airline pilot-put down the dream?

EI-DOR

Regarding Ryanair, what's the story with having an Irish Passport?

Cessna_Pilot

TheBoss11 wrote: »

I'm totally confidant in passing a class 1 medical I'm very healthy. Again in regards to the PPL do you recommend do it in a club or a flights school? After all this is my foundation of flying so I'd like it to be a high standard of training.

First things first. Book the class one first and foremost, then make a plan.

cppilot98

Read and digest that post from PPruNe those of you who want to progress your career. So you're thinking that's Britain, more opportunities. But I can name three Irish lads who took a similar route. Two are flying for regional airlines, one for a smaller operator. Two years ago all three had ordinary jobs but like our friend in the post they hung around the airfields making contacts, flying and having fun and they did anything they could to progress.

They all say they're lucky too. But luck doesn't come into it.

They found the flying jobs that apparently don't exist.

pepe the prawn

EI-DOR wrote: »

Regarding Ryanair, what's the story with having an Irish Passport?

Unfortunately, I think it means you are exempt from their pikot recruitment process. What a joke.

TheBoss11

pepe the prawn wrote: »

Unfortunately, I think it means you are exempt from their pikot recruitment process. What a joke.

Apparently irish and Dutch both

EI-DOR

Wtf.. So how do Irish Pilots get in with them? I'm assuming DE?

Pinch Flat

I'd say go for it - if you have the cash and you're 19 with no commitments start chipping at that ppl but take heed to the importance of the medical.

I was in a similar position to yourself - dreamt of being a pilot from as early as I can remember - at 19 I had some money saved and took flying lessons while my mates were p!ssing it away down the pub. Cycled to and from the local airport, hung around digging in with all sorts of odd jobs. My aim was to have a ppl by mid 20's, work for a few years, save a bit more then add to it bit by bit. Eventually take the leap and borrow if necessary to get to the end game.

For me other things got in the way - mainly I ended up married with a mortgage. Earned a modest salary so never had the extent of spare cash to keep the show on the road and take expensive flying lessons. At that point the dream was over - there was no way my wife was going to consider me borrowing money on what was a huge gamble. Seriously considered moving down to waterford (originally from there so accommodation coats would have been minimal) and doing the atpl - I knew people that took the plunge, some in their late 30s, and for the majority it worked out - electrical technicians, a school teacher and a quantity surveyor - the day of jacking the job upon getting that elusive position in the right seat must have been fabulous. Then again I know of people living near me who borrowed the kitchen sink and got badly burned - €100k in debt and on the dole. Not much fun.

There's not a day that goes by that I do not regret pursuing my dream more seriously - I'm 43 now so for me it'll never happen. I work in an area that I have interest in but would much prefer to be flying - there'll be a lot of time to think of this as you get older and don't pursue it. The longer you leave it the harder it'll be.

TheBoss11

Pinch Flat wrote: »

I'd say go for it - if you have the cash and you're 19 with no commitments start chipping at that ppl but take heed to the importance of the medical.

I was in a similar position to yourself - dreamt of being a pilot from as early as I can remember - at 19 I had some money saved and took flying lessons while my mates were p!ssing it away down the pub. Cycled to and from the local airport, hung around digging in with all sorts of odd jobs. My aim was to have a ppl by mid 20's, work for a few years, save a bit more then add to it bit by bit. Eventually take the leap and borrow if necessary to get to the end game.

For me other things got in the way - mainly I ended up married with a mortgage. Earned a modest salary so never had the extent of spare cash to keep the show on the road and take expensive flying lessons. At that point the dream was over - there was no way my wife was going to consider me borrowing money on what was a huge gamble. Seriously considered moving down to waterford (originally from there so accommodation coats would have been minimal) and doing the atpl - I knew people that took the plunge, some in their late 30s, and for the majority it worked out - electrical technicians, a school teacher and a quantity surveyor - the day of jacking the job upon getting that elusive position in the right seat must have been fabulous. Then again I know of people living near me who borrowed the kitchen sink and hot badly burned - €100kvim debt and on the dole. Not much fun.

There's not a day that goes by that I do not regret pursuing my dream more seriously - I'm 43 now so for me it'll never happen. I work in an area that I have interest in but would much prefer to be flying - there'll be a lot of time to think of this as you get older and don't pursue it. The longer you leave it the harder it'll be.

the best advice I've ever gotten for this situation. I really don't want to be in my 60s and regreat never pursuing my dream. It's all I've ever wanted. I know an accountant is a very good job and probably pays more than a pilot but it's not a career id be happy with. The main initiative for not doing my ppl at this time is because that would be putting me on a modular track, this is something I've rather not do. Plus I can add onto my current savings to get a deposit for flight training.

