It's that question.....again

[Jet22]

Right, year 11 student and want to be a pilot. Had a connections interview (ugh she was OK but not good). Am expected all c's with a few above that level (if i push my self to the limit i can achieve all b and higher).

Now, there is one thing that lets me down, My Eyesight. I have had Class 2 Medical and the Doctor said you will pass Class 1. Am just worried because i do were glasses and every time i go back to the optiction he says the same old thing 'they have altered a bit' (meaning they have got worse :ugh::mad:). Anyway, i want a back up with my A-Levels so i have come to ask for advice, your personal opinions and preferably someone who is an Airline Pilot. I have heard, read, said i need an A-Level in Maths and Physics. Well truth is, My mathes teacher said i can only probably achieve an A2 (half a-level) in maths and science well dont even go there. (s:mad:t teachers since year 8).

Anyway, as i said i want something to back me up incase anything goes wrong in the avation world and something to help me out in the Pilot Industry. Do i need to have an A-Level in Maths and Physics or not. I am thinking of studying Law (Both help in either option i choose or get put into), and possibly two other things to do with The Economy-Accounting and Economics. (Also looking at Politics).

Sorry:E

[preduk]

Welcome to PPrune.

Most people here would recommend you have a backup career in case things go wrong. As you will be aware airlines go bankrupt frequently, people fail medicals and pick up injuries over the years.

You should get a career which you are interested in and are good at. I decided to do a Law degree some people here have degrees in Geography, Accountants, Mech Engineering, Aero Engineering and many more.

Yes, Maths and Physics is a good for becoming a pilot.

Your A-Levels don't really mean anything in the real world I'm afraid, so getting a real career to fall back on will help you.

[G SXTY]

Well done for recognising the need for a back up career in case it all goes wrong. It frequently does in this game and it is vital to have a plan B up your sleeve - many people overlook this point. A marketable degree in useful subject is always good to have, but it will take several years and cost quite a bit of money in itself. Alternatively, training as a plumber or electrician will always give you a reliable source of income.

Regarding A levels, Physics is quite useful for understanding some of the concepts you'll study for the ATPL exams, but Maths isn't really necessary. I failed Maths myself and it doesn't stop me flying a Q400 - the only maths I use day to day are adding, subtracting and the three times table - seriously.

[INNflight]

As for your A-levels, don't worry too much about it.
I'm sure there's tons of pilots out there who didn't do well at Maths and / or Physics in school and still fly perfectly safe.

I was C**P at maths, trust me! I barely passed it all. Do I now find navigation with all the numbers and calculations the hardest subject? Absolutely. Do I have to study it harder than others? Yeap, but still, I manage to get it done.

Don't worry too much, try to be as good as you can but don't expect to be a bad pilot if you suck at maths, it's simply not true.

[Slipstream86]

Alternatively, training as a plumber or electrician will always give you a reliable source of income.

ABSOLUTELY!

I'm always amazed at how often modern apprenticeships are overlooked by the people discussing "backup plans" on here!

Uni has lots going for it, but I chose to forget uni, start my apprenticeship, start getting paid, and get straight into the air! I now have my PPL after two years as an engineering apprentice.


No debt
Get paid straight away
At least a couple of years proffessional life experience
Great chance of employment after you finish
Free qualifications (probably won't affect your flying job chances but neither do degrees apparrently!)
One more year till I'm out of my time and the $$$'s are there to do all of the things Im so looking foreward to:


Flying 4 seat / more complex aircraft
Investing in a group share
Touring - UK/Europe anywhere I can!
Areo's
Going to lots of fly-in's and meeting peopleMaybe even an fATPL. Plenty of time to enjoy my flying whilst I think about it :}

[Put1992]

I had one of the connections interviews. Pretty pessemistic if you ask me. Gave no other insight into flying other then an Integrated ATPL, and if someone was put off by the figure they gave you (£65,000 i do beleive?) then it wouldn't put forward any other options. Try do fairly well on the GCSE's (Don't chill out in exam leave, just wait 4 weeks your GCSE holidays begin!) Becuase once you have those in your bag, you've got the basic foundations. A-levels have a good go at, besides, try occupying yourself for a year while your friends are at college if you don't do them :ok:

Don't worry too much on the Medicals, your situation sounds fine.

