Rotorvation is right; borrowing the money in the present state of the industry is extremely risky.
It wasn't always so. In 1999, when I started learning to fly helicopters, you could still get a PPL(H) and 200 hours and an FI rating. Most people seemed to get an instructing job of some sort, got 700 hours or whatever it was you needed, then a CPL, then got hired by the North Sea Oil companies. Or so it seemed to me.
Then came JAR. Great, said everyone; the North Sea will hire you as a new under-200-hour wet-behind-the-ears CPL. And they did, for a bit. I knew a couple of people who got taken on, and I phoned a friend up there and arranged to go up for a look-see before applying myself.
Then came 9/11. Airline pilots lost their jobs, and those who were dual-qualified went back to the North Sea, tails between legs, for their old jobs. The oil companies stopped taking on new CPLs just like that. Soon, even those who paid for their own IR weren't guaranteed a job. Everyone started realising they'd need to get 300 hours (now 250) and an FI rating...damn, I'd always considered that, and thought I'd be alone, with all the ambitious young things off to the North Sea!
So now there's a glut of newly qualified CPL/FIs, and probably less students, since no-one who really understands the situation in the UK is likely to go for a CPL(H) unless they have money behind them. It's tough. I borrowed little, work freelance at something else, and do part time instructing work; it suits me fine and is working out so far. I'm not making any money from flying, but I'm not making a loss. I enjoy it, and I have another job anyway, so what the hell; I never wanted to be rich.
I too would never pour cold water on anyone's dreams. But do make sure those dreams are realistic. Things could change, but they may not. You may get lucky, but you may not. It may be better in other parts of the world, but I don't hear any rumours that it is.
So, all you rotary wannabes, I DO understand, really I do, but please....TAKE CARE!
