Wannabe a pilot! (And I'm too damn lazy to do a search)

[luddite]

Don't do it.
Get education and get a real job.

[Wazzoo]

Any even better idea would be to start here and make an informed decision about the future. Scroll down for threads on A-levels/Degrees etc.

[Stryda]

hi there people ive just spent the last few hours reading all these posts , im 18 wanting to become a commercial pilot, although all the questions asked in this section are solely regarding how much it costs to become a pilot and where to do it, or what qualifications are required, but i was wondering if, well....lol, it is hard to actually fly i mean is it like after practice it becomes nice and easy like driving a car, because everyone seems to be concerned about whether they have the knowledge to pass the written exams and no one seems to be struggling on actually learning to fly. Just curious, i mean i know if u have a good instructor it shouldnt be too difficult, pratcice makes perfect rite. but i just wanted to get everyone elses opinion. thank every1.

[Wazzoo]

You've probably asked one of the more pertinant and well thought out questions to appear on these forums.

Actually, a lot of people don't bother or think to see if they have the apptitude to fly. Often getting far through an atpl course and just finding they haven't got the ability to be a good commercial pilot. Sometimes this doesn't even show up until they are doing sim tests with airlines.

Thankfully some of the bigger FTOs include some sort of apptitude testing before taking you on, but there are still a large number that don't and even those that do can sometmes be more motivated by taking your money.

At the very least you should consider taking a trial flight. Pop down to your local airfield and get a flight for an hour and see if you actually like flying and enjoy it.

However, even that won't give you a great indication of apptitude and suitability to be a commercial pilot. A wise thing to do, and was recommended at the recent PPRuNe seminar is to take the GAPAN apptitude tests. At £150, they could be the wisest investment you make compared to the many thousands and atpl costs!

http://www.gapan.org/careers/aptitude.htm

[RITZER82]

What is a reasonable total flying hours?

Hi I have just tried to contact Naples Flight school in Florida via their email system regarding some relevant questions that I would like them to answer for me before I consider training with them. Unfortunately they have not replied to my questions I had put to them on numerous attempts. I am considering very strongly to begin my training as a commercial airline pilot from 0- fATPL does anyone know the price that Naples charge for this including other necessities such as accommodation, and also I knolw that when you graduate from Naples you come out with a total of 200 total flying hours, does anybody know if this would be enough to possibly secure a first officer job and where around the world because I heard China and India urgently require a lot of pilots within the coming years, if 200 hours is not enough then would someone recommend me on how I can pick up my hours and what amount of hours shall I be aiming for because I know Easyjet requires a minimum of 500 hours+, your assistance will be much appreciated, thanks.

[CAT3C AUTOLAND]

I would us the search function on PPRUNE and perhaps do some extensive research regarding this as a profession.

[B2N2]

Not that it helps, but you need as many hours as you can get....

[SpiritTJB]

200 hours (give or take) upon completion of a flightschool seems like the average to me, but i dont know about that many flightschools.
The thing is that once in flightshool, you are paying for the hours as part of the total costs. Useually, the flightschools are aiming for a few more than what is the JAAs minimum requirement.

If you however want more than 200 hours, you either need to get a job or buy them yourself. Very few and lucky graduates have entered directly into a company airliner after completion of flightschool...these days, you got to work your way up.
Personally, I think the companies will lower their limits once they really start needing pilots..and it should be sometime in the not too distant future.


Hope my personal and mayne twisted views help mate,
TJB

[Finals19]

Reasonable Number of Hours for getting work?

Rizter82...

I am currently in the same school of thought as you and am pondering my next career move.

I am of a slightly different category since I have around 1100hrs (750 multi, about 500 PIC / 300 MPIC) and am looking at converting my Canadian CPL MEIR to the JAA one.

My question is the same as yours more or less. And I am sure that your age would have an influence as well. I am nearing mid thirties and wonder if I would stand a decent chance of getting hired with the above time? If you are an early twenty something with your basic flight school time, I would say you stand as good a chance as anyone else.

Anybody know of a reputable source for gaining advice on the feasability of getting hired after converting with some experience already? I know there are people out there who act as consultants and give you a "summary" style report - kind of like a risk analysis on what you are about to do (all my time to date is piston, no turbine) ??

[robin28]

thinking of starting a flying career

l am a thinking of taking a professional pilots course and have no licenses wat so ever , can someone briefly explain to me what l am getting myself into , by the way l am 22

[mcgoo]

Welcome, start with the search button, loads of info on here but you can start here for now!

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=131649

[rbr919]

How much money are you willing to spend?

