Another wannabee

[ATC pilot wannabee]

Heya im sorry i just need some advice,

Ive always wanted to become a pilot, unfortunetly in my GCSES i gained 1b 1c 6d's 1f and 1g, I took some resits this year im pretty sure i got 4 C's or above but probably missed out on the Maths again (D)

If i where to go down the JAA PPl into FI route and then from there build up hours and say apply for an Airline as such as Atlantic, who take on low hour low experience pilots, what do you think my credibilities for any major airline in the future would be for example quantas or BA?

Im sorry once again i just want to live the dream i guess its just a tough road to get to :ugh:


If its any help im currently 17.

Thanks, Alex

[Bealzebub]

Well, where to begin?

Firstly, it is an expensive and time consuming business embarking on flying training. The good news is that there is no particular educational achievement level required to embark on any flying training, towards any of the various types of pilots licence. People will come on here and tell you how they couldn't pass an exam to save their lives, but are now criss crossing the globe astride their 747's with not a care in the world. In a few cases that is undoubtably true, but such achievments were almost certainly the product of a different time, and certainly involved an unusual degree of luck. The reality in more recent years, is that competition is very tough, and where vacancies do arise, it is important to have an arsenal of attributes that make your curriculum vitae stand out from all the others.

Some methods of training and certainly all forms of sponsored or subsidised training (and they are almost non-existent at this time) will require a good educational certificate portfolio. That would likely be at least 5 GCSE passes at good grades to include English Maths and a science based subject with a preference for physics. Many would also require at least 2 good grade A levels with a similar bias towards mathematics and a science.

Airlines that do recuit low houred pilots will rarely find any shortage of candidates, and the process of selecting those who will be invited to interview, will almost certainly include an appraisal of educational achievement grades.

It is also worth considering the fact that the study programmes for the various grades of licences as well as the continous learning syllabus as an airline pilot, involves a significant level of knowledge and application of those basic subjects tested at GCSE. Particularly, English, mathmatics, physics, geography, biology, and chemistry. It is difficult to envisage many current airline pilots having undue difficulty achieving a good GCSE attainment at any of these subjects, with a degree of study.

So why are you having difficulty achieving better grades? If this is simply a case of application or distraction, then that is something you need to rectify. There is nothing stopping you redoing these examinations again, or at any point in the future, even through a course of correspondance or home study. If you want to "live the dream" you must be prepared to accept the harsh realities, and also be prepared to put in the required level of effort to achieve that goal.

You are 17. My advice would be stay at school and resit the examinations you need, putting in the effort and resource to get significantly better grades. If you cannot do this, then find a job that enables you to pay for a private flying course, and use your spare time to embark on a couse of home study, to re-sit the important examination subjects in a period of 12 to 24 months. Invest the money at a very early stage to obtain the CAA class 1 medical certificate. Without this your ambition would be severley curtailed. It may well be that the exposure to PPL training will spur you on to improve your own chances, and give you the motivation to take some serious decisions and options. Conversely it might make you realize that "the dream" is a lot glossier than the reality would ever be.

Do I think GCSE grades B,C,DDDDDD,F,G would get you an interview with the like of BA or QANTAS. Not really no.

Do I think GCSE grades B,CCCCC,DD,F would get you an interview with any major airline? Not really.

However you are moving in the right direction, and if you take on board advice that you garner from good sources including your own parents and your own research, there is nothing stopping you from doing something about it, and still enjoying yourself in the meantime.

Good luck with your results when you do get them, they might be better than you think!

[ATC pilot wannabee]

Thanks, youve given me a lot to think about, i guess these next two years are critical for what i want to do , thanks again.

Alex.

[Aerouk]

You really need to work on getting those school grades up shouldn't be hard just a bit of hard work.

I know schooling isn't for everyone, but it's only a couple of years then you'll be free to do what you want.

[ATC pilot wannabee]

I think my current plan would be to (if i got good grades) take a year out, work for a year, get a car. then probably apply for the Leeds Bradford Aviation - The Aviation Academy Website - Home (http://www.theaviationacademy.co.uk/) and do my A levels when im 18 and if i do, well not soo well! ill just have to take the home learning GCSEs to top it up and still go for the academy next year, and i agree with you completely Aerouk, all i have to is put a bit of effort in and il get where i want to be.

