Sponsorship programmes?
 

A brief summary on TV this morning suggests an interesting programme. Don't think it will show the intersting comments John Hutchinson made though!!

Sponsorship programmes?
 

I'm 17 and I have a conditional offer at strathclyde university in Glasgow for aero-mechanical engineering. Ideally I would love to get sponsorship to train for an airline, but having read these forums, that seems to be virtually unachievable with little flying experience.

I am considering taking a year out from university and getting my PPL, as that is the most I will be able to afford with my current work situation. That way when I turn 18 in November I can apply for sponsorship with some experience, if I was accepted I would forget university.

I had also considered going straight to university and applying for sponsorship after finishing the degree, as I have heard that they look favourably towards people with university degrees.

I am posting this to ask for advice, if there is anyone who followed a similar path.
Is applying for sponsorship with a PPL any more beneficial?
Is applying with a degree any more beneficial?
or would I be wasting my time, and just as unlikely to be accepted?

Thanks in advance, would really appreciate some feedback.

I have my PPL and have just finished uni. I did initially apply to CTC McAlpine Ezy/TC scheme, but didnt continue after reading the costs involved. Basically any sponsership that is available these days is no different from securing your own funds, ie you h ave to pay the money back either way. Im now enrolled on an intergrated program with a massive loan behind me.

Airlines these days need to cut their costs massively. Pilots are not in shortage. What business would offer a sponsership in these conditions?

It seems the only way these days is to either be one of the very select few who make it through the very few sponsership schemes available, join the RAF (which is no less competitive), find a lender to offer you some sort of proff. studies loan or go the modular route and work 3 jobs.

Either way it is very difficult and very stressful, with few guarantees at the other end.

Note this is just my perspective, and on the other side, tomorrow afternoon, I am taking my 3rd AOPA aerobatics lesson, barrel rolls, and the 25-30 hours pw I worked through university to get my PPL now seems worth it. Flying is the best hobby or job in the world, and it seems if you are dedicated enough there are endless rewards.

At 17 IMHO I wouldnt rush into anything. You have enough time to secure a degree, then complete your CPL training, and still be very young for a FO job.

Consider not doing a degree, imagine another downturn in the industry, as a non aviation employer would you employ a qualified commercial pilot, who cant find aviation work, but would **** off at the first sniff of an airline, airtaxi, cargo job etc?

Best of luck either way! :ok:

Thanks muchly for the reply. Really appreciate the advice.

I had expected to have to pay the money back, just getting the money in the first place is the problem, it's very expensive.

I think I will go to university and take it from there, that way I still have the engineering to fall back on if I don't make it.

Cosworth's right. If you have an offer to go to University - take it. It's always useful having a degree, even if you want to do something else (ie. become an airline pilot) for many reasons. Downturn in the industry, health problems later on etc.

I'm just at the end of my uni course, and looking to do some courses myself. Sponsorships are practically non-existant. The schemes that are being run at the moment, are pretty much self-funded.

My suggestion would be to go to uni. It's definitely an experience, and also something you'll be able to refer to in later life, on CV's, application forms etc. You'll be finished when you're 21 (assuming a 3 yr course...) and thats still young enough to start a career.

Good luck, whatever you decide to do!

:ok:

Thanks for the advice Troydi, I am going to go to uni now.

What did you study at uni?

I wouldn't study aero-mechanical engineering as, if there is a down turn in the aviation industry, it will affect aero-engineers as well as pilots and again you would have nothing to fall back on. Yes it would be an interesting course but difficult to find a job related to it if there is a downturn.

I have three friends with aero engineering degrees, 2 worked at BAe systems as buyers and 1 a RN helocopter pilot. The 2 at BAe were made redundant and 1 now works in a bank and the other in an industrial pump manufacturer. The RN heli-pilot failed the course and now works on the stock exchange.

Hi,

I am currently on an industrial year in a large Aerospace company as part of my masters degree. The year out has enabled me to get my PPL and hopefully secure a job at the end of my degree. I can't agree with the above posting about not doing an aerospace degree, it's an excellent sector to work in, and the main thing is, that at the end of the day if you decide you don't want to work in aerospace, and assuming you don't want to fly, engineers can do almost anything - finance (big bucks in London Village!) etc etc.

