Career Change - Who's done it?

[AlwaysAviating]

I'm currently an undergraduate studying at a good UK university in a non-science related degree with a good internship lined up for next year, I'm set to graduate in 2017, I will have just turned 22 at this point.

My plan is to complete my degree and get some flying under my belt privately, also take a class in the Aerospace Engineering department at my university in my final year if possible, hopefully in ground and flight training and try and apply for some PPL scholarships too. After graduation, I hope to find a decent job related to my degree (it has a broad range of options so I'm hoping there will be a few options out there for me).

In an ideal world, I intend to save some cash from a job and apply for any sponsored programmes if there are any around the 2017/2018 time. Obviously with these being so competitive, it may not be so likely.

There may become a time in my life when I decide enough is enough and just decide to fund my whole CPL/fATPL training and then try my best at direct-entry. But the tricky thing is, deciding when that time is "right". At what age should I seriously be thinking about pursuing my commercial training? I'd love to hear stories from others who had a career change and made it onto the flight deck!

[hazholmes]

I'm 27 and after 8 years in construction am thinking of making the career change. I don't think there's a particular time when you should do it, thats entirely dependant on your personal circumstances, it's more do with with trying to coincide your training with any potential upturn in hiring for low houred pilots.

Personally I'm taking some higher education part time to act as a backup and potential buffer where I can return to work if needs be and I think you are wise in studying to act as the same buffer if you should need it

I didn't go to uni, so someone better informed than me will tell you but If theres opportunities to get involved with the UAS or similar it would be worth giving it a go to differentiate yourself from mr joe bloggs.

Good luck with what you decide.

[redsnail]

I did it, however, different country, different decade.

When's the best time? Who knows? Personally, if you can "pick" the economic cycle then use that. Age wise? Earlier the better. Simply because you'll have a longer period to recoup the unbelievable costs. If you can do it before you're 30 + get a job then that is the best time.

Note the get a job. A CPL+IR with ATPL exam credits is nigh on useless if you don't get a job and starting using it/gaining hours. It is very expensive to keep current. Even worse if you have a fresh type rating and no job. It rapidly goes "off".

[portsharbourflyer]

Easy answer, you do it when you can afford to do it / raise the finance in a manageable manner.

Also have contingency and budget for 3 to 5 years of job seeking.

Don't really believe you can time it to the economic cycles, by the time you start and finish training you can get complete reversal in the industry.

Pretty sure most of those training who started training in 2007 thought they were training in good times.

Really not sure what "lesson you intend to take in your University Aerospace Engineering department". The majority of an aerospace degree is mechanical or system engineering based subjects with a heavy emphasis in maths.

[limesoda]

Regardless of whether you want to pursue the career before or after doing a degree, further education is never a downfall.

There are threads and threads on information regarding degree's before training and whether they are worth it!

[redsnail]

And that is my point exactly. In 2007 things were booming... But in aviation the boom/bust cycle mirrors the economic one of 7-10 years. Previous bust was 2001...

[AlwaysAviating]

@portsharbourflyer - it's basically a PPL ground studies class with 5 hours flight training so shouldn't be too tricky for the non-Aeronautical student like myself.

I feel like timing with the fluctuating aviation industry is going to be my biggest struggle. I hesitate to say it seems ok, not great, but ok, at the moment, with the odd sponsored scheme floating around and a few airlines hiring for direct entry. Obviously I reckon I'll miss out on a lot of the sponsored schemes after my graduation and then don't want to put lots of money into training which may go stale if the industry isn't great after.

Guess it's just going to have to be a case of waiting until the time is right, but then again, it's hard to forecast when that might be.

Good luck to anyone in the same boat!

[ChickenHouse]

At what age should I seriously be thinking about pursuing my commercial training?

At the moment you feel time is right.

Take this from an old clarence, who did reinvent himself three times already in business life and is now ready to do no. 4 - follow your heart, do not plan longer periods then five years and always keep your dreams alive! It is never too late.

[portsharbourflyer]

AlwaysAviating,

As a non Aerospace course graduate are you actually allowed to just opt to do the 5 hours course in the Aerospace department, will you have to pay additional fees? Depending on the course the 5 hours in that course may be 5 hours demonstrating various aspects of flight dynamics, ie: air experience for engineers as opposed to actually been the first five hours of the EASA PPL course. Description you gave suggest it is the first 5 hours of a ppl but worth checking to make sure. So if you are having to pay an additional fee you may be just as well put the money towards lessons at a flying school.