Sponsorship
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Sponsorship
Hi everyone. I'm new to this and haven't been browsing this forum long enough but one thing strikes me. While all the talk seems to be of gaining a licence through self-funded training, the option of a sponsorship seems to have been relatively undiscussed.
A quick search of "sponsorship" brings up many topics. However, back to the point. As an 18yr old student who wants to be a pilot once I have got a degree, self-funding is not an option given that I will also have to pay to go to university, and will already be in debt by the time I have completed my course, reducing the chances of getting a CDL.
What chances are there of getting a sponsorship, especially in the current climate where many pilots are unemployed and will be queueing up for jobs when the "recession" is over? Further to that, what future do sponsorship schemes have?
Apologies for the length of this question.
A quick search of "sponsorship" brings up many topics. However, back to the point. As an 18yr old student who wants to be a pilot once I have got a degree, self-funding is not an option given that I will also have to pay to go to university, and will already be in debt by the time I have completed my course, reducing the chances of getting a CDL.
What chances are there of getting a sponsorship, especially in the current climate where many pilots are unemployed and will be queueing up for jobs when the "recession" is over? Further to that, what future do sponsorship schemes have?
Apologies for the length of this question.
Join Date: Dec 1997
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Sponsorships are very few and far between. EasyJet and JMC are running a 'sponsorship' (repayable through your pay packet) for, I think, a total of 30 people this year. Their training provider, CTC, have places which may become sponsored for a further 42 people. Britannia and FlyBe have run partial sponsorships for a handful of students this year. Air Atlantique run a highly individual scheme for a few people. Buzz have a partial sponsorship under way which is in doubt due to the takeover by Ryanair.
There are very few jobs available, and there are a lot of experienced, rated pilots still on the dole. There are also many, many people undergoing training at their own expense, and many of them are likely to be disappointed. This situation is unlikely to significantly alter in the near future, and it's impossible to guess what the future holds while almost every facet of international commercial life is on tenterhooks awaiting the outcome of the Iraq situation. My best guess is that meaningful recovery is, once again, 18 months away.
Sponsorships of the nature of the EZ/CTC scheme will survive, and will probably flourish when recovery begins. The BA style of no-risk (to the student) sponsorship is probably dead.
Go and get your degree, keep an eye on the market and be thankful that you're not trying to enter it just now!
Scroggs
Wannabe/Virgin Moderator
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There are very few jobs available, and there are a lot of experienced, rated pilots still on the dole. There are also many, many people undergoing training at their own expense, and many of them are likely to be disappointed. This situation is unlikely to significantly alter in the near future, and it's impossible to guess what the future holds while almost every facet of international commercial life is on tenterhooks awaiting the outcome of the Iraq situation. My best guess is that meaningful recovery is, once again, 18 months away.
Sponsorships of the nature of the EZ/CTC scheme will survive, and will probably flourish when recovery begins. The BA style of no-risk (to the student) sponsorship is probably dead.
Go and get your degree, keep an eye on the market and be thankful that you're not trying to enter it just now!
Scroggs
Wannabe/Virgin Moderator
[email protected]
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Scroggs is right when he says the BA style sponsorship is dead. No airline these days can afford to recruit and train ab initio pilots. Even the 'Sponsorship' deals that are out at the moment will require a considerable financial contribution just for selection, let alone training. If you are still thinking about a sponsorship deal with an airline/FTO, then read the small print very carefully as most training schemes are just endorsed by the airline with no offer of a job from them once you have completed your training.
My advise, go to uni, join a UAS then try for the RAF/Navy. Go and have fun for a number of years flying something fast and furious, do you licences whilst being paid a decent wedge for having fun then come and join the airlines when the market improves.
Good luck
My advise, go to uni, join a UAS then try for the RAF/Navy. Go and have fun for a number of years flying something fast and furious, do you licences whilst being paid a decent wedge for having fun then come and join the airlines when the market improves.
Good luck
