Keeping Your 9-5 Job Whilst Training?

[What Pylon?]

Hi all,

I was just wondering if anyone had trained for their CPL/IR or ATPL part-time. By this I mean whilst holding down a full-time job… I ask this, because paying out £30,000 - £50,000 all at once seems to be a BIG risk and I’d still like my job there if things go a bit pear shaped – after all, who knows what tomorrow brings eh ?

At the age of 30, I’m not that interested in flying jets as such, but wouldn’t mind either freight (yep you read me right – no passengers to complain about the 70-80 degree bank angles !), or regional turbo prop type of jobs, maybe even instructing. The thing I’d like to know is, are there any schools who will teach you CPL/IR etc part time without having to give up work? Maybe teach every weekend and has anybody gone down this route?

I have experience of flying (solo at 20 years old), but had to stop because of the expense – you still need quite a bit of money to keep your PPL active - so I do know that I’d enjoy it – well at least more so than my present job – I also realise that it would be a job like any other and there will inevitably be boring/tedious times etc… Getting the PPL, Night, IMC ratings are pretty straight forward, as would be taking up to 3 weeks off work to build hours in the US, but it’s the rest that confuses me, as I stated earlier.

Any help would be appreciated.

Rich.

[AirScream]

This is the route I am going to take. Maybe tackle the CPL in a couple of blocks with as much at weekends as possible then get as big a holiday, maybe unpaid leave to complete IR. I reckon it all boils down to how flexible the school can be.

sure it is going take longer and cost more in the long run, but if you have decided that it doesn't make sense to stop work then this has to be the way to try.

There are those that go for the all or nothing apporach and I am sure that is the fastest way to find out if you are going to make it (or not) but it doesn't mean that is the only way.

In any case it seems that any flying course becomes fragmented because of variations due to instructor availabilty, aircraft availablity and weather. Having flexible work arrangements tha fitted into that jigsaw would help.

I too would be keen to hear of anyone that has taken a CPL or IR in stages

[trolleydollylover]

Chaps it would seem that we are all partners in crime.

I am already headlong down that route, studying for my writtens.

I have found that the only way to keep my montivation going, was to set myself goals along the route as a reward. I have just completed my twin rating and now I feel great about it again. Two weeks ago I was suicidal about the prospects.

I left a very well paid job to head down this route, now I am earning half the amount to cover my essentials and mortgage, but it has made me more determined.

I am currently with a school that I am very happy with. They are very understanding and allow me to study as and when. They really bend over to help you out. Unlike PPSC and others who see only £ signs in their eyes. They also have the security of an airline behind them.

I have picked up some great advice on the way and I would be happy to share it with you.

I am generally more cautious than the moderators, however I want to be in a opstioin that is win win. So if work isn't easy to come by or there is an economic down turn, I will not be financially ruined.

Best of luck to you both. I will be happy to respond to any points.

TDL

[QNH 1013]

Yes you can get an IR part-time. I did. Whether or not it is sensible is another question. Doing the writtens part time by distance learning wasn't too bad. Everything went to schedule and to budget. I took time off work for the full-time brush up course, and the exams.
Its the flying that I found the tough part. All the training establishments advised me to take a chunk of time off and do 5 days a week flying training for the IR with 1 or 2 training flights a day. I am self employed and just couldn't leave the business for 3 to 6 weeks, so I had to devise an alternative strategy.
My plan was to do the simulator work over a few weekends having found a training school that could provide instructors at the weekend. This part of my plan went fairly well except that I underestimated how exhausted I would be after 2 sessions a day (occassionally 3) on the Frasca.
My plan for the flying (this will amuse anyone who has done the IR) was to drive 200 plus miles to the training school on Thursday evenings, book into a B & B, and then train full time Friday, Sat, Sun, Monday, and drive the 200 + miles back home on Monday evenings - for as long as it took !
Well, I now realise I'm not superman, and trying to do 5-days work at the office Tues to Thursday with only Tuesday and Wednesday evenings available to catch up was pretty optimistic.
I got pretty worn out, depressed, and poor. The good news is I did eventually take the test and get a first time pass, but it took six weeks and cost a lot more than I budgeted for. Fortunately I had been collecting credit cards for some time inadvance of the training but even so I had run out of money and credit by the time I took the test.
My advice (for what it is worth) is this: The writtens aren't particularly difficult to do part time if you can apply yourself to the study and don't let yourself get behind.
The sim work can likewise be done part time without too many problems, but don't try and cram too much into a weekend. You need to be alert, and fairly fresh.
The flying training (in my opinion) is best done full-time and even IR training can be disrupted by the weather sometimes. Also make sure you have enough money and credit available to continue once you have started the flying training. You cannot afford to have any of your mental capacity used up to worry about money. You need it all for the flying.
Sorry I can't give you any advice on the CPL because I did the IR first. I'm waiting for the class 1 eyesight regs to change before I can do the CPL.
Good Luck !

