When I posted my first post the figures I was using came from
Stapleford.[1] Since then my preferred one is a local(ish) one to me,
Cleveland Flying School which does offer the course for 40k or so.
However, if I go there I won't be selling my flat so will have to work FT (
may be able to arrange shifts around course) so finance is still a problem and will only be part-time studying. I've already spoken to the Head of Training and he said that, if training is my goal, then I could halve my costs by leaving out MEP, etc.
I'm thinking about it and have building up a set of questions to ask him (can't keep phoning every day with more questions) but I'm still in two minds. Looked at coldly, I'll be spending £20-40k to get a job which pays approximately what I'm getting now -- that seems silly (especially as I'll need to get myself a loan to pay for the course). Looked at from a job satisfaction point of view (which is the priority) I feel that the job would be a lot more rewarding for me and, despite the potential caveat about heights below, I believe I will love it.
One complication is that I'm afraid of heights. I'm OK in heavy metal jets (loved them as a child, view them as normal now). The only time I've ever been in a light aircraft was as a passenger on a scenic mountain flight and every time I felt the wind move the plane my fear took hold. On the same lines I have mild exercise induced asthma. I should keep my attacks, very rare, under control by taking a couple of puffs on my inhaler a few minutes before flying but would it be enough to make me fail the medical?
Among my other concerns is whether leaving out things like MEP would harm my promotion prospects -- it's not worth trying unless I'm going to have a career! As I would be studying part time, I won't be graduating for 2-5 years and I don't know what the job market then would be.
I'm talking to my building society about arranging finance should I decide to go ahead and I will be looking to book a trial lesson to see how I really feel in the cockpit. I hope to combine that with an appointment with the Head of Training to discuss everything. However, due to the wages in flight instructing it is not simple.
[1] If you look at the PDF file for the commercial course it states that to get qualified it's £28-30k for the basic courses, £26.6k for flight sim training, £6k for FI, £2.3k for MCC, E3-5k in exam fees and the like, etc. It works out about £70k.