Hi there,
Another one here. I'm a 24yr old graduate working in research and not earning a whole lot (14K basic, ouch)! No morgatge (good), no girlfriend (bad?), got a degree and all that and have been researching flying schools, rules and regulations, different training paths and flying jobs, foreign licences etc etc etc for the longest time! Can't afford any flying other than gliders (though I have some pilot friends who are VERY understanding), but have got enough hours to know that I want nothing more than this.
So, I've found a school I like, and as I can't finance it my folks have bravely agreed to guarantor for me so I can borrow the money for a CPL/IR/Multi and CFI/CFII licences. The catch (if indeed it is one) is that I would never dare do this in the UK. I'm a Yank (apparently, though I've never lived there) so I'm going to train in the USA for the FAA licences with the view to working there, at least until I have a worthwhile number of hours to convert or the JAA gets it's !!!!! together on foreign licencing issues (so I guess I'll be in the US for some time yet).
If it all goes belly up (which it won't......I hope) I should be able to fall back on my degree for a decent wage, something that's not possible in the UK so it seems.
I'd love to fly in the UK, but it's just too expensive.
It's a terrifying step, 'cause it's a huge risk. But if you know that it's all you want to do and there's no other way then you just have to go for it, just so long as you know what you're getting into. This advice comes sraight from my family and I realise that few people have that sort of support. The loan is a morgatge looking for a house!.... <img src="eek.gif" border="0">
Best of luck,
VS