[Boy_phantom]

Originally Posted by robin28

l am a thinking of taking a professional pilots course and have no licenses wat so ever , can someone briefly explain to me what l am getting myself into , by the way l am 22

Money... money.... money and more money!!

Its a bit of hard work but well worth it. I will never regret doing it. Great fun.

[ricky-wannabe]

Ideal Way Of Entering Piloting For working Class Citizen

hey, im new here so i wont waffle on to much, but basically i have wanted to be a pilot since the age of 5-6 and its stuck with me all my life with out any doubt.
i had an hours flying lesson brought for me in a cessna 152 for my birthday 2 years ago, and its driven me to want to be a pilot even more.
Currently i'm an A level student, studying law, critical thinking and sports studies.
my family and i are all working class citizens, and aren't hard off, but aren't well off on the other hand.
what im asking, is whats the best way for me currently aged 17, and a year left of studies, to become a fully qualified commercial pilot, and how do i go about it. however taking into consideration about finance etc whats the cheapest way of achieving this?

any help would greatly be apprichiated

rix

[HR200]

Routes to becoming an airline pilot?

Hi, I am guessing this topic has been discussed to death, but I cant find it anywhere.

I am currently 17 and just about to do my skills test for my PPL at the end of this month.

I am training in the UK so I will have a UK CAA PPL.

I am wanting to become an airline pilot through the modular route I believe it is.

But my question is, what route do I take and where etc?

I.E. PPL, then CPL/IR then ME etc, what order do I have to do everything in, and also, is it possible these days to get sponsorship of anykind.

I thank you in advance for any help and assistance you can provide me.

[HR200]

Many Thanks, the obvious things are always in obvious places (thats probably why I never find them).

[BlueRobin]

At least you have a decent taste in aeroplanes

[AssasinNL]

Need kinda training...

Hi.... Im new here so first i'd like to introduce myself...

My name is Sebastiaan Vaz
I live in The Netherlands
And im only 13 years old

So..... I also wanna be a pilot... But i heard from other pilots that you need to do some tests for becoming a pilot. I heard that one of those tests is a test that you must play a game or something and you must concentrate at that game because you can die, and at the same time, you must listen to a woman who is saying some other things and you must keep that al in mind what she is saying and repeat it.... I know im not explaining it good, but hopefully you guys understand me....
So what i wanted to ask is.... Does somebody have such a test so i can practise already a litle bit?

Thnx alot... Ohh and sorry for my english... Its not so good

[fatlazypilot]

MY PLAN, check it

Alright guys, Im 19 years old with a high school diploma. Hold E.U. citizenship and U.S. green card. I've come up with a very cost efficient and a "pedestrian to airline pilot" plan to obtain right to fly commercially in Europe. Here's the deal.....

Step 1: Attain FAA & JAA 1st class medicals (in process)

Step 2: Go to nearest municipal airport and obtain (talking to club members, instructors, etc.)
- FAA PPL (50 hr.)
- FAA instrument rating (30-40 hr.)

Step 3: Enroll in a JAA ATPL ground school course, on-line 6-7 months
- during this time built more PIC time at the local aiport

Step 4: Go to an actual JAA flight academy in the U.S. and obtain
- JAA commercial pilot license (30 hr.)
- JAA multi-engine rating (10 hr.)

Step 5: JAA instrument rating conversion (15 hr.)

Step 6: Multi crew co-operation course (20 hr.)

This setup should hopefully leave me with a "frozen" ATPL, an JAA IR, an MCC, and about 250 TT and hoping to complete before January 2008.

I've added about 95 hours I could maybe pull together during the 6-7 months of ATPL ground school which I will be doing from home.

After I get my "frozen" ATPL, JAA IR, and the MCC rating. I would most likely enroll in a college to get a 2 year degree while job hunting. But thats a different story.

Now I've noticed many european regional airlines require a multi-engine instrument rating. Could someone tell me when and where I should get it, and if its even that necessary.

Please let me know what you pilots out there think of this plan as this would be the best possible way for me to get to where I want to be.

Thanks in advance. FATLAZYPILOT

[roll_over]

Hey there,

I'm a 16 year old going on 17. I am currently training for my ppl which I hope to have done early next year. After that I hope to get my instrument rating. I did well in my GCSEs As and A*s and I am taking Physics, Biology, Maths and History as A-levels. After that I hope to do Aeronautical engineering at a good university and then go on to a flight school , possible OAT.

I have had work experience with BA and during the holidays I can do even more (does that make any difference jobwise?)

First question is, can anyone see a better route for me?

Second is, is it possible for me in a few years, during the holidays, fly cessnas etc around Africa etc for flying doctors?

Would they hire someone as young as me?