If u could start again...

[1toB]

Hi,
I so desperately want to be an airline pilot and after reading all the tasks that you have to do at an interview to try and get a sponsor I realise just how hard it's gonna to be.
I'm only 16 and a girl, currently doing my PPL (went solo last october on my 16th birthday!!- Fantastic feeling) so I wondered if n e of u guys, if u could start again from my age knowing all the things u do now through heaps of experiance and about how hard it is to become an airline pilot,

What advise would u give me?????

(eg Do this a'level etc)
So n e advice which may help me to reach my dream job would be much appreciated.
Thanks loads,
1toB

[Lucifer]

Do any A-levels you want: it does not matter, you just have to enjoy them and do well. If going to university, try out University Air Squadron and experience RAF life: you may enjoy it and join them, otherwise apply for sponsorships for which you will now be gold dust after UAS in final year along with other graduate jobs, get in...brilliant, otherwise have a good base from a graduate job to self sponsor after a while, and keep applying for sponsorships every year.

Get work experience not just in aviation but useful business areas (airlines are sometimes looking for potential managers in their pilots), do Duke of Edinburgh award and re4lated adventurous training activites, do air training corps if you have time to get gliding experience, work hard and play hard, and with many life experiences you will succeed.

[Wrong Stuff]

Two points:

1) Whenever you look at the whole process involved in something it can look quite daunting. If you just take it a step at a time, though, it is actually a lot easier than it seems at first. Take something like your PPL - 45 hours flying, six written exams, two oral exams, medical examination, solo cross country and skills test. When put like that at the beginning of your flying training it seems like a huge mountain to climb. As you've already found out, if you just plug away at it step by step it's all quite manageable.

2) Almost any profession worth doing is hard to get into. If there was one that was easy and rewarding everyone would be doing it. The upside is that the more effort something takes, often the more rewarding it is when you succeed.

[1toB]

Thanks for ur advice, much appreciated.

[bigbeerbelly]

My advice: Find the most direct way into the flight deck of a reputable company, regardless of the cost. The money will comeback to you and your family in time.

The faster you get into the company of your choice, the more seniority you will have and the longer you will be living your dream.

Good luck!

[mad_jock]

If your up to it, i would advise you to go to Uni away from home.

It will develope you mentally and also give you independece. Apart from that it's brillant fun and ends all to quickly.
And if for some reason you can't make the medical standards you don't have all your eggs in one basket.

I did an engineering degree and i have found that it makes quite alot of the ATPL theory alot easier to understand quickly. And if you survive 3-4 years with 70+ male engineers, dealing with the aviation blokes will be a breeze.

Best of luck

MJ

[Luke SkyToddler]

Lern 2 spel.

[mad_jock]

Why bother i manged to get a CEng without being able to spell :)

MJ