[A and C]

I think that if you are hloding down a 9-5 monday to friday job you are going to find it very hard to mix the training and work ,i was lucky in the fact that i was working shifts and weekends while i was training i know that a few guys have taken jobs with london transport driving trains and busses as the shift working and swapping of shifts has given them the flexability to study with an income that will cover most of the expences.

[RVR800]

In my experience not giving up the day job could be a prudent option

It will cost you more and take you longer, BUT you will have a secure income source
to pay off the debt and a job at the
end of training - the banks like this..

The question is when do you bite the bullet
and change careers?

FI rates are insufficient to merit a move although a first officers wage is OK

If you can afford it go full time..

[wallup]

I did it all whilst still working,

It does mean that you don't put all of your eggs in one basket, you can do each "module" as and when, it does take longer but it also means that you can replenish your bank account as it goes on.

The distance learning (correspondance course when I did it) was not too bad but be prepared - you will not have a social life for quite some time - I made sure I studied for two hours every night after work and 3, 4 or 5 hours per day on the weekend.

when it comes to the CPL and the IR, you will need to take a break. To pass an IRT you need to be current and in good practice, I managed to arrange unpaid leave, I did the BCPL in 4 weeks and the BCPL - CPL/IR upgrade in 12. That's where it really hurts, however I'm glad I've done it.

Now with the financial situation as it is I'm glad I'm still holdiong down a 9-5, renewals will be expensive, as will an FI's course which I may do in the future, but at least I've got a license and something to fall back on.

[The Islander]

I had planned to do the ATPLs full-time (distance learning not for me) and then hours building, CPL etc. I thought it would be better to do the hours prior to CPL for better continuity in flying.

One option would be to stay in employment and do the IMC, multi & hours at weekends and then quit work to complete everything else on a full-time basis. Would my flying be too rusty after ATPLs?

If anyone here did the hours before ATPLs, was the gap in flying training an issue?

Grateful for any advice

[NewBloke]

WP,

Maybe slightly off track - but at 30 years of age I don't think you need to completely disregard the possibility of flying jets if that is your true ambition. I stand to be corrected of course......

NB.

[GT]

WP,

I achieved my CPL/IR (and instuctor rating plus various add ons) by keeping my Monday to Friday job. It was the only way that I could finance it all. I had a mortgage to keep up and house and car to run as well. I had to keep working (and still do) to pay for it all. I think it's a brave man (or woman) who gives it all up and goes for broke. Brilliant if it all pays off, but you'll be up whatsit street if it doesn't.

Best of luck. Regards, GT.

[What Pylon?]

Many thanks for the replies everyone, I think part-time is the way to go, I don’t necessarily think it will cost that much more either – well not according to Clive Hughes’s book if you look at the break down of hours/cost etc., especially if some of the hour building/multi etc., is completed in the US.

I have a pretty flexible job (working flexi-time and able to take up to 3, maybe even 4 weeks off if I grovel enough ! ), so getting time off for the flying training shouldn’t be a problem. The only thing I might struggle with, will be the distance learning for the ATPLs (probably go with PPSC), I seem to get bored very quickly with the theory side of things, not just in aviation subjects, but in just about anything I study especially when studying on my own – can’t seem to see the point, but it has to be learnt…

To be honest, I’m not that bothered about flying jets, they seem well complicated and I think I would prefer the more “seat of your pants” type flying (if that’s at all possible in any aircraft these days?). The idea of sitting there just monitoring avionic equipment for 7 hours or more at a stretch doesn’t really appeal to me. I think the money would however :-) Mind you, having said that, the job I’m in at the moment doesn’t pay that well, so even a right hand seat in a Turbo Prop would do me! I might even try to get my FI rating and work part-time weekends to get some extra cash/hours…

Again, thanks for the response – it seems there are quite a few more people in the same boat (plane?) as myself. I’ll let you all know how I get on along the way… Now, where did I put that percolator…?

Cheers.

Rich.