Hi all, long-time lurker here. Instead of rambling on, I will put together a bit about me:
- 20 y/o student at a RG uni (subject non-related to aviation)
- Have wanted to be a commercial pilot since age 11
- Worked part-time to save and now deciding to take the plunge in gaining my PPL
- Will graduate in 2 years time
I have wanted to be a commercial pilot for nearly a decade now but decided to go down the uni route as a "back-up" and because I couldn't afford the integrated route from OAA or CTC at the time. When I graduate (2017) I'm hoping to apply to programmes such as the BA FPP although I know the chances of being accepted onto such a course is extremely slim. In which case, my only other option is to head down the modular route. However, to finance this, I will have to work for a few years after graduation and then commence with training.
I have saved up enough money currently for a PPL and I have booked my first couple of lessons. I figured this would be a good move if: a) I apply to sponsored schemes because it helps show you are dedicated to working towards being a pilot and b) if I go down the modular route, it's one less licence I have to obtain.
However, since I'm not graduating for another two years, and I'm hoping to have my PPL completed in 18 months at the most, I then have to finance in the "upkeep" of my licence to which I have read I should budget around £3000-4000 per year.
Firstly, I don't want to give myself too many hours at the risk of looking unattractive to a airline running a sponsored scheme as although they may look favourably upon a PPL-holder, I have heard rumours it's best not too have too many hours since they may prefer the candidate to be slightly more of a 'blank canvas'. In addition, the budget per year to keep up my skills may be more difficult during my final year of university when I plan to cut down my part-time work hours to concentrate on my studies.
Should I start my PPL now or wait a little longer?