Which way? Advice needed...

[MattyD]

Hi all,

Being a new member to pprune, and a wannabee airline pilot, I set aside some time to read some of the posts from the last year. I must say I see MANY conflicting reports.

I am in a situation where my parents are financally able to pay for my flight training. However, someone said the airline pilots would automatically reject a candidate in this position, and would hire someone who is 33 and spent the last 15 years working to pay for the training.

Is this true? Maybe I could earn half?

Advice and insights GREATLY appreciated to a baffled member. Thank you.

Matthew Day

[Grivation]

Matt - tough question with no definate answers.

The argument of '20 year old, daddy paid for my training' verses '30 year old, I did it my way' is not one of where the money came from but more of what has been achieved along the way. The problem with the 20 year old model is that it is very difficult for that person to demonstrate any kind of previous achievement apart from schooling and having a flight crew licence. The 30 year old model on the other hand usually has picked up a number of additional qualifications and skills along the way, ableit none of them possibly to do with aviation, but has at least some form of demonstrated ability.

The number one advantage of doing 'something' before starting a fulltime flying job is that you will always have 'something' to do if things go bad.....and things often do go bad in flying!

If I had my time over again I would have gone looking for an aircraft mechanic apprentiship. Search for redsnails posts for the advantages.

[MattyD]

Thanks Grivation, your point is very well taken. However, if you do well at school and achieve many good grades, skills etc does this mean the "20 yr old" with the "30 yr olds background" so proving the 20yr old can achieve lots in little time?

Gosh this case is tough..... :eek:

[tacpot]

The airlines are in business. They'll take who ever they can get into the vacate seat for the least money (pretty much).

As a 30 year old, you should have more opportunities to prove that you are likely to be a valauble, capable member of a crew, but as a 20 year old, you are not without opportunities. All employers like to see effort, commitment, and interest.

Take the parent's cash, do an Integrated course at a big name school to gaurantee the maximum acceptance of your young age, and do what ever else you can to demonstrate that the qualifications you will have were not handed to you on a plate.

[Broken Wings]

MattyD

Whether your'e 20 or 30, have the money or have to scrimp and scrape I think the biggest factor is motivation. If you really want to beome a commercial pilot then GO FOR IT. I agree with Tacpot as well and be prepared to start at the very bottom of the ladder and serve your apprenticeship to get a good grounding and build some experience.

Better to have tried and failed than not tried at all. Best of Luck.

[Lucifer]

I have never heard of any such automatic rejection, however what I think you may have confused this with is people whose uninformed parents have paid for training for a child who was interested in flying only for a short while as a fad, rather than someone who has had to demonstrate their determination through saving etc.

If you have the opportunity for someone else to pay for training, and making sure that your parents are aware of the job situation and that you are adequately backed up with alternative skills, then by all means go for it - you have to grab all opportunities!

[MattyD]

Thank you all for your kind replies.