Young Private Pilots [Archive]

St. Helier

22nd Jun 2007, 18:13

Hi all, I started flying when I was 15 years old (2 years ago) It is a dream of mine to become an Airline Pilot in the future. I had to stop my flying in November due to financial restraints, I had no financial help from family or sponsors, ect. I went out and got a job to fund my way through hour by hour, now two years on, I am 17 and I have saved enough money to pay for the whole PPL contract with my Aero CLub, I start flyin with no finance to worry about in July, can't wait, I will have my PPL before I get my driving license!!!

Just a query if anyone is or has been in the same plane as me when it comes to flying at a very young age? please share you experience with me.

I have always said, "Lifes not a dress rehersal" so if theres something you want, go for it, and that is exactly what I did, at the grand young age of 15!!!

LondonJ

22nd Jun 2007, 18:37

Good stuff... perfect time to start learning, you should be able to blast through the ppl quite quickly with the right weather.

I did it at 16/17 too, and I wasn't treated any differently to anyone else + I was already in exam mode so the revision was fairly easy! Just act maturely and do what your told.

Good luck.

rjay259

22nd Jun 2007, 19:54

St Helier,

Good luck matey and really enjoy your training, best thing is to try and learn as much as you can, when you do have your PPL for the first six months go back up with an instructor or hit the circuit just to make sure you are still perfoming well and not getting to c0cky.

I started flying when i was 14 with the air cadets and got my PPL when i was 19, I now fly for Thomson and love it, dont get me wrong it wasnt easy and it is so much more expensive that you think you know. Plus there were times that i couldnt get a job.

Be real about it but keep your dream in sight at all times.

Good luck enjoy and maybe see you in the flight deck.

259:cool:

WildDart

22nd Jun 2007, 21:03

I had my first flying lesson at the grand old age of my 16th birthday:} . It was a birthday pressie. i had many sleepless nights up to the flight. However it was the scariest thing ive ever done yet the most fun...:ugh:

Not only was i pilot in command but i was asked to take off, that wasn't to bad. However i was signed up for a aerobatic lesson, done loads of loops, stalls, barrel rolls ect but i loved it. (done it in a C152 aerobat BTW)

After that i knew there was no other career for me, been working for it since and i'll have my PPL and night rating mid august hopefully.

best of luck with it! defo try a aerobatic flight if you can!!! ;)

davidatter708

22nd Jun 2007, 21:12

I was in the same position flying before driving it was awesome fun. Experiences being the youngest club member and being one of the shortest first solo and also passing in only 45hrs15. I took 5 months and some awesome flights starting at 16 finishing week after 17th birthday due to a skills test being cancelled. Also managed to hitch loads of free rides in aicraft and still do. Also great fun now I am driving and have a etst booked the test seems such a doddle to the skills test. Oh and driving is soo much easier than flying anyway.
David :}

jai6638

22nd Jun 2007, 23:15

The fact that I could solo a warrior before I got my drivers license/learners permit was awesome! :p I solo'd a week after my 16th birthday and got my license a day after my 17th birthday... It was great!! :) Good luck with your training dude!

Another St Ivian

23rd Jun 2007, 00:08

StH;
There's quite a few of us who have a similar story.

I first soloed at 16, and had my PPL at 17. I could fly across the country and even abroad before I had my driving license.
I'm 21 now, and oddly enough just this week flew from South Wales to your home airfield; Jersey. Night stopped in St Clement actually.

I was trying to think back to any pitfalls or traps I had related to my age at the time. To be honest, I don't think there were many but I do have a few bits of advice.

Try to be reasonably assertive without coming off as arrogant or brash. I remember at 17 dealing with a couple of people in the aviation world who would make assumptions based on your age. Often they were just trying to be helpful but occasionally I felt as if I wasn't being taken seriously. To be fair it was nothing major, but I do remember doing a solo landaway to one airfield, walking into the club house and being asked in a rather condescending manner if I was hanging around for a trial flight. When I said I had flown in, I was asked who the pilot was!

I think a lot of it was to do with it being the first time I was in a situation where I had real responsibility. Don't be afraid to speak up and, if necessary, put your foot down at times.

The other thing I found, and it might be a bit of a broad stroke, was that when I was younger there was more of a tendency to rush things. Not out of any shoddy practice, but perhaps just a little youthful exuberance. Try to slow down, take your time. Enjoy what it is you're doing.

