Originally Posted by
AlwaysWondering
Firstly, congratulations on the PPL and good luck with the exams.
Secondly, in no way does it cost £250k to go from 'zero to hero' as it were.
One of the most reputable schools out there, FTE Jerez, charges £112k for their full UK CAA programme of zero to CPL/IR/ APS-MCC etc. That's full board and includes uniform (eww), accommodation, three meals a day, all skills tests, medical renewal etc. You can probably add a couple of thousand on top for initial medical, equipment, flights, socializing etc. 115-120k tops.
As you correctly identify, modular can be done cheaper. Though the price of schools in the UK has really gone up a lot since I looked into flight schools so I can't give an exact figure. Plus long gone are the UK in EASA days when you could head out to Poland and come in under £50k.
For the OP, no idea on the process with BA, but good luck to your husband. It would be terrible to never try and have all these what ifs.
What advice I can give is look in detail at the application process as you are hopefully doing. The psychometric testing needs practice - and lots of it. There's very little 'natural aptitude' in it unfortunately, and basically all successful candidates will have paid for programmes/ websites to practice these. Interviews can also be prepared and practised for.
It does if you are giving up 2 years worth of salary on top of the 115-120k that you mentioned. Maybe 250K is a bit of fag packet maths but over 200k easily. That is what I was referring too. I am guessing with the person being 36 he has dependents and a mortgage to pay for.