Get Or Not My Cpl

[H3NRIK3]

Hi guys

This is very important to me as I believe it is time for me to put my foot down and decide what to do with my life. I know that we have a lot of people asking the same but my situation is slightly different. I'm 24 yrs old currently have a full time job, not the best in the world but I like it, not earning fortunes but keeps me going lol...

My question and I hope this does not come out as rude but it's to the most experienced out there, who actually have done it or are thinking of doing it.

I LOVE planes and if I could, I would fly everyday just to be in one. At the moment the job I have it is pretty much what you call it a dead end job can't really progress from here and thinking of changing my career to something else that is not what I like there isn't much point. Now what I would love to do is to become a PILOT, but I'm down to earth and I know life isn't easy. My question is??

Is it worth at the present time we are in to risk getting your CPL (considering I would have to borrow most of the ££ and be in debt)

What about your social life (as in family etc) ?

Will things pick up in the flying industry or is it more likely not to improve?

Also to the experienced ones out there, is it better for me to get my PPL first than go for the CPL? (considering money is an issue as i have to save it first lol)


I will appreciate all the help I can get!!! :)

Thank you for all your answers and support

[Whirlygig]

I know that we have a lot of people asking the same but my situation is slightly different.Your situation is very similar to many on here and yes, the question has been asked many times. Please do a search and read past threads on this forum as many experienced posters are becoming more and more reluctant to keep typing the same thing over again.

Cheers

Whirls

[Shunter]

Borrowing (or attempting to borrow) topside of £80k for an all-or-nothing integrated course in the present climate is just stupid in my opinion. Not only is the industry in dire straits which will continue (if not further decline) for some time to come, there is an abundance of well qualified pilots out there competing for the handful of jobs which are still available. The law of supply and demand will dictate that the salary these pilots will work for will continue to decline. How people manage to live on the average FO salary whilst paying back £1000 per month on a training loan never ceases to amaze me. It must be nigh on impossible to sustain anything approaching a comfortable standard of living.

If you really love flying, I suggest you work your way towards a PPL and retain the flexibility to play it by ear and progress further if/when the market improves.

[vlieger]

Don't do it if you have to borrow most of it. Consider it with your eyes wide open provided you have saved up and have a very sound backup plan. Don't get into too much debt. Work hard, save up, build your hours slowly but steadily and take it from there. Only consider integrated schools if you can pay at least half or 2/3 of the costs up-front and manage to work a bit on the side while you are doing it (an option few people mention, but doable) to top up your living costs fund.

[CAT3C AUTOLAND]

Hello mate,

As Whirlygig has said, you need to have at a look at some of the previous threads and source the information.

On reading your thread, you give the impression that you are not familar with the process of obtaining your professional licences. My advice to you is reasearch what you are doing thoroughly. I dont want to teach you to suck eggs, but becoming a professional pilot takes a great deal of hard work, dedication and committment to become successful, and with all due respect it is not just about 'loving' aeroplanes.

With the industry the way it is, and the fierce competition you have a steep mountain to climb, however, will hard work and dedication, you will get where you want to be if you want it bad enough.

You asked about social and family life as a pilot. Well, with regard to your social life, that really depends on you and what you like to do with your spare time. As a pilot you will work unsocialble hours, sometimes starting work at 5am, you will work nights and work alot of weekends. If you have a girlfriend, wife, or kids, or any of the above, they may find it difficult to cope with your shifts, and your committment when you are training. Them, themselves will have to understand your committment to what you have set out to achieve. On saying the above, I was talking to an ex BA 74 skipper the other day, and was asking him what the longhaul life style was like, and his answer was, if you hate your wife or girl friend it is great ;).

Anyway, all the best with what you decide to do. There is a lot of negative comments here about how the job as a pilot has changed, and it is not as fun as it is used to be, however, I really enjoy the job, it certainly beats working for a living.

Cheers.

