Extremely difficult decision

[shadyuk]

Hey there

First time user of this forum and have found much of the views on job prospects extremely disheartening. Along with the thousands, I have always wanted to be a airline pilot. Ive got about £25k saved and with the dollar being weak as it is, thought about following up my dream. Im 22 and from the UK.

Ive heard conflicting views about the costs of training , from $25k to $50k. I did some research and came across this http://www.deltaconnectionacademy.com/html/home.html. Id love to be able to join an accredited school and earn my flying licenses but just like so many others, am worried that I wont get a job. Do I have enough money? Do I need to take a out a loan? Is the school even any good?

I could start a small business as I always have ideas that atleast earn me a bit of money but the though of flying planes for a living is excillerating and obviously a good career if you make it.

I need as much guidance as possible as it seems that being young can be a very good factor in getting the elusive interviews. However I dont want to waste my money hoping for glory...

P.S. I know, newbies are annoying but please help people...

[GRANTS]

First of all, as far as I know Delta no longer run JAR courses.
secondly, aviation training was never an investment so don't try to look at it as one.
what matters is if you want to fly for living or not.

there is always a risk of not getting employment as fast as you wanted, but you can minimize that risk by doing your flight training in a good well recognized British establishment (FTE Jerez,Oxford, Cabair...).
if you pass the admission process to one of them, the bank would give you the rest of the money you need.

take everything into proportions, I have a friend who study Law at Oxford.
it will take her 4 years to graduate, and than she has only 50% chances of getting employed in this field.
you are going to be employable within less than a year and a half and you will have all the time in the world to look for a job.
when you do find one, you'll make the same money as my lawyer friend will.
that sounds better?

you can't win without taking chances, you probably know that if you are thinking of doing some business.

that's what I think, talk to some other chaps in the neighborhood.

Grants

[CAT3C AUTOLAND]

Shady,

I couldn't get that link to work, and I appreciate your concerns. I noticed you are from London, therefore I would assume you are looking to go to the states do the majority of your training then convert your licences?

I must admit, I am not really up to speed with the cost of the FAA system and the conversion costs, however, I do know that maybe doing your PPL in the USA and hour building there and then returning to the UK for your professional training, you will be looking at around the £35K+ mark. On saying that, I think you will have to be very shrude with your money to achieve the minimum cost.

Good luck mate.

[BitMoreRightRudder]

Shady

Have you applied for sponsorship? CTC run an ongoing sponsorship programme (Wings), and Britannia, FlyBE and I think Thomsonfly have all run individual schemes in the past couple of years. Use the search function and you will find substantial threads on each scheme.

No guarantees with any of it (sponsored or self funded), and it's a long hard slog - much of it is very enjoyable though. You have got to want it!

Good Luck

[CAT3C AUTOLAND]

Just a quick word about CTC, they are not currently accepting applications. I have been told that they will be accepting them again in March/April time.

[Tha Aviata]

Am also a new recruit, about the same age, and alot more money to spend.

Just One question for all wannabe pilots out there -

What does it take to become the best?

:confused:

[shadyuk]

Thanks for the info guys. Looks like a long winding road ahead and I think the best bet is the sponsorship schemes. I checked CTC's website and they really do tell it like it is. Its extremely difficult but if you get selected, should be fine. I applied online but whether theyre recruiting or not is another matter. It doesnt say on their website, i think!!

[G SXTY]

The Aviata – I don’t think it works like that. If you meant; “What does it take to make it to the right hand seat of an airliner?”, then you don’t have to be Top Gun, the main requirements are: determination, money, determination, aptitude, determination, luck.

Many people wanting to join this industry are dazzled by this image of a steely-jawed captain striding through the airport with a gorgeous hostie on each arm. Glamorous, isn’t it? They don’t see the reality, which is that flying – and particularly flying training – can be an intensely frustrating and often unrewarding business. That’s not a message people want to hear (they certainly won’t hear it from flying schools), and so they often find themselves unprepared and/or disappointed when the reality of training kicks in. No disrespect, but I’m sure that’s one of the reasons so many new people pop up on here, only to drop off the radar a few months later.

