i need opinions

[callum11223344]

Hey everyone.
ok. Im 18 and i got pretty **** GCSE's.
I got:
Double Science Cx2
English D
Maths D
Music C
Technology D
IT D
Art E
And i am just wondering if i get through my PPL and commercial licences etc if i could ever get a job as an airline pilot. Is it possible?
Thanks
Callum

[preduk]

The main question you need to ask yourself is, why did you get such low grades?

I would recommend, if you have t he money, to go ahead and get your PPL and see how you get on. If you struggle to understand it all, then perhaps a job with an airline isn't for you and you can continue to do it as a hobby (which is still fantastic!)

[ssg]

Can't speak for the "Euro Airlines'

But in my Alaska interview...there was no math, art, or even Aviation questions..other then, how to shoot an approach..asked during an interview...

Whatever you do...don't do what I did for 20 years...and believe the best pilots get the best jobs...you just need to fit in with the culture of where you want to work....

That's how the other guys did it.

[callum11223344]

Thank you. More comments welcome.
Good evening.

[Jox]

Callum,

Anyone who can portray the expertise and ability to secure the skills tests, methodology, safety and mental acumen to achieve commercial licences is well placed to succeed in the industry.

You need to search within yourself to ensure that you have the dedication to stick to the goal you want to achieve and understand quite what it may cost you.

A balanced education is a fundamental bonus as the skills you have learnt thus far are but the first of the building blocks you will need to achieve that first job in the world of aviation.

The road is long and paved with good intention, make sure you are fully committed to achieving it, and never let anyone saying no prevent you from getting to where you want to be. Adapt, be resourceful, and find other ways of securing or achieving what you need to move forward.

If you decide that this is what you want to do, go for it with everything you have, but please bear in mind that the better the education you have at the start, then the easier things will be when the pressure gets turned up.

You always have options, repeat the exams you were disappointed with, add an extra year to your schooling to achieve what you want and may well need. Join the air cadets and get some experience of gliding / flying to make sure you are committed whilst learning about the principles of flight and gliding on the way.

Give yourself options, never have all you eggs in one basket but most of all, enjoy flying, regardless if it is in a single on a PPL or a four engine jet as an ATPL holding Captain.

We all once looked up and hoped to be the man in the left hand seat, we all had the same dream, and for many of us it came true. If you really want it, go for it, I and many like me will wish you well, looking forward to you being in the right seat in a few years.

Jox :ok:

[callum11223344]

thanks for your inspiring words, I appreciate it. My main worry would be passing my eye test, as I wear glasses. Can I get a jar class 1 medical with a slight lazy eye?
Thanks
Callum

[preduk]

You would be best contacting the CAA with your opticians report on the it. It really deppends on the how bad the lazy eye is etc

[CABUS]

I was in the same position leaving both school and college with low grades due to pure lazyness. From a young age I wanted to fly and didnt see how the majority of subjects at school were going to teach me anything towards aviation so I saw them as more of a tick box. The same was through college where I failed my first year but got it together in the second to pass out with 6 AS, not even the full A levels. I must state I was working all the hours of the day and night as a sound engineer raising money for my PPL and reading around flying in my spare time but I had no interest in college subjects. I am by no way condoning this attitude especially if you want to get into FTO's such as CTC. Leaving college I started working at my local airport as a flight dispatcher raising money for the training and completed four years later with first time passes throughout, reccomendations and a very high average pass mark for the ground exams.

My advice would be to attempt to get your grades up for your own self esteem if nothing else especially if you are intending to go to Oxford or CTC. If you are looking at modualr route where there are no entry requirements and purly dont want to raise your game (like lazy me) pay a bit more attention in subjects such as maths and physics. Look at basic formula such as speed, distance, time and how to re-arrange them, moments, trig and know your way around your calc. Just be sure that you can pull it out of the bag when it counts but be warned you better get to like exams, tests and revision as I am finding it never stops with exams every six months and writtens once a year for the rest of your career.


I would also agree to get more info into the eye, poss get some advice before you go to the CAA from an expert, providing he agrees, get him to write a letter to the CAA stating how cant see if effecting your carrer or ability.


Best of luck buddy.

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Getting a job as a pilot is highly competitive. Every year hundreds of people fail despite first time training passes, excellent educational qualifications and well rounded CVs.

You'll be up against them and frankly I don't like your odds. In the real world outside of politics and education there are not enough prizes for everyone and trying hard is not an achievement in itself.

Of course people have become pilots with virtually no academic history. Chuck Yeager springs to mind, and he was was pretty good.. Nevertheless the reality is that your CV will always be one of 400 for a particular job. Crap school grades would be a tempting way to start narrowing that pile down a bit and is a common and legal technique.

Without a firm plan, lots of funding and a strong CV then at the age of 18 you are probably best of forgetting a pilot career for a few years. At best.

Good luck,


WWW

[Wilton Shagpile]

I don't agree that having a poor academic record is a huge barrier to an airline career.

True, you might struggle a little if you want to use one of the large training organisations and if you do get in you might struggle to get interviews with some of the major carriers as part of the "recommendation" thing.

However, a modular route has no such limitations....you just choose your school(s) and go for it. Then when you're qualified, perhaps go for an instructor rating and get your hours up for your first TP job.....when you've got a couple of thousand hours, IMHO your academic history will be of less interest I'm sure than it was when you had a couple of hundred.

WWW is right that some people will use it to reduce the CV pile, but as with hours, the airlines raise and lower the bar depending on how many pilots there are on the market at the time.

You're still very young...why not go back and get those grades up? If you apply yourself for 12 months you will be able to achieve pretty much what you want. I know people who left school with stuff all in the way of qualifications and without exception they wish they had worked harder. It has come back to haunt them time and time again throught their lives...both personally and professionally..both inside and outside aviation.