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.
FLYER exhibition - Heathrow T5 Sofitel - 16 April '11
Just a heads up, anyone else planning on going to this one?
Seems like the regular affair - never been to one before and it seems like this year is the right time to head down there and get the opinions of some of the professionals.
Will try and avoid the ones who are all for P2F, don't want to be told the 'advantages' of that really
They seem to happen every few months. I've been to quite a few.
Go around, talk to all of them. But make sure you do a bit of research beforehand and spend a lot of time with a shortlist. If they don't make time for you at the exhibition, they probably won't bother when you're training.
Remember, however, that most of them are trying to sell you something. The seminars are therefore the most useful parts for actual information, as all of the schools will be sugar coating their courses.
They seem to happen every few months. I've been to quite a few.
Go around, talk to all of them. But make sure you do a bit of research beforehand and spend a lot of time with a shortlist. If they don't make time for you at the exhibition, they probably won't bother when you're training.
Remember, however, that most of them are trying to sell you something. The seminars are therefore the most useful parts for actual information, as all of the schools will be sugar coating their courses.
Definitely, it's what I'll be looking out for. As I said, I'm not there to be sold a P2F course.
I've been to one and I am also planning on going on the 16th! Plenty and plenty of BS is said and the salesmen there are so slick.... I also think the cadets get told what to say. I swear a 'cadet' was so smooth talking he could have been salesman dressed up in a pilots uniform!!! I don't recall P2F being present last time I went. As has already been said plenty of research before you go will be very useful, I didn't do this last time I went but now armed with lots more information I think this time will be more valuable. I see you are 16 as well, same here good to consider our option early hey!
99% of the stands there are flight training organisations, so whether you like it or not it's pay to fly. The few airlines that use to rock up were RYR, Flybe, and BA. RYR you pay for rating, BA currently not hiring cadets, and Flybe (this use to be the case) use to semi sponsor cadets before training, by paying for your type rating, provided you'd been to Cabair and spent +70k on an integrated course. In addition to that you'd be bonded on a Dash 8 for 3 years.
What world are you living in, where a 16 year old kid DOESN'T pay to fly!!
Top notch stevop21 you seem to be able to see through the spun better than wannbies 5-10 years older than you.
Just continue the hard work on becoming a cynical sod and you should have a great career ahead of you.
The only thing I would advise and I know its going to cost you is go and get a class 1 medical at Gatwick before you you go to far with your plans. Don't worry its not money wasted if you continue, it down grades to a class 2 medical after a year which is perfectly acceptable for which ever training route you take.
And anyone that produces a report from Boeing on projected pilot requirments just walk away from them. Its seems to be the mantra for a certain type of school who are quite liberal at telling you the truth.
Personally I think the seminars are also marketing for the flight training industry. Its just done in a more subtle way to promote the continued flow of students to maintain the capacity for when things do pick up. Unfortuantely during these lean times a large percentage of the students are paying to maintain this capacity for the airlines for when they do require to recruit in large volumes.
99% of the stands there are flight training organisations, so whether you like it or not it's pay to fly. The few airlines that use to rock up were RYR, Flybe, and BA. RYR you pay for rating, BA currently not hiring cadets, and Flybe (this use to be the case) use to semi sponsor cadets before training, by paying for your type rating, provided you'd been to Cabair and spent +70k on an integrated course. In addition to that you'd be bonded on a Dash 8 for 3 years.
What world are you living in, where a 16 year old kid DOESN'T pay to fly!!
Wow, check out the I'm aware of the situation, I just stated that I would take what they said with a pinch of salt as I know better than to believe half of it. I then stated that I'd still keep an ear out for any potential interesting information.
There are quite a few round here who like to wind folk up and provoke a responce. If you don't like what someone says to you have a look at there profile and previous posts. If they haven't been involved in any of the more technical discussions or obviously just stick there opinion in to wind folk up just ignore them.
If they appear to know what they are talking about usually and are working in the industry have a reread what they have said. Unfortuantely those that do this for a living can be narky at what would appear funny times of the day. They are either in another time zone or been up since me its early. More than likey they will be telling you how its is but in a none fluffy feely way which your proberly not used to.
