Apply 45 Contact Trackers The Phone Call 45 Handling Objections The Interview Self Image 4. EMPLOYMENT Cont... Working In Other Countries Cost Sharing Help While I’m Waiting For A Flying Job Non-Flying Jobs While You Are Looking Combining Non-Aviation Job With Flying What If I Never Get A Flying Job? Career Needs A Back-up 5. USA________________________________________________________ Training FAA Medical Non-immigrant Visa’s Employment Agencies Conversion Of Foreign Licence To An Australian Licence 6. SETTING UP A FLYING BUSINESS______________________________ Look At The Market Economic Times Business Structure Chief Pilot Flying School Licence Conduct Of Instructing Operations Costs Finding An Aeroplane Operations Manual Air Operators Certificate Operating Under Someone Else’s AOC 7. SUCCESS___________________________________________________ Success Is For You Goal Setting How To Create Your Goals Fear Failure Fear Of Rejection Fear Of What Others Mighrt Think Positive Mental Attitude Self Image Reframing Other People’s Perceptions Law Of The Farm Go The Extra Mile Acquire Sales Skills Be A Non-Stop Learner Failure (Again) Give It A Try Universal Laws It’s Up To You No Faith In Your Ability Not Wanting To Put The Effort In Bad Conditioning 7. SUCCESS Cont... Not Knowing How To Get Started Keeping Life In Perspective 8. A FINAL NOTE_______________________________________________ Over The Horizon APPENDIX ONE___________________________________________________ GFPT PPL Aircraft Conversion Endorsement NVFR Multi-engine Endorsement Command Instrument Rating Commercial Pilots Licence Instructor Rating (Grade III) Summary Of Flying Training Costs APPENDIX TWO___________________________________________________ Listing Of Operators Chapte r 1 INTRODUCTION s Wilbur Wright said "Flying more than anything else, is the sensation of perfect peace, mingled with an Aexcitement that strains every nerve to the utmost, if you can imagine such a combination." Translation; "Flying is 99% boredom and 1% sheer terror". It is true that practically anyone can become a pilot; all it takes is commitment and genuine desire to learn. Flying can be a vocation regardless of sex, age or education. It does take tenacity and determination. A knowledge of physics and proficiency in mathematics will see you to completion of a typical commercial pilot course. Flying an aeroplane requires that hundreds of decisions are made during any one flight. It is this skill that is difficult to master. CAREER PATHS There are many ways that you can get yourself in the air and get paid for doing it. Traditionally the surest way to get to the highest levels of flying is through the military. Training with the military results in security of position, the chance to fly the hottest aircraft with the comfort in knowing that you will have been trained at the expense of the tax-payer. The training is considered to be the best in the world. Entry to military