How terrible is it to start training imminently?
Adding onto the pile of messages, apologies if some or all of my questions have been answered already…
From the UK, have a good engineering degree and because of covid went for my ‘backup’ career and have started medicine, with 4 years to go. I have my medical and have kept it up to date just in case.
I have since realised after numerous conversations that following one’s dream is far more important, so have decided funnelling my funds into becoming a pilot is a better decision for me - I recognise the huge numbers of downsides of professional flying but I think I am past saving at this point as I do understand anyone sane would probably finish up becoming a doctor yet still want to fly even with the risks/pay/conditions (that being said, Id argue the NHS isn’t doing much better of late with the exception of me having a 100% job guarantee if I pass my exams).
A few questions really:
1) Will there be a job to get if I graduate mid-late 2024 given the aftermath of covid and the impending recession? I get very different messages as to what the job market is doing and is going to do, so if I’m genuinely going to ruin my future training now and not getting a job at the end, I’ll become a doctor then fund pilot training in my 40s as a consultant (even though I’d rather get going now).
2) MPL or fATPL? I was looking at generation easyJet at CAE since they seem to be open, and I’ve heard despite the rocky start for those trained during covid they are now employed. If not that, is FTEJerez still the premier institution that it was when I looked at it around covid times?
3) Can someone explain to me what tagging is in ATPL programmes? Companies don’t seem to clarify what tagging entails and whether it’s provisional employment or just an interview. And are any airlines actually tagging pilots in the likes of FTE training programmes at the moment anyway or just hiring the backlog of type rated pilots from pre-covid?
4) if everything goes wrong and there is no job market, what is the cost of upkeep of an fATPL (or MPL) whilst waiting and applying for jobs? I assume knowledge checks and flying hours are required - but again I’m not entirely clear on how many, and what kind of money I will need to earn to stop the initial 100k going to waste and keep my licences intact before employment.
I hope that was all clear - I’m writing this in a short period of time in a break at the hospital!
Thanks in advance to whatever poor souls deal with the endless stream of wannabes like me.