Firstly I want to say that I do not intend to cause anyone offence by my views here, but I need to add my comments and thoughts.
I have been researching getting a frozen ATPL for nearly two years and have been studying in detail the threads on PPRUNE for over a month. This thread has been for me the most informative thread on the site - and I would like to thank Grandad Flyer & Scroggs for their comments.
I think that all the clues a wannabe needs about aviation and its future are right here on this thread. It seems ( especially from recent postings ) that there are a large number of self funded students that have simply not studied the aviation industry before embarking on training and are also wanting jobs straight away with the airlines ( How many of them applied for jobs such as charter flying, Flight instruction etc to build hours ). There are threads in PPRUNES archives that are over 12-18 months old that are already painting a dire picture for learning to fly, i.e. redundances, global economic slow down etc etc. Now I will be funding my own training ( partly my own savings and an unsecured loan ) and I am not a clever person but even I checked things out way before 11/9 and decided to hang on.
Now for my positive and optimistic views! There are other threads that suggest that flight trainging schools are only now starting to cut back on courses - I would firstly like to suggest that there were companies cutting back in Apr/may 2001 ( I know especially in US, AUS and NZ as I spoke to them ) and secondly is that not a good thing, not just for us wannabes but also the pilots that are currently out of work.
Something else I have noticed from another thread is that there are only approx 11500 UK commercial pilots? I can't believe thats the case - but if that is true then how many aircraft are there in the UK? I'm thinking about all the planes that can be making money ( i.e. banner towing, Cargo planes, Surveying, Biz Jets/Props, 747s etc etc ) if that is the case, then who is flying them ?There simply has to be more pilots - where can the true figures be found ?
Lastly, I would like to know if I have been miss informed on this ( or any of my veiws ), but I was told that a percentage ( possibly a much as 20% ) of the pilot reduncies from big airlines have been taken as early retirement? Now if thats wrong than fair enough my mistake, but hanging on to that thought - Summer time, things pick up and the laid off pilots re-employeed ( Fantastic ). End of summer and vacancies start to appear - who is going to fill them as a comment in this thread said that flight schools were cutting back so where are all the pilots going to come from ?
I remain optimistic about the future for flying and the best of luck to anyone who has made the leap. People who have given up their current careers in the last few months to train have given me the hope to pursue my dream. Like I said I didn't want to offend anyone - these are just my own views from talking to flight schools, pilots, press and PPRUNE.
P.S. One more thing I have found is that there are a huge number of people who want to take your money - do your research first. I have found only one flying school that I trust and they will get my business simply because of their honesty.