Seeking for a sponsorship with no flight experience
PPRuNe Handmaiden
The flying experience before starting full time is largely irrelevent. If your father is a former captain, he should have some good advice.
As you're finding out, there are many ways to getting a licence. Believe it or not, that's the easy bit. Getting a decent job afterwards is a lot harder.
Right now, work hard on those A levels. Don't damage your health. Consider going gliding. If you can find a part time job, do that and start saving every penny you can.
Rudestuff has given some good advice.
Very few of us have wealthy parents to write a cheque of +£100K. Therefore, you'll need to generate the funds yourself. There are very limited sponsorship opportunities. Most are for the nationals of Middle East or Far East companies.
If you want to go full time, best you get yourself onto a tagged scheme but those places are fiercely competitive. You'll need very strong A levels and probably a decent degree. Don't do aeronautical engineering unless you really want to. If you don't have the money, you'll need a loan, often your parents house will be put up. Make sure they know the risks of that.
If you don't want to go full time or you can't generate the extortionate amount of money they cost, you'll go modular aka part time. Significantly cheaper and very importantly you can time when you finish to ensure your instrument rating is fresh. That is a perishable skill! However, there are add ons that do cost. The MCC and now the UPRT. You'll probably have to cough up for a rating.
My personal opinion is that a prospective pilot should work doing anything before signing up for flight school. Firstly, you'll learn the value of your labour (a very underrated value!!), secondly, when you're flying at FL360 and moaning about the state of your crew meal, you'll recall your ****kicker job and realise how lucky you are.
As you're finding out, there are many ways to getting a licence. Believe it or not, that's the easy bit. Getting a decent job afterwards is a lot harder.
Right now, work hard on those A levels. Don't damage your health. Consider going gliding. If you can find a part time job, do that and start saving every penny you can.
Rudestuff has given some good advice.
Very few of us have wealthy parents to write a cheque of +£100K. Therefore, you'll need to generate the funds yourself. There are very limited sponsorship opportunities. Most are for the nationals of Middle East or Far East companies.
If you want to go full time, best you get yourself onto a tagged scheme but those places are fiercely competitive. You'll need very strong A levels and probably a decent degree. Don't do aeronautical engineering unless you really want to. If you don't have the money, you'll need a loan, often your parents house will be put up. Make sure they know the risks of that.
If you don't want to go full time or you can't generate the extortionate amount of money they cost, you'll go modular aka part time. Significantly cheaper and very importantly you can time when you finish to ensure your instrument rating is fresh. That is a perishable skill! However, there are add ons that do cost. The MCC and now the UPRT. You'll probably have to cough up for a rating.
My personal opinion is that a prospective pilot should work doing anything before signing up for flight school. Firstly, you'll learn the value of your labour (a very underrated value!!), secondly, when you're flying at FL360 and moaning about the state of your crew meal, you'll recall your ****kicker job and realise how lucky you are.
You are 17 which means you have the luxury of time. Not time to waste but time nonetheless.
Get your advanced education, start flying gliders, start a part time job, save for your PPL then take it from there.
Plan on 6-8 years of hard work and dedication till your first airline job.
You’ll meet people along the way that will be helpful and you’ll meet people along the way that will hinder you.
Make your own decisions accordingly.
Get your advanced education, start flying gliders, start a part time job, save for your PPL then take it from there.
Plan on 6-8 years of hard work and dedication till your first airline job.
You’ll meet people along the way that will be helpful and you’ll meet people along the way that will hinder you.
Make your own decisions accordingly.
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Germany
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Hey, I’ve been told by a lot of people to instead go the modular route, due to up to now me having no notable flying experience. I previously mentioned that going to a school was not possible in my situation, however I’ve been told by my dad (former captain) that it is something that is very possible and they can help to make it happen if it is what I am serious about (I am!). I just wondered what your take was or anyone reading this in my scenario? Appreciated.
A way to get there is by gathering information. You have found Pprune. That is an important step. 😄👍.
Second, go watch ALL Air Crash Investigation Seasons.
I started watching those from the first season in 2001.
You can learn really a lot from it.
Get your Highschool Diploma and continue learning a trade. Or a College or Uni Degree. But something useful. Nonetheless, everyone focusses on just Uni degrees, but there is serious money in Manual Trades as well. Do something you really like.
The time you finish, you are around 23 years young.
During that time save up money. Dont spend it on nonsense non related to Aviation.
Hang out in your local Aeroclub. There you will meet also Airline Pilots from whom you can learn and have connections which could help you later to get to the right people.
You can do when you have saved some money go to Poland as suggested before and go step by step for your PPL and further.
Integrated can be nice, but that option is much more expensive. Of course chance to fast track to Ryan Air or Easyjet is bigger, but be prepared that you have to pay for your first Type Rating. 15-35K for your first job.
Or maybe you are lucky and get into the comany I work for and they just bond you.
If you really want it, go for it, but make sure you have a degree or trade which is useful and fun to kill the time towards your first job or in case of Covid where you can fall back on. You dont want to end up with just your Pilots license as that is worth as much as toilet paper outside of aviation. Plenty very experienced Cpts have experienced that themselfes during C19. Nothing else than their thousands of hours as a Pilots and just their Highschool Diploma. Ending up doing unskilled jobs.
Myself included. 4 Jobs just to keep my head above the water. I cannot recommend that to you.
I graduated in 2013 for my F ATPL. No jobs available for unexperienced pilots. Worked 3.5 year as a Flight Attendant on Dash8 Q400 and Airbus A320Fam. Was fun though. In total it took me 4.5 years to get first job on B737 where of course I had to pay for my own rating and HORRIBLE salary in my first summer season I flew for that company.
Then next summer season normal FO Contract and salary. Autumn moved to another company. Flew there 6 months. And then,,,,,,, Covid came around the corner. Lost my job and didnt fly for two years. With just 750 hrs on B737. Covid was passing by slowly but there were about 25000 Jobless pilots in EU Alone and many of them with MUCH more experience than me.
BUT because people I know I got invited in Jan 2022 for an assessment for a Long Haul Job. I was succesful and started the new Type Rating last year and I am already almost 1 year on the Line.
I really love it in this company and am very happy. But Just before this opportunity came along, I was close to giving up and accepting the fact that I would never fly again. But my huge passion pushed me and kept me on it.
Aviation business itself is horrible and violent and extremely sensitive to economic waves. It is one of the first businesses which will be on its @$$.
But when you get to fly, you will really love it. It is an amazing feeling and extremely enjoyable.
Long story short, go for it when you are very passionate, but have a backup so that you do not end up driving vans for Tesco delivering groceries. With all due respect of course.
Good luck and keep us posted.. 😄👍✈️
