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Old 15th Sep 2003, 21:30
  #13 (permalink)  
MikeSamuel
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Coventry, UK
Age: 39
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Cool Ouch!

Bet you're wishing you'd kept your mouth shut eh, Lucie!

PPRuNe is one of those great places where people tell you exactly what they think of you, and although some of the replies to this thread have been a bit harsh, I think they all have a good point.

I'm 19 too. I have been flying since I was 16, and have accumulated just over 30 hours so far. I worked hard for my A Levels after poor GCSE results (due to me being lazy) and now have 1A and 4B grades at A Level. I'm starting a course in Aerospace Engineering MEng in two weeks time, and I can't wait!
I've paid for all my flying myself.

I'm also paying pretty much everything for going to Uni too, and I'm moving away...

Anyway, you have to understand the amount of people who are in exactly the same position as you. If this is not a wind-up as has been suggested by some of the others, you need to do the following:

1 - Get into an aeroplane. Have you had a "trial" lesson yet? If not, get one. If you're serious you can afford £50 to spend half an hour seeing what it's all about.

2 - Read PPRuNe lots. It has to be the best resource in the world for career information - for flying anyway! I've never come across anywhere where there is such a mix of people, and some of them have worked their way right to the top of the profession from the position you are in now.

3 - Go flying. Lessons are great, but if you haven't got the £££ then get out there, meet people who are in a position to take you flying. Give the PFA a ring and find out about homebuilding projects in your area. Maybe you can trade helping out on a kitplane for some flying in it when it's done, or the builder may have other aircraft you could fly in...

4 - Look at UAS. All I know is that I want to fly. I don't care how, I just know I don't want to sit in an office all my days looking out the window at aeroplanes flying around - (I've done it for what seemed like a very long gap year) The military offer some great oppourtunities, and having a go at the UAS when you start Uni is fantastic if you haven't ruled out joining the RAF.

I'm sure the rest of the folks on here will have some bright ideas as well.

Flying is expensive, there's no way around paying for it in one way or another - especially not by setting up your own personal charity on this forum.

Best of luck, keep us up to date on your progress!

Mike
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