PPRuNe Forums - Please can you help me!!!

Hope this helps

What is the work like?

As an airline pilot, you would fly passengers and cargo to destinations around the world, for commercial, business and leisure purposes. This job is exciting and challenging, but it also carries a lot of responsibility.
Your duties would vary slightly, depending on the company you work for, but would typically include:

carrying out pre-flight checks of onboard instruments, engines and fuel
making sure all safety systems are working properly
working out the best route based on weather reports and other information from air traffic control
briefing the cabin crew and following take-off instructions
monitoring in-flight data and making adjustments to deal with changing weather patterns
keeping passengers and crew informed about progress
following airport approach and landing instructions from air traffic control
writing flight reports after landing, highlighting any problems with the aircraft or the flight path
helping to load and unload luggage or cargo (on small planes).

On short-haul flights, you would normally work in a two-person team, as a pilot (captain) or co-pilot (first officer). On long-haul flights, you would often have a flight engineer onboard, who would monitor the instruments.
You could also work in other areas of aviation, such as crop spraying, flight testing and flight training.
What qualifications and experience will employers look for?

You would normally start work with an airline as a co-pilot and you would need to achieve a minimum of an Airline Transport Pilot's Licence (ATPL). This is known as a 'frozen' ATPL until you have completed enough flying hours to apply for a full ATPL and qualify as an airline captain.
You can qualify as an airline pilot in several ways. Whichever route you take, you must be at least 21 to be issued with a full ATPL. You should be physically fit, with good hearing, eyesight and normal colour vision. Some airlines impose height and weight restrictions, and you must pass a strict medical.
The Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators (GAPAN) provides an aptitude test and assessment scheme for people with little or no flying experience. Although not essential, it could prove a useful way to decide whether you are suited to this career, before you make a financial commitment to training.
Private Training
You can fund your own training at a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approved training school, but you would have to pay the full cost of the course (around £50,000 to £60,000 in total). You can get a complete list of training providers from the CAA personnel licensing department and the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) below.
Sponsored Training
Some airlines offer places on sponsored training schemes. You would normally need at least five GCSEs (A-C), including English, maths and science, and two A levels, preferably in maths and physics. The entry requirements can vary between companies, so check with individual airlines.
Armed Forces' Experience
If you are a qualified pilot from the armed forces, you can take a conversion course to gain a commercial pilot’s licence. There is strong competition for pilot training in the forces and you must serve a minimum term before taking up employment with an airline (See the RAF job profiles for details).
University Route
Several universities offer courses in air transport and operations with pilot training options. Some of these allow you to study up to frozen ATPL level. In most cases, you have to fund the flight training modules yourself. To search for colleges and universities offering these courses, visit the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
BALPA and the Air League have details about routes into this career, airline sponsorships, bursaries and scholarships. You can also find information on the Royal Aeronautical Society and GoSkills websites.
What further training and development can I do?

Your training to reach the frozen ATPL level could take between nine and 36 months, depending on which entry route you follow. It may be shorter if you already have a Private Pilot's Licence, Commercial Pilot's Licence or experience from the armed forces.
The training normally includes:

flight principles
navigation and communications
meteorology
operational procedures
aviation law
use of flight simulators and flying real aircraft.

During the training period, you would learn basic flying skills and usually work towards the frozen ATPL. You must complete a minimum 195 hours' flying time to achieve this.
You would normally start work as a co-pilot, alongside a training captain on short-haul flights to give you maximum experience of take-offs and landings. A full ATPL is normally awarded after 1,500 flying hours (with at least 500 as a co-pilot). Eventually you could become a fully-qualified captain.
As a pilot, you must renew your instrument rating (IR) and take skills tests for specific aircraft every six to twelve months. You also have to pass regular medical examinations.