I also found it best to be relatively passive in many situations and soak up as much advice from others as possible. I learnt a lot of very useful tips from just listening to the experiences of those around me.

All in all though, I had a cracking time. I think us younger fliers have a head-start on the old and wrinklies; Our years of computer gaming give us miles on hand eye coordination, reactions and fiddling around with things like GPS's!

Best of luck, and do keep us posted!

jai6638

23rd Jun 2007, 01:17

The other thing I found, and it might be a bit of a broad stroke, was that when I was younger there was more of a tendency to rush things. Not out of any shoddy practice, but perhaps just a little youthful exuberance. Try to slow down, take your time. Enjoy what it is you're doing.

So true!! I'm trying to get rid of my habit of rushing things but damn its hard :p!

Often they were just trying to be helpful but occasionally I felt as if I wasn't being taken seriously. To be fair it was nothing major, but I do remember doing a solo landaway to one airfield, walking into the club house and being asked in a rather condescending manner if I was hanging around for a trial flight. When I said I had flown in, I was asked who the pilot was!

lol.. I had a similar experience. I flew into Bedford ( near Boston, US ) for my first solo XC. Bedford is a busy airport with lotsa security measures after 9/11. After I was done using the services at the FBO there, the security guy stopped me on my way to the plane and said "Hey, who are you.. How'd you get into the airport premises? Where's your ID".. When I told him I was the pilot, he asked me those questions again with a rude stare. Really sucks how they dont believe you..

alexthepilot

23rd Jun 2007, 10:01

hey mate, did my ppl in new zealand solo at 16th birthday got ppl at 17, converted back to an Australian PPL, got Csu RG, ME rating 185 hours nearly ready for my CPL when i turn 18. AND IM STILL AT SCHOOl :O its a wild world aint it hahah.

Alex

Frogga

23rd Jun 2007, 14:56

Hey, Im in the same picture, began flying at the age of 14, got my 1st solo on my 18th birthday, (ran out of money). Got back on track, and finished my licence before I turned 19. Loved every minute of it, got 200 hours now, just turned 22 and loving every minute of it, just trying to fly different types of aircraft now.

Andrew

proctor

23rd Jun 2007, 17:12

I got my PPL at 17 (with one week to spare!), and although I don't have the money to take full advantage of it (at the moment I'm just taking the odd cost-sharing passanger up for a quick local) I'm loving it! I reckon that people are much more impressed if you get your PPL when you're still at school, which is quite fun; I got a mention in a school assembly a few weeks after passing the skills test, which certainly woke me up from my usual Monday morning day-dreaming!

Oh, and yesterday I had a (half) lesson on the club's new Robin DR400 Ecoflyer. We never actully got off the ground due to approaching storms, but the excitement of being in a new aircraft (just 49 hours on the clock, which felt weird) with a built-in moving map and a shiny new cockpit was massive. I would certainly suggest trying a variety of aircraft as soon as possible.

Enjoy yourself,

Proctor

shortstripper

24th Jun 2007, 08:45

Good luck to you all! I'm slightly jealous as I didn't really get to fly much or get my PPL until I was in my early 20's though I started at 14. The world really is your oyster, and starting a career in aviation at such a young age gives you huge potential to succeed! Don't worry about the occasional views of some with regard to the "you can't be a pilot" look of disbelief. I get that even now and I'm in my 40's! I don't tend to try and "look" like a pilot and as I'm fairly unimposing in stature and character, I usually get "are you looking for the toilets?" or "have you come for a trail flight?" :rolleyes: Try not to be arrogant though, or assume that you are a "better" pilot than the next person, as that will at best loose you friends, and at worst, place you in danger. It's easy to become complacent as you feel naturally more confident about your abilities at a young age ... you become more aware of your limitations and vulnerability as you get older. That said, don’t forget just what a privilege it is to be able to fly, and do continue to have FUN! In other words, don’t just let the flying become the “day job”. I’ve met ATPL’s who never fly light aircraft, moan about aircraft noise and have no doubt lost the ability to ENJOY flying. Then there are others such as Foxmoth who apart from busy careers flying airliners, also fly anything they can get their hands on, just for the fun of it!

Once again, good luck and enjoy!