[KAG]

Is it worth at the present time we are in to risk getting your CPL

The last 50 years taught us that the best time to start training is when everything is down (like now). The worse time is when everybody is hiring like crazy and when the school are speaking about pilot shortage.
And that for many, many reasons.

Now keep that in mind:
*It is really not a good idea to borrow a lot of money, but if you do take an integrated course in a well known flight academy.
*The future of aviation looks ok for the next 5-10 years. But fuel cost could become a serious problem sooner or later.
*If you start asking about "social life" you may not have enough motivation.

[H3NRIK3]

thanks guys, i have done some research but i will be honest about it it was about 2yrs ago and i was familiar with some of the things i needed to do, i also got accepted at bucks university to do a commercial pilot training (which i thought i was going to be sponspored for, till i got a call from cabair asking me for £62 for the license) i have been reading alot of forums regarding the pilot life and how the market is at the moment and to be honest it looks like the best option is for me to save up for a PPL!! and go from there.

now with your PPL is there any job you can do to get your hours and more experience?

[Bla Bla Bla]

Well mate, I did my ppl when I was 24 in the uk and loved it, that's not to say go spend the banks money. You do need to think very hard and do the sums, can you pay this loan with comfort in your current job as a flying job is extremely unlikely and would no doubt pay allot less than you are on.

Only you know what you really want, I have followed my heart through my career and so far and for me its worked, with loads and loads and loads of effort to back it up and lots and lots of people telling me I'm doing the wrong thing.

I would say do your ppl and enjoy it, build a few hours and see what you think before you commit to anything.

[smith]

is it better for me to get my PPL first than go for the CPL?

This would seem sensible to me :ok:

[powerstall]

If you're going to do for the love of it, go ahead. But if you're in it just for the money, better forget about it. It's gonna take some time and hardships, i tell you. :E

[redsnail]

There's nothing wrong with starting now, so long as you're not borrowing vast sums of money and understanding that the major airlines will not be ringing you up offering a start on their shiny jets as soon as you finish your IR.

Read LASORs on the CAA SRG site. That will tell you the hours and experience etc required for each license.

Hours are gold. Note, you cannot get paid to fly on a PPL. You can cost share etc. What's available? Well, you can tow gliders (caveat - most clubs want you to be an active gliding member), parachute drop (same caveat), shift aeroplanes to maintenance etc.

Many folks go on a flying holiday to somewhere interesting. It's easy to burn holes in the sky but to give yourself a real challenge go somewhere different.
What you are trying to gain is decision making ability and confidence to respond to challenges outside your comfort zone.

Try to avoid circuit bashing post license. (If it's to push your cross wind experience, fine.)

I did every thing part time and over a long period of time. Now fly a bizjet. Not interested in airlines :E

[H3NRIK3]

well to make it clear I do love planes and flying, and no I dont have cash to splash at the moment. i have a £16k a year job with some comission, which i believe i can comfortably save for a PPL. and to be honest that is what i'm going to set my head on!
would love to fly for a major airline but i know that just to be able to get in a plane no matter which plane i'm in to get up in the skys will put a BIG smile on my face.
I would even be happy with a ultralight lol...

now with my PPL will i be able to fly tow gliders , parachute drop , shift aeroplanes to maintenance etc., and do you know if they have their own airplanes?

sorry for all the questions but i really apreciate all the help i'm getting to help me make my decision!!!

[redsnail]

You can only tow gliders and parachute drop for private clubs. You cannot do it for commercial ventures.

The clue is in the licence's name. Private Pilot's licence. You cannot get "paid" but you can get hours.

This info you'll have to dig out with 'net research and plain ol' legwork. Drive around to various aerodromes and ask questions. Google gliding clubs etc and ask.

When you study for the PPL, ask around the school & aerodrome.

£16K, that was the first salary I got here, FO position on a Shorts 360 freight op.

I did not get my first licence here (UK), but, the harder you work at networking and gaining knowledge about the industry, the luckier you'll get.

Good luck :ok:

[M14_P]

Shunter,

Couldn't agree more. Can this msg be printed 100000000000000 times and posted EVERYWHERE?