Long term career planning question

[glavi8tor]

Right. My situation is the following.

I'm currently going to start the 2nd year of a 4-year undergrad course in law at a university in England. However, I want to be a commercial pilot at some point (I've always wanted to, actually). So my career outline is something like finish university, qualify as a solicitor (job security - should I get medically ineligible to fly or should the airline business crash, I'll still have a good albeit boring job to fall back to), work x years in the business, then suddenly tell the firm it's over and enroll at, say, Oxford Aviation Training or something similar.

My questions are the following:

(1) Is this, at all, a viable plan?
(2) I'm currently 20. I'll be 22 when I finish. Qualification and stuff takes 3 more years. Means I'll be 25 (26, actually) when I really get started with work. Add x years work afterwards. How large should x be that it allows me to do flight school ideally debt-free or at least with a small debt that I could repay from a solicitor's earnings (decent firms, ie. Magic Circle or runner-ups to that), but small enough that I would still be eligible for a decent airline job (ie. not too old)?
(3) Should I do a PPL during work/qual years? It would necessarily increase x, but I'd start flight training with something in my pocket. Is it worth it at all if your ambitions lie in the direction of an ATPL?
(4) Any further advice?

Thanks in advance.;)

[wingnut-will]

First piece of advice: Stay at Uni and finish!
Second piece of advice: Just take it as it comes.

I read Chemistry at Soton and I an now doing my ATPL's. But I've seen so many 18 yearold fellow ATPL students with stars in their eyes and castles in the sky. They are in for a shock when it comes to the real world. I recommend you see if aviation is really what you want. Take a trail lesson and see how you like it. Do a PPL and see if you can hack it. There was one lad with us who went for the ab-intio course all paid up, and after he stepped off his first flight, he decided it wasnt what he expected (it aint gonna be Top Gun). That was the end of him. So many naive youths rush into things like this, and it isnt something to rush into.:)

[DUB-GREG]

Good man/woman!

Your holding on to your dream to fly. Never give up! But dont forget, its not as easy to get into as you may seem.

Extrance exams, course fees... medical. One hurdle after another, but if you want it you'll get it!

From what ive been told the key age to do your ATPL is 18 - 29. But people have done it outside of this.

So i dont think your age will be a problem. Im going to be probably 23/24 by the time i get to do mine. (waiting list for college).

As for having something to fall back on, thats a fantasic idea, BUT i think once you have taken a 321 or 738 off the ground a normal job just wont cut it!

PPL, from what i was told, most colleges (providing you want to intergrated) prefare you to have zero or no hours. As you pick up bad habbits. If i where you id do a few hours to really make sure its what you want. (Im sure it is) This will also give you time to get familar with everything. I had a friend who wanted to do ATPL but found himself getting sick when he was flying privatly. He did over come it with time but i supose its best to do it then, instead of forking out £60 K then realising!

Personally i feel its such a long way away! I cant wait til i step into my desired college for the first time (Jerez) Its going to be difficult but i want it so bad, i'll stop at nothing to get everything passed.

As for the recient plots etc, it is going to be interesting to see what happens next. Right now if i was half way trough my ATPL training or ground school i would be craping it!

Either way, best of luck with the law thingy. Id stick with it, then go try for ATPL.

All the best.
EIDW

[glavi8tor]

All right. Cheers, guys for the advice. :) I'm completely certain I'll finish – the question is, how long to pull the law cart and when to exchange the suit for the pilot's uniform. Part of it is the course fees story – I'll obviously need time to have at least a significant part of the course fees, but to be eligible for a career in aviation, I obviously need to start at some point, or it'll be too late and all in vain.

Wish I could have another life... :uhoh:

[buddieboy]

Ideally if you qualify by the time you are 30 you will be fine! But the earlier the better, or when you reach a point you can comfortably afford the course. If you have to wait longer, not the end of the world and I can testify to that. I just finished 5 months ago at age 34 and am about to start in my shiney new Airbus for BA.

A career to fall back on is a sound investment as well as being able to save some funds. Too many people take out huge loans and spend the first 10 years of their career paying it back.

I would also strongly advise you take some flying lessons in the interim period (assuming you have not done so already). This will confirm you really want to do it and also give you an idea of your aptitude for flying which is also important given you are going to make such a large investment in yourself.

And save, save, save as much and as quickly as you can.

Good luck and hope it works out

[Piltdown Man]

And remember to tell everybody you fly with that you are a lawyer - we all luuuurve lawyers.

Do a PPL for fun and screw enough people to get about 70k in readies to get the required tickets without debt.

PM.

[Lucifer]

glavi8or - you don't need advice - you are streets ahead of other wannabes in your thinking. Just try to get exposure to the industry through law in some general way to keep your interest!