A New Direction?

[worldywings]

Hello all

 

Before I start let us respond to those who will ultimately say that if one has a job, that one should quit moaning about changing jobs and be thankful for what he has...to those who will respond in that manner :jerry:

Anyhow, I am a non challenged VFR guy who spent 5 years managing a tourism base in Canada. You know the routine, get em up, get em earning and when its busy, get yourself up also. Not challenging flying but very challenging from a management standpoint.

 

I than moved on to what many consider a dream job. I am Ops Manager/chief pilot of a small outfit in the Caribbean. My job has been to set up this little outfit and navigate through the politics and BS of Island life. The flying here is breathtaking but the business end of things is nothing short of disgusting and corrupt. Its is a trade off between lifestyle and career. Our lifestyle is fantastic and has been able to offset the career aspect of things up until now. Recently however we are finding this is no longer the case. (I use the term "we" as my wife is in this just as much as I. We are both 4000 miles away from family and as of 3 weeks ago, we also included our new addition, little Abigail)

 

Anyhow, once again it is not overly demanding on the flying end but being a one man show so to speak the demands are great in regards to time and sacrifice.

 

This leads me to my questions.... (finally some of you are saying)

 

I am worn out from being the "boss" to a certain extent without the usual perks and priviledges ($)that would normally follow such a position and I am feeling it is time to let someone else tell me where to fly and I will fly there and back....and go home and get a worry free sleep with my wife and brand new baby daughter.

 

I am leaning towards that change to the IFR side of things and I am wondering just how much of the book work and written stuff one can do in his spare time whilst employed in the VFR world.

 

Any suggestions, advice, or even horror stories showing my insanity for wanting to leave the VFR world are welcomed and appreciated.

 

I am a manager

I am a salesman

I am a motivator

I am a marketing guru

I am a problems solver

I am a company man

I am a mentor

And lastly, I am a pilot.

 

There in lies the rub...I think I am ready to adjust those qualifications and be a PILOT who possess all those important business qualities rather than someone who has all those qualities and gets to fly once in awhile when those who don't possess these qualities feel like taking a day off

 

Any stories, helpful hints, wage expectations or lack there of and advice in heading down the IFR road would be greatly appreciated.

 

Or, if anyone has or had found themselves in a similar position let me know how it turned out.

 

I am not an owner nor do I ever wish to be and the days of carrying a cell phone every minute of ever day like I am one, including vacation and even during child birth are starting to grow old.

 

It seems slow around here and I am getting a little tired of beach/happy hour waiting for the tourists to come so I thought this would be a good a time as any to get some feedback.

 

Fly safe everyone

 

Thanks in advance for the comments...whatever they turn out to be

 

WW

 

P.S. to those who are sure to start PM'ing me with offers of stunning service from new pilots I must unfortunately say that unlike my last position I have no ability to take on and help along new guys. So, in advance I respectfully reply that it matters not how stellar you are as you begin your aviation career, I can do absolutely nothing for you if you have less than 2000 hrs. Not my rules but rules none the less. For anyone else looking for a change of scenerey, keep your eyes open for the next six months or so

 

WW

[pilot5]

Hello all

 

Before I start let us respond to those who will ultimately say that if one has a job, that one should quit moaning about changing jobs and be thankful for what he has...to those who will respond in that manner :jerry:

Anyhow, I am a non challenged VFR guy who spent 5 years managing a tourism base in Canada. You know the routine, get em up, get em earning and when its busy, get yourself up also. Not challenging flying but very challenging from a management standpoint.

 

I than moved on to what many consider a dream job. I am Ops Manager/chief pilot of a small outfit in the Caribbean. My job has been to set up this little outfit and navigate through the politics and BS of Island life. The flying here is breathtaking but the business end of things is nothing short of disgusting and corrupt. Its is a trade off between lifestyle and career. Our lifestyle is fantastic and has been able to offset the career aspect of things up until now. Recently however we are finding this is no longer the case. (I use the term "we" as my wife is in this just as much as I. We are both 4000 miles away from family and as of 3 weeks ago, we also included our new addition, little Abigail)

 

Anyhow, once again it is not overly demanding on the flying end but being a one man show so to speak the demands are great in regards to time and sacrifice.

 

This leads me to my questions.... (finally some of you are saying)

 

I am worn out from being the "boss" to a certain extent without the usual perks and priviledges ($)that would normally follow such a position and I am feeling it is time to let someone else tell me where to fly and I will fly there and back....and go home and get a worry free sleep with my wife and brand new baby daughter.

