How to become a professional airline pilot?

[Magnus]

Sorry for such a naive question :confuse: .
I would like to hear from professional pilots about how they came into professional aviation. In short, how do I begin? :)

[CaptainSquelch]

Chance Magnus, an awful lot of luck, a huge dose of persistance, a good bank etc. read the thread "why airlinepilots should earn ....

"For starters I'd say: Go to a local airfield, find an instructor, pay him for a one hour flight and an honest answer and check out if God has give you this "something" that it take to become a pilot within a reasonable amount of cash.

Sq

[fireflybob]

How long is a piece of string?

My dad was a flying instructor and I got bitten by the bug when I was about 12 years old!

From then on every minute of my waking day was spent at the local GA aerodrome in and around aeroplanes.

Got my PPL through an ATC special flying award (that dates me!) and then CPL etc via BOAC/BEA sponsorship.

Hope this helps.

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[towser]

Woke up one day and thought "Pilot that sounds good".Borrowed a vast sum of money to pay for an approved course and never looked back.

[Fra]

That's all fare and well guys, but you all seem to be suggesting that this person does of their own back.

I too would dearly love to be a commercial pilot, it's been a dream all my life.

As one of the above was suggested, try your local flying club and see what they say, but be warned it's expensive.

So far I've collated 7hrs in a C152, and have been told that I can go solo on my 9th, but need to get my med sorted. So far spent approx £800.00, buy the time you talley it all up.

But it's well worth it, every last penny.

Also, for any others out there, my main fear is gaining a scholarship with the likes of BA or BMI. My qualifications aint that great (HNC electrical engineering, 1 SCE Higher & 8 SCE standard grades, do have two very responsible jobs. One is overseeing the running of a call centre with 150-180 staff, that's the weekend one that pays for my flying. And the other is as a design engineer involved in the building industry on projects upto £2m.

Q. Do companies such a BA and the like pay attention to what you are doing at present. If so, does it count for much?

But good luck Mag.

Fra...

[Nick Figaretto]

Finding out if you are really interested is one thing.

Finding out if you are of "the right stuff" is an other.

I can literally hear all the PPRuNers going: "F@ck off, Nick!" now!!! :) :) :) But I'm not talking about the "space-shuttle-right-stuff" kind of thing. Not even anything near that, but to become a successful and happy airline pilot there are just a few "personality characteristics" you should have.

Cooperation and the ability to fit into a fairly rigid system are just two of the qualifications an airline pilot should have.

There is just too many weirdos out there trying to get their flying license. I don't know if you are a weirdo, but if you are, you probably don't know either. ( :))

There's a lot of "Aviation Psychology" companies around who specializes on pilot recruitment for larger airliners, who also take "private" evaluations.

When you get that evaluation, it will also contain a recommendation, and it may be a good tool in your decisionmaking. You can decide for yourself wether you will follow it or disregard it, as the evaluation is a thing between you and the psychologist. The documentation will just be for your own use.

I just think it is a pity to see all those wannabes who spend thousands of dollars trying to get a job that they just never will become any good at or any comfortable with.

Nick.

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"I have found that alcohol taken in sufficient quantity produces all the effects of drunkenness."
~ Oscar Wilde

[Need4speed]

Got a job at 16 to pay for the lessons.

Obtained PPL, CPL then Instructor rating. Instrument rating at 700 hrs, full time single pilot twin job at 1500 hours flying freight, the occasional charter and corporate charter. Moved on to Ambulance flying and now in an airline.

Paid for it all myself, and wouldn't swap my log book with anyone.