Originally Posted by
Flyaways
I was thinking more of going down the design route.
I'm not entirely sure of the different routes available, but I would prefer to go down the design side of business/ passenger jets or light aircraft.
In which case you want an RAeS accredited MEng in aerospace / aviation / aeronautical engineering from a good university (really, don't worry about the differences in titles, do look at the detailed content of each course). And, in my opinion, at-least a PPL to have enough operational knowledge to be any good in a senior design role, particularly in light aircraft. "Pilot studies" degrees give you a way to do the two at the same time, but that isn't essential - you can do a PPL in many places and at any time.
A good BEng followed by a very good MSc is a viable alternative, but in aircraft design Cranfield is probably the only MSc in the UK I'd rate.
Which means you need A-level maths and physics, with good grades - or equivalent qualifications.
It's possible to do a foundation year instead of the A-levels, but I'd not recommend it. A school or 6th form college will deliver that teaching better and cheaper, then go straight onto a good university with the right A levels and enter the 1st year, rather than the foundation "year zero".
Management subjects, in my opinion, are much better studied later when you know stuff you can manage.
The courses you've already mentioned sound like Leeds - which is not highly rated in aeronautical engineering. You'd be better looking at Southampton, Loughborough, Brunel, Imperial, Salford, Manchester, Glasgow: all of which have much more robust courses. Coventry *may* be another option, who are busy raising their game at the moment, similarly UWE.
P