Professional Pilot Training (includes ground studies)A forum for those on the steep path to that coveted professional licence. Whether studying for the written exams, training for the flight tests or building experience here's where you can hang out.
Hi all,
I'm currently studying A levels in my last year before supposedly going to university. My subjects are Further maths, maths, chemistry (dropped biology after AS) and i'm looking to get 2 A's and a B in f.maths (basing predictions on AS grades). I was going to take a maths course at university, or possibly going straight into something like actuarial studies, but wanted to be a pilot when i was young and even now that appeals to me a lot more than studying maths for 4 more years.
The thing is i don't know an awful lot about it, and after browsing through sites like this the fees look mountainous and the job prospects worsening. I didn't join the RAF in school or had any experience like that, so i've had no flight training under my belt. However, my eyesight is fine, same goes for medical, and i'd be really enthusiastic about it given the chance.
I want to ask you guys whether you think it is too late for me to start now: given that i haven't had any experience up till now, or is it too early for me to decide with my vague ideas, and that i should go to uni and get the maths degree. Algebra for four more years.... Will those aviation doors still be open?
Hi,
Next year i will be leaving high school and i am going to start learning to fly. i was just wandering whether or not it would be best for me to go to unversity to study something that would be worthwhile in the long term i.e Avionics or after completing my PPL go to Glasgow nautical college and study for the frozen ATPL.
You will probably get a set of mixed views here...me personally I was accepted at Uni for an engineering course, I decided not to go, so I got job and chased a flying career. My reasons were fairly simple, I would incur quite a bit of debt while at Uni and this would hurt me financially. I done some calculations and decided I could pay for the vast majority of my fATPL training over a 4 year period (same time a respectful uni course takes), im into my 3rd year and start my fATPL theory in April and will go straight into my CPL/IR after I finish, so still on course.
If you seriously want to fly I personally wouldnt bother with university, its not all its cracked up to be and wont guarantee you any sort of job worth doing anyway when you finish. Plus there is usually a mountain of debt when you finish that needs to be paid off as well. You are probably looking at a good few years after finishing on a typical grad wage before you can make anything to put towards a ATPL. Personally, I think that if you're reasonably intelligent you could be making a typical grad wage within 2-3 years of work anyway, without all the debt, doing all manner of things.
However, it is a good laugh and you will probably enjoy yourself more than any other time of your life provided that you're not a complete social retard. Also, if you choose any degree ending in 'ology' you will get to lay in bed till noon every day for three years without missing anything.
Whats your reasons for advising against GCNS? Its a good price, they may not have fancy notes but their pass rates are still good. Providing you put the effort in then you will pass. Just curious to see your reasons as i'm planning on starting with them in April, I've visited them, spoke with past and present students, I know the storys...what we never hear are the success storys though which don't forget, GCNS aswell as other ATPL theory providers get students through their exams in every sittings.
I have already been to GCNS, I was there on the F/T course. I passed all my exams first time(94% average) but I have to be honest and say, I was not impressed by the place(none of my course were). The notes are rubbish, we all ended up using OAT and Bristol notes. The progress tests and college final exams are old and outdated and bare no relevance to the JAA exams. There are gross inaccurrasies and incorrect answers in a lot of the tests/worksheets. I would like to say a few comments about the standard of lectures/lecturers but I will not publicise that any further in open forum. If you want details you can PM me. The lecture time is also very poor, a class should last 1 hour but lecturers often dont bother truning up til half way through, it became a farce at times! This was particularly annoying for all of us who were paying for accommodation aswell, it just seemed a waste of time. I would think very carefuly before you decide where to go. Bristol still gets my vote, you wont go wrong ther at all. PM me if you want any further info.
if you choose any degree ending in 'ology' you will get to lay in bed till noon every day for three years without missing anything.
If you go and do English at Nottingham you can lie in bed all week and miss nothing. Trust me.
Anyway, iain32 there is lots of info on this subject in the sticky at the top of the page. Suggest you read that in full and do a few searches. Do some reading and you will be able to make your own decision.
As for being in "mountains" of debt after uni as someone mentioned earlier I really wouldn't worry on that score, your student loan will be the most interest friendly loan you will ever draw and is peanuts compared to what you will need to borrow and then pay back(!) for your flying training.
Hi there i read your query, and ui would like to add that iam doing both a t the mo...........iam doing a course at a uni that offer flying training along side it........while also learning all about the Air transport industry. The course is called Air transport with commercial pilot training, you learn with cabir the flying and groundschool and do the uni work. If you want to know more send me a Privat message and i can tell you more about it.
