Lack of qualifications

[Turbulent Flow]

Hello everyone.
It's a bit of a long post but all replies appreciated (even the harsh ones:)).
I have been viewing these forums for sometime now so have a good idea of the cost and training paths involved in gaining a commercial pilot's license.
I am 30 years old and currently work in the construction industry as a self-employed tradesman.
I have had always had a desire to fly for a living and am now in a position financially to begin modular training.
Over the years I have had 3 trial lessons and also done a bit of gliding which totalled about 10 flights, all of the instructors have commented that I have a natural aptitude for flying.
I am fully aware of the job market and all the qualified pilot's out of work at the moment but feel if I don't try I will always regret it.
My plan is to gain my ppl do the commercial exams and then do the expensive stuff hopefully over about three years.

My biggest concern is that I left school with average gcse's, no a levels.
If I gain all my licenses will my lack of academic qualifications hamper my chances of a job?

Many thanks

[GoAroundAgain1]

Im in the same boat, left school at 15 to race horses, while i was at the racing collage i undertook a fetac level 6 which is an award higher than a leving cert(i dont know how!!) now 23 and a co. director and half own a security company with an uncle, same as you, always wanted to fly, I have done a few hours in a c152 and i'm hooked. I just worry about my school days( I knew I should have stayed in school!!:ugh:)

Looking forward to what people have to say...!!

[taxistaxing]

You might struggle with the tagged integrated schemes. Most of them specify 5 GCSEs plus two a levels. That said, I think that's only to ensure you can pass the ground school. If you're going modular that will be irrelevant as you'll be doing the exams under your own steam. From what I've been told beyond that it's more about experience. Make sure you get first time passes and high marks with the atpl exams. Not a voice of experience by any means as I'm currently training myself, but I've certainly met commercial pilots who didn't do the uni thing and it doesn't seem to have held them back.

[GoAroundAgain1]

Sorry Turbulent Flow for butting in on your thread but i need to ask this..

taxistaxing: From what I'm reading, these studens at FTO's like CTC OAA and so on only seem to be getting stuck into ATPL books. Would it be quicker to skip the PPL books and start on the ATPL'S as students seem to be completing their PPL'S off them. Or are they going through their Trevor Thom ppl books and just not mentioning them?? :)

[taxistaxing]

Probably not quicker if you're going modular. The ppl exams are straightforward and not that time consuming in comparison. The atpl syllabus is far more detailed and the questions are different - I don't think using atpl materials for ppl exams would work for that reason. The atpl exams will build on the knowledge you need for the ppl exams anyway so probably sensible to ease yourself in gently with the ppls first.

[Gear Up Landing]

I left school at 17 with a handful of GCSEs. I started flying training at 30 and now have a jet job :ok:

Never let anyone tell you that you can't or wont make it....

[BillieBob]

Would it be quicker to skip the PPL books and start on the ATPL'S as students seem to be completing their PPL'S off them.Students on integrated courses such as CTC's and Oxford's do not take the PPL exams, nor are they issued with a PPL; they take the ATPL exams and, if successful, are issued with a CPL.

[Captain_Bolt]

Never let anyone tell you that you can't or wont make it....


Excellent quote.

Never let anyone tell you that you can't make it.

If you are motivated enough, if you have the utmost desire and ambition to make it happen then the lack of qualifications should be somewhat of a non-issue.

Like others have said, there are pilots on this forum who didn't have any formal qualifications when starting out. Don't let this get in the way of your passion.

[Whirlygig]

Turbulent Flow, I would suggest that, at age 30, intergrated training would be a waste of money and you'd better off with a modular training programme i.e. PPL, ATPL exams, CPL/IR traing etc.

If you do the modular programme, you cannot take the ATPL exams unless you already hold a PPL. The PPL exams are designed around UK flying (if you do your PPL in the UK; otherwise the PPL exams which be more relevant to the country in which you learn to fly) and are a different kettle of fish to ATPL which are more based on ICAO regs.

If I gain all my licenses will my lack of academic qualifications hamper my chances of a job?It might do with the big airlines but, on the whole, I'd say it wouldn't. As long as you can write a CV and a covering letter (which it appears as if you can as long as you avoid the flying apostrohes :E) and make the contacts in the business, you stand as good a chance as anyone else!

[TonyDavis]

I left school when I was 16 with no o levels or a levels. I started flying when I was 21 and ended up with 18,000 hours mostly on heavy jets and as a TRE/IRE, so it is definately do-able. The question is why do you want to do it?

