i hate college,can i quit & go via the expensive route
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i hate college,can i quit & go via the expensive route
morning
i am currently studying Maths, ICT and Geography at college but i am hating it. i am thinking about quiting and going down the expensive route, ie getting my PPL and then my ATPL, thus building around 800hours sim time, money isnt really an issue right now, just wondering if airlines would accept college droppouts with ATPL and alot of sim time?i know that the odds are against but...i have above average GCSE results i that'll help.
i need you advice guys, i dont know what to do
thanks
scott waterworth
i am currently studying Maths, ICT and Geography at college but i am hating it. i am thinking about quiting and going down the expensive route, ie getting my PPL and then my ATPL, thus building around 800hours sim time, money isnt really an issue right now, just wondering if airlines would accept college droppouts with ATPL and alot of sim time?i know that the odds are against but...i have above average GCSE results i that'll help.
i need you advice guys, i dont know what to do
thanks
scott waterworth
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For God's sake stick with it. It will shoot past and you will benefit greatly from it in terms of acheivement. I felt like that once, in the end I actually got a degree too in Aero Engineering. Keep your options open and never give up, it will always come back to bite! Every little helps especially with this very competitive environment. you need an edge and you need something to talk about at an interview other than what a great pilot you may be, experience gives you this and the best place is to do this at college and Uni.
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Well, even if you get amazing A level results, your chances of sponsorship will be small. If money is no issue, then go for it. GCSE's are all that's needed really.
However, consider what you will do if it goes tits up and you don't get an airline job for a while. Get a trade/profession. More useful in the real World than academic qualifications anyway.
However, consider what you will do if it goes tits up and you don't get an airline job for a while. Get a trade/profession. More useful in the real World than academic qualifications anyway.
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Hi Scott
Well the above two posters are right, get some qualifications behind you.
More worring is you feel that it is useful to have 800 hours sim time.... Sim time does not count as total hours, It is simulated and as such is not really any use. I certanly don't put my sim time on my CV's or count it in my total hours. I know how you feel, I had to work in a dead end job for many years before getting to do this and now am searching for a job!!!!
You say money is no object..... really, I have spent almost £80,000 in training and living costs. I am not in a great deal of debt, but sold almost everything I had to do this. Also the licence is not a ATPL, at least not until you get 1500 hours, with various restrictions on obtaining them , some Multi Crew, Night and a maximum of Sim Time, I don't have my copy of lasors to hand, but it's all in there.
There is nearly no sponsorship these days, so you will have to self fund. Are you really sure you want to do this, people are now paying for type ratings to get jobs, which can cost in excess of £20,000. If you are sure you want to fly for a living get some good qualifications behind you and do your PPL part time.
But before you do start any training get yourself a Class One Medical from the CAA it will cost you around £400, you will need that to flt commercially.
Good Luck
Tony
Well the above two posters are right, get some qualifications behind you.
More worring is you feel that it is useful to have 800 hours sim time.... Sim time does not count as total hours, It is simulated and as such is not really any use. I certanly don't put my sim time on my CV's or count it in my total hours. I know how you feel, I had to work in a dead end job for many years before getting to do this and now am searching for a job!!!!
You say money is no object..... really, I have spent almost £80,000 in training and living costs. I am not in a great deal of debt, but sold almost everything I had to do this. Also the licence is not a ATPL, at least not until you get 1500 hours, with various restrictions on obtaining them , some Multi Crew, Night and a maximum of Sim Time, I don't have my copy of lasors to hand, but it's all in there.
There is nearly no sponsorship these days, so you will have to self fund. Are you really sure you want to do this, people are now paying for type ratings to get jobs, which can cost in excess of £20,000. If you are sure you want to fly for a living get some good qualifications behind you and do your PPL part time.
But before you do start any training get yourself a Class One Medical from the CAA it will cost you around £400, you will need that to flt commercially.
Good Luck
Tony
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sounds like your doing A levels or equivelent at college? If so finish them! I entered flight training after my A levels, some airlines say they require at least 2 a levels.
I had the same feeling in 6th form when everyone was doing UCAS, I just couldn't be arsed but I stuck it out.
good luck
d2k
I had the same feeling in 6th form when everyone was doing UCAS, I just couldn't be arsed but I stuck it out.
good luck
d2k
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BMI701EGCC,
Stick with it; great you want to be a pilot etc. but have a plan b & c. Nobody can take that piece of paper away from you at the end of the day even if a year or two more may seem like a lifetime at present. I guess what I'm hinting at is not to put all your employment eggs in just one basket even if you know deep down that's what you want to currently do. Be prepared for a rainy day.
Good luck & best wishes,
EG
Stick with it; great you want to be a pilot etc. but have a plan b & c. Nobody can take that piece of paper away from you at the end of the day even if a year or two more may seem like a lifetime at present. I guess what I'm hinting at is not to put all your employment eggs in just one basket even if you know deep down that's what you want to currently do. Be prepared for a rainy day.
Good luck & best wishes,
EG
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College dropouts (by which I mean those who withdrew from degree studies) are probably fairly well represented among current airline pilots, but I would suggest that this isn't a route to take lightly. Airlines are starting to require good academic qualifications of their young recruits, and therefore this is probably not a good time to cut your schooling short. It won't do you any good pointing to those who went before you if you don't meet the requirements that exist when your time comes; you'll find that sympathy will be in short supply among airline recruiters!
