I am want to become an airline pilot (Read me if you're 15 years old)

[rleungz]

Hello, I was an avid reader of this forum since I was a young boy, having the dream of becoming an pilot, a sky god flying to wonderful places with the power of Boeing or an Airbus in my hands. I always dreamt that I will be a pilot or at least in training after I graduated from university...well that was the plan. The plan I made after several steps in my teens. However, I am more mature, older and the dream of becoming an airline pilot are replaced with maybe realistic ones.

Like all boys who see a British Airways pilot walk through hallways of Manchester Airport, dreams start to form. My parents hoping that I would become a doctor, changed because I insisted I was going to become a pilot, like that BA pilot. From then I was obsessed, I even remember telling my Careers Advisor I was going to be an airline pilot. I knew more about how to get into the career then him.

However, my main goal was to become a fighter pilot. I joined air cadets and as soon as I turned 16 years old, I went for pilot selection (OASC). This is when your dreams of flying a RAF hawk through a valley disappear. I basically got told the cliche line 'my eyes did not make the cut'. Horrible I know but at least I could still become an airline pilot.

All my focus turned back to becoming an airline pilot but this was in 2006, and airline market was turning silent before the storm. I ordered all the brochures from the nice looking flying schools and read them all night - my dream was still there. However, this is when I learnt about money, that thing that makes the world go round. You never really understand the value of money until you have to earn it yourself. My parents sat me down one night and explained that they just did not have 60k in their bank account and wanted to me to go to university. I am glad they had that conversation with me at 16 years old because you realise the value of money and not being selfish to have your parents re-mortgage their house.

So, after much debating on this forum and with my parents, I went to university to study Computer Science. My dream of being an airline pilot still firmly in the back of my head. I joined the university air squadron, I did not do that much flying because my course was so demanding. However, the plan was to work hard and get a good job. I had my three years at university and had a really good time. In fact I was having such a good time I forgot to check up on PPRUNE and found other exciting careers I could purse. More real dreams to chase, places to live and girls!

Now, let us roll till now, where am I? Well, I have graduated from university with a 1st class hons degree in Computer Science and I have a graduate job waiting for me in April with a Management Consultancy called Accenture. With that job I have a very good salary and a large sign on bonus. I could put all that into my airline pilot training but with the world's economic state and the pilot market - one might purse other sensible dreams.

I basically have all the tools (degree, graduate job and income) to become an airline pilot but I am not that 16 year kid, I am 23 years old and understand the value of money now.

It may seem to you all that I do not have to fire to become an airline pilot but if money was not a factor then I would, and the job market was stable - like the good old days.

I would like to advise all those young 15 year olds, work out how much it would take to become an airline pilot working in Asda or at your airport. Go to university and get a high paid job.

Anyway, just food for thought.