My advice, go to uni, get a good degree, do a year out to see if you like engineering - if you do, you may decide to stick with it, if not - don't worry, you can leave uni and apply for flying jobs. Or even go earn the mega bucks.

Don't limit your options and make sure you do what you want to, aviation is a great thing, engineering or otherwise - and there are plently of jobs - take it from me.

Gliderone

Sponsorship?
 

Anyone know when BA will start their Sponsored Pilot Training scheme?

Are other airlines offering sponsorships?

Would be very suprised if BA ever start another fully sponsored scheme so don't hold your breath. There are a few schemes areound still but almost all require considerable cash somewhere along the way. Have a look at easyJey, Thomsonfly, Atlantic, FlyBE.

Firstly, why should BA restart their sponsorship scheme when there are thousands of wannabes (far more than the industry needs) prepared to pay the whole deal, including type rating, themselves? Their accountants wouldn't be too impressed if the company proposed paying for something they don't need to!

Secondly, BA is recruiting only a tiny number of ab-initio pilots at the moment, and is doing it through direct contact with the three integrated schools (OAT, Cabair and FTE). The vast majority of their recruiting is for people with type ratings and a minimum of 400 hours on type.

If BA ever do reintroduce a pilot training scheme, it is very unlikely to be a sponsorship. It is far more likely to be on the CTC model, where you pay for your own training through a huge loan which is repaid from salary - assumimg you pass and are subsequently employed. If you fail, the loan would still have to be repaid...

Scroggs

The old BA cadets paid for their own training through a reduced salary as well...Nothing is ever paid for in this industry.

The only difference back then was that BA took all the financial risk. Today the student bears the risk through a bond-type arrangement.

So, by the sound of things our only hope of sponsorship is for everyone on here to give up looking, so that there is no longer a "wannabe surplus" and then they will have to pay!

Seriously though, how many other training-intensive careers are there where you have to pay for it all yourself, take all the risk and the employer gets you virtually for free? The way airlines treat us wannabes is appalling and if they want the high quality candidates they say they are lacking then they should invest in us!!!

But there's not a lot we can do about it so back to work to save the pennies it is...

Sorry for the lateness in reply, internet connection problems.
Again, thanks very much for the advice. This is more for me to think about.
I'm still awaiting my exam results from school to see if I have been accepted to the course. I will then have to make a decsision.
Your replies have been very helpful, it's always good to get opinions from the top.

Thanks

Hi,

I hope they do not reintroduce the sponsorship. I spent many painstaking years getting the 70k together so i could attend the FTE course. I finally did, got a good grade in my ATPL's and eventually got into BA under the SSP scheme.

I worked my ass off for that money and all the people who want the easy way in, i hope you don't get it! Call me bitter i dont care i suffered you can to..

+Crazy Pilot A

aaah - what a caring personality - it makes one just want to run up and give you a big bear hug.


That sort of crap perpetuates poor working conditions - that being one of the main resistences behind junior doctors hours not being cut back for so many years "I did it, so shall you..."

No sense of justice eh? Some of us just can't afford it full stop.

How did someone like that get into BA???? :yuk:

Plus it wasnt exactly easy to get in on the cadet scheme anyway when BA were doing it. The competitiion was unreal wasnt it?

sponsorship programmes?
 

Hi new to this site. This topic or subject has proberly been writen alreayd but i havent found it. Does anybody know how many airlines do the sponoship scheme, and if so what are they?

A search looking for the keyword 'sponsorship' in the thread titles of this foum in only the last 3 months reveals these results.

As you will see, no conventional airlines in UK offer a traditional sponsorship, where you undertake training entirely at their expense with no financial risk to you if you fail. There is the CTC scheme (search for it) which lends you the money to undertake their training, then (hopefully) places you with an airline where you then pay back the loan out of your pay. CTC also operate a similar scheme for a few airlines (eg easyJet) who will have selected you before you enter training. The financial aspects are the same, and you should understand that the responsibility for the loan (or the part of it used to that point) remains yours if you fail the training.

Oxford, FTE and Cabair are offering, or intending to offer, broadly similar schemes, but you will not find any sponsorships.

The sole exception is the Air Atlantique 'Fugly' scheme, which is more like a traditional apprenticeship and will only appeal to relatively few in this jet-oriented age!

Scroggs