My current situation – Aviation yes or no?

My current situation – Aviation yes or no?

Hi lovelies,

exactly one year ago I uploaded a video an YouTube where I talked in detail about my situation regarding Aviation during that time:

All of my videos have English subtitles! You just need to turn them on → lower right corner via [CC].

Since then my situation hasn’t changed much. The only major difference is that now I wouldn’t accept every pilot job anymore. Back then I would have worked for any airline in the world at any place in the world for any salary. This is not the case anymore. Due to the experiences of my boyfriend who has been working as an airline pilot for a year now I see it differently…

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One year long he has been quite “used”, he had to pay a high amount of money (almost 30.000€) for his type rating, he had no influence in his base (he was lucky because he got Girona, Spain as a base), he had to pay for his insurance and social security on his own, he has not been given a permanent employment and in the end didn’t have left much of a “not so bad salary”.

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Luckily he just signed the contract for a new airline where he is at least stationed in Germany (first it will be Nuremburg, but he is already on the waiting list for Munich). He also has a permanent employment there etc. But I’m pretty sure he would have never been offered this position if he hadn’t had already a valid type rating and enough jet hours. This means: many young pilots don’t have any other choice other than accepting the above mentioned model. However, this has the cosequences that you won’t have any vacation for a whole year, you won’t get off on your girlfriend’s birthday and you may even have a checkride on your own birthday.

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I wanna fly but not at any price!

For me flying is the most amazing feeling in the entire world! Nothing compares to flying yourself, to have so much power in your hand and to this incredible feeling of freedom throughout your entire body 😀 For me being an airline pilot has been my dream since I’ve been a little child and it’s still my dream…

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But unfortunately at many airlines there isn’t much left of this feeling of freedom 🙁 Back in the days everything was different. You got hired straight from flight school, didn’t need to pay for your type rating, had been offered a permanent position with great conditions etc. However, times have changed unfortunately.

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Now you can speculate why things have changed so much because there are still people who need to get from A to B. I think the main reason is the existence of low cost airlines who have totally overtaken the market with their super cheap prices. Another reason is the boom of the Middle East carriers such as Emirate Airlines, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airlines etc. who are constantly receiving a higher market share. An Emirate Airlines has much different cost structures than any European airline due to the fact that fuel is almost for free in their country and they often even get subsidized by airports. Whereas a Lufthansa’s highest costs are fuel and airport costs. Through their low cost structure Middle East carriers can offer a much butter and more luxurious product for their passengers than European or American airlines are able to offer. This makes it very difficult for European or American airlines to compete. Furthermore, the location of Middle Easter carriers is simply perfect as they are situatuated in the middle of the world. Hence, it is a great hub for passenger from almost all continents.

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A friend of mine who has chosen the same model like my boyfriend did has just been offered (after 2 years working for the first airline) a very luctrative offer by Qatar Airlines. However, he needs to move to Doha for it which isn’t an option for everyone, especially not for women. And coming back to my own situation: I am a woman who could get children right away without a typerating. Hence, I’m not very attractive for most airlines. This doesn’t change even when you mention 10 times that children are still faaaaaaar away in your planning like in my case. Unfortunately you are always seen as a woman and not as an individual human being.

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Nevertheless, OF COURSE I don’t give up! My application with Condor is still open and I’ve already passed a few tests there. Condor would be my dream airline to work for.

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Another dream of mine would be working for Hawaiian Airlines as a pilot. Many American airlines have demand, however, in the USA there is unfortunately the regulation by the FAA that you need to have at least 1500 flying hours before working as an airline pilot. Hence, this isn’t unfortunately an option for many young pilots like myself.

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Otherwise my projection is that the middle east carriers will keep on growing and expanding in the near future to Europe. In the case of a European base such an airline would then become attractive. So you can see: although the situation isn’t the best at the moment there is still hope 🙂

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One advantage is that there isn’t much pilot offspring at the moment. Which parents pay nowadays flight school for their children of almost 120,000€ when most flight schools don’t offer a financed training anymore?

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Therefore, I decided to not be sad about my current situation. I still fly privately quite often and enjoy the feeling of freedom there to the fullest. Besides that through not being bound by anything at the moment I can travel and enjoy life in a whole other way. My job makes it possible to work from anywhere in the world. I really love my life right now, I’m feeling free and not tied to anything and this makes me super happy. And isn’t that what life is all about?! Being happy 🙂

Feel free to share your opinion about this ♡

Xoxo

Maddi

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