In desperate need of guidance!

[Oxeagle]

Hi there,
After mulling it over for the past few months i've decided that I definitely want to go all the way and get my ATPL. I'm currently doing my PPL, so at least i'm at the right starting point! However, there are a number of things I need help deciding upon before I can commit myself. These are:

1. ATPL or ATPL (H)?
Although I am currently doing my PPL, I would much rather prefer to do my PPL (H). The reason I chose the PPL was because of money (or more precisely lack of!), even although I would have much prefered to fly rotary wing. Also, talking to a few friends who are working towards their ATPL (H) they say that there are many more vacancies for rotary wing pilots, and the jobs are much more secure than with the airlines. Is this the case? Also, is the PPL (H) route to ATPL (H) route more expensive than the fixed wing equivalent?

2. Finance
Being only 17 (soon to be 18) I don't have much finance availible to me for my flying. I am currently working as an IT technician (my backup plan if flying goes t*ts up!), but my contract runs out in a few months, and so my already limited source of fiance will dry up completely. The way I see it, I have 2 options: either develop my career as an IT technician and use the money from that to finance a gradual transition into commercial aviation, or somehow come up with £50,000 or so and do the course from PPL all the way to ATPL full time. Which do you thing is the best option? If I went for the second option, what options are available to me for sources of finance? From I have learnt, the main options are taking a loan from a bank or attempting to obtain sponsorship. I am seriously looking at the loan option, so would anyone know any banks/organisations which would provide me with that volume of money or even better do a special reduced rate for the ATPL course?

3. Location
This is the least important issue for me at the moment, but still one that I will have to eventually decide upon. What are the best training centers over here? I've seen the Oxford Aviation Training and they seem like a pretty decent school, plus its very convenient for me. Also, is it worth considering going overseas to the US to do an ATPL course?

The main issue for me at the moment is the finance. I know theres a lot there, but I would really appreciate it if you guys could help me out! :)

Thanks in advance

[paco]

I wouldn't have thought a helicopter pilot's job was necessarily more secure - it would be on the N Sea, for example, but you would need to budget for an IR as well. A fixed wing one is way cheaper.

Only you can make the decision, but getting your PPL then going modular would give you some sort of income while you study. It would also keep the alternative open. Just make time by getting up earlier!

Phil

[helicopter-redeye]

"... they say that there are many more vacancies for rotary wing pilots, and the jobs are much more secure than with the airlines"

Both statements sound like unsubstantiated twaddle.

[BestAviation]

Doing it all at ones or a little by little - really something only you yourself can figure out. One thing though, being that you're still only 17 time is something you still have alot of. Since you don't seem to have alot of money - maybe trading some time to get it isn't a bad idea?

I had my PPL at 17, CPL/CFI/CFII at 19.....and a huge minus on my bank account by 20. So I can tell you that a loan from the bank isn't always the best - maybe you can consider a half and half solution? Or work with IT and do the ATPL distance learning at your own phase (requires alot of motivation and dicipline though). Remember that any loans you make you will have to pay back...and then some. And with a fresh ATPL Frozen you may still have to wait sometime before you get a flying job...having something to fall back on then can be a smart way of covering your financial investment. Far too many pilots do their training......run out of money......have to pay back alot of money....and find themselves either going back to their old profession or abandoning aviation altogether bc they couldn't afford to pursue it anymore. You DEFINETLY have to take this part of your career into consideration as well.

Like you I also found helicopter flying more facinating then airplanes, but chose fixed wing over rotary bc of the price of training and the relative market. So if I win the lottery one day - It will be right of to chopper school =)

Two ways of looking at it - and I have yet to figure out the balance here. There are far less people training for rotary then there are fixed wing. On the other hand there are far less rotary jobs then there are fixed wing. As far as job security - I don't know. With the right amount of hours on fixed wing you will never run out of job opertunities...it's more a question of if you are willing to move and take these jobs. I suspect this is the same for rotary wing pilots - but if the market is smaller you may have less to choose from.

First with the head, then with the heart - that's how a kid gets ahead from the start ;)

Good luck!

[scroggs]

The commercial helicopter market is considerably smaller and very much more vulnerable than the airline market. There is no way that there are either more jobs or that they are more secure.

Scroggs