Consider instructing, and a modular ATPL.

Prioritise on what needs to be done over what you need to do (this mainly falls down to work over social) and you should do fine on the academic side of things:ok:

Cheers

[mr.tos]

Well truth is, My mathes teacher said i can only probably achieve an A2Good god, I hate to think what your english teacher told you :}

Good luck in your future flying endeavours, and just remember that school isn't the end of the world, there's much more to life!!!!

[Jet22]

I Know what mistake i made, it is just that the E is just above the s so i hit both at the same time.

Thanks guys, still unsure of what to actually do. Again went to see my mathes(Maths:ok:) teacher the other day and she actually said doing Have an A-Level will give me more points(What ever they are) on my Application which is good. Only doing statics that is all i want to do no physics.

Law is a defo, do doubt, it can back me up in any scenario heak i could become an Avation Lawlyer(Oh Maybe not). Just unsure of the other Two, Phycology and Economics. Might just go for Economics.

Anyway thanks guys.

[mr.tos]

If you think that A-Level maths and physics is above your level, don't you think that law would be a bit far-fetched, I assume law would be a lot harder than both of those.

Aviation Lawlyer hey :ok:

[sapperkenno]

Personally, I don't think anything higher than GCSE's are required. Some of the aspects of performance/navigation/weight&balance are a little bit complicated, especially at ATPL level, but you'll be able to learn what you need to know without too much hassle if you're interested enough. If you've got the GCSE basics (C or above) you shouldn't have too much trouble.

There may be recruiting requirements set out by some airlines/operators but I can't see a need for this, other than cutting down the numbers of people who apply, meaning less paperwork for HR to go through... Same is true of the RAF, they'll turn you down simply because of your eyesight. Now I know you can't be a complete retard, and get still a license/certificate but if you have the other basic skills and ability, regardless of school qualifications you should be OK.

As there aren't any good sponsorship opportunities around, you'll probably be looking at paying your way through flight school... If you can get your hands on the money, it'll all be possible. Quite easily.

My views are from someone (also from Leeds) aged 24, soon to be qualified as a Flight Instructor in America. No, not because it's easier - that's another story... I was turned down by the RAF (eyesight) and later I applied for CTC's wings scheme, which I also "failed" 3/4 of the way through, and still haven't received their amazing feedback, which I paid for and was promised... hey-ho.
For CTC I didn't have a degree/A-levels, and at the time they said they wanted 2 A levels minimum. I also had laser eye surgery, and passed the Class 1 down at Gatwick. Not a problem... So that's another possibility. Your eyesight must be within the CAA limits prior to surgery (so you're not gaining anything by having it done) but I'd recommend it. For one thing I owned up to it (many don't - but I already had a Class 2 with the VDL thing) and they told me they would never had known when they did the eye inspection. They couldn't see any scars, marks etc on my eyes. So that's another possibility.

I have 8 A-C GCSE's, studied A/AS levels but didn't put any effort into either, ending up with an E in AS physics, and General Studies. My advice is to pick easy subjects, as a pass is a pass regardless. I picked Maths, Physics, History and English Language. Big mistake. University is pretty much a joke as well for the majority of courses. So if you want to waste a few years getting a degree and drinking it's up to you. I joined the Army for 5 years, and got an HNC in Land Surveying out of it. So that was my university! The drive to fly was always there though regardless, if you're serious about it you'll know the feeling. And hindsight is a great thing, if I could go back to when I was 16, I'd certainly have put a lot more effort into school.

And as one last thing...
In my opinion, from a purely piloting perspective, it seems unfair that someone could be quite capable of having the flying skills of Chuck Yeager, supreme hand-eye co-ordination and be a really good "stick", but as they couldn't be bothered at school or didn't get the grades for whatever reason they'll never know.
It all depends on what you want to achieve as a pilot. If you want to become "just another number" with the airlines, study hard, try the various sponsorships, get a job to fund your flying and one day you'll get there.
Don't let anyone else tell you different.
If you wanna be a pilot and fly, and enjoy GA especially I can recommend the States. Much more GA friendly, NO flying club snobbishness, and it's not all about time-building and doing ATPL exams.

