Work experience for wannabe pilots?

[G-BPEC]

Hi, Next year we have to start applying to do work experience, I was wondering, who would be best to apply to if you want to be an airline pilot?

Thanks
G-BPEC

[Eagle 1]

Hi, i undertook my work experience placement at the air trafic control tower in Cardiff International Airport. I found this very interesting, especialy useful for seeing what the controlers actualy do and other things such as weather and radio coms. I strongly recomend it if you want to be a airline pilot (or military).

:) Eagle 1 :)

[AffirmBrest]

Good idea - you will probably have a far more interesting week if you arrange to WE with an associated 'support' industry than trying to jumpseat for a week (and frankly, it is unlikely that you would be successful in an apllication for that kind of 'flying' WE)

When I was 15, I did a brilliant week with RollsRoyce Flight Ops department at Filton, where the dispatch of all their commercial/business flying is organised - I learnt how to fill in a Flt Plan, read TAFs and METARs, saw in the cockpits of many visiting bizjets and military aircraft and had a few circuits in a Rockweel Commander.

Try the business outfits or ATC for something relevant, useful and interesting.

Good Luck!

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...proceeding below Decision Height with CAUTION...

[BreakRight]

When I was 16 I did my work experience at Air Service Training, I basically followed an instructor around and when he was giving lessons he included me in the lesson. I spent the week flying about in twins as well as attending a couple of lectures and aquiring 4 hours in the sim. It was very useful as any aviation questions were readily answered. AST closed down a while ago, but I suprised to find that as a flying school they had a policy of taking work experience placements in all there areas, ATC, Eng and flying. Give your local school a try, they can only say no!!

[This message has been edited by BreakRight (edited 17 April 2001).]

[Speedbird Concorde 1]

In Year 11, when I was 15, I was lucky enough to be given a work experience placement with British Airways (there were only two placements with them).
I was given a placement in Information Management near the engineering hangars at Heathrow.
I mainly did office type work, but my supervisor wrote a letter to her manager asking if I could have a look at the Concorde and B777 which I did in the end, which was excellent!
I also went to the BA headquarters at Waterside and on my last day went to Cranebank where the pilots are trained on the simulators.
Those were some of the best two weeks of my life.

[Speedbird744]

Hey Speedbird Concorde 1, how did you find out about work experience with BA?
Is it still being offered?
Thanks

[Speedbird1]

i would be interested too speedbird. going for the sponsorship (gotta try haven`t we) with BA and so a placement for work experience with them would only work in favour.

if possible send us an e-mail with an detials on how to apply for it.

[email protected]

[ROTATION]

Managed to get a couple of weeks at NATS West Drayton between GCSE's and A-levels. Shadowed trainee ATCO's and sat in on Heathrow approach amongst others several times.
Fantastic stuff and great to experience the other end of the radio!
Scribble a letter, they can only say no!

[AffirmBrest]

Relevant work experience with ATC/Flt Ops, or BA Information Management. Hmmm...

Which do YOU think will really work in your favour? How's a week in an office gonna help with your BM/Aer Lingus/Air 2K sponsorship application, or even your self-sponsored ATPL when BA falls through?

Keep your options open Speedbirds - decide whether you want to be a Pilot, or whether you just want to work for BA (though I suspect I know the answer.. :))

[Big G]

I did my work experience with BA @ LHR.My parents worked for BA so that helped a lot.I spent time in flight ops,despatch,check in & flew jump seat to FRA return.Fantastic 2 weeks.

[Yo!]

Did my work experience at a nearby gliding club..... learnt a lot about flying and at the end got several free flights on Aerotow. Also got me a reduced price membership

[great expectations]

I worked in customer care with Servisair at GLA. Funnily enough I do believe that the airlines like this kind of experience. Ive seen a lot of cadets that have been cabin crew or ground staff and it shows that not only are u keen on the industry, but u also understand the working environment and the long tiring hours. It almost lets u live the lifestyle of a pilot and there is plenty of time to speak to flight crew around you and learn about aircraft and airport operations. I think its the best sort of experience to get, it certainly seems to have worked for a lot of people.

[G-BPEC]

Great Expectations,

Servisair sounds like the sort of thing I would be after, I live near MAN so they have a big operation there. How did you go about getting a placement there? E-mail me if you like, [email protected]

G-BPEC

[Speedbird Concorde 1]

The reason i got a placement with BA was because the company who organised work experience for my school had two places with BA on offer. If you want work experience with BA I think you have to get in contact with Human Resources or some department like that. They do offer a lot of places each year I'm told, but there is a lot of demand for them.

Here is a quote taken from the BA Intranet: -
---------------------------------------------
We receive many requests and currently offer approximately 600 school/college students either a one or two week placement in a variety of departments. As one of our Company goals is to be a 'Good Neighbour' priority is given to students attending local community schools, within easy travelling distance of Heathrow.
--------------------------------------------

And AffirmBrest, I'm pretty sure my work experience in Information Management ain't gonna help when it comes to applying for sponsorship, but given the choice, that was one of the best things to have done at school.

[Trislander]

When I did my work experience at 15, I worked with Aurigny at Southampton Airport. Because it is such a small airline, it was more hands on than BA and other larger airlines. The tasks I did:
Check In
Reservations
Baggage handling
Pax embarkation/disembarkation
Cargo

To top it off, I had a free flight to Alderney for the day. Hooray!!!!!!!!!
Tri

[great expectations]

Yeah, SERVISAIR was great experience. I just sent in a letter to the Station Manager at GLA, and so I think all u have to do is send in a similar letter and address it to the Servisair Station Manager at MAN. Get the office address for them out of the phone book. After that they called me in for a quick interview - nothing too scary - and then they offer you a seasonal contract. I was an arrivals pier agent, but they normally recruit people to do check-in/dispatch/baggage services. Its a great way to learn and I found it gave me a lot of confidence for BA. Good Luck with it, and if Servisair is a no go, remember that British Midland, MAS and Wheelchair Services take people on over summer too!!!!

[Billy M]

When I was 15 I was lucky enough to have a mate who's father was a BA captain and sorted it out for us to have a week's work experience with them at Gatwick.

They were very good to us and organised each day to be in a different area. As I remember one was in ATC, one in the catering dept (I have never eaten an airline meal since!!!), one with the guy who organises the turn-around of the plane at the ramp (which involved plenty of sitting with the capt while he did his pre-flight checks as the ramp guy was too busy - it was a Lagos flight!), and so it went on for the week.

I don't know if this is how the work experience is still done with BA, but if it is I can highly recommend it, we had great fun and it inspired us both - my mate has just got himself a jet job and I am about half way through getting my ATPL writtens.

Good luck G-BPEC.

[Sagey]

If I was you send letters to all Airlines near to you explaining that you are looking for work experience etc. And if nothing is possible whether you could go for a look round of operations etc for a morning/afternoon.

Shows u keen and u never know, whilst mates at school are carrying heavy boxes around etc u might have a massive grin on your face etc

Sagey

[Fly_146]

Did work experience with Air UK for three weeks... was fab. Had a few jump seat flights to Europe with them, and got to work in most departments. It wasn't all 'shadowing' and did a lot of hands on work.

Applied to 12 other airlines just in case AirUK turned me down. Most never replied though a couple sent me post cards, magazines, etc.

Which just goes to show what a great company AirUK was! I wonder what AirUK would look like today if it hadn't been sold to KLM and chewed up? just look at the success British European is having despite the expansion of the low cost carriers. I guess its sale satisfied one or two board room fat cats.