Thanks for responding guys.... your input is appreciated. And, also sorry for the delay in replying.
bertie777,
My wanting to be a pilot is unquestionable... I've wanted to be one since I was around 4 or 5. Suffice to say, I have a huge interest in aviation, and assuming it as a career would be a dream come true for me.
I think I've got the general idea that every pilot has to work his/her way up from small jets to big ones if that's where they want to go.
scroggs,
Your point is a valid one... I don't know the whole procedure about becoming a pilot because it looks so daunting and the info I want is often buried in pages and pages of forum threads! But most of the questions I asked I already knew the answers to, I wanted confirmation and concise and first-hand information about them. I guess I wanted everything I needed served on a plate of FAQs.
My fears were confirmed in your second para... 'involve a large degree of financial committment from the student'. Damn. As I said, money is few and far between for me... already I'm milking a lot off my family. It seems likely that, if I have to fund myself it'll have to be with a flying school abroad. I've heard that in certain places in Asia, internationally-recognised flying qualifications can be earned for around £3000 worth of flying hours and tutolage. I'm in the middle of writing letters for information etc, but I was wondering if anyone here had any thoughts about these kind of places in Asia? I assume the reason it's so cheap is because of low operating costs for aircraft.... and I'm assuming the course is just as intense and academically challenging to any equivalent course in the UK.
I'll certainly be browsing through the site more, thanks for your post!