Pilots and Engineers

[greyb33]

Do fully qualified engineers ever become commercial airline pilots or is this not very common, just wanted some feedback to see if this has ever happened in the past and how keen airlines are to take them on if they are dual qualfied?

thanks

[lovezzin]

What do you mean by "qualified Engineer"?
- The guys that design them? Or
- The ones that check the oil levels! :}

I know many many on the design side that have transitioned to the greener grass that is flying!! I will too.....one day.....but for now, I'm sticking to desig side......and my Flight Sim!! :ugh:

[KUMOOZ]

Yup they do!
Engineer Apprentice BA class of 1974, Made it to skipper last year.
Long slog and plenty of hurdles to jump but if you want it badly enough....
I know of plenty of other ex Engineers who have made the same journey. Without doubt their engineering background has stood them in good stead on the journey.
Good luck ifyou are contemplating. :ok:

[splitduty]

KUMOOZ :-
so you were 6 years old when you started your training. I`ve heard of long training times, but that must be some kind of record!.

[Marvo]

Licenced Eng (Old section L and B1) - Now right hand seat on an Orange bus! The jump is a long hard slog but worth it in the end.

I miss the crewroom banter with the guys but the you don't spend nights on the wet and windy ramp doing a daily check! Good luck.

[Ian the Aviator]

Me ? - Ex-RAF Engineer, Ex-civil aviation engineer (Avionics), Ex-avionics design engineer, now flying company Biz-Jet (after doing the FI and air taxi bit).... It does happen and more often than most people think...

[Fuel Nozzle]

Yes you can do it ! It took me 13yrs to become a licensed aircraft maintenance engineer (L.A.M.E)/ Airline pilot. Reason being I started of as a aircraft sheet metal worker then studied to become a L.A.M.E on small bug smashers....All to get money to one day pay for flying lessons....Right place at right time end up with several jet engine/airframe licences on aircraft above 5700kg then started all my flying and didn't stop until I made the airlines.....having dual trades is really helping me at the moment due to the GCC...
Look out though! flying instructors really pick on you when you are starting out because you know more about aircraft than they do! so training is hard but its so worth the bull****, having the maintenance back ground helps for ground schools as well~ because its just another ground school but easier in some aspects ie the level of information is not as deep as a maintenace gnd school but therefore you zip through more surface level stuff which has to be recalled within days on top of more stuff.
Line training is another time having this maintance back ground helps,because you normally go through all the systems at some stage!

Over all you can do it and its a long and hard road to leave the good money of a LAME and fight your way back in the flying game!

Good luck

[Flying Torquewrench]

Go for it if you want. In our company there are roughly 20 ex engineers who became pilots.

Had a B1 license myself and as 'Fuel Nozzle' said in the post above it does make the groundschool and sims a bit easier.

But I have also to admit that I do indeed sometimes miss the engineering. Having said that lying on the apron on a windy day with snow falling is not my favourite way to spend my day.

Both jobs have their good and not so good sides to them.

[KUMOOZ]

Hey Split,
PPRUNE glitch, if only I were 41 again!
Theres always one......