your help would be appreciated!

[rodney trotter]

first of a brilliant web site where people in the aviation industry can air their opinions, grievances and give advice to us wannabes which takes me to my point.

ill be applying to ba and my problem is that i want to also study accounts as i feel a finacial background would not only help as a pilot but also act as a safety net in a career that can be short lived.

if at the interview they ask me,why the change in career i would like to say that as pilot ur career could be short due to health and injury and u also have to retire at 55.

having a safety net ensures that your life doesnt end. and it would not be a sudden change in career as i have shown continued interest eg. flying lessons, etc .etc.

i dont want to give the impression that i'm not dedicated to becoming a pilot, but simply a realist in a very volatile career.

any opinions would be welecome.

[matt747]

Sounds good to me Dave,
I'm just finishing the same thing. I really wanted to apply to BA after A levels but thought it would be best to get a degree under my belt in case it all goes wrong. You never know if your going to fail a medical at some point down the line. I heard of somebody on an ab-initio course who got hit in the eye with a squash ball one evening and that put an end to his dream.

I think as long as you give reasoning for your backup plan nobody will put it against you.

Good Luck

Matt

[Patsy 001]

Hows it going folks?

I've just finished my chartered accountancy exams and am now concentrating on my real desire - to be an airline pilot. I still have another year left in my training contract with Ernst & Young, but am half way through my BA application form.

My advice is go for the 'safe' career option of finance (say accountancy)- it takes 5 years (3 years for degree and 2 years to complete the professional exams). You could also go to an university with an air squadron also to get some free flying - and half some craic on the way!

If you want you can e mail me for some ideas.

Good Luck

[rodney trotter]

sorry i didnt make my self clear as im talking about professional exams like charted or certified exams. ive done a degree and have a levels.

[scroggs]

Caps or shift key missing from your keyboard is it, Rodders? It's a personal thing, but we're not limited to 160 charcters on Pprune, so it's OK to use, for instance, 'you' instead of 'u' - and it's a lot easier to read!
As for your point, yes - you're probably very wise to have a back up qualification, although I doubt that accountancy will ever be useful to you as a pilot (unless, like me, you run your own business!). But why do you assume you must retire at 55? That is a BA restriction, and is not followed by all airlines. At Virgin, we must retire from the LHS at 60 (due to French overflight restrictions, mainly), but can contract to continue flying in the RHS until 65.

[kestrel99]

I managed to finish the course I was on before training. It was a tough decision, as I already knew what I wanted to do, but I’m glad I stuck at it now.

It would be so easy to fail a medical a few years down the line and without good qualifications you could be left with nothing. I don't think it is any reflection on how much or little you want to fly just that you're sensible enough to finish what you're doing. You will probably never need a degree but if something does go wrong it would be a distinct advantage.

[Tip tank]

My advice is not to bother. If you want to fly, then fly.
The earlier you do it, the earlier you will get into the airlines and the more time you will have to build up both hours and seniority.

If you are 50 and get binned for medical reasons, then you are in a tough position, degree or not. You may find work as a junior accountant, but having been a captain of a 747 earning a good wedge, do you really want to work for somebody in their 20s, earning peanuts in the process? Most big firms wouldn't hire you anyway, as they want youngsters.

My sense is that you will meet enough interesting people over the years to allow you to slip sideways into something else. As far as I am aware, most long haul pilots have additional business ventures running on the side, so you will maybe find yourself doing something else anyway. If you really do want a degree, why not use the Open University and do it in your spare time while you're flying for a living.
I suppose loss of licence insurance is available, so there is maybe a way out anyway.

All the best.

I said EXACTLY the same to myself when I was in your shoes and let me tell you, the bug just doesn't go away!

Just do it.

[Patsy 001]

Quite true, Scroggs, about accountancy not being any use as a pilot - however it shows the ability to sit and pass demanding professional exams and does give you a good head for figures (numbers!) and attention to detail.

Asides from that - any word of Virgin sponsoring trainee pilots in the future?

Cheers

[G - HIGH]

This has saved me a lot of time, because I am in exactly the same position. Except now i dont have to type in the problem and wait for someone to reply!

I've just left Uni with BSc physics and MSc comp' sci'. I too was wondering whether the airline companies might see a job in these areas as not 100% committed to flying. But as all the good advice has now told me, you always need a backup plan.

I'm thinking of getting a job now to tied me over with the money problem that 5 years at uni has impinged on me! Then applying to the airlines at a later date - I'm just turned 24, so i dont think it's too late just yet. (oh yeh, I'm just about the finished my PPL too!)

[Duncan2]

I'll give my tuppence worth too I think:
When I applied to BA last year I had a BSc in a non-aviation related science and I was studying for an MSc in a similar area. I did not get in last year and when I asked for feedback I was told that one of the main reasons for rejection was that my choice of degrees, especially the MSc, did not demonstrate a commitment to a career in aviation. Over the last year I have done a lot more to try to become a pilot and so hopefully the lack of aviation related reasons for my degrees will not be such a problem this time. However, if I could go back with the knowledge I have now I would most definitely apply for all sponsorships from the end of my A-Levels onwards. I would start a degree too, it would certainly be aviation related, and I would be ready to give it up at any time if I got a sponsorship. I would spend my student loans on flying related activities and had I not been forced to support myself financially while at university I would have applied to the University Air Squadron even though I certainly don't want to be in the forces. Finally, if you have one degree I would definitely not consider doing any further training unless it is to enable you to earn more money to become a pilot by self-sponsorship. You should also be willing to give up this training in the event that you get a sponsorship!
I don’t think the situation is fair, but I think that by becoming a professional accountant you will do a lot of harm to your chances of becoming a pilot, especially by sponsorship.
Good luck with the time-machine!!


[This message has been edited by Duncan2 (edited 20 March 2001).]

[StephenM]

You're definitely doing the right thing by opting to do a degree. Best thing - to cover all possible eventualities.

I would not worry about whether airlines would think badly of you just because you are doing a degree. It would be narrow minded of them to think that you are lacking in flying interest.

From what I can gather from airlines I have written to in the past few years, a degree is a distinct advantage because it shows you still have the ability to learn, digest information and are a keen worker.

If you are thinking of a sponsorship, at the end of the day its all fine and dandy selecting someone who knows it all, has it all and can fly a plane but if they can't be bothered to study to get through the exams then whats the point??

The degree will shine in your favour. No doubt. Do it

[JT8]

Rodney,

If age is on your side, do the degree. Always have a backup.

JT8 :)

[This message has been edited by JT8 (edited 23 March 2001).]

[rock_the_tower]

I am 36 now and just got hired by Crossair. Flying was a dream from childhood on but I also like engineering and science. Have an MSc and PhD in Materials Engineering. Was member of the olympic rowing team in Barcelona and the national team for several years. Spent more than 7 years in industry. Liked every bit of what I worked for but now want to live from what I love.....flying !
So I decided 3 years ago to start flying. Got my PPL/CPL/IR/Multi/frozen ATPL parallel to my 100% job in industry.
A possible reason why "oldies" like me still get a job in an airline: dedication, endurance, task orientation, life experience and a very big piece of LUCK !!!
Anyway, its good to have this engineering degree in my pocket.....
I would really vote for the "backup-way" into the airline career. May be not a PhD, but a BSc or MSc makes you sleep much better in the future.

Good luck to you all and hear you up there!

rtt