Early Stages - Considering a change in career?

[WilkoT]

Hi there,

Im currently a teacher, and im young - mid twenties. I have had this idea kicking around in my head for a while, but I would like to change career and look at being an airline Pilot. Ive done a bit of digging around on the internet, and Ive seen the CTC programme. I would be looking to complete my PPL soon, and then consider looking into registering for the CTC Wings programme.

Im just in the early stages at the moment, and was hoping that some of you insiders could give me an insight into it. Is it worth training to do at my age? Is it worth leaving a my current career? Is there much work available?

I have a friend (of a friend) thats just finished the CTC Wings Programme fairly recently, and he has just secured a position with Easyjet, on around £90k a year. Is this something realistic?

[packo1848]

I think your friend has mislead you, that £90k figure sounds more like his debt remaining with CTC after one year of working for EasyJet, not his annual salary as a new first officer. I think you'll find the annual salary will be far closer to a third of that (I couldn't say exactly how much new FOs are being offered).

I certainly wouldn't be doing it for the money though, there's a lot of hard work involved, with the exams etc. and the money you need to put in is at its lowest around £50-60k and thats before a type rating. For somewhere like CTC you can expect to pay them around £100k, again before paying for a type rating. So regardless of salary, unless you can afford that without a loan, then you're going to be paying off the debt for a fair while.

As for job prospects, they're certainly below average at the moment, how it will look in the future, who knows? Though I'm sure there are plenty of opinions out there.

I'd suggest starting with a few hours towards your PPL, and seeing if you enjoy flying first, from there its a decision of how you want to proceed, modular or integrated. I won't go into that though as theres plenty of material on it on these forums, a quick search should pull that up.

Good Luck if you decide to go ahead with it.

[PURPLE PITOT]

There are no "secure" positions with easyjet at the moment, only flexicrew pay by the hour. Then to be ditched for the winter, and replaced by the next crop next summer.

To be honest, in the current market, your 100k would be better spent on drugs and hookers.

[BigGrecian]

on around £90k a year

That would make him on the most senior Captain pay available at Easy see : easyJet (UK Contract pilot jobs, payscales and entry requirements. (http://www.pilotjobsnetwork.com/jobs/easyJet_(UK_Contract))

I also am interested to see that their SO programme includes cabin crew work!

[Stocious]

I'd only do in integrated course if it was tagged by an airline, such as the BA FPP (look in the wannabee forum for details), or one of the Flybe/Monarch schemes.

[taxistaxing]

I would be looking to complete my PPL soon


I can't offer any advice beyond the early stages of your plan as I'm doing the modular route myself (hour building finished, currently doing the ATPLs)

What I would say is, assuming you're doing your PPL in the UK, you might want to defer starting it until the spring. You'll find the weather will get in the way otherwise , particularly at the solo stages when the minima are high. It will benefit you to do it as intensively as possible as otherwise you'll spend a large proportion of each lesson relearning the last.

[Cessna 172S Skyhawk]

Right this is something I too have also considered, and before I go off into a ramble I am not trying to put a downer on the situation.Get your ATPL(f) - cost between £60k - £100kGet your type rating - cost approx £15k - £20kTotal Spend to date before you have a job offer - £75k - £120kApply for a job (do you have a preference for a particular airline?) If so sent them your application and go on the waiting list like everyone else before you.Do you have a preference for a particular base? Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham? If so advise the airline of your preference, and then join the list of everyone else who is looking for a position there. My advise (although I am only at PPL) having spoke with Airline Pilot Friends, for flag carriers as well as budget, if you have any commitments (be that a family, house with mortgage, someone you have to care for where you currently live) then you will be looking for a job within reasonable commuting distance of where you are living now. If this is the case, think of all the pilots before you who have done their time in foreign countries just to get back home to a base where you are at. So from my many hours and hours of readying forums, the decision is simple; Are you flexible to travel anywhere in Europe/World?Are you happy to start and for the first 3 years likely be on marginally on par with the average industrial wageAt the same time/live in another area other than where you are now and pay for living there as well as service any loan for any of your training. While it might seem like a glamorous job that of an airline pilot, there are many other issues that you must consider. So as already suggested, take a few lessons, get to solo standard, get your PPL. Enjoy your PPL and do some hour building, maybe go abroad for a few weeks to do some hour building. At that stage you'll likely have invested approx £15 - £20k in your training. However that is a reasonable sum to have spend while continuing with your current occupation, not gathering debt, and not massively changing your lifestyle. I would suggest that most people go this route. As at that stage, you will either be eaten by the bug and flying is all you will want to do, and you will go anywhere in the world just to fly, or you will realise, there are far too many lifestyle changes that I could have to make to follow this dream. Always remember though, if there is a surge in approx 2015 - 2018 as expected it would not be too late for you to contemplate doing your ATPL theory exams after your hour building, get your Commercial license, all of which you would have had time to save for, not have debt, and gather more life experience. I hope the above is a little eye opener, not trying to sound negative, but I was in the same position myself some years back, and decided I had more important things in my life than to take the huge financial & emotional risks of following the dream. Why do you think so many Training facilities offer "free IR revalidation after 12 months if you are not in a job"!!!!Notwithstanding off course, it probably is one of the best jobs in the world (but not necessarily the most lucrative anymore).Happy decision making, hope I have helped your decision making process. PM if you want to discuss further.

[taxistaxing]

Get your ATPL(f) - cost between £60k - £100kGet your type rating - cost approx £15k - £20kTotal Spend to date before you have a job offer - £75k - £120kApply for a job (do you have a preference for a particular airline?)


You can get to fATPL for a bit less. £45k - £50k is do-able at a modular school, plus TR (which might be £10k for a prop operator to £30kish for RYR). Obviously job options are somewhat limited at the moment as RYR is the only airline actively recruiting for cadets with a modular background.

I totally agree it's a difficult decision to make. My take is if you have another career it makes sense to keep this going (i.e. do the modular route) so that a. you have a fallback, and b. can fund the training/TR in the future!

The quickest way in (if you have the funds and can pass selection) is a tagged integrated scheme. You really need to decide on your route after your PPL as some schemes specify an hours or experience limit. The BAA FPP is an example of this as you're ineligible for it if you have sat any of the EASA/JAA ATPL exams.

[FANS]

The airline pilot market has undergone a massive step change in T&Cs in recent years.

The appeal of an airline pilot is hugely tempting when you're doing another job, but the reality today is very different.

1) Can you afford to live on £1/£1.5k per month - having invested £80k+ on a job?

2) Do you care where you live?

3) Would you invest £80k with no even slight guarantees of a job. Some can not accept that risk.

Tagged schemes are as good as it gets these days. There will always be people queuing around the block but the reality of the job can vary massively depending upon the airline.

[bagurxvi]

If this what you aim to achieve I think you shoud move forward. A pilot work (http://www.pilotwork.net) is not like past years, it has truly changed but there are still many options availables. IT is a bit more difficult and you won't probably gain 90k per year but if something goes wrong you may came back to your old job. Give a try... You never know, but if you do for the money may be it is not for you.