A New Direction?

[ISE DA BY]

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

 

The little one definitly changes things. My boy just turned 9 months and it's been pretty hard to leave home for 4 or 5 weeks at a time. I love flying.....wouldn't want to do anything else but this year has been really tough. I guess being a slow year hasn't helped but from the time I leave I'm thinking about getting home. I never thought I'd be like this but the kid at home put things in perspective for sure. Good luck in your chosen path and congrats on the little one.

Cheers.

[gwk]

WW

 

I went over to the dark side at around the same age, and it is not impossible, but you need perserverance, and some luck.

 

I had about 1500 hours of 212 vfr time with a total time of about 4500 hrs, and a long expired fixed wing IFR, so I had some idea of the book learning involved.

 

I hired an instructor to tutor me one on one for the groundschool and simulator, which really helped, and the comp. I worked for had a Jetranger for IFR re-current training which I leased for the night flying and IFR training and ride. Total cost to me in 1993 $ was about 8000.00, and was tax deductable.

 

I was the last person hired by Abu Dhabi Aviation with a comm. license, as a Captain, on Captain,s pay, but it was a really steep learning curve, even though they were 100% vfr flying then. As it was my first tour was 3 months long, to help bring up my night hours to qualify for an ATPL, and my first leave was spent studying, writing and passing the ATPL exams. It was one busy year of studying, and more studying, and a big change in my life, but I loved it.

 

Nowadays, I think that the best you would get is a co-pilot,s slot, and the only non touring, offshore companies I know of would be in the Persian Gulf. With your background and experience though you would most likely be one of the top 3 resumes, and who knows what might be on offer as far as company accomadation.

 

There are several condensed IFR courses on offer, Culhane, and I beleive Ryan, who posts on here has one out, google is your friend.

 

It can be done, and it will cost you abit, and a touring job may be all that,s on offer iniatally, but it is a whole new world that can take you just about anywhere you could want to go, and maybe not want to go.

 

Best of luck with the adventure!

 

[kjw57]

I did my IFR & ATPL after 40, if I can you can... trust me. I found work in the IFR arena within the first year after training but elected to remain VFR, something about the "devil you know".

 

I know what its like to leave the kids behind, and that is just not fun. With your skill and ability perhaps pull the plug on aviation and sell your skills for what they are worth. When your ready you can buy your own a/c

 

Stars in Alberts are sometimes looking for drivers and most recently, Helicopter Transport Services.

 

Best of Luck