Growing Evidence That The Upturn Is Upon Us

[MEL CAT C]

Disagree

Wannabe action plan

Don't get sucked in by the glossy publicity and pictures of young people looking happy standing on the steps of airliners with South American military quantitys of gold braid. These are the people who have copped onto the fact that the wannabe is going to pay to sit in the (second) best seat on the aircraftand are going to charge a fortune for this "oportunity".
The market is not ready for this and won't be for two to three years minimum. Life would be so much better in the long run if all of you kept well clear of these money sucking parasites.

It might be the time to think about a very slow move towards a modular (f)ATPL, training prices are keen but DO NOT give up the day job and DO NOT borrow the money, at this stage play only with real cash that is yours (as always not more than £500 up front).
Slow forward movement is the name of the game with the aim of being ready to do the IR in about three years. If the market shows that it is picking up then borrowing a little money might be in order to quicken the pace but this won't be for two to three years and hopfully you will have done most of the trainning by then.

It should put you ahead of the market without exposing you to too much debt and you will still have a job if the market is slow off the mark.

With regards to paying for the "oportunity". Sadly the days of full sponsorship are well behind us, which is something i am very sad to see. But having been on an interview board for a UK airline I am fully aware that airlines, and sadly students, need to get real. The cost of integrated training is very high indeed. But some airlines,not mine but at least one large UK regional, still offer part sponsorship to students. True this may only put a dent into the financial punch that will be recieved by student and family, but that is what i would hold out for right now.

I have been a pilot/QFI/FI(a)/F/O then Capt and TRI/E. Now just in the last couple of years of my career. Light hopefully at end of tunnel! Pension over years has been screwed around with but hey, i'm not alone there right? I have watched this site on and off for the last few years, but only now do I get a 'log in' as I can not stand to see the rubbish posted by some people.
My advice to wannabes. Hang on, save up, look for airline part sponsored of affiliated courses and look to train somewhere that has a good reputation and lots of airline backing! I have seen several modular students lack even the basic elements or airmanship and handling skills, not to mention situational awareness in the sim checks. Not all are bad, some are indeed very good, but it would not suprise me if they had a natural high aptitude! How some passed their IRT with the CAA is beond me! Many modular training routes are cheaper, but they want your money just as badly! Somethimes withot even giving you an assesment of your suitability for the course!
On the other side of the course the candidates from integrated courses tend to do a lot better. Not all pass the sim check still, but the percantage is much higher. why? Well they are traied to a known standard and can demonstate their skills to myself when undertaking a basic profile in the sim check. When I pause after giving them several climbs, decents, and vectors with one or two nav aids tuned, i ask them to point on the radar minimums chart to where we are in the sky. Almost all get it right first time. We can even tell, during type conversion courses where an individual trained! The integrated route is expensive, but they do select you and test you to see if you will be able to see the course through and look attractive to airlines at the end of your 14-18 months. The modular route is sketchy and pilots from the route tend not to have any consistancy in ability,usually due to training at various locations,with diferent styles and techniques being demonstated. Sadly to the detrement of the candidate in the sim during the interview stages. Having also been an FI i would advise anyone serious on doing an integrated route not to spend lots of momey on a PPL. By all means do some flying lessons or trial flight to see if you enjoy being in the air, and in a small training aircraft. However bad habits learnt from some dodgy PPL instructors will leave you struggling a little, or maybe a lot, when conducting your 'professional' flying training. The integrated route has, and rightly so,a steep learning curve. You want to ideally be learning for the first time, not 'unlearning' then relearning something done differently, or correctly! consistency in training is vital!

At the end of the day you have to do what is right for you and what you are happy with, regardless of what I or anyone else writes on this site! My nepthew is very keen to take up flying as a career and I can't seem to put him off it. In fact the harder I try the more he wants it! I went to the Flyer?? exhibition at Heathrow earlier in the year. I was suprised just how many schools and airlines were there! He ended up with a great deal of information for the various schools and airlines, a lot of info all in one place. I was sceptical at first but on seeing the exhibition i was impressed.
I would advise people serious on going to atten if and when it is next on.My advise to him is also to wait it out until new courses appear. But each to their own.

Anyway thats my two pennys. Happy landings and best of luck to all.