Once again thanks for the help! :)

Alex.

[Nashers]

with all due respect, if you cant put the work in for your GCSE's, how will you manage to do your ATPL exams nevermind PPL ones?

[ATC pilot wannabee]

ive always been good at things that interested me, for instance this year i enjoyed chemistry and physics and biology quite alot so i am hoping to get A/B in them seen as in my 1st and second module for all those exams i got above B , i guess its just going to have to be one of those things where i knuckle down no matter what, But i know youll all here sop stories, but my last school did mess me around from one thing to another, thats why i resat them this year, for instance i seemed to have a lot of subbies that didnt quite know what they where doing, thats why i dragged myself back this year, soo we shall see and i am determined to work for all the coming exams.

[dbriglee]

Hi mate.
Yeah respect to you for the drive you have! It's brilliant!
Take your time with the grades, if yours still living with the 'rants' then you wont have many outgoings, you can put in the time to get descent grades.. A-C definitely! English maths science included.. (you really really dont use physics at all in the ATPLs, I did my Alevel in it... Although Maths you will need)

And just about the ATPLs... well dont think its all flying based... nice aerofoils and lift equations and learning about instruments and how they work (One of many examples).... I found that interesting..
But believe me, you have to learn A LOT of rubbish, and its a stuggle for people even if you love flying... Lots of people wer disinterested in Human Performance, or Airlaw.

Learning about .. well... just utter rubbish you will never use again to be frank with you... (Out of the 14 books i can think of soooo many examples)

Of course it's nice to know information.... but you never use or think about it in commercial land.


The exams are more... training for the type rating in a way. It's a way for the CAA to see how much information you can take in, how well you can learn it, and how quickly you can get to grips with the pace of learning.... it is so quick!

Just like the type rating (a 2 week course to learn everything about a plane??! Major work.. It's not impossible! Just takes effort).

Good luck matey!
And don't forget, you're not just getting grades to get into aviation as a pilot.
Think of back up plans, you will always need good grades when applying for any job.... even if it maybe a job to help you pay back the training cost.

Good luck!

[ATC pilot wannabee]

Thanks mate :) Im going to get my head down, but i guess i cant do a lot until results day.... so fingers crossed!

Alex

[BoeingMEL]

...maybe you could also take more care with your spelling and grammar...it's not very good you know! Good luck anyway. bm:=

[Andy_20]

ATC, good luck for your exams... worse case scenario, resit you exams but work like a b*****d, and get the best grades you can. Im a typical average student, C's right across the board but that didnt stop me passing ATPL MOD 1 with 93% average. I wasnt interested with anything at school, but flying interests me so i get stuck in and get the work thats required done. So i can see where your coming from in a big way. But believe me, im working on trying to get the best academic qualifications i can, the market is in such a position where competition is fierce, you need something to stand out from the crowd!

Take it easy, :ok:

[ATC pilot wannabee]

Thanks alot mate! Yeah i understand what you mean, thats why im thinking about becoming an FI for a couple of years before i even think about moving on, i guess everyone is trying to be Unique and get airlines to hire them, i think thats why the lads and lasses on the other forum are pondering about buying a TR.

Thanks :)

Alex

[Cabair]

Forget uni. Save the cash and go to flight school.

Consider:

CABAIR - for Flying Lessons (http://www.cabair.com)

Or

Oxford Aviation OAA.com - Oxford Aviation Academy (http://www.oaa.com)

Or

CTCWings Airline Pilot Training with CTC Wings (http://www.ctcwings.com/europe/)

[XL319]

I don't think you have a clue what your saying cabair. I'm presuming you are or you do represent cabair.

And as such cabair are just introduced their "NEW DEGREE COURSE WITH INTEGRATED ATPL" which makes a joke out of your last post.

Cabair News: the Latest news and events throughout all divisions of the Cabair Group of aviation companies (http://www.cabair.com/news.htm#bnu)

I've heard nothing but bad things about cabair, but each to their own