BEST WAY TO FUND A PPL! occupation student

[Felix Saddler]

Hi, im just wondering the best way to fund for my ppl, bearing in mind im a student studying my first year of A-Levels? and how long will it take to complete considering the lack of funds?

[captainyonder]

How about a part time job? There aren't many options really, you'll need to earn the money or borrow it from your parents or someone else kind enough to help out.

[Felix Saddler]

there isnt a compromise i can make with my parents, however i do have money saved away (£4k) but my mum is reluctant to let me use it, she says the money is to remain in the bank to grow on interest and use later on in life. This is fair enough indeed but i she wants to use it to clear my university debts, but i dont want to go to uni:= , i want to gain my ppl and go to a flying school. As with the part time job i wouldnt mind getting one at my local airfield newcastle, cleaning planes, the dirty work basically but i dont know who to contact. I have been to the airfield several times but they just send me in different directions and nothing comes of it!! what should i do?

Regards,

Felix :ok:

[Whirlygig]

I don't wish to sound patronising here but your Mum is right!

How do you expect to earn your living? As an instructor? 'Cos in that case you need to have a CPL (Commercial Pilots Licence) (at least) and Instructor Rating. I don't know the exact requirements for these for Fixed Wing as I am Rotary but a search on these forums or general internet search will guide you.

There is not a lot of work at flying clubs; if there is, it will be very poorly paid (if paid at all!!).

Seriously, your best bet is to get a degree in a subject that will stand you in good stead as a career and consider the PPL later. A PPL (Private Pilots Licence) can be done part-time; hour or two a week so you don't need the full cost up front.

Please carry out a search here for job prospects, funding, CPL/ATPL courses - there's a lot to learn.

Cheers

Whirls

[wbryce]

It may be worth putting in an extra couple of hours reading...Have a look at my website specifically on the route page which outlines most steps towards a commercial flying career. Its certainly not bullet proof but it will give a basic understanding.

Read about the whole training process and see if flying is a trade you wish to invest your future in - It may be worth doing a trial lesson flight at your local airfield to ensure you and flying are on the same wavelength. I completed my higher education and decided to goto university, I was accepted to do engineering but I decided to pull out, get a job and pay for my flight training. Something I haven't regretted.

To make money from this industry you must hold a Commercial Pilots License and even when you have this the likelyhood of a job is very much non existent as you require further training, for example - Flying Instructors rating (to work at flying clubs/schools etc) ,Multi Engine rating and Instrument rating, a must for flying light twins commercially.

If this is the career you wish to do then complete your education, get a job and pay for flying hours on a monthly basis. It may take you 4 years to complete your training by self funding but lets face it, so does university.

[Felix Saddler]

What is your website? I couldnt self fund £50K in 4 years without a loan could i, without getting a degree for a better paid job!! i like your idea, as i like the idea of flying from a younger age so that i can learn with a higher efficiency and it's faster!

[Whirlygig]

Click on a person's name above, and follow the menu to their web page.

Have you considered joining the Armed Forces for a flying career?

Cheers

Whirls

[Felix Saddler]

yeah i would love to join the RAF on a sponsorship scheme, however i hear that it is extremely competitive to get into. I will give it a shot however!

[RVR800]

Go to Uni and join the University Air Squadron:ok:

[Felix Saddler]

:ooh: what's that? is it difficult to get into? who is it done with? i have no clue about it? i.e realistic chances!!

[r44flyer]

The University of Leeds offer a BSc degree, in collaboration with Leeds Flying School, entitled Aviation Technology with Pilot Studies. As far as I know, it's the only aviation related degree available in the UK that's not an aeronautical engineering degree.

A PPL is part of the course structure, contributing to a third of the second year syllabus (40 credits, 70% pracitcal flying assessment, 30% written report). It costs £3300 (not including final test/examiner fees) which is a considerable saving on the £5k+ it will cost you doing it at commercial rates, plus you have a degree at the end as well.

It's a young course, and is not without its negative points, but all in all it's certainly beneficial to a career in professional aviation.

Just another option for you ;)

[wbryce]

What is your website? I couldnt self fund £50K in 4 years without a loan could i, without getting a degree for a better paid job!! i like your idea, as i like the idea of flying from a younger age so that i can learn with a higher efficiency and it's faster!

