In Canada, any commercial pilot can do the training for a type rating, so they are halfway there! I'm not sure you should be completely self-taught, though, even though they did that with Spitfires during the war - I am able to pass on quite a few tips to my students which they would otherwise have to learn the painful way, and you would probably agree if you found out how many people are flying the 206 (for example) based on pure myth & legend!
Phil