Guidance needed please help!!!

[pdn83]

Hi Everyone,

I'm going to be very honest and would appreciate some honest answers. I'm 26 and for a long time have wanted to become a pilot but unfortunately didn't do so well at school only achieving a couple of gcse and a gnvq in business studies and kind of decided that i wasnt bright enough to be a pilot and went about other jobs since leaving school. Last year my sister sent me to the open day at Oxford and in March this year I got a job at Easyjet as cabin crew and started my ppl. This has all opened my eyes that maybe i can do it but with a little hard work and to resit some exmas!

I guess what i am asking is if i still have time on my side being 26 and with the current economical situation? Is it a good time to apply or hang on for a bit? Also if anyone has any ideas of how else i can maybe go about it i would be so grateful!!

Working as crew is so much fun and i can't get enough of the buzz of every take off and landing but everytime i wish i was in the flight deck doing it....i want it badly!!! Thanks and i really do appreciate any help.

[TheRich23]

Best people to ask mate are your employers, you've started your PPL so im assuming you are intending on a modular route. Your next step will be exams. Distance learn them, take you time, see what things look like at that point. That way you have a PPL and only spent a couple of grand on Exams(not a lot in this game)?? Keep your nose clean with Easy for that time and you'll be a nice position....with a bit of luck

[Akrapovic]

easyJet are not going to sponsor you themselves. They only take qualified - low hours guys from third party training providers like CTC - but even that approach is drying up to the point that they're only taking them on for the busy summer period.

I personally would ignore this economic cr@p - it's gonna take you a while with your experience to even get a licence and if you're hoping to pay for it on a FA's salary, then even longer.

You HAVE to be realistic and look at the serious issues of financing a licence - very few banks are keen to lend vast amounts of money people are prepared to borrow to get themselves a licence, and where does it put them? On the heap with a tonne of other qualified, low hours pilot's with no type rating . . .

I'd personally get yourself some lessons, enjoy your flying, while getting your head stuck into some books - log the hours and save like mad and get your face known. Hang out at your local flying club, offer to help out and ignore the academic side of things. Sounds cheesy, but if you really want it you'll find a way to get through the theory side of things . . . I'm living proof of that!

PM me if you've any more Q's
Cheers

[mierda]

Do it! You only live once and you are still young...

I agree, ignore the academic side of things. I am also living proof of that!

[pdn83]

very much appreciate the advice! i'm currently waiting on results of a medical but if that all goes well i shall carry on with my ppl and see where things take me. i have some money through family to put towards a training school so will see what options i have in the next few months.

[Ian the Aviator]

I wish I had started towards my CPL / ATPL at age 26 !
I was close to 40 when I decided to 'go for it' and was 41 when I finally got my frozen ATPL back in 1999.

Not wishing to put anyone off, getting that elusive first job wasn't easy - hundreds if not thousands of CV, phone calls and on-site begging got me nowhere. I eventually went for an FI rating and worked as a part time FI for around 2 years before getting my first real commercial job.

Since then I haven't looked back and now I've got the left hand seat on bizjetz flying all over Europe - my perfect job !

So, go for it - if you dont you may always be thinking 'what if.....' and the best of luck !