Career change

[beethamwest]

Right,

A bit of a moan you could say or possibly just a plea for help.

My interest in aviation stems back to when i was a child, like every child i guess we all wanted to be pilot's. My interest never waned and a day does not go by even to this day (im 24) where i do not partake in a flight on a flight simulator. The graphics on FS98 where terrifc ha!

The problem was around 2006 when the time came to make the career choices, just out of school with college approaching. It was either take the plunge and put my family in to all sorts of financial debt pursuing the pilot dream or keep the construction industry in the family and go for architecture. I did have an interest in architecture some what and have 2 degrees in the subject, both under graduate and a masters. But to actually practice it. Different story.

We have seminars regarding different elements within the industry and i literally switch off. My interest seems to diminish daily, and all i can think of is getting home and switching the simulator on.

My degree i suspect is useless in aviation, but what could i possibly do?

I know commercial flight is out of the window now and that is fine, i do not believe my GSCE grades would be enough to begin with anyway despite all being C and above.

I have thought about just going for my PPL and see where that takes me.

But the purpose of this thread and question would be, to anybody who has plenty of knowledge, where should i begin?

Staying within the UK is not essential, if anything i would relish the chance to go abroad.

Any help no matter how little would be appreciated. The smaller number of days i have to work within construction, the better.

Thank you.

Adam

[Genghis the Engineer]

How can you have two degrees, but be worried that your GCSEs aren't good enough (or spell that badly)?


That aside, if you have a steady job, go and do a PPL. That will tell you whether you have a real passion and aptitude for flying. If you do, get on with the ATPL writtens and the CPL course, then start looking for jobs once you're qualified to take them.

It'll take longer, but won't jeapordise your families income, and at 24 you're barely out of school, so age is irrelevant for another 10 years.

G

[AdamFrisch]

My personal advice from someone who was at that fork in the road when I was about 20: Try to make a good living or a business somewhere else and then enjoy aviation as a hobby or a business tool. I'm so glad I did it this way and didn't go down the path of trying to be a commercial pilot. I would have been miserable by now.

Today I enjoy a career I absolutely love, where no day is the same as the other, where I'm my own boss. It has allowed me to own my own plane and use it for both business and pleasure.

[Squawk 2650]

Have a look at Gliding! Google British Gliding Association, find your local club phone them up and book a trial lesson for this weekend. It's that easy and will probably cost you £50 at the most. Search Gliding on YouTube and see what it's all about.

Sort a trial lesson out today, flying is the most amazing thing and that bug will only get bigger!

S
:cool:

[rarelyathome]

Do what GtE suggests and start now - this weekend! Get down to your local flying school or club and talk to the instructors. Book the first lesson, get on that road (I know the wrong metaphor for flying!) and see where it takes you. Don't wait until you are looking back and wishing you'd done something about your passion.

And the very best of luck.

[Heston]

I agree - JFDI.


Think you are conflating two issues that are better considered separately.
1. You are not happy with current career choice.
2. You have a passion for aviation (or you feel that you do).


Aviation may or may not be the solution to your career dilemma. Personally I doubt it is. But you definitely shouldn't wait to get at least a taste of it. Gliding or microlights will get you airborne cheaply, and then you can ditch the flight sim and do it for real.


You may find the day job takes on new meaning when it has the purpose of funding your passion. But if you are bored at work its because your company isn't getting the best out of you - try looking for another position using the skills and experience that you have, rather than jumping ship. If that doesn't work then maybe, just maybe, have a look at aviation.


Is there a way to use architecture within an aviation context? BAA and other airport operators need lots of new build, maintenance and refurb work - someone has to do it for them (usually firms that specialise in airport contracts).

Oh, and if you are going to look for other work, learn how to use apostrophes correctly, please. I automatically file in the bin any application that has spelling or grammar errors.

[Camargue]

I had a choice at university when I was on the air squadron.
I absolutely loved the flying so the question was did I want to do it in the military? Did I want to do it commercially? Did I want to do it as a hobby?

