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Old 18th July 2007 | 12:16
  #45 (permalink)  
clanger32
 
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 359
Likes: 0
From: Guildford
Josh,

I'll try and help you once more (after several attempts on the Oxford Forum).

I'm going to try and keep this brief, so please understand I can't answer all points fully.

- You ask repeatedly about A levels. It should tell you something that EVERYONE is saying you need them. RE: Maths and Physics - personally I don't think it will hurt you long term if you don't have them, but that would be based on just not wanting to do them - not a lack of ability. If you just "can't" do maths/physics, you will probably struggle with the ATPLs.

- I'm not trying to bust your chops here, but as others have said, you do come across as *ahem* not fully mature yet. It really, truly, honestly will NOT harm your chances to wait another couple of years, get that life experience and KNOW this is what you want to do (IIRC you've only just got the pilot bug in the last 18 months?). Please, please, please bear in mind that in asking someone to let you fly an aircraft, you're asking them to let you be in control of $55-$65 MILLION dollars of aircraft, and having the lives of 100+ people in your hands. This is NOT something where immaturity will be tolerated. Likewise, you have to REALLY want to do this, not just decide that it's a really glamourous career that pays really well. It isn't. It's a lot better than some other careers, but you can earn more, more quickly, without incurring the training costs in other industries. One of the posters here mentioned I.T. ....that's my current field and I can tell you that it's true, it will take me several years of aviation to earn the same as I do now. Lose the idea that it's this great, glamourous job that pays brilliantly. If you still want to do it, then it's for you. If it's only the thought that you get women throwing themselves at you and that kind of thing...it's not.

- Modular Vs Integrated (sorry all!) It really is your choice. Mod is generally cheaper, but is probably a tougher route to take (have to study whilst doing a full time job, on your own [totally] when it comes to finding a job etc). I can't answer this for you, neither can any of the others here...in fact if you look around you'll find that this is endlessly debated. Look at both options, UNDERSTAND both options and choose which is best for you.

- Money. I think you're doing the right thing to try and save some cash before you start training....too many mortgage their parents house to the hilt and rush in. Every penny you save now and don't have to borrow really will pay itself back twofold. However, be realistic on your salary aims....I don't know what the going rates are now, but for reference, my first GRADUATE job paid £12.5 k (admittedly in 1996/7). As has been mentioned, even if you get £15k or more, you WILL struggle to save significantly on that....you're young - I can't imagine you're not going to want to go away with your mates, have a beer (or ten!) etc. you seem to be taking a very lackadaisical attitude to the money....sit down, work out what you need to live (so minus any rent you pay, food, car [or travelling to work] costs, holidays etc) and then you can see how much you need to save. PLEASE bear in mind that whilst some will tell you, that you can get the fATPL for about £30k modular, that is RARE...it seems that it will normally cost around £45-50k through this method with contingencies in place. Do a search here...last year a mod student broke down his route to fATPL through modular and from memory it cost him £55k?

In summary, you haven't done yourself any favours, either here, or on the OAT website as you seem to constantly ask the same questions in the hope that one person will give you the answer you want and you can then ignore all the other advice. Think of it this way - generally if 100 people tell you you're ill, it's time to see a doctor, even if you feel fine.
It's fair comment, you DO need to work on your English - it's a key critical part of the aviation world...how are you going to converse with the tower "alright ATC, this is me, innit. I wanna land"? It's also a fair comment that you need to read more - you frequently ask questions that have been done to death on the forums and frequently (thinking of the OAT forum in particular) where the answers are clearly on the main web page. This just shows you haven't read the information on what you seek to spend a huge sum of cash on....not very reassuring!

However, all of this represents things you can work on. If you want to. There is loads of good advice out there, but you do need look for it, understand it and use it for yourself....none of the rest of us can do that for you. I'm not gonna try and offer advice again, unless I see that you're looking for yourself, answering your own questions and forming new questions which perhaps are a little less obvious. Good luck!
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