Degree to fly? Please contribute ...

[E-Fizz]

Hello all
I posted a similar note in wannabes but would really appreciate views from people who are currently flying for airlines. I am 34 years old, have a current managerial position and am looking to pack it all in and fly for a living. I do not have a degree, I have a HNC in electronics and electrical engineering and a wealth of life experience. Is the lack of degree going to affect my chances of getting a F/O interview once I have JAA Frozen ATPL?

[Fuwhead]

E-Fizz - No, most airlines don't require you to have a degree to get in the right seat, even BA only require GCSE,A Levels.

[fantum farter]

No.
get the exams and the frozen ATPL they are hard work but not degree level just a huge volume of work over a year.But you could do modular and stretch it to your advantage.
No airline in the UK as far as I am aware need Degrees.

Edited cos I saw you know about electric type things you can teach me and probably most pilots about this-enough said
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PFFFFFFSSSSST !!!

[This message has been edited by fantum farter (edited 25 March 2001).]

[airforcenone]

BA require decent A-levels (presumably C or higher, can't remember, in the likes of Maths, Physics, etc.) or a degree.

[EDDNR]

BA don't require A levels for DEP's and E-Fizz's qualifications are just fine. What won't count though is the wealth of life experience as despite your enthusiasm for life's achievements, it counts for little with the airline, particularly the likely first job you'll get.

At 34, you're too old for BA's cadet scheme, and they haven't recruited DEP's of that age with no line experience for as long as I remember.

I would have emailed you a load more useful information, but you don't have an email addy in your profile.

Rod

[slj]

E Fizz

Your being given good advice on not going for a degree before training to fly.

At 34 you need to concentrate on getting the flying in and passing the requisite exams and getting a job. Tony Underwood has done it in his thirties, so can you.

Your HNC can be converted to a degreee sometime in the future - if a degree is what you want. As it stands a good HNC will have some standing but in any case will give you a good start to the understanding of the technical stuff.

Go for it and good luck

[rightbank]

I was in a similar position to yourself a few years back, even having an electronics HNC. Your lack of a degree is not a problem but your age might be. However, so much of it is all down to luck in being in the right place at the right time. It worked out for me, in spite of being older than you. It might do for you. Give it a go if you have the finances to be able to afford to take the risk. Be warned though, I had to take a pay cut for the first couple of years. Good luck!

[Tiger_ Moth]

Do A levels have to be maths physics etc....? cant they be say: geography, english, history...... because if u look at the physics syllabus it has very little to do with airline piloting.....
huh?

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

E-fizz. I imagine it's much the same in flying as in ATC.. it's nice to have a degree and shows that you have the aptitude to digest masses of largely useless information! However, when it comes to actual training one's educational qualifications mean very little - it's whether you can actually do the job that counts and I suggest that simply having a degree does not necessarily mean you would be a good pilot. You simply cannot tell from a persons educational qualifications whether they are going to make it - practical training and assessment are the only things which will. I've seen plenty of very clever people fail in ATC.... and some apparent dummies turn out to be ace controllers (I've got only 2 GCE O levels but work with guys with degrees). I've seen guys who have failed as ATCOs go on to be airline captains... and amongst us we have several failed airline pilots who have turned into excellent controllers.

Good luck with whatever you decide. I can only advise you to do your very utmost to get into a job which you enjoy doing. it's the only way to spend your working life.

[aerostude]

Your comments about Physics show a degree of ignorance. Clearly, you don't have to be massively competent in quantum mechanics to pilot an aircraft successfully but you do have to be able to cope and deal with technical problems. Never having sat the ATPL exams, I wouldn't know what kind of technical content there is but surely a sound scientific/mathematical background is very advantageous. Hence why airlines stipulate these subjects.

[Herod]

Heathrow Director says it all. The final crunch is that you have to be able to move the metal around, either physically or, in ATC's case, by word of mouth. It won't make a rat's ar*e bit of difference what degrees you have if you can't do that bit. Spend your life doing the job you want to do.