SS

trafficcontrol

24th Jun 2007, 11:59

hi I am 18 in July and will have had my PPL a year. I went solo at 16 and qualifyed before my 17th birthday, just had to wait for my licence to be issued. Its a great feeling of success, one that you will find many won't believe you. I too got my licence before i even started to drive which was an acheivement in itself and a possible loop hole it seems in the law system, but worked to my, and our benifit it seems. Congratulations on funding it yourself! that is very impressive, i myself did not, i am going into NATS and so had no need for university, therefore the money that was for university was invested elsewhere. Even though there wasnt enough for uni anyway, barely enough for a PPL and it wasnt all payed up front. I had to do hour by hour also, and got a little job in which i contributed half with my parents. I passed in 45 hours, which although good financially i still believe there is sooo much in a never ending process to be learnt. I have managed to get up to 62 hours now, which isnt bad. Although this is possible due to contributions made by fellow passengers that i have taken flying. tip... ask for contributions when you pass and take people flying. You're not allowed to ask for more than equal share, so for instance if there is 2 of you, you must pay at least 50%, if there is 4 you must pay at least 25%.
Well done again!! Fantastic achievement!!!

GWidgery

24th Jun 2007, 12:13

Getting a pilot's licence at a young age is a pretty awesome thing to do. It gives you a lot of confidence. I got my licence last August, just after turning 17, having started 9 months before.

I agree with what other people have said about listening and taking adivce from others around you.

Having a pilot's licence while still at school is pretty cool, your name will quickly become well known! I do love the part of the law that says you can fly solo before you're even allowed to start learning to drive.

Good luck with it, fly safe.

GWidgery

St. Helier

24th Jun 2007, 12:43

Hi everyone,

Thank you all very much for all your advice, I couldnt do without it!!

I think to myself now, "wow, im about to get something that will open so many doors to me" and its absolutley hoofing!!

Your posts are very much abliged, and thank you once again, I will be sure to keep you posted on the progress.

Thank you once again

Regards

St. Helier

EKKL

24th Jun 2007, 15:51

Young people here. Good on you for flying at a young age but what I want to know is, how does a 15/16/17yr old afford a ppl?

At that age you are not even in a decent paid job.

Even a saturday job or a paper round offers peanuts, must be some paper round you must do to be able to afford lessons especially if you are still at school.

Where do you get your money from?

shortstripper

24th Jun 2007, 16:41

If their parents have enough spare cash to sponsor them, then good on em! Must be a pretty good investment as investments in your kids go? I wish mine had that kind of dosh ... but back then few did, and loans ect were not as easily had!

SS

don't_ask_me

24th Jun 2007, 19:16

I'm going to be doing my PPL training this summer (and probably winter!:)).

I've got £4000 saved for it.
I'm also getting a £3000 loan (thanks to my parents) but paid for by ME
I'll also earn loads of dosh while training - hopefully another £1000

I think that will be sufficient.

I'm 17 - and no money given directly from mum or dad. (Just some forms to sign, a bed to sleep in, good food and support when things go bad:O!)

don't_ask

davidatter708

24th Jun 2007, 19:21

Holy smokes didnt know there were that many of us as I dont see that many ppl my age flying. As for money mum's mum's house sold and me and sister got 5k each she brought a car I did a pilots license and the deal was I pay for license you pay everything afterwards so now i work about 200yrds from the entrance at a karting circuit still see all the awesome stuff doing fly bys but get paid to sit and watch:} and almost all my wages travel the short distance to my flying account.
david

BAe 146-100

24th Jun 2007, 20:02

I thought I'd might as well add my name to the list, now 18, started flying when I was 17 and it is great. Probably will be solo in the next month or so.

I am too surprised at the amount of young people who actually do the PPL, much more than I thought. However the standard of flying probably does differ in the "under 20" category.

146

don't_ask_me

24th Jun 2007, 21:41

Yep, there's quite a lot of us :ok:

What are people's experiences of fitting in to the aviation communities?

I've had a warm welcome by a couple of flying schools - but they're taking my money. I'm hoping to make plenty of friends in aviation when my training starts full-time in the summer (and when the cafe opens again at Leeds :p)

Remember, there are a larger proportion of us with little experience. We've got to show the 'Older generation' that we can be trusted with their aircraft. We have also got to keep whatever it is that makes aviation what it is :hmm:. (If that makes sense :confused:) EDIT: No, I don't think it does :(

don't_ask

ahunter

24th Jun 2007, 21:55

St Helier. I just got my PPL on wednesday (my 17th birthday was on Tuesday) and I did my first solo on my 16th birthday (I was very lucky with the weather). I was in the exact same situation as you at an earlier stage in my training. I already had a job but I worked a lot more hours which enabled me to pay for the flying. I also didn't get any funding from my parents. But you will do it no problem, if you want it, you will get it. Happy flying! Alan Hunter

alexthepilot

24th Jun 2007, 22:04

both my grandad and father are in the bussiness, so they pay for all the finances which is a big helping hand, i realise others aren't quite as lucky :(

WildDart

24th Jun 2007, 22:15

I think we should have a section of this forum where newbies who have just begun their forever waited PPL can go and chat!