Cheers
I too back Mike's comment on GCNS; I was residential and ended up dropping the whole lot and going distant learning. I agree with everything he says regarding the quality of notes (bar Gen Nav and maybe Radio Nav) and the whole 'turn up when I want to attitude' by the lectuers. And it was not if our concerns were not voiced. We were given an opportunity to highlight any shortcomings at a departmental meeting held early in the course; however it all fell on deaf ears! The class would also would bring up their frustrations during lectures, however sweet F.A. was ever done to be honest! Hence why I decided it was best to leave in the end (as did many others)
Maybe things will change for the better; however unfortunately I can't see it. They have no competition at all North of the Border (probably North of Coventry if truth be told) so they get away with it.
Don't be fulled by the high pass rates that they parade about the place either! Bar GNav; the real reason why people pass is because they work bloody hard - and through using other people's material, much to pitty!
Hi, Im also debating on this topic at the moment and need some advice. My situation is a bit worse as well.
I have been accepted for an Aero Eng course but If I go to Uni, I have to pay £17,500 per year for 2 years and then £3000 for the remaining two years.
Or I could just go straight into Pilot Training. Would it really be worth it if I pay £41000 just tuition fees and then pay for the pilot training as well?
Everyone: I'm 19, at university. Like you all I have the dream of flying commercial. In my opinion you should go for it. Unless you really want to go to university, don't. Go and get your ATPLs.
I'm happy to admit it was a mistake me going to university, and I'm currently trying to get out of it and attend an intergrated course.
Go for it. But make sure it's your decision - I was silly to listen to others telling me to go to university and I've realised now I shouldn't have.
Cheers john, thanks for the sound advice. I feel the same way as you do about uni, i feel like it would be a waste of time and money when all i want to do is get a job and start saving for my ATPL. Nevertheless i do feel constantly pressured into going to uni.
hi all, I'm new here and i'd like to ask you something.
I'm 18 and now finishing high school(Aviation and tehnical high school-4year program) and I have a few options---*INTERCOCKPIT, *CTC, *OXFORD...or first college(another 3 or 4 years) and then flight training at local flight school. is there a diffrence(when applaying for a job) between pilots who have finished college and those with high school???
what do you suggest-college or *?
I am soon turning 19 and have this dilemma to sort out...... UNIVERSITY OR NOT?
At University I will be studying Dentistry, however I want to be a pilot either before or after that. What are the likes and dislikes of doing either way?
i would say that from personal experience, if you go straight to flying school withouit going to uni, you'll miss out on the best 3/5 years of your lives! it's where you grow up as a person, where you meet a vast array of different people and where you get chance to do any numbers of extra curricular stuff, the military units (URNU, for my part, is by far the greatest unit!) are a particular riot!
Uni gives you a chance to get everything out of your system and just enjoy yourself for the time you're there while an FTO will expect you to knuckle down and get on with it. when you come out of the other end, you'll be ina very grown up world and people will question whether you have enough life experience/maturity to deal with such a high-paced, unusual job. Life experience counts for everything in any job interview in the world, it's also another feather to your bow if anything were to go wrong.
Having been there and done that do I wish I'd been to flying school straight from school? Do I hell! Uni was the best 3 years of my life and I wouldn't have missed it for the world! The actual degree is a very, very small part of the reason to go to uni!!!!
I'll also add to the 'mountain of debt' thing - I came out of uni with £1200 quid credit card, a £2500 overdraft and my student loan worth around 13 grand. I paid off my credit card within 3 months, the overdraft is still there but it can be paid off slowly as the bank reduce your limit over a long time, and the student loan? Well, earning 15 grand, I was paying something like 40 quid a month, the loan isn't even worth thinking about! it's is paid off so slowly that you can't realistically be stressed about it, countless financial experts appearing on the telly say it, i'd agree with personal experience.
When you're thinking that to learn to fly you'll be spending between £40,000 and £60,000, the debt you get form uni is notthing like the same order of magnitude, it's worth it for the experience is all i can say!
........I forgot...I'm 19 also....
well the only thing I need college for is my career. I'm afraid that afther completing all the licences at FTO(INTERCOCKPIT) I won't be able to get a job because i don't have college. Will I be able to get a job withouth college???---I've done a little research---most of INTERCOCKPIT students don't have college, they went there just afther high school...and another thing---who knows what can happen in 4 years with aviation industry...maybe there won't be need for new pilots and requirments for FO will be much higher than they are now...
I would go to Uni mate, Im currently studying the ATPL's and to be honest treading very carefully! I do not have a degree so do not have a back up if all goes wrong.
Treading carefully because we live in very uncertain times. With the Government now on a mission to bring anything with an internal combustion engine in to a halt its going to be interesting times over the next couple of years.
. Will those aviation doors still be open?
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