Pipeline to the airlines
I have not even started flight training or anything but i'm trying to decide if becoming a pilot is even viable in my situation before committing myself to anything. I have always wanted to be a pilot ever since i was a child and for many years it was pretty much the thing that mattered the most to me but unfortunately the air force in my country is quite small and i didn't have the grades to be admitted to pilot training and flight school is also expensive and i didn't have the money or nobody to pay for it so i just went and enlisted in the army and kind of put my dream on the backburner.
Now i was thinking about what to do after i leave the military and have found out that there are financing options compatible with my situation and i very possibly can attend flight training to get a ATPL license and only start paying the loan after i complete the training. However i know the ATPL license by itself won't get me a job in the airlines since they mostly ask for 1500 hours. I did a some researching and found out it's possible to make those hours instructing or even flying small planes in Africa but these are all things i'm reading over the internet and have no idea if this is actually a feasible plan.
If i get my ATPL license and build 1500 hours flying small aircraft will the airlines just take me as a first officer? Will i need to pay for my own type rating?
It seems many airlines not only ask for type rating but also 500 hours "in type", how am i supposed to build 500 hours in type in the first place?
I'm sorry if these are stupid questions but it's just it seems everything is kind of confusing and i'm just looking to shed some light on this.
For context, i'm from the European union if it matters.