In the end I decided to have it as a hobby and have never once regretted not joining the RAF (The idea of being a commercial pilot was never really in the running)

It appears from the post that the idea of being a commercial pilot is in part a distraction from the boredom of your current job.

So do a PPL and see what you think and also while you are at it see if there are other careers outside construction that might suit.

[cockney steve]

That there Norman Foster fellow seems to have made a few bob out of architecting ;) Despite getting paid vast amounts to "design" a wobbly bridge .....and , no doubt , more vast amounts tomodify/refurbish it.

That level of income would support a lot of private flying.
If you read the more professional Fora on this site, you'll see that , by -and-large, Commercial Pilots are not happy bunnies.

Punishing rosters, bad hotels, bad bases, bad employers...and flying a big tin tube to a schedule, hidebound by SOP's is not the same as bimbling around and exploring the countryside and the freedom of flight.

See your glass as "half full"...you have qualifications that *should* see you in a great-paying job (Unless you're an Academic Twit who can pass exams but not make practical use of their knowledge- plenty about! look at Public Office:} )

Sit at your Architect's desk and tell yourself, "that's just earned another "X" hour's flight instruction"

Maybe you will end up as a commercial Pilot....If you don't start thinking positively, get off your posterior and start an affirmative line of action, you'll never know. read the forums......there are blokes pushing 50 who are constructively changing to a careeer in Piloting! You are still wet behind the ears!

[worrab]

I suspect Norman Foster has a lot of fun architecting. I also suspect that a great many architects are engaged to design yet another bedroom extension or garage conversion. The majority of careers have a significant downside and there is an art to finding the bit that has the best balance. Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed approach.
The OP is far from being too old to enter the commercial flying world, but any potential employer will expect to see some evidence of a passion for flying. Without the evidence, quite a few doors are unlikely to open.
To become a commercial pilot is a massive committment - £100k is often mentioned as the base financial cost and there is a huge personal effort involved as well. Get flying and get your PPL. If flying is in your blood, your neck will get stiff from looking at the sky and wondering if you can get up there today. If that's you then great, crack on.

[rightbank]

That there Norman Foster fellow seems to have made a few bob out of architecting

And I was told spent some of it buying a private jet, a Citation of some sort.

[destinationsky]

I would agree with previous posters who say go and have a flying lesson, be it in a glider, microlight, helicopter or fixed wing. This way you can find out if you have an aptitude for flying before you start looking at careers. You never know, you could have a fear of heights or motion sickness etc...!

There are thousands of different careers available in aviation. I work at an airport in the South and I get to work around aircraft all day every day. I look after a number of different areas associated with airport and aircraft operations and I love the airport environment - it's unique. I've organised Spitfire displays, General Aviation fly in days, hosted the BBMF and Catalina etc yet I always saw myself in the left hand seat of an airliner. Life doesn't always work out the way you planned but there is more than one way to skin a cat....

I still apply for cadet schemes as and when they come up just to see what happens. If all else fails, i'm in an industry I love and as a PPL holder, I get to fly at the weekends - best of both worlds as far as I'm concerned.

[Private jet]

Quote:

That there Norman Foster fellow seems to have made a few bob out of architecting
And I was told spent some of it buying a private jet, a Citation of some sort.

The last time I chatted with one of the crew it was a Falcon

[G-KEST]

A couple of decades ago Norman Foster owned a CAP10 and competed in BAeA events. Nice guy and an exceptional architect. Suspect it was the structural engineers that created the wobbly bridge, not Norman.

[hegemon88]

You never know, you could have a fear of heights or motion sickness etc...!

Fear of heights does not necessarily prevent from becoming a pilot.


/h88

[MIKECR]

The airline's are full of career changers, im one of them. Took the plunge several years back and have never looked back since. I fly left seat now with a UK airline and I absolutely love my job. Yes of course theres bad days, just like any other job. Still wouldnt go back to my old career however. Just make sure you do your research before committing to anything and more importantly, make sure you have a plan B in place should things not work out as hoped. Also make sure you can pass the necessary medical. As others have suggested, have a couple of lessons first and see how you feel. Your age wont hold you back, you have many years happy flying ahead of you. Life is short.......