Originally Posted by
happyjack
I see politeness by the OP but also naivety by the bucketloads! You are young so it is perhaps to be expected?
You seem to think it is simply a matter of step 2 follows step 1 and bang, you are an airline pilot? It should be but it isn't. The most important factor in "making it" is who you know!
I think you should find a professional airline pilot locally and spend an hour or two buying him/her coffee and then rack brains as to what exactly was involved to get to their position? I think you would be very surprised at how much work it involved, a better understanding of the costs AND just how much luck? Many trainee pilots spend many tens of thousands of pounds, miss out of the luck so never get a career out of it.
The reality is it is a mental cutthroat business that takes no prisoners at all. Additionally if you get there be aware that although your mates would think highly of you, your employer would certainly hate you and would be constantly trying to undermine and reduce your renumeration and benefits as profits should go to shareholders not employees and especially not pilots!
One or two exceptions but that is generally what I found in a 33 year flying career. Good luck!
If there's one thing I've learned from this thread is that I should always be more cynical than I need to be and then be 10x more cynical on top of that. I understand that this process isn't step by step - whisk the perseverance and motivation, combine with aptitude, bake at 180 for 30 minutes and you've got yourself a pilot. Hardly. But I want at least a rough sketch of my actions after I leave school - the more detailed the better.
About networking with pilots - I often stop by the cockpit and ask the FA (very politely) if I could chat with the pilots after I've been on a flight (usually with RYR or EZY). From what they've told me the FOs are all pretty much integrated (and you can tell by their age might I add) and the Capt. did it so long ago that things have changed significantly, as discussed there is no way I could afford integrated nor would I want to do it in the first place. I'll keep asking though, it's always great being in the cockpit and I can always learn something from the pilots.
I do remember one of my mum's students (uni lecturer) going to study aviation medicine or something like that and we did meet in a cafe to discuss how to be a pilot - but to be honest it's been so long ago that the only things I have left from the encounter is a stack of issues of
Flyer magazine (which albeit makes for some good reading) and also the flight school she went to - Tayside (which entered administration just this year). One of my mum's work colleague's son's mates is apparently also pursuing aviation so I will try and get hold of his number and ask him about it. Honestly call me optimistic but I firmly believe that hard work beats luck at least 9 out of 10 times, if I put in the hard work (starting now) I could definitely make this dream a reality. Thanks for your insight, 33 of flying years is bloody impressive and I can just imagine how much more sound wisdom you have to offer
I'll drop you a PM if I ever have any questions. Have a good one.