Even at 43 it's still not too late. You'd get a modular course done for 35k and ive heard of 50 year olds getting FO positions in regional airlines, apparently they prefer the older guys as there more inclined to stay for the remainder of their careers.

pepe the prawn

TheBoss11 wrote: »

....//. The main initiative for not doing my ppl at this time is because that would be putting me on a modular track, this is something I've rather not do. Plus I can add onto my current savings to get a deposit for flight training......

Even if you have a ppl you can slot into an integrated course, you get credit for the hours you have done up to a maximum of 45 hours I think, plus obviously a financial discount also..

ilavela

I can't post a link but there is "Flight Training Exhibition" at Convention Centre, Dublin this Saturday if anyone interested.

pilottrainingexhibitions.com/dublin/

Alaba320

MarkAnthony wrote: »

All I need is a cure for Colour Blindness and I can abandon this silly legal career!

As long as you can pass a Holmes Wright lantern test or CAD test, then you can be issued with an unrestricted class 1.

The Ishihara test plates are only used as a 'quick reference'. Is a candidate correctly identifies the Ishihara plates, then the pilot has normal colour vision. If he does not pass IT DOES NOT mean that he is colour deficient, a secondary test must be conducted to determine if candidate is 'colour normal' or 'colour deficient'. IAA use the Holmes Wright Lanter test and CAA use a CAD test.

I can only pick out a handful of Ishihara plates, but aced the lantern test and the CAD test with no issue, I now have an unrestricted class 1 and a job. So if you are basing your colour 'blindness' on the Ishihara test, then you may be doing yourself out of a pilots career on wrong information.

L1011

Alaba320 wrote: »

So if you are basing your colour 'blindness' on the Ishihara test, then you may be doing yourself out of a pilots career on wrong information.

This was the case with me, unfortunately my eyes are screwed in other, expensive to deal with ways. One or two ishihara plates are invisible to me but I passed a more intensive test.

MarkAnthony

Alaba320 wrote: »

As long as you can pass a Holmes Wright lantern test or CAD test, then you can be issued with an unrestricted class 1.

The Ishihara test plates are only used as a 'quick reference'. Is a candidate correctly identifies the Ishihara plates, then the pilot has normal colour vision. If he does not pass IT DOES NOT mean that he is colour deficient, a secondary test must be conducted to determine if candidate is 'colour normal' or 'colour deficient'. IAA use the Holmes Wright Lanter test and CAA use a CAD test.

I can only pick out a handful of Ishihara plates, but aced the lantern test and the CAD test with no issue, I now have an unrestricted class 1 and a job. So if you are basing your colour 'blindness' on the Ishihara test, then you may be doing yourself out of a pilots career on wrong information.

Can I ask, and feel free to tell me to mind my own business but are you dyslexic? The reason I ask is although I'm colour deficient the main reason I can see very few of the plates is dyslexia, rather than the very mild deficiency.

Dyslexics also, generally, have great 3D perception skills hence make excellent pilots, again generally of course.

de biz

"No Problem"

Alaba320

MarkAnthony wrote: »

Can I ask, and feel free to tell me to mind my own business but are you dyslexic? The reason I ask is although I'm colour deficient the main reason I can see very few of the plates is dyslexia, rather than the very mild deficiency.

Dyslexics also, generally, have great 3D perception skills hence make excellent pilots, again generally of course.

No, I'm not dyslexic, I have a slight Red/Green colour deficiency, which makes 2 or 3 of the Ishihara plates a little difficult to make out. The lantern test is a simple process, where two LEDs within a box illuminate one of three colours (red, white, green) You simply have to say what colours the LEDs are. So provided your colour deficiency is mild or non-existent, then you should be fine, your dyslexia won't affect you in this test.

eatmyshorts

cppilot98 wrote: »

. Dyslexia is NOT a disqualifying condition for flying.

It can be depending on the jurisdiction.

lord lucan

Deep breaths everyone, the conversation has moved rapidly away from the OP's question and most of it has no relevance to the thread. It'll stay open but any more personal attacks and the thread is getting locked.

Tenger

cppilot98, I can understand your position, However a generalisation was posted, (and was stated as such so no foul there)
...this was then responded to. The responding poster based his response on his personal experience, which is that people with dyslexia may not be commercial pilots. This wasn't a slur on those individuals, it was a statement of fact pertaining to their location and legal jurisdiction. This poster was then jumped upon for his "lack of awareness"

So I'm deleting the off topic debate on dyslexia. This does not mean it is not a valid topic for discussion in another thread however.

I don't want anyone to take personal offence here. But it was getting a little heated,and obviously close to the bone for some posters.
In addition any provocative PM's are as susceptible to censure as personal attacks in thread, and as such should be reported.