Starting professional pilot training.

[heights good]

Hi all, this may seem like a particularly stupid post but here goes anyway. Before I part with my hard earned cash to start professional pilot training can you possibly help me out with a few burning questions I have that I am struggling to find the answers too?

1. What is likely to be the cost (approx) from start to finish for all my training, accommodation, CAA exams, Uniform etc. etc? I mean from start till actually starting on day 1 with an airline?

2. Do airlines expect you to have a type rating, this is obviously beneficial?

3. The USA has a lot cheaper cost for flying training, is this reflected in the standard of training and do the airlines appreciate the USA route as being equal in quality as the UK?

4. What is the best licence to aim for if working in the UK? I.e FAA, JAA, JAR. There doesn't seem to be a definite answer for this.

5. What would be the realistic amount of hours as a minimum that the airlines will be looking for?

6. What training establishments should be avoided in the UK and USA for Ab initio - ATPL training?

7. Has anybody used Rainbow Air in the USA for flying training of any kind. They seem to have a very good course of Ab Initio to full ATPL for $85k, this seems reasonable but what is the catch? The link is below.

http://www.rainbowair.com/academy_european_ptip.htm

8. Do any airlines still do cadet programs and are they likely to enrol a 35yo into them?

9. If airlines do not have a cadet program do any help with the cost of any training?

10. Would previous military aircrew service (not pilot) be considered an advantage at any point in training or recruitment?

11. Finally, are there any websites/books/magazines etc. that you would recommend that explain the whole process from start to finish or even just have general info about any of the process?

Thanks in advance and apologies if many of these questions have been repeated.

Heights good

[G-Dawg]

Your in the worng place, if you go to wannbies section you'll get all the info you need, just remember to take certain aspects with a pinch of salt, questions such as the type rating are very difficult to answer and are cause of great argument and debate in here.

Price of course all depends on where you go, intergrated or modular, intergrated looking at anything between £55,000 - £100,000 depending on your performance. The industry changes so quickly it's difficult to know what they want and what they want now doesn't mean they'll want it 18 months later when you've finished your training. As for cadet programmes, flybe-cabair part sponsorship but you need a ppl to apply. Apart from that good luck to you, it's a hell of a tough industry and you really gotta want it as you'll sacrifice almost everything to get it...Hope this helps.

G