Sorry G-Force but must disagree here. "But if you had a look at the big picture you'd realise that on average people with better A-Levels are better-prepared to handle the workload required of training to become a pilot." I received a DD in my HNC whilst managing a £2m dev project for my employers. Again my workload has only managed to increase whilst undertaking my degree. The vast majority of people I have encountered whilst studying "part-time" make far greater sacrifices than the average student, with the subsequent failure consequences being far greater. The argument that A-level studying presents a vastly higher workload than that of a HNC WHILST employed is definitely invalid in my eyes. Work = 40 hours per week. Study = 12 hours per week. Coursework and essays = 8 hours per week.