Difference between flight school and Uni

[Confidentbeliever]

I've been looking around for the best route to be a commercial pilot.. But I'm confused by the difference between a flight training school and university that offers a bachelor in aviation.

Indeed, Uni might seem like a safer route as besides obtaining pilot license it also gives me a university degree, which going to a flight school doesnt. However, is university like a more "generic" pilot studies where it only focuses on theory? And does it mean after the 3 years of Uni study I'll have to undergo another course(wasting another amount of money) in order to be an airline pilot? Advice pls!

[birdstrike]

A university degree is purely an academic qualification although it might be useful if you intend ultimately to aim for airline management.

To actually learn to fly you will need to go to a flight school (but do read the hundreds of posts describing how our profession is generally going downhill before you commit large sums of money).

Best of luck whatever you decide.

[PPRuNe Pop]

You should go here first. Professional Pilot Training (includes ground studies) - PPRuNe Forums

But I should warn you that your sights are not set correctly. You need to do some more research to decide what you REALLY want. The choices are numerous but the results may not be what you feel you want.

Good luck.

[Confidentbeliever]

@Birdstrike : so even if the university says by the end of the degree ill obtained a license, it still doesn't mean I can fly?!

[Confidentbeliever]

@prune pop what do u mean by my sights are not correct? I'm scared now....

[Trossie]

Uni might seem like a safer route as besides obtaining pilot license it also gives me a university degree, which going to a flight school doesnt.

Those university courses such as 'Aerospace Engineering with Pilot Studies' give you a bit of aerospace engineering and a bit of pilot studies, neither of which will get you a job either as an aerospace engineer or as a pilot afterwards.

As has been mentioned before, set your sights properly: If you want to be an aerospace engineer, then go to university and do proper aerospace engineering course (without the 'pilot studies'!); If you want to be a pilot then go to a flying school and learn to be a pilot. But remember all along that getting either of those qualifications will not mean that you will necessarily get a job in that field, that (trying to get that first job) is where the really hard work starts...

And remember that in either field you should expect to work up from the bottom: to start with don't expect to be either a Boeing/Airbus design engineer or a B747/A380 first officer. If you expect to start right at the bottom you are far less likely to be disappointed and you will appreciate it a lot more when you eventually do work your way towards the top. (Far too many kids expect to get really top jobs straight off just because they 'now have the qualifications'!!)

[bacp]

Go to Uni, have a good time and decide about being a Pilot after, at least you may have a backup plan for a career if you decide against flying so long as you have a decent degree. Most airlines are looking for tertiary education as the minimum entry requirement anyway. Only do the flying if you can't imagine any other career that you will be satisfied with. If you love flying that much, it will carry you thru the inevitable s##ty bits and the debt. GL

[Groundloop]

The OP is from Singapore but all the replies are from people in the UK.

He may be looking at programmes in other countries, such as the US, where they are somewhat different.