Hey all, am new to this network and I'm probably in the wrong place but ill go ahead because I'm not sure where else I'd ask.
Anyway, here goes:
For pretty much the 19.5 years I've been alive, flight's been a constant part of life. Dad's a captain for Qantas, mum's dad was too, and so of course I quickly picked up a natural interest in flight, planes, etc. As a result, I've always wanted to do something to with planes after I finished school. Of course when I was younger, what exactly that was, was pretty opaque and vague. I just knew i was really into aviation. In the background I knew that I wanted to be a pilot but I guess thats just been such a constant of life that I never noted it. I really mean that. I have never not wanted to first and foremost fly for a job. Maybe as a teen I discounted it as kinda childish, but looking back now I imagine I only did so because I have wanted to since I was a little kid. That interest has remained as strong as ever but from about 16 onwards I started really looking at the engineering side of things. I'm not exactly sure why... I've been lucky enough to not have had to work particularly hard to do well academically and maybe as soon as you see kids doing well in maths and physics they instantly fit the academic phenotype of an engineer? Again, I'm not entirely sure. Anyway, I went along with that current, assuming that engineering was some sort of predetermined path for me to walk. I looked around at certain unis and found that there was an 'aerospace' option, looked up what it entailed and shrugged and assumed that it would probably be most relevant to my interests (which to be fair was correct). decided to go along with the flow for that.
Today, I'm currently at uni doing an aerospace engineering degree. It's a pretty well-renowned uni (although I have heard that other places with lower entry requirements offer a similar course of similar or even marginally better standards, depending on how one works) but over most of the course I've found myself increasingly dreading even the thought of uni. Sure, covid has made everything even more turgid than usual, but even when imagining being back on campus I can't really see myself enjoying or even just not somewhat dreading it. In all honesty, it's shown me that engineering is a lot less design and practical creation, and a lot more analysis, maintenance, and office work. I'm doing well in terms of marks but I really can't fathom doing an extension of this degree as a job. Maybe I should've seen this coming, but going into it I guess I was a lot more idealistic and excited and all.
Anyway, after thinking about finding a route out of this degree (and indeed whether I wanted out), the only other option that I find myself really and truly interested and invested in, with some potential of financial return is actually piloting (writing doesn't pay the bills
). Thanks to dad, grandpa and also in my younger years a really old copy of FS2002 (and grandpa's experience) I have what I'd imagine to be a decent knowledge of the area for a person not involved in aviation as a job (although I know it would be exceedingly basic compared to anyone having completed flight school). I know how to use a 738 FMC, how to set and use an autopilot, I know most of the common instruments and controls in a modern glass cockpit and what they're used for, etc... You get the idea. Disjointed bits of info any armchair aviation fanatic might know, along with basic flight mechanisms and physics and such. It's what you'd expect from a kid who's had 19 years with the same favourite interest, and a huge repository of info in my dad and grandpa. Again, exceedingly minuscule to the knowledge of actual pilots, but its something.
Anyway, I came to ask a couple questions.
How, in Melbourne, would you get the sort of accreditation and licensing that would possibly give one a tilt at applying for an airline like qantas? I'm aware it's a long process but any info on the journey to get there, from scratch (nada flight experience) would be unbelievably helpful. What is flight school like, any recommendations, and is it worth giving up an aerospace eng degree for (given what I've said above)? Has covid killed any chances of me finding a job before I even began? Given increasing automation will there even be any jobs left? How hard/rare is it, once I do have all relevant prerequisite criteria checked, to get job as any sort of pilot at qantas? Of course it's not qantas or nothing, but it would be my first preference (at least to end up at), especially given the familial connection.
Also, if anyone here is an aerospace engineer (long shot), what has your experience of the job and/or education been?
Anyway, I've said my piece. Many thanks to any and all who have any answers, and sorry if this clogs up the forum.
Cheers!