Training to become a pilot

[GoEDI]

My aim is to become a pilot and as I shall be turning 17 this year, I'm thinking it is about time I look into it more thoroughly.
What is the best way gain the necessary experience to become a pilot?
Going to flying school i.e Oxford seems very expensive and out of reach for most? Is there an easier way of handling the finance side of it that way?
I've always thought that gaining sponsership with BA would be my best option, but with them cutting jobs is it looking less and less likely that that is an option? Or, is that still my best bet?
Are there any other airlines offering sponsership?
Ahh Help! I'm so confused! The options are there, it is just finding out which one is going to be best. What advice can you give me, bearing in mind that I don't have tens of thousands of pounds to put towards my training.
Sorry for all the questions!
:O

[Flypuppy]

Check out This Thread (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=119608) for some answers to your questions.

If you are keen on a career in aviation, at your age an idea might be to consider Yooni (if your highers are up to it) and spend a few years getting drunk and chasing women.

It pays to have a back up plan, to take into account the cyclical nature of the industry, and a degree would give you that extra fall back position.

Drop me a PM if you want to have a wee chat about it.




Note to mods, would it be an idea to make the referred to thread (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=119608) a sticky?

[scroggs]

The thread mentioned by Flypuppy will give you many of the answers you're looking for.

Don't get hung up on BA; they're not recruiting Cadet pilots, and are not likely to for some time. When they do, it will be on a scheme quite different to their old one, I'm told.

Pups, I'll make it a sticky for a while. I may edit some of it.

Scroggs

[GoEDI]

Just out of interest, is there a website where airlines put up job vacancies that someone could give me a link for. Who is going to be recruiting the most in, lets say, 5 years? I guess Ryanair?
Thanks for the link ot the thread! :)

[Flypuppy]

Probably your best bet for finding out who is hiring is www.ppjn.com

As for who is going to be hiring in 5 years well I guess you could try www.russellgrant.com

I don't mean to be facetious but from what I have seen of the airline industry, long term planning of aircrew hiring is not one of their strong points. An overcrewed airline today could be cancelling flights tomorrow due to aircrew shortages. It really is a funny industry in that regard.

The only thing I can say is that IATA have estimated an increase in air travel of 15% in the next few years. When you see the amount of construction work going on at many European airports, the only conclusion that can be drawn is that the airport owners belive this to be the case as well.

Hiring seems to go through a 7 year cycle of boom and bust.