Exams and airlines

[buster172]

Hi,

This is a question on behalf of a friend…honestly!

In your experience do airlines that you have applied to have a minimum education level for applicants?

This comes around as my ‘friend’ has only a basic schooling. He is under the impression, from someone on PPrune (I don’t know who it was) that all airlines require certain grades in certain exams. However, I have seen posts on here by people who finished school with just one or two but went on to successfully self sponsor and are now flying big jets around the sky. They proved themselves by getting the license.

Any tips on this would be appreciated, were debating if he should go to university first and then follow the flying career, or vice versa.

I recommended doing what I didn’t. That is, avoid all the student debt with a degree when you want to be a pilot anyway, university will always be there but as we get older airlines may be less keen to take us on?

Some help on this would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,

Buster

[buster172]

Anyone?

I don’t want to give bad advice to someone starting out and if it’s best for them to get some better grades first, that would be good to know.

Sites like PPJN, I don’t believe show minimum qualifications on the hiring requirements just the license. Does anyone know a site or link that may have this kind of information?

Regards,

Buster

[scroggs]

Airlines do not generally stipulate educational qualifications for direct-entry pilots. The ground examinations for the ATPL are generally sufficient to demonstrate the required level of intelligence. However, sponsorship programmes (when they exist) often require a minimum of two A-levels, though the subjects are rarely stipulated. A degree is never required (in UK) to become a pilot.

Without further information it's difficult to give specific advice, but your friend does not need to get a degree.

Scroggs

[buster172]

Hi Scroggs,

Thanks very much for your reply.

Most reassuring to hear as this means he can proceed with plan A. That is to self fund and go modular with the knowledge that not having lots of Gcse or higher examinations is necessary.

Many thanks,

Kind Regards,

Buster