Change of Career
Right this is something I too have also considered, and before I go off into a ramble I am not trying to put a downer on the situation.Get your ATPL(f) - cost between £60k - £100kGet your type rating - cost approx £15k - £20kTotal Spend to date before you have a job offer - £75k - £120kApply for a job (do you have a preference for a particular airline?) If so sent them your application and go on the waiting list like everyone else before you.Do you have a preference for a particular base? Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham? If so advise the airline of your preference, and then join the list of everyone else who is looking for a position there. My advise (although I am only at PPL) having spoke with Airline Pilot Friends, for flag carriers as well as budget, if you have any commitments (be that a family, house with mortgage, someone you have to care for where you currently live) then you will be looking for a job within reasonable commuting distance of where you are living now. If this is the case, think of all the pilots before you who have done their time in foreign countries just to get back home to a base where you are at. So from my many hours and hours of readying forums, the decision is simple; Are you flexible to travel anywhere in Europe/World?Are you happy to start and for the first 3 years likely be on marginally on par with the average industrial wageAt the same time/live in another area other than where you are now and pay for living there as well as service any loan for any of your training. While it might seem like a glamorous job that of an airline pilot, there are many other issues that you must consider. So as already suggested, take a few lessons, get to solo standard, get your PPL. Enjoy your PPL and do some hour building, maybe go abroad for a few weeks to do some hour building. At that stage you'll likely have invested approx £15 - £20k in your training. However that is a reasonable sum to have spend while continuing with your current occupation, not gathering debt, and not massively changing your lifestyle. I would suggest that most people go this route. As at that stage, you will either be eaten by the bug and flying is all you will want to do, and you will go anywhere in the world just to fly, or you will realise, there are far too many lifestyle changes that I could have to make to follow this dream. Always remember though, if there is a surge in approx 2015 - 2018 as expected it would not be too late for you to contemplate doing your ATPL theory exams after your hour building, get your Commercial license, all of which you would have had time to save for, not have debt, and gather more life experience. I hope the above is a little eye opener, not trying to sound negative, but I was in the same position myself some years back, and decided I had more important things in my life than to take the huge financial & emotional risks of following the dream. Why do you think so many Training facilities offer "free IR revalidation after 12 months if you are not in a job"!!!!Notwithstanding off course, it probably is one of the best jobs in the world (but not necessarily the most lucrative anymore).Happy decision making, hope I have helped your decision making process. PM if you want to discuss further.