 

I am leaning towards that change to the IFR side of things and I am wondering just how much of the book work and written stuff one can do in his spare time whilst employed in the VFR world.

 

Any suggestions, advice, or even horror stories showing my insanity for wanting to leave the VFR world are welcomed and appreciated.

 

I am a manager

I am a salesman

I am a motivator

I am a marketing guru

I am a problems solver

I am a company man

I am a mentor

And lastly, I am a pilot.

 

There in lies the rub...I think I am ready to adjust those qualifications and be a PILOT who possess all those important business qualities rather than someone who has all those qualities and gets to fly once in awhile when those who don't possess these qualities feel like taking a day off

 

Any stories, helpful hints, wage expectations or lack there of and advice in heading down the IFR road would be greatly appreciated.

 

Or, if anyone has or had found themselves in a similar position let me know how it turned out.

 

I am not an owner nor do I ever wish to be and the days of carrying a cell phone every minute of ever day like I am one, including vacation and even during child birth are starting to grow old.

 

It seems slow around here and I am getting a little tired of beach/happy hour waiting for the tourists to come so I thought this would be a good a time as any to get some feedback.

 

Fly safe everyone

 

Thanks in advance for the comments...whatever they turn out to be

 

WW

 

P.S. to those who are sure to start PM'ing me with offers of stunning service from new pilots I must unfortunately say that unlike my last position I have no ability to take on and help along new guys. So, in advance I respectfully reply that it matters not how stellar you are as you begin your aviation career, I can do absolutely nothing for you if you have less than 2000 hrs. Not my rules but rules none the less. For anyone else looking for a change of scenerey, keep your eyes open for the next six months or so

 

WW

 

 

WW

 

The IFR road for a guy over 40 just getting going is going to be a hard nut to crack! I'm not trying to discourage you but you may want to stick to VFR.

 

Most if not all IFR operators are looking for keener 25-35 somethings that can sit #2, they like to bring captains up for the most part. Then there is that little problem with the wages as a coey and the sole 2 options you have in Canada to get those illusive nigh hours in to qualify for the ATPL. Not to mention a bare minimum of 500hours multi offshore to meet most contract requirements to get a job with say CHC ( who is not hiring). Then there is that belief held by many that us older guys "over 40" just don't have the retention anymore to learn stuff about glass cockpits and computers.

 

Canadian Options

 

1- Helijet scheduled service- good luck raising the family and living in Vancouver for 40K per year (before tax) no real pension plan except RRSP matching and who knows what's going to happen to that. They will go belly up if they lose the ambulance contract. + really ancient gear!

 

2. Orange- That's Canadian BTW and the money is not that much better, and notoriously crap mgmt. to boot. The up side is they have a benefits plan and that could work well for the family.

 

The offshore overseas market for IFR captains and coeys right now is terrible, there are guys with 2000+hrs of multi C++looking for work. In other words your VFR single time holds very little clout. If you are really lucky and do get on it will be in a place on rotation 6 and 6 or 8 and 8 and that will present it own difficulties as per family life. May as well forget about Cougar or VIH international. There is a line up and with a newly minted IFR and no ATPL chances are zero.

 

Then there are the exams and obvious flight costs+- $14,000, the INRAT is the most difficult the others are a cakewalk!

 

You may want to consider lining up at the beach bar for a cold beer and just wait for those tourists at least you are home every night!

 

Personally I would go do the JAR+FAA license if you take this route, it will open up allot more doors and options.OR

 

Thinking about getting the IFR and working for Transport Canada, home allot, good pay and benefits and a real pension plan, or partial at least at 20 years. The down side, don't be thinking Victoria, Vancouver think Sudbury or Thunder Bay, until a cushy spot opens up and you can transfer internally.

 

 

I wish you the very best and hope you find nirvana, my advice is to belly up to the bar with the touristas and have a cold one. It's getting cold here in hockey land! Brrrr.

 

Oh, and congrats on the little Mrs. :up:

 

 

Cheers and good luck!

[bs205]

Hmmm, siesmic camp in Ft. Mac on the line all day at 40 below ,or pool bar and tourists, I will trade you right NOW!!

[worldywings]

Yep...hockey season is here...unfortunately I get my hockey news from the internet as all we get here is Soccer and Cricket and I have to admit...I just don't get the attraction of either one!!