What sort of flying are you interested in? If you think you are going to make money at it, forget it. The cost of finally getting a job is not worth it if you can do other things.

If you want to fly for an airline, then remember that the job has changed and a lot of airline pilots are a very unhappy bunch. Remember also that you dont fly airliners, you manage them.

There are other types of flying which are a lot more rewarding, but not financially.

Give it a lot of thought before you throw away a good money making career and if you have a love of pure flying, do it as a hobby.

[sixtiesrelic]

I don't think City Flyer is too old from his comment.
Airline flying IS managing computers and watching them fly the aeroplane.
FLYING lightie is just that... YOU fly them and if you have soul, you are part of the experience.
There are airmen and there are actors.

[GoAroundAgain1]

Why does anyone want to be a pilot? To fly.... I cant see flying a jet as a hobby being very easy on the pocket....:) As i mentioned above, I am involved in a family business in the security industry but I also work within the horse racing industry. I planned on obtaining my PPL this winter in Florida while working with thoroughbreds but that might have to wait for a few months as there is talks of me heading to Dubai for a while with a few horses.

I would love to give you this big wonderfull b/s story as to why I want to be pilot but I just dont have one, I just want to fly,fly jets at that, into airports long and far... You clearly have a lot of experience and understanding of the industry after 18k hours and I understand your doubts as to why someone would commit and put such a financial noose around their necks for something that my turn out so ugly within an industry that is changing by the minute(and maybe for the worst):{.

A good bit of advice I always got from family, "If you never try, you will never know".. As I said already, I'm fortunate to be well linked within the racing industry in IRE/GB but I also have a share in the family business, this is why I'm not afraid to really give this a shot. I have something to fall back on, It's just something I want to do but I was always worried about my education. I am greatfull to find PPRUNE which has being a good source for me to research into it further.

What I have found about the educational side of things, it mainly relates to these FTO apptitude tests etc for these 100k intergrated and cadet programmes. I think I will try to go down the modular route, doing my ppl in either FLYEASA or EFT in Florida and ATPL , CPL, IR with either OAA or Bournemouth. Like I was told, "if I never try,I will never Know"....!!:) But on a serious note, I understand the risks, the potential ups and downs:ugh:, this is just something I want to do..:ok:

Any other advice that can be shared would be greatly appreciated.

[Turbulent Flow]

Thanks for all the replies.

What sort of flying are you interested in? If you think you are going to make money at it, forget it. The cost of finally getting a job is not worth it if you can do other things.

Tony Davis, all flying interests me. Does not matter if it's a cessna or a jumbo jet overhead, if i hear it i have to look up :). I would be quite happy in any flying job, i would love to instruct for a few years (not just to build hours) before moving on to something bigger.

Not expecting to get rich from it, but im sure i would be ok. As for the cost of getting into it and doing other things instead, nothing interests me as much as the thought of flying for a living.

And Tony as for very unhappy airline pilots, if i could achieve as much as you have in your career i definatley wouldn't be one of them.

Thanks again for all the replies.

[seymoreskye]

I agree with City Flyer!

Everyone in the industry had these same dreams and aspirations, and funnily enough pilots aren't born in a 777!

Wherever you are now in your career its natural to look up, whether that be on a Cessna wanting to move onto the Boeing, Or a captain wanting to go into training. Some may not want to move forwards in their career and that's because they have reached their goal or they are currently happy with the situation.

If you don't want qualifications to hinder your chances then don't let it! Plus i think once you have your first job under your belt it wont really matter.

Not all about what you know, sometimes its about WHO you know.


( oh and FL390 and capt.Dave is brilliant! deffo worth having a look or 'Cockpit Chronicles')

[GoAroundAgain1]

I cant speak for everyone but for me this is a big part of it for me... i get so much enjoyment watchin this..

P.s I think I have read all the pilot/airline blogs at this stage :ok:

SCJK-pWu9bE

[GoAroundAgain1]

By the way, they say that when your at an interview your being evaluated from the minute you walk in, what if it was there was a female interviewing you, if you were good lucking and you gave her "the" wink. Would that be enough to get you through....?? lol ;):D

[FANS]

The key thing is to manage your expectations. The job has undoubtedly changed a huge amount, but I actually maintain that the 1990s were the best times as they had the best balance between excellent equipment & T&Cs.

Where things go horribly wrong is little jonny signing up and wondering why he's not able to live the highlife in Surrey on his parent's street like that 50+ BA captain over the road....

[Genghis the Engineer]

When almost certainly at 25 that now BA Captain was probably counting every penny, but just glad to have a job flying.

G