Working on ratings at age 16

[2cdneh]

Thanks for your thoughts.

He's not expecting to land a flying job straight away, although it would be great. I think he expects to get a dock/ramp job first, then work his way into a flight job. The idea is to get some good flying experience, and be relatively well-prepared for finding work.

Ramp job is unlikely - a lot a students, not many jobs, he's only 16, and he can't drive a car yet due to graduated license requirements, and it's 50 kms to the airport. He could buy a Ninja 1400 that goes 330 km/hr, and the province is cool with that (he actually has a Ninja 250) but he's not allowed in a Kia for another six months

Again, maybe a year after high-school working any job, and flying at the same time, would not be a bad thing, but if he is able to land a dock job straight out of school and take the Challenger with him, he can build some general work experience and some hours/experience. However, if this forum is any indication, the hostility towards anyone with a bit of family money might make having his own plane when working a dock job a two-edged sword.

I will talk to him about building some life experience, but I'm letting him make his own decisions. If he winds up not able to get a job, he'll deal with it, and take whatever path he needs to. Haters to the contrary, this is his plan, not mine.
The RPP comes for free when he passes the PPL test - I confirmed that with Transport Canada this morning. No separate test required. I'll encourage him to gain some variety of flying experience - maybe a road trip as you suggest.

[Aeros]

It's been great to get a lot of information from everybody. I think I now understand the rules and limitations of his pre-PPL flying. I know that he can take the IFR tests whenever he completes the requirements. I will be much better informed when I talk to Transport Canada.

If you're talking about the written exam he's likely OK but he will require his PPL in order to attempt the flight test for the Instrument Rating.

From the Flight Test Guide - Instrument Rating (TP9939E), "Admission to Flight Test - Initial":

In order to be admitted to a flight test required for the initial issue of an Instrument Rating, and to meet the requirements of CAR Standard 421.14, the candidate will present:
...
a valid Pilot Licence;
...

[Colonel Sanders]

Better be careful Colonel Sanders, on this thread you’re going to be accused of pushing your kid too hard and burning him out.

Heh - the people here who think flying straight and level
from point A to point B in good weather with a GPS is a
Big Challenge have no idea what pushing your kid hard is ...

Try this on for size. As wing, fly line abreast 2 formation
loops and a formation hammerhead. At age 19.

Here's his helmet cam:

[patter]

Any chance Dad, that u could go take some flight lessons too? Father son stuff? That's always fun to watch. Remember flying is quite social too.
Young people often are so focused with completion, but sometimes the journey is the best part. The people I sat in groundschool with all those years ago are still around and working.

[ross1]

"Everybody has been telling him that he'll have to work the docks before he gets a flying job. He does not want to instruct, so the bush route seems like it would make sense. As a 200 or 300 hour pilot, especially at 18 (or even 19) how do you go about finding a flying job?"

"When he’s got 10 years under his belt, and is making some reasonable money, and I am retiring, he's going to pay back a significant amount of total cost. But he'll pay it back on pilot’s wages, not McDonalds', and he still has skin in the game."

" He wants to be a pilot"

Hi...this young man has a wonderful opportunity and I'm sure all here will wish him well. Perhaps I've missed it along the way but ..what is the end goal? Assuming its airlines, perhaps there are some here that might be able to describe the historic hiring/layoff cycle. Hiring of pilots has never been better than it currently is...but what about in 7-10 years...? What will he be prepared for then.

It also seems that he has the resources and drive to probably excell in anything he puts his mind to ...and could still "be a pilot" without having to fly for a living. (Extreme examples..Jimmy Buffett, Harrison Ford, John Travolta).

Does the path being laid out for him lead anywhere?

regards
RB