Originally Posted by
Wantoflyforever
Hi everyone,
I'm Felix, 16 and from Belgium. I've been into aviation since I was a kid, and I want to become a commercial pilot. I'm in secondary school, good at math and physics, and I've been in an English immersion program for 4 years, so I think the English side will be ok.
My plan is to get my Class 2 medical first, then Class 1, and apply for cadet programs at 18. I'm looking at LAT (Swiss/Lufthansa) and KLM, with Ryanair or easyJet as backup. I haven't flown yet but am booking a discovery flight soon.
A few questions:
- What should I actually focus on at my age to prepare for cadet selections ?
- Any good resources for LAT or KLM aptitude tests ?
- Is having a PPL before applying worth it or not really ?
- What do you wish someone had told you at 15 ?
- Do you have some advice to be a pilot?
Thank you,
Félix
If you are aiming for cadet programs from those airlines it will be essential to speak their language fluently (dutch/german). Since the ones you mention are not a 'free ride' you might also consider the Brussels Airlines MPL via Skywings. If you want to be competitive for this I would again recommend to learn dutch. Maybe you want to consider the belgian air force, does Air France have a program (I see you are from Namur, so you speak french?) ?
Other advice: get a trial lesson, start flying something or consider glider flying (belgian air cadets?). A full PPL is not required.
Start doing student jobs and save as much as you can. Are you and your parents really ready to pay for this?
Do your own research, you never know enough.
Also: think carefully before you go down the aviation rabbit hole: your money and social life will be gone before you know it. Do you really want to miss a lot of social events, family life, get up in the middle of the night,... Consider deeply the downsides of this job.