help achieve my future dream

[kathan dudhela]

hi there,
my name is kathan and i am 16 years old.
i go air cadets

i want to become a pilot in the future but the main problem is that the training is out of my budget (80000pounds). i chose to go different route which is to be an RAF pilot for 12 years and then join the commercial aviation. however, it's good to have a backup plan.

can anyone suggest me where can i go/ what can i do to get my ppl,cpl and atoll for cheap and affordable??
:ugh::ugh:

[parkfell]

Do well at school. Gliding available at Air Cadets?

Go to university ( sponsor possible through the RAF?) join the UAS. Apply to BA, Aer Lingus if the military route is not possible.

I would suggest science based A levels? STEM?

No doubt others will have their own ideas.

[kathan dudhela]

thanks for replying,
yes, air cadets does have gliding scholarship available however, for some incident two years ago it has stopped and said to be opening in may 2016.

i have also applied for flying scholarship in which i am waiting for their response.
:ok::ok:

[ShyTorque]

Kathan, speaking as someone who was previously involved in RAF recruiting via the UAS system, my advice is that you limit your chances of selection by far if you want "in" for only 12 years then wish to leave to pursue your "proper" career as a civilian pilot.

Why? There are many more young hopefuls out there who want to stay in the RAF for far longer. Bearing in mind the huge cost of pilot training, the RAF will understandably require maximum return on their investment. Guess who will get priority?

[Piltdown Man]

To join the RAF as an officer you must be able to demonstrate competence in written English, amongst many other things. You are sadly lacking in this area. You will also have to be physically fit and have an opinion on world affairs, politics especially those that involve the armed forces. So start working on these now.

Being in the ATC you should have, via your CO, a direct link to the RAF's recruiters and if that fails, try the link below.

https://www.raf.mod.uk/recruitment/roles/roles-finder/aircrew/pilot/

As for cheap flying, there is no such thing. Flying is expensive. So you pay in cash or activity (or a bit of both). The activity is working at flying clubs or effort in finding grants, scholarships and bursaries.

But the most important thing for you for you to do now is improve your English. Without that, not much of your dream will be realisable.

PM

[Reverserbucket]

"To join the RAF as an officer you must be able to demonstrate competence in written English"

Really Piltdown Man, how old fashioned the RAF must be compared to almost every other occupation, including journalism - shocking! You'll be saying you need to be able to have a decent command of spoken English as well next ;)

[Piltdown Man]

RB - you are totally correct. I am truly a relic of a bygone age. How dreadful of me to expect that pilots should be able to read and write! Whatever is next? I will soon be expecting them to be able to fly.

PM

[Johnny F@rt Pants]

Ref A levels - do what you enjoy, you'll do better. No need for scientific subjects.

English - I'm with Piltdown Man, it is very important!

Costs - No easy route I'm afraid, but you can do better than £80k, look at modular courses, you should save £20-30k.

RAF - I have no experience other than to say that it is an excellent route into flying with fantastic training.

[kathan dudhela]

thanks for replying everyone.
what I have planned to do now is to focus on my GCSE's especially english and after my GCSE's I will start taking flying lessons which will cost me around 3k and should get my private pilot licence in within one year. :ok::ok::ok:

that's the only clue I have right now!
I don't know what route to take next or how to get CPL or ATPL?
please help!
:ugh::ugh::ugh:

[Piltdown Man]

Unless your parents have bucket loads of cash, do not learn to fly any time in the near future. Certainly concentrate on your studies, work hard to get good grades in both GCSEs and A Levels. Then get a degree. You will need money for that. You will then be in position to critcally analyse the factors that should affect your next step. You will also be employable in more than one profession. Spend weekends gliding, but don't go power flying unless you have some serious cash. This will also give you time to answer the question you raised at the end of your last post. A little bit of research will answer that for you.

PM

[Johnny F@rt Pants]

I wouldn't bother with PPL personally. OK, you get a PPL, but that doesn't do anything really for you in relation to getting a CPL. All you do is use up money that could be put towards your eventual goal. I would suggest a trial lesson, you never know, you might hate it and throw up everywhere, but don't bother with a PPL.

Not sure about a degree either to be fair, good GCSE's are important, A levels are a bonus. The only thing a degree gives you is time to mature and gain some further life experience, however you leave uni with a debt, and then want to become a pilot, so there's more debt.

My son wants to be a pilot, I am hounding him to put in the effort now for his GCSE's, he's going to do A levels (providing he does well enough in his GCSE's), and then if he still wants to be a pilot, that will be next, I am discouraging uni, if you want to be a pilot, get it done sooner rather than later.

[kathan dudhela]

Ok, so you are saying that I shouldn't get my ppl. But isn't PPL going to help me achieving my CPL or ATPL? or isn't it going to give me any flying instructor temporary job? If not, then what do you think I should do after my
GCSE's and A-levels are completed?
:ok:

[Johnny F@rt Pants]

A PPL used to give you a small credit off the number of hours that you had to fly to gain your CPL, but not many ( I don't know whether it still does or not). So if you do your PPL and it costs you the £3000 that you have stated, you might get a few hundred pounds of flying credit towards your CPL. Hope that makes some sense.

A PPL does not permit you to be a flying instructor. It only permits you to fly an aeroplane for pleasure, not remuneration. To become a flying instructor you have to hold a CPL with an instructor rating.

What do I think you should do after A levels......if you want to be a pilot, enrol in becoming a pilot. If you can't beg steal and borrow the funds to be able to do that straight away get a job, get some life experience and save save save.