Help!
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2
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From: leamington spa
Help!
help!
I have just finished sixth form and have decided not to go to university so i could do my pilot training. I have started my PPL and will be doing my ATPL exams in November,whilst being at flying school i have met several flying instructors and old students who have not been able to get jobs with airlines anywhere, some of them have been applying fo 4 years and have not been given offers or even heard back from the airlines they had applied to. Some of the men at flying school say it will be even harder for me to get a job as i am a female and by the time i complete my training i will only be 20! This has left me in a bit of a prediciment of whether i should go to university and get more qualifications to make me more appealing to airlines or whether i should go straight ahead and do my ATPL's in November? any help or advice would be appreciated becky x
I have just finished sixth form and have decided not to go to university so i could do my pilot training. I have started my PPL and will be doing my ATPL exams in November,whilst being at flying school i have met several flying instructors and old students who have not been able to get jobs with airlines anywhere, some of them have been applying fo 4 years and have not been given offers or even heard back from the airlines they had applied to. Some of the men at flying school say it will be even harder for me to get a job as i am a female and by the time i complete my training i will only be 20! This has left me in a bit of a prediciment of whether i should go to university and get more qualifications to make me more appealing to airlines or whether i should go straight ahead and do my ATPL's in November? any help or advice would be appreciated becky x
Joined: May 2003
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 900
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From: Surrey
Having extra qualifications is always a good idea, since its possible that like you say it could be a while until you land your first job and its also possible that you could lose your medical and not be able to fly at some point in your career. University however will take at least 3 years and will cost quite abit of cash, so you need to decide if you think its worth the extra time and money.
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: UK
Hey Becky,
Some airliners have a minimum age in terms of being an employee with them. This can vary but I think it's in the region of low 20's to mid-20's.
I think going to University or equivilant to gain a degree etc... will put you in good stead and increase your prospects of sitting in a nose of a plane!
Having said that, yes, indeed I think you should definately continue with your ATPL studies. In my view, this being number one priority.
Remember - 'Work hard, play hardER'
Good luck....
Rob
Some airliners have a minimum age in terms of being an employee with them. This can vary but I think it's in the region of low 20's to mid-20's.
I think going to University or equivilant to gain a degree etc... will put you in good stead and increase your prospects of sitting in a nose of a plane!
Having said that, yes, indeed I think you should definately continue with your ATPL studies. In my view, this being number one priority.
Remember - 'Work hard, play hardER'
Good luck....
Rob
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 98
Likes: 0
From: A land far far away
Becky,
if money permits why not do both? It will take dedication but having spent 4 years, scottish uni, at uni and only just getting into flying now, I wish i had gone down this route. You can get your ppl done quite quickly if you are dedicated, 4-8 weeks in usa, and with the uni holidays thats feasible. failing that the first year of uni would allow you enough time to fly at the local flying club at the weekends and hence you should have a ppl before your first year of uni is over.
The atpl's are harder to fit in, and a bit riskier. The reason is the 18month to pass all your exams from first exam sitting. Having said that, once again the first year of uni is not all that hard, so if you got your ppl knocked out in america in 2 months you could get a distance learning ATPL course and be sitting your first set of exams in around feb, just before starting your study for uni exams. I don't know what course you would do at uni, but for me, science based, most of my essays were based on lab work i had done, and hence the time was consumed in the lab, and not so much with my head in the books, this changed in my third and fourth years though
Uni's know that most people have a good time after class, and whilst don't seclude yourself from the world it may be that study will consume your life, not alcohol!
Then after your uni finals, should be finished in May you have till October to finish off your ATPL's before uni starts back, and this means the August sittings for the second set and october sittings for any resits is possible
Then weekends for the CPL, night and hour building before doing your IR in your second year holidays. Now you have 2 years of uni under your belt and a frozen atpl, keep yourself current but focus on your final year of uni.
This is a hard option but if you want both its an option.
For me i wish i had done it this way, however hindsight is a wonderful thing, and up to know my path would be different if i had a chance to change it. However would i have been dedicated enough, would i have messed both courses up and ended up with nothing? As it stands i'm 3 years older than when i left uni but i do have an honours degree and am close to adding a cpl to my CV
if money permits why not do both? It will take dedication but having spent 4 years, scottish uni, at uni and only just getting into flying now, I wish i had gone down this route. You can get your ppl done quite quickly if you are dedicated, 4-8 weeks in usa, and with the uni holidays thats feasible. failing that the first year of uni would allow you enough time to fly at the local flying club at the weekends and hence you should have a ppl before your first year of uni is over.
The atpl's are harder to fit in, and a bit riskier. The reason is the 18month to pass all your exams from first exam sitting. Having said that, once again the first year of uni is not all that hard, so if you got your ppl knocked out in america in 2 months you could get a distance learning ATPL course and be sitting your first set of exams in around feb, just before starting your study for uni exams. I don't know what course you would do at uni, but for me, science based, most of my essays were based on lab work i had done, and hence the time was consumed in the lab, and not so much with my head in the books, this changed in my third and fourth years though
Uni's know that most people have a good time after class, and whilst don't seclude yourself from the world it may be that study will consume your life, not alcohol!Then after your uni finals, should be finished in May you have till October to finish off your ATPL's before uni starts back, and this means the August sittings for the second set and october sittings for any resits is possible
Then weekends for the CPL, night and hour building before doing your IR in your second year holidays. Now you have 2 years of uni under your belt and a frozen atpl, keep yourself current but focus on your final year of uni.
