Originally Posted by
Farrell
Hello Michael
I am almost running out the door as I write this so I will be brief.
You have lots of time at 17 to become a pilot. Your eyesight from the info you have given is well within the requirements for a JAA Class 1 even the UK one.
But before you go clambering off to flight school, one thing I am certain of is outside of medicals, a potential employer would like to see that you have gained a little bit of life experience before letting you loose on an airliner.
Get a degree. You will be finished it by the time you are 21. Then take a year off and travel through Asia and South America. After that, you should have a little more "life experience" hours under your belt.
Don't get me wrong, there are 20 year olds out there in the right hand seat and they are great pilots but they have sacrificed, for the moment, the joys of independent travel and seeing the world from a grassroots level.
We'll all still be here when you get back so.....give yourself some time and good luck to you!
Farrell
I done just that ^^^^. Wanted the airline pilot thing badly, it was in my blood stream from a very young age, i thought to myself i should hold out 3 more years and get a degree under my belt, doing computer science at the moment, enjoying it, having a good time playing cricket at a high level now, and getting some life exposure away from home. I have spoke to some very good guys off this forum, who went direct to flight school, so you can still make it without the whole degree thing, it was just a personal decision for me.
ahwell we well see in a few years what will happen, touch wood I will be flying high one day
I don't mind not living the fancy life and having loads of money, having enough to get me by with some extra left for personal use, would suit me just fine. Id rather be in that situation and flying rather than having loads of dosh and not flying.