Very little people can self fund 50k in 4 years, but get a job on an average salary..lets take 16k for example, live tight and put 10k of that towards your training for 2 or 3 years, theres 30k...don't discount that you can get a career development loan of upto 8k for your training too....another small bank loan would see you through your training. A great investment for your future career. You can goto uni, get into the usual uni debt, once you leave you will get a semi decent paid job but it would've taken you 4 years then how many more to pay off your debt incurred? this was my reason why I decided uni wasn't for me.

It may take 4 years but during my PPL I flew atleast 1 or 2 times a week - it gives you something to look forward to each week (until you hit Exercise 12 and 13 :} )! fastest 9 months of my life!

After your PPL you just continue to hour build by spending your wages on hours until your at 150 hours, 100hrs P1 (a pre entry requirement for your CPL training).

Sit down and think about things in the long term! When I first started thinking about this career I was inpatient and was fooled into thinking along the lines as you are.

[captainbirdseye]

Been a while since I was at uni - but I though the UAS had been canned? Can anyone enlighten me.

The Air league ( just bang air league into google) do various scholarships giving you up 15 hrs towards your PPL. Definatley worth a look.

Also have you thought about gliding - it can be very cheap, esp at uni and it gets your eye in for your ppl and if you get to a certain level you get a dispensation towards your ppl hours. And its amazing! (no pesky engines to worry about)

Good luck

CBE

[Felix Saddler]

ok so to sum things up rite now i should concentrate on my a-levels and if possible get a p/t job and start saving and maybe log enough hours to go solo working towards my ppl?

[smith]

Maybe this would be better moved to private flying. I don't really think £4,000 will gain that much interest to tide you over in later life. Using it now to get your foot on the first wrung of the ladder of your chosen career may in the long run secure you a job quicker. A low end career pilot will make say £20k in the first year. How many years will you need to leave your £4k in the bank for to make £20k? ...................... MANY is my guess.

My biggest regret was listening to my parents harp on about saving for later life. I wish I had started flying many moons before I did. Tell your mum its your money, your life and your ambition and phone the flying club today.

My opinion ........... Go for it! Either now or when you finish Uni.

(Standing by for some flack from Felix's mum, please don't come after me with a rolling pin) :}

Good luck in wahtever path you choose.

S

[Felix Saddler]

Thanks Smith, i wish she could understand that, she thinks that using it to get my ppl is a complete waste and that i should stick to education go to uni and get a degree!! but i dont know if i want to, and the money i have saved up will be aparently be spent on a % of uni debt!!:ugh:

[Felix Saddler]

Well i say i've saved up, she has saved it really but its like an inherritance thing! she also thinks that the only way i can and should go about my flying is sponsorship through the RAF!! i would love too but she doesnt understand how competitive it is and to her thats the only way im to do it!! My dad on the other hand is completely with me, he has his PPL and thinks i should do the same. Unfortunately they are divorced and i live with my mum!!

[Sean H]

Hi.. Im 17 too. I fund my PPL with part time job!

[Felix Saddler]

cool what job is it and are you doing your A-Levels? how many hours do you work and if you dont mind me asking, what is your wage a week? also how many hours have you flown and how many hours do you fly a week? lol sorry about the bombardment of questions :O

[Antonio Montana]

Your parents seem to talk sense Felix.
They only want the best for you. If and its a big IF you get through all your training, PPL, Night Rating, ATPL groundschool, CPL, ME and IR with first time passes, even the cheapest route will cost in the region of £30K. Thats a hell of a lot of money, if you go to a intergrated school it will be double plus living expenses.
SO you get your fATPL and what does it get you...... well the fact is you are not the only one out there, there are many more like you, what makes you more employable? Maybe a degree would help you put your CV up the pile a bit.

The sad fact is that more and more wannabe's are having to pay for a Type Rating and maybe line training as well cost of this can be annother £30K.
So you go intergrated, what does that get you.... well I was at BA, Cranebank a few weeks ago talking to a Training Capt and he was telling me that the two students with him, doing their LST's, were paying BA for their 737 rating. These lads were ex Oxford students and now have jobs with BA.