And truth be told I should listen to my own advice sometimes and I am more than twice your age
mad jock, I appreciate it, as such I'd like to apologise for that last post, it was getting on and I have GCSE mocks this week.
I appreciate what was said, but I thought it was a little condescending given the fact that I'd made the effort to join PPRuNe in the first place, and then post the topic asking for advice...
To those worrying what I'd be like in the cockpit...rest assured, I'm not an as I displayed just then
I found it condescending the way you explained you were not there to be sold a P2F course. I've been to these shows a number of times, made many friends, and in my experience most of the people at these flight schools are genuinely nice people. They know potential students can see through bull$hit. Flight training isn't cheap!
These days no airline will pay for your basic training, and by that I mean up to CPL/IR and MCC - and very few for the type rating, so I apologise if I offended anyone when I said that at 16, with no flight experience, you were going to have to pay to fly.
I found it condescending the way you explained you were not there to be sold a P2F course. I've been to these shows a number of times, made many friends, and in my experience most of the people at these flight schools are genuinely nice people. They know potential students can see through bull$hit. Flight training isn't cheap!
These days no airline will pay for your basic training, and by that I mean up to CPL/IR and MCC - and very few for the type rating, so I apologise if I offended anyone when I said that at 16, with no flight experience, you were going to have to pay to fly.
The apology was broad although it was with you in mind.
I can appreciate that the people may be nice, however I knew from the beginning that flight training wasn't cheap.
I am attending so I can get a sense of the variety of flight training companies out there, as well as to get an idea of what a career as a pilot is like.
I was under the impression that airlines only ever paid for your type rating, I wasn't aware they paid for your full training. By saying that I wasn't prepared to get suckered into any schemes, I meant that I will not be swayed by any airlines attempting to sell a cadetship program where you pay for your type rating - simply because by the time I'm in a position to fly the market will have changed, not to mention the fact that I think it's outrageous that they make you pay for a TR then bung you on terrible T&Cs. I don't pretend to know everything, whether the fact I'll ignore some of the 'advice' offered means I come away no more enlightened that before I attended, so be it. I do however think there are alternatives past CPL which can lead to a career as an Airline Pilot without forking up £30k for a TR.
I thought it was a little condescending given the fact that I'd made the effort to join PPRuNe in the first place
Unfortunatly that's the nature of PPRuNe. It's an incredible resource but anybody below the age of 25 round here is treated as a second class citizen by many. Just ignore the sarky comments and don't be put off from contributing. Nobody knows everything to start of with and as you will find throughout your flying, there's no such thing as a stupid question. Christ everyone was young and inexperienced at some stage!
Back to the topic in hand - the flyer exhibitions make for an interesting day out but not much more than that I'd say. I went once and that was enough for me. Have a scoot around, pick up some glossy brochures and talk to a couple of people. Every stand there is there to sell and sell only - some people say it's a networking opportunity but I disagree. The seminars are useful and help you understand the process of Zero-(f)ATPL which can be a bit confusing to start of with. Take a pen and notebook to jot down a couple of notes for future reference. It's a great introduction to all things flying but just remember the majority of what's said is marketing .
I attended 2 Flyer exibitions when I was considering my options, and I found them quite useful.
As has been mentioned here, at the end of day you are a potential customer for a one of these flight schools, so of course they are going to get out the glossy brochures, and tell you the market is picking up etc, etc, but what it does for you it is gives you a flavour for what it is all about, and of course, it is all good experience.
I made a great contact when I attended, who ended up helping me out. This particular contact happened to be promoting Comair in the US, and as I got talking with her, it turned out that a friend of hers had a C152, that was something like 20 quid an hour wet to rent at an Aerodrome called Spruce Creek just down the road from Daytona Beach in Florida. I was planning on some hour building in FL, so I paid her a visit while on holiday. On checking this place out, I did a number of hours there, and saved a bloody fortune.
So, in a nutshell, shows like this can be a good thing. Its all part of the networking process. And I have said it before and I will say it again, and I know that a lot of pro pilots will back me up on this, networking in this game is a key element, it certainly worked for me.
good to consider our option early hey!
spun better than wannbies 5-10 years older than you. 
Waco ya auld fart 