If you’re serious, then by all means go for it, but acknowledge at the outset that it’s a long hard slog, that there’s an awful lot of pitfalls / grief / disappointment / beauracracy on the way, and that if and when you eventually qualify, there is no guarantee of a job. And if you do find work, you’ll constantly be one medical away from losing your livelihood. Face up to that now, and you’ll save yourself a lot of heartache later on.

I could go on all day (one day I’ll write a book on this) but what I’m trying to get across is you won’t make it without total determination and commitment – you’ll end up packing it in long before you get a chance to prove yourself the best of the best.

[pilotarosa]

G-SXTY you couldn't say it any better.....you should write a book

Once I left the airforce, a friend of mine that was a layer said: YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU LIKE IN LIFE BUT YOU MUST WANT IT WANT IT AND WANT IT!!!
and it's true......after a short but crazy journey in aviation (military and civilian) that lasted nearly 4 year...I finally will start my first airline job in a couple of weeks........I am sure this is only the beggining but every thing is possibible because I love flying and whatever will happen I will never give up.
So for the new begginers......there are jobs out there...I waited nerly one year since i finished my licence and then I had 4 interviews in the same month!.....There are jobs...but if you want to do it only because it's a cool job......don't do it......if you want to do it because you love it...GO FOR IT
GOOD LUCK!:D :D

[Tha Aviata]

Thanks alot Guys,

Youve made things alot clearer for me.!!!!!!!

:ok:

[Simon_Sez]

There's no such thing as "the best pilot in the world" and if there is, he/she is propably being overtaken every day by someone "that bit better". Passengers couldn't give a **** whether Boeing/Airbus chief test pilots are their flight deck crew for the journey and airlines just want to be assured you've been trained to a level of competency that meets all their requirements.

By all means, train and work as hard as you can, but don't try and be this super-human pilot....cos you'll give yourself a heart-attack and fail the medical. Then what? :)

Simon.

[Mr Pink]

Shady

Consider these options:

1) Airline pilot - self/part funded

Pros:
-Fly around the world on a daily basis
-Fantastic career potential(747, A380 etc)
- Good salary???
- Get to look good in pilot unifrom - pull the ladies if single

Cons:
- Years to pay off loans
- Contracted with sponsorship airline for 5yrs + with low salary.
- May not get on jet aircraft
- Travelling around UK
- Unsociable hours
- potential of short career - dependant on health
- redundancy - did you hear of the 1500 757 pilots that were made redundant not so long ago!

2) Business owner - fly in spare time.

Pros:
- Fly were you want to, when you want to.
- Gain type ratings on all different aircraft.
- Buy or part own a plane/ helicopter
- Fly aerobatics
- take friends flying
- Own Boss
- Probably better salary

Cons:
- Don't get to charm the cabin crew
- NO way you will fly the A380
- Thought of not knowing what being a professional pilot was really like!

My point is to make sure you are in it for the right reasons. People think that theres lots of money to be made whilst flying to sunny destinations. The facts are that it is quite a boring profession that can offer a good salary if you land the right postion! Many of my friends are airline pilots, but I don't get to see them due to the hrs, and when I do they only seem to gain satisfaction by telling the ladies that they are airline pilots, wooopee dooo.

A A330 training captain gave me some advice one day on the flight deck coming back from Jamaica. That was to use my Aeronautical engineering degree and become an engineer, as there is more money to be made with higher job satisfaction!
Hence I complete my engineering doctorate in the near future and already earn a good salary. A salary that I could not earn as a first officer with a major airline!

I have now gained my PPL(A) and (H) with IMC and am now looking to gain my aerobatic licence.

Why not start your company, get it making profit in the first year then try for an airline. At least you have a backup if you get bored!

Goodluck with your decision