I was awarded an RAF Flying Scholarship in 1968 at White Waltham and flew my first solo aged 17 and 2 weeks. I later graduated from the College of Air Training Hamble aged 19 and went straight onto the 747 for BOAC as a Second Officer. Training costs nil, bond £1000 for the first 5 years...
I quit at age 50 having probaly enjoyed the best years of commercial flying, averaged 35 hours per month...