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.
I've been through all the "do i really want to be a pilot stuff" completely and theres nothing that will change my mind, but i want to be a little more clear on my situation and thats where you guys with the knowledge come in.
I'm 18 years old, got ABBC in my AS levels and I'm predicted AAB for my A2s in Economics, Geography and History. At first i was worried about getting into a ground school without physics or maths, but having spoken to several I'm confident with good grades in what I've chosen...my issue now is uni. to go or not to go?
It won't affect ground school in any way, but I'm thinking ahead to actually getting a paid job with an airline - does a degree make a difference?
Added to this, what about work experience? I've tried some local airfields (berkshire) but to no avail, can anyone recommend a route for an inexperienced 18 year old to get some aviation related experience before he goes in at the deepend/?
If you are choosing to be a Pilot than focus your self for Pilot training. You need to get CPL/IR prior to get some experience in avaition industry.
Degree is always the best if you can afford financially.
cheers aoc, but i was planning on ab initio integrated training, so prior to that any sort of experience, i.e. just pumping fuel or cleaning will do for me. does anyone think its worth it?
and thanks bjkeates, but i felt a post from 6 years ago and pre-9/11 held little relevance, which is why i made this post.
a levels and degrees are obviously if you're applying to an airline for sponosorship, but i suppose the issue i had was - do degrees and a levels matter after integrated atpl training? i.e. if i've proved myself to be a capable pilot then does my level of education have an impact on employability
Last edited by kierandee : 25th March 2007 at 02:38.
Reason: well it sounded rude
Aside from all that it might be a good idea to get a degree in case you lose ur licence/ medical, to give you something to fall back on. Ud be able to get a better non flying job with a degree than without for sure. Although u might be completely healthy now, u never know what might happenin the future.
Hi
My name is Tony, currently studying last year in college, i am seriously thinking of going into the avaition industry. I been thinking hard for the past two years. However since i been on the forum i seen some fantastic story and some negative stories on how hard it could be to find the 1st job. i know its hard & my parents are thinking is it worth the risk of spending so much money in a such a unstable industry.
I sees so many well qualifield pilot struggled to get an interview nevermind a job. doesn't gives me & especially my parents confident.
Fews day ago i thought of another problem should i go to university to completed the degree i've been seeking for or ust go straight to training.
Just wanted to know aswell when you do get your big break would you be able to hold down a full time airline job & studying for a BA degree?
the thing is im worried about if (a big IF) you fail medical test, then your expensive license is worthless then
i have a rough idea on which type of course i should be going into?
Just wanted to know aswell when you do get your big break would you be able to hold down a full time airline job & studying for a BA degree?
If you want to do it properly, a BA degree is a full-time commitment. Clearly if you were to do it while working, you would be highly committed to those studies as well, so to do it justice would warrant taking longer over a part-time course or OU rather than full-time.
You can't control your rostering either, so even for those few hours of face-to-fact contact a BA would require each week, you would be struggling. Not to mention lugging aronud textbooks to complete the reading.
Yes, I refer to a proper degree - underwater basket-weaving at Barrow Community Polytechnic is not relevant!
I cannot stress how much a degree was of importance to me during my flight training....
It tought me so much.. How to look after myself, work to deadlines and it also showed that results are proportional to the amount of work you put in! ok ,ok, ok, someone is going to come along and state they know all that already but believe me, it gives you the cutting edge over anyone without a degree.
I started an integrated course after my degree and I could pick out pretty much everyone who didn't do a degree by the way the interacted with others and so could a few of my friends. There are exceptions to the rule, but believe me... the majority fit into the stereotype!
Back to gaining a job..... I have just gained employment with a fantastic airline and i know of someone not getting in as they "lacked" in life experience.... Did they have a degree? no. Dont get me wrong... i know loads who havnt got a degree who fly for airlines.
Above all. It was the best 3 years of my life i wouldnt exchange for anything!!!!!! An obvious biased posting.....
I'd agree with the idea that, other than the qualifications, uni is useful as it changes you a lot as a person. For a lot of people, its their first time living away from parents, which makes them grow up pretty fast (after the shopping-trolley-surfing and vodka monopoly games, of course )
On a more serious point; if you wish to study for a degree whilst working in a job such as flying, the only way to do this is part time. If you are looking at a bachelor's degree, then I think that the best starting point would almost certainly be the Open University.
I have been trying to make up my mind whether to post my doubts here but finally I decided to ask for your opinion(s)!
Ok basically I always wanted to be an airline pilot and I'd really love to pursue my dream some day. I am 19 and have just been accepted to medical school. I would like to have a backup plan should my pilot career fail. Becoming a doctor was always my second option! In my country, we do not pay to study, the government gives us some pocket money every 4 weeks during University.
My question is, does this all make sense? I have a CTC application open and am in doubt whether to go for it now, or else to go after the 5 yrs of study at University!
I would like to keep my option for a pilot open, however, with a good backup - that is the theory behind all this.
As a current University student I would suggest you go to University, above all it gives you life experience and also shows that you have the desire to suceed. I believe that altho CTC don't require you to have a degree, the Uni experience as a whole will give you a much better chance of getting through (atleast i hope so anyway).
I'm currently awaiting stage 2 for CTC and i think by the time it comes to stage 3 I will be able to demonstrate the skills I have learnt at Uni, and relate my experience to many of the questions they will no doubt ask.
If I did it again I would probably take some sort of relevant junior position at an airline/airport after college for a few years and do an OU degree or something similar alongside.
'University life experience' is overrated anyway IMO.
i have just got my a level results which to be honest aren't that pleasing. i had applied for university with first choice royal Holloway and second choices queen marys for astrophysics. got accepted at queen mary but declined it as i have my heart set on royal holloway. but this means me taking a gap year.
i have been very enthusiastic about being a pilot for really long. my influence is my dad who is a captain and has been flying almost all his life. i have booked my 1st class medical and have also booked my aptitude test with cabair. after these two i am considering going to America for my jaa PPL and then hopefully coming back by November to join the ATPL course at london guild hall uni. i know i have high chances of getting a job as the situation in india is really good and i am a uk/indian dual national.
although i feel that i may be missing out by not going university after the gap year. my other option is that i do my fATPL then go to university for a 3 year course and then complete my flying as the fATPL is valid for 5 years.
doesn't gives me & especially my parents confident.
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dilemma regarding flying or uni
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