Well, im getting ready to finish my PPL this summer, got to decide by tuesday between 2 flight schools in europe then i start on july 24th :} be there for few weeks then come back to UK with PPL, but then i'll have to pay 150 pound a month to keep it active and when working part time and at school thats gonna leave me penny less for the nights out:(

Next gen of pilots is here!!! :E

MSP Aviation

25th Jun 2007, 09:53

WildDart

25th Jun 2007, 10:23

Quote:
Young people here. Good on you for flying at a young age but what I want to know is, how does a 15/16/17yr old afford a ppl?

At that age you are not even in a decent paid job.

Even a saturday job or a paper round offers peanuts, must be some paper round you must do to be able to afford lessons especially if you are still at school.

Where do you get your money from?
When one lives at home and has mum cook dinner, the expenses are mighty low.

Couldn't agree more, live it up all you can while you pay no rent. and its easier for a younger person get a job as a cashier, employeers can't say no as they try to get young people to get boring jobs like that.

Simply work 15 hours per week on 5.35 = 320 per month. Thats what i do, and that covers 1 flying lesson and the rest is for wasting :) that could cover 2 flying lessons at some spare!

and during the summer do mass over time, make 1500 easily, just takes time and commitment but if your determind to get there, then you will!

*EDIT option 2, get your mum to pay for it, and pay her back on direct debit 50 pound a month, thats what i did for my motorbike, its basicallly a loan without interest:D

Wessex Boy

25th Jun 2007, 12:06

I did a Flying scholarship at 17, and then stayed for an extra week to do my PPL (38 hours in '86) used to bunk off double maths on a Wednesday afternoon, take the bus to Cambridge, rent a 152 and do PFLs into the field next to the school:E

Applied for BA ab initio and got through into the final cut, but I failed my A levels (why was that? :ugh:)

Joined the RAF at 19 as an Air Loadmaster, got streamed onto Rotary, and then let my immaturity shine through and even though my standard of airmanship was high, I was not a valued member of the Sgt's Mess, so was hurled out.

I think I had got it all too easy and then threw it all away. I am just returning to PPL after a 17 year break.

Work Hard, appreciate what you've got/where you are.

Another St Ivian

26th Jun 2007, 09:06

Young people here. Good on you for flying at a young age but what I want to know is, how does a 15/16/17yr old afford a ppl?

I have GAPAN to thank for my PPL. My post-PPL flying has been funded through hard work, the odd gift and an Air League Bursary. Currently at University and it's proving harder than ever just to keep it ticking over!

ASI
GAPAN Cranwell Scholar '03
Air League Airbus UK Bursar '05

BHenderson

26th Jun 2007, 11:50

Here are the official numbers of licence holders with a valid medical:

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/175/srg_fcl_age_profile_04.pdf

According to this, I make up one third of my age group :)

davidatter708

26th Jun 2007, 13:42

That is really old BHenderson but I am 1/5 of my age group

tegwin

26th Jun 2007, 13:58

Wow...I make up 1/3 of my age group...

I completed my PPL(H) 3 months before my 19th Birthday...

It has to be said that some of the snobbery and bellitlment from the older pilots is quite amazing....Just because im decades younger than them and only just out of nappies (according to them) they assume that I should be a crap pilot and are just waiting for me to fail...

On the flip side, its quite easy for a young pilot to get cocky and rush things hence make stupid mistakes and prove all the old men right...