Make the best of what you are doing now. If necessary, change colleges to one that better suits you, but don't give up your studies (I assume we're talking about A levels?). Once they're out of the way, only then think about how to go about getting your ATPL. There's plenty of time!
Scroggs
Make the best of what you are doing now. If necessary, change colleges to one that better suits you, but don't give up your studies (I assume we're talking about A levels?). Once they're out of the way, only then think about how to go about getting your ATPL. There's plenty of time!
Scroggs
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A- Levels? Degree?
why are airlines starting to introduce this in their DEP selection? i can undertrand them doing this for sponsorship, cadets etc where they will be funding part of it but surely not for DEP???
Should we now start thinking about doing A-level's and degree's before doing the ATPL's....... I hope this is not true but it seems like the airlines would eventually want degrees just like the US airlines...... I hope i get in before they start phasing this in!
Anyone know how soon it will be before it becomes a requirement? as i havn't even started my integrated course yet!
Would ALL airlines require higher academic qualifications???
Jam
why are airlines starting to introduce this in their DEP selection? i can undertrand them doing this for sponsorship, cadets etc where they will be funding part of it but surely not for DEP???
Should we now start thinking about doing A-level's and degree's before doing the ATPL's....... I hope this is not true but it seems like the airlines would eventually want degrees just like the US airlines...... I hope i get in before they start phasing this in!
Anyone know how soon it will be before it becomes a requirement? as i havn't even started my integrated course yet!
Would ALL airlines require higher academic qualifications???
Jam
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Firstly, don't panic! There are no immediate plans to require 5 A Levels, all in sciences, of new recruits. Or anything close to that. However, airlines are beginning to make noises (to BALPA, among others) suggesting that many of the applicants they see are not of the quality they would like, and that one of the filters they may apply in future to those with little or no work experience could be academic qualifications.
There should be no surprise about this. What other profession (or occupation that has ambitions to call itself a profession) has such low academic entry requirements? All of the major professions I can think of require A level or degree qualification before entering professional training. The airline industry can't make such qualifications a general pre-training requirement until it starts paying for the training, but it can do so for fATPL-qualified applicants with no commercial experience. Already (and since time immemorial) the few sponsorships and part-sponsorships that exist demand A levels. I think it won't be long before the same is true for inexperienced direct-entry applicants.
Scroggs
There should be no surprise about this. What other profession (or occupation that has ambitions to call itself a profession) has such low academic entry requirements? All of the major professions I can think of require A level or degree qualification before entering professional training. The airline industry can't make such qualifications a general pre-training requirement until it starts paying for the training, but it can do so for fATPL-qualified applicants with no commercial experience. Already (and since time immemorial) the few sponsorships and part-sponsorships that exist demand A levels. I think it won't be long before the same is true for inexperienced direct-entry applicants.
Scroggs
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I'd suggest your order of events is wrong. Get the A levels, get the degree, become employable in as many areas as you can THEN go flying. Not the other way round! Just think about this. If you are lucky enough to get you CV read (No degree, No A levels etc.) AND get offered an interview and you are asked "What's your opionion on..." How are you going to answer? The only reason you are being asked is because the person asking the questions is seeing if they can put up with the person in front of them for a few hours or days. Are you interesting, can you hold a conversation? A university degree will make you more employable in areas other than the ones you are qualified for.
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Hey, i am also an A level student studying Chemistry Mathematics, Biology and Psychology. I definatly wouldn't quit college, there is no point, as if you were the interviewer, and you had 2 people, only difference being one had academic qualifications and the other did not, who would you choose?
pretty self explanatory that the airlines are looking for the best.
I want to go and do a degree in medicine, or a science before i would apply for such a scheme, if for nothing else, a backup option?
HAVE YOU thought about dropping out of college and doing an apprenticeship? you could gain a qualification as a backup option and get paid in the meantime, giving you money to take flying lessons etc.? Just a thought
Danny.
pretty self explanatory that the airlines are looking for the best.
I want to go and do a degree in medicine, or a science before i would apply for such a scheme, if for nothing else, a backup option?
HAVE YOU thought about dropping out of college and doing an apprenticeship? you could gain a qualification as a backup option and get paid in the meantime, giving you money to take flying lessons etc.? Just a thought
Danny.
, i do try 
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Free Flying
Stick with college ! Just keep reminding yourself it is a means to an end: ATPL, CPL, paid employment etc.
As a route to some free flying now you might want to consider joining the local Air Training Corps squadron. You'll get the opportunity to going flying with a local RAF Air Experience Flight (Grob Tutors) and you'll also have the opportunity to go for a course at a VGS, flying gliders (Vikings) or motorised gliders (Vigilants).
There is no obligation to join the RAF and the diversion might keep you sane during A levels!
As a route to some free flying now you might want to consider joining the local Air Training Corps squadron. You'll get the opportunity to going flying with a local RAF Air Experience Flight (Grob Tutors) and you'll also have the opportunity to go for a course at a VGS, flying gliders (Vikings) or motorised gliders (Vigilants).
There is no obligation to join the RAF and the diversion might keep you sane during A levels!
