Training to become a Pilot with little money

[olivermitch99]

Hey Everyone,
I am 13 years old and have wanted to become an airline pilot all of my life. I've looked into other sorts of flying (exec flying etc), but being an airline pilot is defintely the one for me.

I have looked at ab inito programs from the likes of CTC Wings, yet cannot find a way to fund them. I've also looked at modular training with LFS, Ravenair and some others (I'm from Liverpool). At the moment I've only 1 flying lesson in a Piper Cherokee PA-28 and it was the best thing I've ever done in my life!

I'm not particullary ricch either so, paying myself isn't an option.

I've looked at having another job such as ATC while I take up modular training - That seems like a fair option!

I'm currently planning on writing to some UK airlines to ask them for advice and if they have anything that would help me to fufill my ambitions.

I know what GCSE's and A-Levels I need, and I'm not colourblind because my Mum isn't (definately).

Please, any advice would be appriciated. This is my dream!

Thanks everyone, I appreciate it!

[redsnail]

Here's a question(s).
What sort of airline flying are you interested in?
Regional?
Short haul?
Long haul?
Turboprop?
Regional jets?

We're finally seeing the larger companies hire non cadets/experienced pilots who aren't type rated or non jet. This is a first for many years. Something to consider if your heart is set on just flying an Airbus for easyJet or a Boeing for Ryanair. (UK-centric).

It's all a bit varied as you can see, as is the pathway to getting there.

As for the colour blindness, get it checked using Ishihara plates. Actually, vision overall is critical, likewise hearing etc.
So, as you're 13, there's a lot you can do even before you apply to become a pilot. Therefore, keep yourself healthy by doing various activities that encourages fitness, problem solving and team work. Wear appropriate protection, especially helmets. Look after your hearing.

You've apparently got the academic stuff sorted so I won't go on about it.
Some people advocate getting a degree, personally, I don't unless you intend on working in that field for a few years. Degrees cost a lot of money. Money you can spend flying.

Apprenticeships/trades can be useful, especially electrical/engineering ones.
They can help with understanding the bun fight that is the ATPL and are useful fall back subjects. A mate wired up his house (Electrical engineer + pilot).

I do know easyJet do take on internal staff but you need CPL+IR+ ATPL subjects (aka "frozen" ATPL).
ATC to ATPL? Good pay but extremely competitive to get in.

You'd be better off researching who offers scholarships etc
Look at HCoAP (https://www.airpilots.org/)

Good luck (an exec pilot)

[Straighten Up]

Hi Oliver,

Nothing about flying is cheap but it's great to see your enthusiasm. I share it and still get excited everytime I get in a plane as pilot or passenger (and I'm just a lowly PPL). Gliding is one way of getting some cheap(er) flying experience and is a great way to meet people who are in the field. Also the Air Cadets do flights for cadets a few times a year in a Grob Tutor. Unfortunately the glider fleet is currently grounded but may well be up and running again next year.

The cheapest way of learning to fly is to get the RAF to pay for you but this isn't an easy route, isn't the right route for everyone and requires a lengthy commitment (not sure how long). The second cheapest is to get on an airline sponsored scheme such as the BA Future Pilot Program. Again as you can imagine the competition for these places are incredibly high (70ish taken from a pool of thousands).

There are pages of debate on here about the differences between integrated (eg CTC Wings - 1 long 15ish month full time course) and modular (eg. your local flying school - probably a minimum of 2 years part time), but as your question refers to little money, a modular route costs less than an integrated route.

Finally as redsnail says - get your vision (and hearing) comprehensively checked - most opticians do free eye tests for children. I found out at age 13 that I was colour blind - and my mum isn't either! - which destroyed my hopes of going into the RAF. The colour blindness gene is carried by our lovely mums but they very rarely suffer from it. Fortunately a new test was devised a few years ago in conjunction with the CAA called the CAD test (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOJpZMors7A). As a result of passing this test I have been able to obtain a class 1 medical, so even if you fail the Ishihara (dots showing a number in different colours - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB28zwvY4Zg)

Good luck and happy landings.

[Genghis the Engineer]

I suggest reading and digesting this document which is the best guide I know to pilot careers - note that there are many different types of pilot, not just as an airline pilot.

https://www.airpilots.org/file/499/pilot-brochure-final-web.pdf

At your age, you're in the position of being able to position yourself any direction you want - and do consider that with the right effort and motivation you could aim at being a military pilot flying a Typhoon, Apache or Lynx which even in my 40s sounds far more appealling to me than locked into an airliner cockpit managing systems and not allowed to talk to the passengers any more: and certainly in my teens, well who wouldn't want to be a fighter pilot? (Or if your views are more humanitarian, search and rescue pilot?)


Think also about the things that you can do now to position yourself. I'm certain that there are Air Cadets and Air Scouts in Liverpool, there may also be a glider club or two around with junior or cadet options.


For what it's worth, I did a degree in aeronautical engineering, then paid as I went getting pilot licences as an aeronautical engineer. But I just love the technical side of aviation - rather than being hung up on *just* wanting to be a pilot. But, I've yet to regret that combination. On the other hand, most people do prefer to be just one thing.

G

[mickod88]

what did you need to do the degree? I'm in the forces and currently on my AV Course at Cosford, so will finish it with an NVQ Level 3 in Aeronautical Engineering.

[rudestuff]

If you really want it, then as has been said before, you are in the ideal position to make it happen. You need to sit your parents down and explain to them what you want to do with your life...

Explain to them that the next five years are going to be the hardest of their lives. The drugs. The Alcohol. The gangs. The thieving. The visits from the police and the inevitable arrest and imprisonment... Explain to them that they can make that all go away if they are prepared to support your dream.

Then keep your nose clean. Get A's at school. Clean the car/mow the lawn/do the washing up without being asked. Join the Air Cadets as soon as you can and make sure you solo. Join a Gliding club - they tend to be full of old people who would love a hand rigging/de-rigging, and you might just meet a few airline pilots. You need to aim to Pass your PPL on your 17th birthday. By the time you get there you'll know exactly what your options are and the rest of it will fall into place.

[GAZ45]

I was in the same position. I toyed with going in the air force but ended up getting a degree, getting a job and then funding the training myself. I took a loan along the way (this will become possible with a job even though it may not seem possible to you now).
If you are motivated and passionate, you will find a way. Only do what you can afford - ie. don't put the parents house on a 100k integrated course if you can't afford it because thats where the horror stories start.
The sooner you start earning the closer you are to your dream? thats always something to think about - even if its just a saturday job for the time being.

Just be prepared for it to take a while - it took me until 27 years old to get the license. Meanwhile 21 year olds went from a PA28 to a 737 in the time it took me to pay for my hours building. All character building of course :ok:

[TheSkiingPilot]

There's no such thing as pilot training and little money.