I find so long as I put my sencible hat on the moment I get to the airfield and think rationally about every move I make and act like a proffesionaly trained pilot, there is no reason why I am not just as good, if not better than the OAP's....:ok:

Some of the coments I get from people are great though...Landed at a private field, jumped out of the helicopter, shortly after, a group of people wondered over to see what was going on.....they outright refused to believe me that I was the pilot and wanted to know where he had gone......Needless to say I did point out the fact that they had just watched me land and would have seen if the pilot had done a runner...perhaps they might like to check in the storage compartment incase the pilot is hiding there....:eek::ugh:

Oh, and yes, living at home is a mixed blessing...cheap food, cheap accomodation so more money to pay back this BIG loan...however...having the parens sitting on your back again after spending a year living away from home isnt nice:{

BHenderson

26th Jun 2007, 17:59

I agree David, it is 3 years old and no doubt the picture has changed. I passed at the age of 16, with licence and extra type rating for 17 and that was 2 years ago. I imagine that there are significantly more young pilots out there now.

If have never experienced any 'snobbery'; if fact quite the opposite. I'm regularly offered positioning flights in preference to older pilots.

Bobby

St. Helier

26th Jun 2007, 20:55

To EKKL.

Thank you for the Message.

I qualified as a lifeguard and aquired a job at my local pool. per hour I am earning £8 for 8 hours on a saturday and 8 hours spread through out the week.

you do the math!!

regards

St. Helier

nano404

27th Jun 2007, 03:28

When one lives at home and has mum cook dinner, the expenses are mighty low.

Thats the life I live :E I graduate on Tuesday so then I'll be able to work full time with few expenses.

I expect to make a minimum of 650 pounds/1,300 USD a month. My sister works at the bank and makes around 965.5 pounds/1,930 USD a month, need to go work there :}:ok:

neilcharlton

28th Jun 2007, 14:56

i dont know what jobs you boys are getting at the weekend , but I take my hat off anyone who save up the best part of 5k+ under the age of 20 !

If the flying career doesnt take off you can always become a bank manger ;-)

Nimrod615

28th Jun 2007, 23:16

Another St Ivian's first post was spot on.

I was in a similar situation a few years back. In the days of 2962's(a few will know what I mean) I had a report which, fortunately praised my ability, but specificaly stated;
"....at xxx's young age, he must guard against older, more experienced colleagues taking control, but allow himself to learn and develop from their experience."
It was such a thrill being in the position I was in.
But don't get cocky cos you're one of very few people your age!
Learn as much as you can and pass your skill and experience on.
I'm a little older now and I'm still learning.
Still passing it on.
And that's the thrill I still enjoy!
Good luck to you all!
T

Whirlybird

29th Jun 2007, 08:07

occasionally I felt as if I wasn't being taken seriously. To be fair it was nothing major, but I do remember doing a solo landaway to one airfield, walking into the club house and being asked in a rather condescending manner if I was hanging around for a trial flight. When I said I had flown in, I was asked who the pilot was!

Landed at a private field, jumped out of the helicopter, shortly after, a group of people wondered over to see what was going on.....they outright refused to believe me that I was the pilot and wanted to know where he had gone......Needless to say I did point out the fact that they had just watched me land and would have seen if the pilot had done a runner...perhaps they might like to check in the storage compartment incase the pilot is hiding there....

Greetings to you all. I only just found this thread. And both the above quotes really, really struck a chord with me.

Why, you might ask. Those of you who read PPRuNe a lot will probably know that I'm a helicopter instructor, also have a PPL(A), and am....let's just say old enough that I take exception to someone's earlier comment on "wrinklies". ;):)

Yes, but...I happen to be FEMALE!!! And there are still very few women flying (6% of PPLs, 2% of commercial pilots). So I've experienced lots of things similar to the above, and more. I've got out of the aircraft, and had people look around for the pilot! Students regularly think I'm the tea lady. :{ One said to me in obvious confusion, "I didn't realise that women flew helicopters".

I used to get annoyed, and I can understand if you do - neither sexism nor ageism are acceptable, in aviation or anything else. But quite often, it's not prejudice, but simply ignorance. The public has this fixed idea of how a pilot should look - probably early 30s, definitely male, tall and debonair looking...sort of James Bond type. You don't fit the bill, and neither do I. I've been told several times, "You don't look like a helicopter instructor". I've tried to ask how I should look....they can't tell me!!!

So I don't get upset any more, and neither should you. Tell people plainly that you ARE the pilot, have a laugh about it if you want, and leave it at that. Though I must admit, asking them to look in the luggage compartment in case the pilot was hiding is a good one. :ok:

And let's face it - in a few years you'll blend into the background at airfields, and I don't think I ever will. :{

Sorry to have highjacked your thread. Feel free to ignore me if you want.