Advice on training...

[goat1500]

I know it is the wrong time to be thinking about getting on a sponsership training scheme, but nevertheless I thought I would ask for some advice.
I have all my GCSEs and 3 Cs at A levels ( but not in Maths or physics) and am currently in the 2nd year of an economics degree.
I havent had time to join any sort of air cadets or gain any flying experience due to being a professional swimmer alongside my academic stuff. Through my swimming I competed at the 2000 Olympics.

Is this enough to get at least through to the next stage of a sponsered pilot scheme (when they start to run them again!) or is it really as tough as I have been hearing?

Cheers for reading this! Anyone with advice?
Thanks....

:) :rolleyes:
:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[ 19 October 2001: Message edited by: goat1 ]

[ 20 October 2001: Message edited by: goat1 ]

[Quicksilver]

Goat1,

There are many people on sponsorship schemes that have very little experience, if any, of flying light aircraft.

The only point it may be worth thinking about is, how can you prove to an airline that you are committed enough to deal with the highs and lows of the job and of course the year plus you'll spend training. The investment per airline varies considerably, but is usually proportionate to the size of the company.

Many people will apply with lots of hours and many with none, how can you demonstrate that at all costs you will become an airline pilot.

You have a good reason for not having joined cadets etc. but it is well worth having a couple of lessons to get an idea of what it is all about, to ensure that it is what you want to do and most importantly to fuel your enthuiasm.

Airlines use 2 main critera to choose the correct candidate these are;

Can you do the job. Your acedemic qualifications - application form and the apptitude tests should get you though that.

The interview will then discover;

If you will do the job - motivations, committment

What you will be like to work with - how do you relate to people, your friends and family, what do you do in your spare time - team work etc.

If you can pass this then you are on the home straight.

The course is an intensive year+
The selection process is harder is you are not ready for it.

Good luck and keep bugging them to find out when the schemes restart.

As a final question - make sure you have decided what you will do if you don't get in - go it alone, or try again next year

Good luck and keep us posted!

Quicksilver

[GonvilleBromhead]

Yes they are tough, but someone has to get them (when they start up again is anyone's guess).

Your degree and general educational background sound fine to me, and your swimming is a good CV/application form eye catcher.

But don't just think "will I get to the next round", think about what will be required of you to get to the final round and hopefully a sponsorship. A good, and I mean good, knowledge of aviation will be required by interviewers, not just "I wanna fly, always have done" type answers as that should come across generally anyway, or come out as part of your answers.

A decent mathematical/numerical ability will also need to be demonstrated via aptitudes.

Don't take this the wrong way, but how serious are you about it ? You say you have thought about it seriously just in the last 6 months although always dreamt of it. To me, that doesn't particularly jump out and demonstrate great desire to fly. What would you do if you didn't get a sponsorship ? Modular ? Or something else ?

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not having a go even before you've got started, but this is the type of thing interviewers would question too.

If you're serious, maybe book a trial lesson or look at the UAS whilst at university.

Good luck if it really is what you want, and I'm sure many others on here can give you good advice, but I hope you know that it is what you want.

If it is, then yes, you are in with a chance.

all the best.

:)