A bit overwhelmed. Could somebody help?

[Hooblah]

I've been reading into becoming a pilot for a little while now, but he more I read the more confused I get!

So I'm 30 this year and I've been trying to figure my life out. I'm an electrician by trade and I've got to a point in life where I'm wondering 'is this it?'. I need something more exciting in my life, a career that I would really love. I've always wanted to be a pilot from a young age and I'm seriously thinking about going down the route of becoming one.

So it's not possible for my family to support me whilst I do training, I'm not 18 anymore. I don't have that luxury. I need to work to support myself whilst studying. Is there anyone here who has done so? How did you find it?

Also is there a website I can look at to find events going on in the UK,where I can talk to different training schools and pilot careers advisors? I have so many questions!

The other thing I'm struggling with is what path to take? I'd like to fly passenger aircraft

[B2N2]

There is a bewildering amount of information out there which does not make it any easier.

There are basically 4 options:

1. Military
2. Airline cadet program
3.Integrated pilot course
4. Modular training course

As far as the feasibility:

- Military has very stringent assessment and an age limit which I think you've already passed.

- Airline cadet program would be a airline sponsored full time training program. You'll find various airlines across the world that will advertise assessment and enrollment dates.
Many have an age limit.
You may or may not meet the educational pre requisites.
Depending on the program you may or may not end up with what is called a MPL ( Multi Pilot License) which restricts you to that airline for a number of years.

- Integrated pilot course. This is where it gets tricky as these are aggressively advertised by commercially run schools many of whom claim exclusive access to one airline or another.
Integrated means full time no work (income) on the side. If you don't meet the schools standards you may be asked to discontinue and leave some funds behind.

- Modular training is where you do everything yourself one section at a time. This is the most work and effort as you're not paying for a school to baby sit you through a course.
An option to do this debt free if you are very strict with yourself. You basically work and save maybe 25-30% of the total training cost and work part time or full time in segments to save for the next rating or training course.
Will probably take the longest.
If you keep pushing and never let go of your dream it may take anywhere from 3-7 years or more to get a decent job in aviation.
This may not be at a major airline.

In short my advice to you:
If you do not have any dependents, try any cadet program that you qualify for first.
Then if you're still motivated enough try the modular route. It also allows you to stop at any given time without huge losses.
Plan on a good chance of spending the rest of your flying career outside of the U.K. or even outside of Europe.
Do several assessments at your own cost. Including medical. It sounds rude but "I've always dreamt of being a pilot" doesn't automatically qualify you for the job.
You also need a squeaky clean background. Anymore more then a couple of speeding tickets will be frowned upon by future employers.
The USA, Canada and Japan for instance may (will) refuse you entry if you have a criminal conviction.
A drunk driving conviction statistically puts you at the back of a 50,000 applicant line.


Ask if you have any questions.

[Hooblah]

Thanks for the speedy reply.

I've heard the cadet route is very difficult to get as so many people apply for them. But if going with the cadet route, how do people generally tend to support themselves? Full time training means no income, and I doubt the airline pays you to be a cadet?

I don't mind moving abroad. I have no dependents. And the only conviction I have is a ticket for a bald tyre, which comes comes off my license in a couple of months time.

I've looked into doing a PPL. I live in South London and Biggin Hill, Redhill, Gatwick airport are 20-30 mins from me at the most. The costs are from £8k upwards. Would you suggest I do one of these off my own back and then apply for ATPL?

[B2N2]

As this stage in the game you do t know yet how much you'll like it.
You 'think' you like it and you 'think' this is something you could do for a living.
Consider that in NW Europe even a single lesson is almost an all day affair. It was with me anyway.
Don't expect to be able to fit in lessons in beteeen work assignments as it doesn't work that way.
Travel time to the airfield, get there early, pre flight and post flight briefings, waiting for weather to clear etc etc etc.
Try and book two lessons in a day off.
Basically start dedicating all your free time to it. Start volunteering at a flying club.
Basically get yourself acquainted with the training world.
Alternatively consider doing a full time PPL course in 4 weeks in Florida or South Africa this upcoming winter.

[rudestuff]

Get a class one medical.
Get a PPL. By the time you've done that you will have read enough, experienced​ enough and met enough people to know if it's for you or not.
The biggest issues will be time and money. Are you employed or self employed? If you can get chunks of time off, you will progress much faster in the US or SA because the weather is better, and it's generally cheaper.
You'll also need plenty of time off to hit the ATPLs, I found it impossible to work and study, so I took a month off for each set of exams.

[Capn Bug Smasher]

Hi Hooblah

Apply to the Air League and GAPAN for a flying scholarship. If you are successful, they will give you a few hours' flying for free - usually to solo standard and in the case of GAPAN, beyond. That's what I did and I've never looked back.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Yes - do a PPL first, for all the reasons B2N2 and rudestuff say.

I did my CPL writtens (slightly less study than an ATPL, but not by much) in my own time whilst working. It was very laborious, time consuming, and required a lot of discipline. But it is possible.

I didn't take time off and crack the CPL in one hit - and wish I had. Stringing it out probably added 10 hours to the bill, which at ~£300/hr for CPL training was extremely non-trivial.

[Arena_33]

If you're in the vicinity of Biggin Hill, get a trial flight with EFG Flying school. I'm currently a PPL student, great school!

[Thegreenmachine]

Roughly the same age and location as yourself and I found myself on a cadet program at one of the big schools. Not impossible to do but expect to contribute the vast majority of cash yourself either through loan or savings. Put some cash aside for living costs or, if you haven't been to university, you can apply for funding towards the course. Expect 3-20k from that method depending on your financial situation.

As others have said get a medical and perhaps a trial lesson or two, see if you REALLY want to do this because it is a slog at times (training).
Good luck.

[BusAirDriver]

Much good advice on here, it is possible and you still got time on your side to do it "step by step"

Get PPL, get hours, also take a visit to Stapleford, they are pretty good outfit.
USA with today's exchange rates might be more expensive than normal, so do your calculations well. Do expect have to pay for a type rating at the end of it, if you do get a job.

[sudden twang]

http://www.balpa.org/Becoming-a-pilot
It's all there!