Guys,
I have read many many threads where experienced pilots and aviation wise-heads give warnings to wannabes about there being more wannabes than pilot seats available out there. OAT alone push out more fATPL pilots in the UK per year than there are jobs available per year
not to mention the other Integrated JAA FTO's.
My plan was to either go to the US and get my PPL/Night/HourBuild/MEP then come home and enjoy the flying while I study for my ATPL's via BGS and doing freelance webdesign/development to make ends meet.
Then when the funds allow and the time is right carry out the rest of my training via OAT (WayPoint) or Airways in Exeter. I'd like to keep my professional training done with a good UK school but I'd consider a Euro School like Aerodynamics / Egnatia / Aerofan to save some cash if it didn't make any difference to my job prospects or even go back to the US.
.... But now I am faced with the problem of I am 25 earning enough to just about get my foot on the property ladder. I went to look at an apartment yesterday and at £120k it's just about within my price range. But if I go ahead with this I might just be blowing my chances of ever becoming a professional pilot.
Saving £40k when you have an apartment to run will take a long time for sure. And I'm sure I'd be in my mid 30's before I have that kind of 'spare' cash to invest in myself. I think I'd be 40 years old with 200/300 hours and a fATPL and I'd be up against 25 year olds fresh from an Ab-Inito school like FTE / OAT / CTC
Everybody is telling me to get on the property ladder as it'll only go up in value. And then I have the ratio of pilot vacancies to fATPL students going though my mind and think to myself that I might end up with no Pilot job and no apartment.
So if a friend asked you for advice;
"I have a house deposit/half of my fATPL training but where should I send the money?"
... I suppose I could always go and do my PPL/Night/MEP now and take the 100% mortgage and I'll have maybe 3/4 years to get my ATPL exams done while flying every month or so
My original plan was to go to EFT and come back with 1,500h and a load of JAA/FAA licences including an FI unrestricted.
Thanks in advance guys.
Andy