Flying Club Jobs

[Quango]

Hi all

I am currently 16, and I have just completed my GCSEs. I hope and expect to do well enough in my exams to move on to A level study in the next academic year.

I am extremely enthusiastic about aircraft and would be very grateful to learn whether there are any air clubs that have any weekend jobs available.

I have a long-held interest in aviation, and it is my ambition to achieve my PPL (A) and eventually become an airline pilot.

I would greatly welcome any opportunity to work at an airfield regardless of what job it is. Does anyone know of air clubs that offer this. I have tried pretty much every air club near me and further afield (live in Berkshire area) but have had no luck.

I am able, willing and enthusiastic and would be willing to turn my hand to virtually any job which you might have available.

Are there such things as air club jobs for young people?

Thanks

Q

[GJB]

If at first you don't succed try and try again......

Pester them until they give in and shove a broom handle your way.

All clubs want some help so keep at it. Call and establish contact with someone who you can speak to regularly. Pop down and introduce yourself and ask your guidance teacher for a reference you can take with you.

Good Luck.

[FlyingForFun]

You could also try speaking to the pilots at the clubs, and offer to wash their aircraft. If you have a legitimate reason to be hanging around the club (e.g. washing aircraft), you're also more likely to get contacts within the club itself, so it could lead to something more.

FFF
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[Charlie Zulu]

I personally know of a couple of guys who in the past made themselves known around the flying club whilst in Year 10 at High School.

One of them is a good friend and he eventually obtained a weekend job on the ops desk dealing with payments, flight schedules, general admin duties. He has now obtained his PPL curtousy of the money earnt and the freebies offfered and is just about to start his third year on an aeronautical engineering degree. His girlfriend even got a job at the flying club at weekends for a year or so.

But anyway my two pennies worth...

If you do as FlyingForFun suggests and get yourself known (for the right reasons!) you'll also find that us pilots are all a friendly bunch and we aren't keen on spare seats in our aircraft whilst flying when there is someone who is obviously keen on flying waiting around doing nowt! Of course that would mean your parents would have to okay the trip(s) with the pilots in question.

[Potter1]

I have known a couple of people who have joined flying clubs on ‘Apprentice’ type schemes, instead of being paid they get their PPL, then become instructors with the club and 2 out of the 3 are now FOs with a large airline, and the other is whizzing round Europe in business jets.

While at University I wrote to a load of schools in the US and got several offers of summer employment (using the student working visa scheme) doing anything from school admin, washing aircraft & the instructor’s cars, cleaning the hangars and even managed to get 25 hours of lessons over the summer. Best summer of my life!

You’re at the perfect age to start, go for it and keep trying someone will give you a break!

Good luck

P….

[skywaytoheaven]

Try White Waltham, near Maidenhead, I used to instruct there and we had some keen youngens doing aircraft refueling, cleaning and working with the ground crew. There is also a bit of a tradition there of 'progressing through the ranks'. Refueller to Instructor to BA Captain that sort of thing! Good luck.