Best education path towards job as a pilot?

[ManURTheBest13]

I live in the UK and am about to go to college, next year, to study A-levels. I know I want to do physics and maths but I need help with choosing one or two more subjects which will help to get me a job when I am older. Also, do you think it would be worth it to go to uni to help with job prospects or don't you think it matters too much. As well as this, I am also interested knowing a good age to start training for my licenses - I may not have a job but I have a dad who may be willing to get a loan for this (but I wouldn't really won't this). I would also like to know if you can get sponsorship for the CPL or the fATPL (which ever is the lowest you can start at) at the age of about 19, this will be in a few years though, and if there are is there any round about north-east England.

[Nashers]

do a search through the stickys ontop of all the threads and all your questions will have answers.

university is a good choice.

[preduk]

know I want to do physics and maths but I need help with choosing one or two more subjects which will help to get me a job when I am older

Do the subjects that you enjoy and are best at, most employers don't really bother with the A-Levels these days including airlines.

Maths, English and Physics is always a good start.

do you think it would be worth it to go to uni to help with job prospects or don't you think it matters too much

University is good for those who want a backup plan, which is advisible in this day and age. Believe it or not you may not like flying as a career when you get there, you may lose your job due to a medical injury or your company might go bust. With good solid education the worlds your oyster.

I am also interested knowing a good age to start training for my licenses

There is no exact answer for this because everyone is different. If you feel you are mature enough, determined, financially able and confident the training is for you; you can start at any age whether its 17 or 35.

I may not have a job but I have a dad who may be willing to get a loan for this

A loan should always be a last resort.

If you can try and get yourself a job early on, save save save! Means no repayments from your airline pay

I would also like to know if you can get sponsorship for the CPL or the fATPL (which ever is the lowest you can start at) at the age of about 19, this will be in a few years though, and if there are is there any round about north-east England.

Sadly not in this day and age. Airlines pretty much have fully qualified cadet pilots knocking on their door so they see no need to sponsor people through pilot recruitment. There are airlines such as Highland Airways who offer a sponsored course but places are limited each year.

Best of luck!

[nuclear weapon]

My advice will be to get a degree in what you enjoy as you are more than likely to take it seriously. This will give you a very good back up in case things go pear shaped in future. We are all working at the mercy of our medicals and one serious incident you could find yourself out of a job permanently.
You are still young so i will advice you to get a proper education as a back up.

[isi3000]

An English A-Level would be a good one to add, quite useful

[Put1992]

What are you predicted at GCSE in science and maths?
and how good at you at balancing your social/work life?
If you're crap at it, then don't pick maths and physics. You'll soon regret it, trust me
Pick something you will actually do well in.

[G-FATTY]

I was once in the same position as you.
I chose my A-levels purely on what I thought was best for the career path.

they turned up to be

• Physics
• Maths
• Business Studies (own interest and business management possibility)
• English Language

I dropped Maths after AS level, because I found it too hard. I passed it well at GCSE's (1 mark off an A) and failed miserably after that!
My choices were quite a mix but I felt and still feel that they were the best choice for me.

Good luck with it all.

Don't let me put you off the A-level maths! I guess you'll be able to get through it,

[G SXTY]

There isn't a simple answer to this. In my crew room we have almost as many different backgrounds as we have pilots - ex military guys (both fast jet and truckies), ex flying instructors, teachers, policemen, engineers - and in my case nearly 15 years as a shipping monkey.

The critical thing in this game is to have a workable plan 'B' (and ideally plans 'C' and 'D' as well). That's where education, and a degree in particular, can serve you well - it can open doors that would otherwise remain closed. The degree subject doesn't matter from an aviation point of view (airlines really aren't interested) but it goes without saying that a marketable subject (e.g. engineering or business studies) will be more useful in the outside world than sports science or philosophy. That said, a degree is a big commitment in time, effort and money, so I would only recommend it if you are academically minded and interested in the subject - not just as a back-up in case you lose your medical.

Another excellent plan 'B' would be qualifying as an electrician or plumber - trades that will always be in demand and offer the possibility of flexible or part-time working while you train as a pilot. Even something like a HGV licence could come in useful.

In terms of A-levels, physics is the one that stands out as most useful when you come to study the ATPLs. I failed A-level maths, but a working knowledge of the three times table is perfectly adequate for flying modern airliners.

Regarding age, again there's no such thing as a 'best time' to start, everyone's circumstances are different. As a teenager, you have all the time in the world - many people change careers and get into flying in their thirties (I got my first job aged 36). Especially in the current climate, I would strongly advise against throwing a pile of cash at flying training (wherever you get it from and whatever the flying schools tell you). Take your time, get a job, and pay for your training as you go along.

There's a whole generation that's just starting to discover the perils of being in debt up to their eyeballs . . .

[Flare-Idle]

Get your university degree first...

Couldnīt agree more with what has been said before. Get your university degree first before you aim for that pilot job. Iīve started my aviation career at the age of 36 in 2001 and I am lucky to be still employed at the moment, but who knows what is happening next. The drawback of starting with 36 is that chances are slim to end up as a long-haul 777 skipper with a legacy carrier in Europe...
However, there are...or better were for the time being good jobs around and will again be for late starters. A degree and on top of this some experience of a couple of years in your field of study gives you a solid back-up plan if things go wrong. Most importantly, it gives you a network outside the "flying envelope". It also shows that your intellectual capabilities are manifold and you succeeded in both fields, indeed valuable assets for any kind of job interview at a later stage.
My job as a pilot is still fantastic as I donīt go to work, I go and fly an aircraft and still have the best time of my life. If things go wrong though, my back-up plan is in place...

Pursue your dream, give it go !