[Guest plumber]

Wahhhh I have to look at girls in bikinis all day wahhhhhhhhh!

[sling]

Wahhhh I have to look at girls in bikinis all day wahhhhhhhhh!

 

None of my business, but yeah! that might be the reason why Worldy has enough. Too much babe and can't do nothin.

[skullcap]

Afraid am not much help with the IFR thing but some advice with the phones.

 

I have carried pagers previous to cell phones then cell phones and can say they can be a friend or foe all depending upon your stress level at the moment. The key is to recognize that stress level when the phone rings. I have had a few jobs where the phone in general was hectic and unless one has been in that position where you have started answering the phone at 6 am and shave and have "breakfest" at noon then you cannot understand the stress of sitting at a desk. But have had the pleasure of taking my cell phone and sitting on a hill and being at "my office" for the morning meeting overlooking a great vista. One time at a playground with my boys my phone rang, I took the call and when done another parent said how horrible cell phones are,,,,to which I replied that without the cell phone I would be back at my office waiting for that call, so it can provide freedom.

 

A negative stressor example I lived was being on call for mountain rescue in Banff, it took me about a year to not have my adrenalin pumping when a pager went after leaving that job. But we found that being first call for three days at a time was nice change, then three days second and three days as charter pilot worked well, this is when I started to like the pager as when on charter call I could roam around and be within an hour of the job.

 

I cannot tell you how much nicer it is to have a phone and be with your family rather than in the old days waiting by the phone or telex machine for some bit of info for a job coming up.

 

Just try to realize that with all the communication facilities at our fingertips that we are actually doing more work than our peers may think and to ensure you take time off accordingly. And when things are hectic understand that the phone is not a tool to unload all your problems with each caller.

 

Grab everychance to take your "office" away from daily stressors and then the phone is an ally. I don't know how many times have had the abilty to relax as can check my blackberry and see that that important e-mail has not arrived and can keep doing what I want,,,,

 

And if you think that money can make you happy enough to carry a phone then you are sorrly mistaken. It is very tough to be happy when money constraints are affecting your life negatively but mostly happiness is a choice in life,,,,

 

 

[Helilog56]

Well, WW......after 35 years and 20+ of that in management, I am happy to say, the world of a line pilot with 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off doesn't get any better...

 

Another option you may consider is getting your instructors rating.....there are many opportunities for someone that has the ability to teach.

 

Good luck in your quest....it will be a big change for sure.

 

H56

[worldywings]

Well, after reading my post happy hour post I think it does sound a little whiny LOL

 

 

I think I was not as prepared as I thought to leave the wife and a brand new baby at home and head 1000's of miles away.

 

It's amazing how those little ones change your perspective so quick. Anyhow, I know lots of you do it all the time so feel free to let me know you your wives deal with it! haha

 

 

 

[Over-Talk]

WW, The good news is that you are already going in the right direction.....you are talking, asking and thinking about a change.

 

Sadly, we see too many guys in our great industry constantly complain about it being too cold, too rainy, too many bugs, too hot, too many stooooopid tourists (or drillers), tours too long, etc etc etc.

The severity of any of these 'hassles' are all particular to each pilot and his personality.

Therefore, the "worst" of these things can be avoided by that particular pilot moving to another sector of our industry.

 

With the personnel skills you mention, you should be on a base with more than just yourself to talk to.

Instructing or MoT Inspector would be a great career for a pilot with a personality and some varied experience.

As mentioned above, Helijet in BC or ORNGE air ambulance in Ontario are worth considering.

 

For something less "scheduled", some bases (south-west BC for example) need a pilot with great people-skills because there are occasional tourists, there is a lot of competition so regular customers (Hydro etc) must be treated well, and there is a great range of work which means variety for you and opportunities to educate other pilots about what is needed for each job.

 

Your wife and Abigail will prefer you get a job that doesn't feature you going away to do 6 week tours in SE Asia (Skype is NOT a great way to raise a child). They probably also don't want to spend the next 3 years living with you on a contract in Saudi Arabia.

 

As pilots we are a transient bunch, and always in search of variety.

It took me 15 years of humping around in this business before I figured out WHO I was and WHAT (and WHERE) I wanted to do with my career......and I have been with that company for 9 years now.

Is it perfect ?? NO, but it suits me a LOT better than anything else I had seen, and because of that, I'm happy there.

 

Your next move may not be last, but don't worry about that, at least you tried and will learn from it.

Sincere good luck, OT