Its good to hear that you are visiting all the schools, this will give you an insight into what you will need to know and which will be the right school/course for YOU!
Apply for sponserships by all means but dont hold out any hope (im not even sure anyone is offering sponsorships at the mo)
Sorry to contradict you Bodie, there is a 'pilot specific' loan, Its the HSBC profesional studies loan for commercial pilot studies. Which by the sound of it, is the sort of thing your after Spike001. You can borrow up to 45k unsecured but they will be looking at certain things i.e. your chances of passing the course, chances of getting a job and also how are you going to pay it back? if you do an intergrated course you wont be quilified as an instructor ether (thats another 5-8k!!!) so you will need to go straight into an airline or you will have to have something to fall back on financally. This is because your repayments, which start 6 months after you finish, will be in excess of £500/month! If you going to do an intergrated course then you are going to have to find around 10k+ yourself as well.
Get your PPL and a Class1 medical, visit all the schools and start putting a plan together. Pop in to your local HSBC and get a profesional studies/post graduate loan brocure and have a read and then go back and discuss it with them. You may realise along the way that you dont want a massive financial noose around your neck!
Good luck whatever you decide!
