When The Sky Is Your Oyster!

[Diana Pitts]

hi there! :}

i am an 18 year old living out in Cyprus as my dad is in the forces. i have been flying single engine aircraft since i was 16 and currently hold a PPL and night rating - and 3 A-levels in geography, history and english lit!

i was hoping if anyone could give me advice on the way to go about gaining my CPL or even better my fATPL or whether to even go for a university degree?? obviously i am constantly having the debate, modular or integrated and how to pay for it!

Cypriot terrain is not challenging enough, in my opinion, to do all CPL hours required and multi-engines are not available to me out here. :*

returning to the uk or possibly even the states will open up the option of the modualar route which will allow me to pay for it step by step. i am already doing the ATPL exams package long distance, would anybody reccomend any flying schools in the south of england to build hours and get an instrument rating? obviously being in the med gives me a tan but no hands on inquiries and comparisons! ;) and the integrated route will help with accomodation and be more structured you can say.

any opinions thrown into the mixing bowl will be more than appreciated!

Di

[redsnail]

I would contact the BWPA (http://www.bwpa.co.uk/) for some ideas that are independant of specific flying schools.

The fATPL is a short hand way of saying CPL with IR and ATPL credits. So you're really after your CPL.

You do not need a degree to fly. If you want to get one, go for it, however, you do not need one to hold an ATPL nor get a flying job.

Integrated v modular? Same license in the end. Modular gives you more flexibility to pay as you go or to adjust when you complete (market slowed down etc). Integrated gives you a structure. The "new" alternate is modular in one school done in the same time as integrated.

Contact GAPAN (http://www.gapan.org/) for aptitude testing and other sources of info.

A very good book is by Clive Hughes and he sets out the structure and career path for aspiring pilots in the UK.

Some very important things. Do a trial flight to see if you actually like it and do the Class 1 medical at Gatwick to make sure there's no medical conditions that would preclude you from holding a Class 1 medical. (yes I know it's expensive but it's cheaper than buying a course of study and then failing the medical just before your solo).