This is a hard option but if you want both its an option.
For me i wish i had done it this way, however hindsight is a wonderful thing, and up to know my path would be different if i had a chance to change it. However would i have been dedicated enough, would i have messed both courses up and ended up with nothing? As it stands i'm 3 years older than when i left uni but i do have an honours degree and am close to adding a cpl to my CV
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
From: Some dusty outpost in the ME
Becky87 – hello!
I have only a PPL and am working toward the ATPL’s, but I have been flying for about 3 and half years now. Some of my good friends are instructors, or were instructors who are now employed in the airline sector. So I speak from my own experience.
There could be number of reason why your instructors and the old PPL’s have not been employed. They could be over qualified, ie too many single engine hours or setting their sights too high – by this I mean perhaps they only wanting to fly jets for a first job, and there are those who simply don’t fit it. All speculation of course!
I have never read anywhere that having a degree will help you into the pointy end of a commercial aircraft. Most degrees are in my opinion, not applicable to the operation of an aircraft and therefore not required. As Blinkz mentioned, a degree will give you a backup plan should you flying career never take off, it will also give you some life experience and social skills.
Depending upon the university course you were considering, you would end up with a significant amount of debt, in the region of £15K. Now, assuming you a fit and healthy person, you could join the University Air Squadron of the RAF where you will be paid and gain flying experience at the same time – not bad eh?
Alternatively, obtaining a fATPL, ie passing all theoretical and practical tasks for getting into the position where you can be considered for employment will cost you at a minimum £40K and take about 18 months. There are “sponsorship” schemes around, some better than others and I would recommend you search this forum for more info on that subject.
I would not advocate doing the ATPL’s whilst at uni as the level of commitment, especially if going down the route of distance learning, is far higher than a university course. Escobar mentions doing the CPL at the weekends and the IR in your holidays! You’ll be hard pushed to find a school prepared to conduct CPL training at weekends, and even then, you may be some distance from the flying school and have excessive travelling time. As for the IR in the summer – no chance. The pressure to pass would be far too high and you will be significantly increasing your chances of wasting your money.
It’s a tough choice and I would not want to be taking it. But before embarking on the route of becoming a professional pilot you should weigh up all options and make the decision that suits you.
Hope it helped.
Funkie
Ps – use the search function and you will find a number of discussions regarding the University degree topic.
I have only a PPL and am working toward the ATPL’s, but I have been flying for about 3 and half years now. Some of my good friends are instructors, or were instructors who are now employed in the airline sector. So I speak from my own experience.
There could be number of reason why your instructors and the old PPL’s have not been employed. They could be over qualified, ie too many single engine hours or setting their sights too high – by this I mean perhaps they only wanting to fly jets for a first job, and there are those who simply don’t fit it. All speculation of course!
I have never read anywhere that having a degree will help you into the pointy end of a commercial aircraft. Most degrees are in my opinion, not applicable to the operation of an aircraft and therefore not required. As Blinkz mentioned, a degree will give you a backup plan should you flying career never take off, it will also give you some life experience and social skills.
Depending upon the university course you were considering, you would end up with a significant amount of debt, in the region of £15K. Now, assuming you a fit and healthy person, you could join the University Air Squadron of the RAF where you will be paid and gain flying experience at the same time – not bad eh?
Alternatively, obtaining a fATPL, ie passing all theoretical and practical tasks for getting into the position where you can be considered for employment will cost you at a minimum £40K and take about 18 months. There are “sponsorship” schemes around, some better than others and I would recommend you search this forum for more info on that subject.
I would not advocate doing the ATPL’s whilst at uni as the level of commitment, especially if going down the route of distance learning, is far higher than a university course. Escobar mentions doing the CPL at the weekends and the IR in your holidays! You’ll be hard pushed to find a school prepared to conduct CPL training at weekends, and even then, you may be some distance from the flying school and have excessive travelling time. As for the IR in the summer – no chance. The pressure to pass would be far too high and you will be significantly increasing your chances of wasting your money.
It’s a tough choice and I would not want to be taking it. But before embarking on the route of becoming a professional pilot you should weigh up all options and make the decision that suits you.
Hope it helped.
Funkie
Ps – use the search function and you will find a number of discussions regarding the University degree topic.
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
From: UK
Becky,
Why don't you get your commercial and then go to university? While at uni you could keep applying for airline jobs. I had a friend who did that after he left the RAF (didn't make the grade transitioning to fast jets). He left after a semester when he got accepted into a sponsorship scheme. (That was about 10 years ago when they were more common!)
And if you get a degree before a job then you'll have another string to your bow should you be unlucky enough to loose your medical, etc. in the future.
Si
Why don't you get your commercial and then go to university? While at uni you could keep applying for airline jobs. I had a friend who did that after he left the RAF (didn't make the grade transitioning to fast jets). He left after a semester when he got accepted into a sponsorship scheme. (That was about 10 years ago when they were more common!)
And if you get a degree before a job then you'll have another string to your bow should you be unlucky enough to loose your medical, etc. in the future.
Si
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: UK
Becky,
With reference to your post about age requirements I think your best shot would be checking with individual airlines. Go on the airline websites and look at what the minimum age is to be one of their pilots.
E.g. http://www.britishairwaysjobs.com/baweb1/
http://www.easyjet.com
With reference to your post about age requirements I think your best shot would be checking with individual airlines. Go on the airline websites and look at what the minimum age is to be one of their pilots.
E.g. http://www.britishairwaysjobs.com/baweb1/
http://www.easyjet.com
