Sponsorship Help!

[united786]

Hey Guys i am new to this forum.

I am 18 year old student in Manchester finishing my A levels as college. I really want to peruse a career as a pilot and i need sponsorship opportunities to reach my goal.

I attended the Etihad Assessment in London (Feb) and unfortunately i was unsuccessful. I have applied to CTC wings but they need my full A level results before i apply, which i won't get until August.

Can someone please help me out?

I am sorry if i have posted this in the wrong section.

[Zippy Monster]

No, you're in the correct forum but a few points:

1 - What exactly do you want help with? Your post is a bit vague.

2 - Sponsorship is pretty much non-existent these days. Regardless of what the flight training organisations say, there are currently very few jobs and a lot of people going through training desperate for the few jobs that do become available. There is no incentive for airlines or FTOs to offer sponsorship when they have a lot of people willing to pay their way through to beat others to the job. It's a case of supply and demand.

3 - CTC Wings, despite the way it is dressed up, is a self-funded route. You will hear it referred to as "sponsorship" because of the way the money flows between different parties, but it still involves you paying them a 'bond' of £69k (from this summer) plus funding all the living costs and various other bits and pieces yourself. Unless you have this saved up - and your initial post suggests you don't - it will almost certainly be taken in the form of a secured loan of some sort (as is the case with most people now.) When you start work, if work is available (and the CTC hold pool is rapidly filling up), you will either start on a reduced 'cadet' salary with the balance paying off your 'bond', or you will go in on a DEP salary and be responsible for repaying it yourself. Either way, you are paying for your training. I know, because I went through the programme and it really does hit you when you start paying it back and you start counting down the 7 long years until it's done. Sit down with a cup of tea and read the long thread on the CTC Wings programme. All 160-odd pages of it.

4 - If you have to wait a few months for your A-level results, what's the problem? Why not just wait?

With respect, your post makes it sounds like you need to do a bit of research of the industry before you start chucking a load of money at it. It's very easy to say "I want to be a pilot" while gazing at the airliners flying overhead, but the reality is the job is a lot less glamorous than one might think. Don't get me wrong, it's great and I wouldn't swap it for any other job in the world, but make sure you know what you're getting into before you start throwing big sums of money around. It really is a massive burden to carry.

[united786]

Hey

thanks a lot for your reply and it has really helped. I have actually done a lot research on this for the past 1 and a half year. You might not see it as you said that obviously because my previous post was too vague.

I've always wanted to be a pilot since when i was 7 years old, I just needed some guidance and advice on what would be the best possible root to take to reach my goal. I do realise it is difficult but if i give up now, i will be kicking myself in the next 5 years or so for not trying.

I decided to take a gap year and do apprenticeship with an airline. I have applied to various apprentiships already. With the money i earn i am hoping to do my PPL. Yh i know its still not going to be enough since the course costs about £5000 itself but my parents are willing to help me out as well.

Do you think it is a good idea?

[flyhighspeed300]

great idea that your going to do a ppl course, why not do some flying hours now, it all counts.that way your know if its for you!!!
remember at the moment there is alot of pilots with no jobs as well. including my-self. the pilot job market is saturated at the moment...
i have spent over £70K including living costs, and i have no full time pilots job and thats is nearly a year ago. So i am now having to pay for my ratings such a the IR/medical again to renew them. that is costly..
if you do, do the frozen ATPL course there is no going back, because of the money side of thing.
+ with CTC if you are one of the very lucky ones and gets a job like one of my firend was a lucky. he said that its not a great as he thought it would be. your proably get paid around 20K for the first couple of years (estimated 3years). but CTC/ banks, money issues etc wants at least £1,000 back every month , so thats £12K a year. so before tax, your looking at being home around less than £8K ayear for maybe upto the first three years. its not alot of money after you have spent all of that out.
i work and fly for free, and get very little at the moment. if i don't work for free then i will get nothing..

