Bachelor of Aviation

[will243]

Hi Everyone,
I was hoping to get any thoughts from any past Uni students, or anyone who knows a bit about doing you ATPL through Uni. I have been looking at Swinburn Uni in Melbourne. The reason I am keen to take this path is because I am 25 years old and like the idea of doing it as quickly as possible and funding part of it through HECS. In addition, it's good to get the Bachelors.
Would appreciate any thoughts on the Degree's, if they are a waste of money or a good way to get your ATPL. Cheers

[Homesick-Angel]

having just researched this for a mate, I can tell you a couple of things.

25 is not old!

There are 3 schools in Melbourne that you can get the vet fee help.Swinburne, RMIT and the school at bachus marsh who's name I forget.

Swinburne is a 3 year course, Bachus Marsh is about 18 months and Rmit is one year.

regardless of what school you choose, it is an extremely expensive way to do it, but if you are driven, and I mean really driven, you will be able to get through within the time allotted and you will be doing it in brand new aircraft in good facilities.

Uni's are not like your typical organisations, and they will have a different feel to them totally than other places you may have learned at.

Take your time making a decision about how to do it.
If all you want is your ATPL theory, then source other ways, but if you need the flying as well, then maybe it will be for you.

[4Greens]

Check out the University of New South Wales. Better if you are Sydney based. Unlike the others, they run their own flying school which ensures better standards oversight. The school is at Bankstown.

[will243]

Thanks for the advice lads.
I realise it is ver expensive but I like the idea of having the degree in the end. I will be sure to look around. Cheers

[Ixixly]

Having gone through a single semester of the Griffith uni course before leaving and doing the flight training in the more traditional method at a flight school, I can honestly say it was the best decision, at least for myself.

I had the fortune to run into a group of Griffith Uni students whom started a semester before myself, most of whom either don't have their CPL or only just received it. They not only after 4years are only just now considering looking for a first job but their overall HECS debt is far greater than what I have spent. I should mention that many were sold on Qantas cadetships which never really surfaced. At the same time one or two did land cadetships, but I'm unsure just how much this has to do with their association with the uni.

If its just the theory you want then there are plenty of non-university places that will be better and cheaper.

[Worrals in the wilds]

Make sure you do a search on this topic, it comes up semi-regularly and there have been some good threads about the comparitive merits of different universities, and also whether pairing flying training with a more generalist degree is a better option. :)

[will243]

Cheers,
I did some searching through the site, sorry for asking a very regular question. It seems the only way to do your flight training is to fund it upfront which realistically would take 10 years or so to get past 500hrs. Might start gambling...

[Worrals in the wilds]

Or do a degree/trade in something well paying and non-aviation related. Then you can fly for fun! ;)

[eocvictim]

It seems the only way to do your flight training is to fund it upfront which realistically would take 10 years or so to get past 500hrs.

Missing a zero on the end of that figure. I'd be very surprised to find anyone who's taken 10 years just to struggle for 500hours. I know plenty of hard working self funders who would be knocking on the 5000hr mark after 10 years.

[will243]

I thought were going to say 20years when you said missing a zero lol. From what I've read it sounds like heading to the mines is a good option. Having a trade in Carpentry and a few contacts should help me get in there. Living in Sydney is too expensive.
Yeh I'm sure plenty of people have done it. Cheers

[Di_Vosh]

The pros and cons of doing an aviation degree have been done to death on D&G :cool:

You're definitely not too old at 26 to start your aviation career.

You may also want to search on subjects on how to balance work/life/wife?/kids? with your change from being a chippie to being a newby CPL (with appropriate wage loss and relocation). Here are a couple of threads (there are plenty more on this subject as kind of thread comes up pretty regularly).

http://www.pprune.org/dg-p-general-aviation-questions/455848-how-did-you-do-work-family-juggle.html

http://www.pprune.org/dg-p-general-aviation-questions/444032-starting-out-late-30s-advice-please.html

If you want it badly enough you can achieve it; just beware of the sacrifices you may have to make. As a previous poster said, you may be better off staying in your current job and being a recreational flyer.

Hope this helps,

DIVOSH!

[ChaseIt]

do the uni part with swinburne... awesome fun... as for the flying and atpl study stay the hell away from Oxford... if you want anymore info pm me

[will243]

Cheers mate, have been reading through some great threads. It's great how everyone is so helpful to blokes like myself. Luckily enough I don't have any kids that I know about so I should be right to go my own way. Life as a chippy is not bad although I have now gone into Project management which I cant see myself wanting to do it for much longer. I just seem to be obsessed with becoming a pilot and having it as a career.
As for the Uni, I'm not too keen on debt, have already had a lot due to having decent work cars etc.
Will try get into the mines, the good money and the 10days on 10days off should provide a good platform to work from. Cheers for the help again:ok:

[Jack Ranga]

If you are thinking of a trade, electrician/plumber. Licenced trades, demand high & good pay :ok: Chippies, a dime a dozen.

You really should think of having a back up plan. Aviation is and even more so in the future will be a very un-stable industry. Your return on investment is appalling.

I'd love to know the figures and I'm guessing but I reckon the number of CPL's that make it to any sort of professional flying job (airline, RFDS, GA with a liveable wage) would be around 2-3/10?

It's a very hard nosed industry and you used to be rewarded/respected if you made it to the 'top.' Now???

[will243]

Yeh like I said, I'm a licensed carpenter and have half a degree in Construction management, which I still plan on finishing. I've been taught from a young age the importance of having something to fall back on from the olds.
Was thinking of doing the Bachelors on hecs, though being $100,000 in debt could ruin your life. Think ill try pay upfront and do it part time.

Has anyone had any experience with training in the Country? or is it better to go the City? I may have a look in at the mines in Orange. From what I've read the plane hire is generally a fair bit cheaper