Whilst this seems like a rant from someone who is bitter and twisted, I just want to get across that nothing any career adviser says, or what grades you get at school should matter. So try as hard as you can at school (it will be worth it, even if you can't see that now) and don't blame it on sh1t teachers. Sorry bud, but that's a lame excuse. Maybe it really is down to you why you're not getting the grades??
Just be honest with yourself and work hard (as hard as you can for those C's or better) to achieve your goals.

You said you've got a Class 2 medical. Where do you fly out of? My advice, if you're not already, is go to Sherburn... Get involved more with GA and don't think it's all about ATPL-ing at this stage. Pride yourself as a pilot, and fly as well as you can. Consider tailwheel/aerobatic training. You don't often see guys who are genuinely good pilots... Many are just "adequate", so if you can be a pilot's-pilot and get a name for yourself because you fly well, you can join me and stick two fingers up to the world of degrees/A levels and the like!! I'd rather pride myself as a pilot (without being big headed, or unsafe) because I'm competent at what I do, than be bothered about silly pieces of paper with grades on. Plus, in later life you can look back and be proud of yourself. It'd be no fun if life was easy would it...?

Good luck with it all. Hopefully there's a line or two in all that which may be of help. Enjoy the ride...

[Jet22]

Thank you for your advice.

Well, since this thread began i have talked with teachers and handed in my Application(for an interview) the real thing has to be done ONLINE god knows why??:ugh:

Anyway, taking Phycology, Economics, Law and GCSE Science resit. Flying isnt going well at the moment. Everytime it is my day to go Flying god seems to want a shower and lets it rain. Why does EGNM have to be soo high up for god dammit :ugh:.

Anyway again thanks for the advice.

[corsair]

Isn't it extraordinary really that of all the professions, there are no laid down school or college qualifications required? Ok, the military have limits and most of the late lamented sponsorships had requirements. But as a general rule, you could leave school with enough E's to make any druggie happy and still start training as a pilot.

To be fair, it would be difficult for the educationally deficient to pass all the exams not to mention the flying itself. But in theory it's quite possible, certainly it wouldn't exclude anyone. The only things you need these days is the determination and the money.

So it is often the case that a wannabee comes on here worried that their B in Physics will exclude them. Well it won't. I often get the same queston myself from parents of kids or indeed the kids themselves. I lie to the kids and tell the parents the truth. So they lie to the kids.

I don't know if the way people become pilots is unique but it certainly is unusual.

[MartinCh]

Quote:Well truth is, My mathes teacher said i can only probably achieve an A2
Good god, I hate to think what your english teacher told you
Thought God is with G as for one 'entity' ie name. English with E.
Not to mention quite a few misspelt words in the replies. Not picking on.

What baffles me, though, is the fact stated. I'm fairly new to the A-level system hailing from the continent, but I do know that A2 is the advanced/harder half of the whole A-level. I've studied some AS, taking AS and A2 Spanish at the mo (can't actually sit A2 exam due to new curriculum). So if someone could pass A2, alas, that's it for A-level. One can't actually sit A2 without prior AS exam, even if the same semester. Huh.

A-levels were requirement for start of integrated, AFAIK and I guess it's been mentioned already.

RE Mr.Tos, Well, someone could be better at maths, some at humanities. I'd rather do more science (brainy stuff) than memorising bulk... Still, law studies require lots of hard work.

If you plan things, save, fundraise, enjoy 'getting there', you'd be fine.. Regarding FTOs, job market, etc.

I am thinking of studying Law (Both help in either option i choose or get put into), and possibly two other things to do with The Economy-Accounting and Economics. (Also looking at Politics).
Slipstream, not sure about modern apprenticeships in these fields :confused:

[preduk]

gc2750,

I agree, Law is a hardcore course the amount of time and cost involved is crazy! I wish I hadn't done Law now, I wish I had just joined the cops full time while doing flight training.