I myself was offered a job on the condition that I paid for my own rating, which I am doing.
You are young, god what I would give to be 17 again, I would get your PPL while you are at Uni, work dammed hard get a good degree and try to get a good job, then you can always do your advanced training part time.
Good Luck
Tony

[Whirlygig]

Felix,

Yes, it is competitive to get in the RAF but you'll never know until you try! I still university is your best bet and then PPL and subsequent qualifications (if, at 21, that's what you still want to do).

Why don't you want to go to university? Best three years of my life!

Cheers

Whirls

[mungo_55]

Hi,

I don't think the University Air Squadrons are dead - I found this link : http://www.universityairsquadrons.com/ I think it would be an excellent way to get some high quality flying training if you do go to University. And if they like you they may well give you a job in the RAF ! I think you do have to meet their medical requirements though. If you're interested in the RAF (either UAS, university sponsorship, or going straight in its probably worthwhile going to see your local RAF recruitment office.

Good luck, whichever way you decide to go !

Mungo

[femaleWannabe]

Ok so say you get your PPL while you're still at school.... then after your A levels, how are you going to fund the rest of your training?! I know when I was 17 I was in no position to take on a £30/40/50/60k loan! I went to uni, focussed on getting a good degree and am doing my PPL now. I have a reasonably good job which means if I do my training over the next 3 or 4 years during holidays then I will only need a small loan towards the end. I don't see what the rush is to get qualified, take your time - life experience counts for a lot.

[Felix Saddler]

Yeah uni sounds like a good idea and dont get me wrong it would be really enjoyable going to uni, meeting new people etc, however its nothing i couldnt do whilst flying, also when im younger i will learn more quicker and be able to adapt the skills i need to progress in a more precise and efficient manner!:rolleyes:

[femaleWannabe]

hahaha and by the time you're 21 you'll be too old to learn?! I think uni teaches you how to organise you're time, focus you're mind etc... if anything being older with that kind of experience makes you a better learner. You know yourself better, know how you learn best... and you'll have had to work a lot on your own without teachers making you do it. Ok so you'll be motivated for flying, but there will be times when you feel like giving up - nobody will be there to make you do it... uni prepares you for that.

[Whirlygig]

It's true, you do learn faster when you're younger but you could extrapolate that too far and say a five year old will learn more quickly than a 15 year old?

That age thing is more applicable when you become an old fart like me - I did my PPL(H) when I was 38 - and probably in more hours than I would have done at 28!

Wise words from Femalewannabee - some good points, well made and she's not old enough to be yer mother!!!!

Cheers

Whirls

[BitMoreRightRudder]

Yep I agree I'd not be so quick to throw Uni out the window. Sounds boring but the wisest people who enter training for this madness are those with a backup plan. A degree is a very good back up plan. Fact of the matter is you take a risk when you start your training, as no-one can guarantee you a job and no-one can guarantee your financial security. Please don't think I'm trying to put you off, but you need to be aware of what you are getting yourself into. I had a better appreciation of this at 21/22 than I did at 18! Good luck and all that.

ps. If you go to Uni you will get to meet lots of femaleWannebes!;)

[Groundloop]

"As far as I know, it's the only aviation related degree available in the UK that's not an aeronautical engineering degree."

There are actually quite a few aviation related degrees around that are not aero engineering courses. And a number of them include ATPL/CPL training, unlike Leeds which is just a PPL.

[Felix Saddler]

If i do go to uni i will probably do aeronautical engineering :D

[Pwrigtom]

Hi

Aero engineering is an awesome choice, tough but will enlighten you a lot on aircraft and probably make any ATPL's less tricky. If that is what you choose to do try aviod uni's that offer a common first year as you'll be doing mechanical engineering for a year and won't see an aircraft for a year!!

I know i'm extreamly biass but Loughborough University offers an excellent Aero course which is independent of any other course so it's aero from day 1 - Pluss we are the only uni to have the EUROFIGHTER prototype in our dept!!

Anyway back to your question, the PPL unfortunally funding is though work only!!, but if you have £4k then another £1k and you could go to america to do your ppl in a month and on the cheap, granded it is not the best training but it gets you in the air, if you need any more help get in touch

Thanks

Tom

[Felix Saddler]

whats the grades needed to get into loughborough?