[thetimesreader84]

Why not have a look at this thread:

http://www.pprune.org/interviews-jobs-sponsorship/378127-multiflight-interview-atlantic-part-sponsorship.html

You need to have your PPL before you start, amongst other things, but it is a good scheme.

Its not for everyone though

TTR

[united786]

Thanks for your advice guys. I don't know where exactly i stand at the moment, but at least I've got something to think about now. Nice to know people are here willing to help you out!

Lets just hope something turns up!... and good luck to everyone else who are pretty much in situation as me as well as pilots who are still unemployed!

[clanger32]

Zippy,
Excellent post and nail on the head in almost all regards. The only thing I'd HAVE to disagree on is that you'll need more than one cup of tea to get through 160 odd pages!:}

Only thing I'd add is that whilst I know - I really do KNOW - that ten years away seems forever when you're just doing your A levels, do NOT discount going and getting another trade for a while and saving towards your overall aim. This gives you the benefit of reducing your debt to get your licences but more importantly it gives you a very, very valuable fall back plan - something which many people are either very grateful for, or wishing they had right now.

Personally I think too many people rush into this with no perspective of what a more "normal" job is like - and hence you'll see an awful lot of posts from 30+ yr old captains who are jaded as hell.

Look for posts by someone like G-SXTY and you'll see that having had a previous career helps provide a huge amount of perspective that may help you enjoy the career longer term. Also, working for ten or so years and paying the full sum out of your pocket, rather than paying from incurred debt, will cost you significantly less in the long term.

Right now, there's little downside to this either, given that there really are hundreds of us who have the licence and no job, not to mention those that have the hours and no job....

good luck - just try and think of the long term goal, not just the short term "I want to fly - now, now, now"...you can do that on a PPL, if you need to, but I'd seriously, seriously suggest being as prudent as to you can on how you get the professional licences...this may involve going the CTC or other integrated route, but minimising your debt.

[Re-Heat]

You have 40+ years of career ahead of you, and are in the middle of the worst recession since the war...take your time!

You action list should revolve around:

- GAPAN aptitude test
- Getting to the local flying club to speak to current pilots/trainees
- Earning cash (if you are not going to uni)

[united786]

So what are we expecting in the future?...

Are we looking at:
Newer airlines coming forward?
Current airliners giving opportunities to unemployed pilots?
More sponsorship schemes available again from airlines like british airways?

or is this just too early to think about?

What i am having trouble understanding is what actually is happening to the aviation industry. Are so many pilots unemployed and sponsorship schemes closed down because of recession or is it because of the terrorist attacks like 9/11?

[MartinCh]

trouble understanding simple economics? Ehm.

It's nice to be stary-eyed. I used to be one of those, but without any real ambitions to make the dreams come true.
Now I'm not and been working hard towards my career goals. No silver spoon anywhere near, no rich daddies, no house as security for loan.

Guys posting above summed it up.
I think your 1.5yr 'research' didn't unveil too much to you if you come up with these questions after the experienced folks lay it down in plain English.

You can realise your dreams/goals, but it's not likely to be an easy path. Whether time, giving up stuff, slaving at work or studying wise.

[Bearcroft]

Hello All,

I am putting together a proposal for sponsoship for PPL and CPL.
I would be doing it either in Kenya, SA or teh States.

To cut costs I would be looking into voluntary work to gain hours toward my CPL.

Has anybody here been in that boat? I woudl appreciate greatly any and all advice, warnings, suggestions.

Look forward to input

[MartinCh]

bearcroft, there's a school in SA that offers a 'cadet scheme' for someone without the cash. Working for them doing refuelling, menial stuff in exchange for 2 years during which he/she gains SA CPL(A).
More details on Avcomm. I think it's closed, but interesting to see something of that kind. It's not free, but way to 'get there'.

Your location states 'Kenya'. What passports/residencies do you have?
It could make some difference. Anyway, chances are slim, but do keep looking. I wouldn't have high hopes for countries you don't have right to live/work in.
The only exception I can think of off the top of my head was Etihad. They were recruiting non-nationals in the past. No idea how it goes these days.