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

[Kerosine]

Advice/Help needed for a young'un.

I have spent the good part of my recent life wading through the pages of advice/debates/arguments/int and mods, however I dont find anything getting resolved in my head. The more I read, the more options open up, and I need a way of narrowing it down.
Here's my circumstances;

19 years old.
Education up to 3 A-levels (BBB) in sciences and AS level maths (C).
Working full time (approx £12k), no savings.
Parents cannot secure loan on house.
No hours.
I want a degree, but don't know how this fits in practicaly with getting my PPL/CPL/IR/ATPL (oh god!)
Desperate to fly (this means I can't just 'take my time' over the next 10 years, I need to get stuck in!)

My options as I see it;

Degree with flying (can I afford it? Will I get the loans with Uni? is it possible to do both without destroying your soul?)

Working with flying (how long will this take doing mod? Will I get the loans? job prospects?)

Intergrated (Money? money? money?..... Finance?)

My head is spinning, and I cant narrow it down, and truth be told, I don't know what I want more. Can someone find any reasons to rule out any of the above (such as no loans being available for modular?)

I'm sure there are people in my circumstance, especially whee money is concerned. Taking out personal loans at 20%+ APR is eyewatering if not impossible.

Which integrated/mod courses offer a finance package?
(How the ^%$£ are you supposed to pay back £730 p/m assuming you don't get an airline job staright away, as stated in the Jerez finance package?)

You may need a sit down and a cup of tea after reading that

Thankyou all.

Dave

[mcgoo]

Start here:

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

[Kerosine]

I have started there

I've read all that lot, I know the ins and out, pros and cons of all the options.

I'm looking for someone who knows what's practically possible and what would work for me.

Thanks anyway mcgoo

[Rainboe]

Jamie- first off, rather than immerse in the industry now, you need to get your schooling right. You must have those important GCSEs- especially English, Maths, Sciences (serious subjects), try and add a language. That means work hard at school and get the basics in. Learn about the industry- Flight International magazine regularly. As you get older and more mobile (maybe a scooter), you can take yourself off to Blackpool Airport and work- if only cleaning the aeroplanes for nothing and being a reliable 'dogsbody' for the odd back seat flight, and maybe save up for a trial lesson. To get the most out of it, can you get a flight sim and a good computer to run it? With joystick. As you work onwards, maybe the path will become clearer- RAF, or University Air Squadron, or finding ways to raise the investment you need and demonstrate how you are worthy of it. It's not easy, takes tremendous dedication and sacrifice. You need to be strict with yourself- alcohol benders or taking any form of drugs should be completely avoided, don't get yourself a record, and learn how to thoroughly apply yourself to academic work. It IS possible, and if you look at almost all pilots out there, this is exactly how they got there! Just keep telling yourself, someone has to do it- I can be that someone! One day you will look at your 'pals' who have gone on to do idiotic things and take drugs and get records and realise what utter fools they have been. But it has to come from dedication by you.

[mcgoo]

I'm pretty sure all the integrated finance deals require security (ie, your parents house) so that would rule you out of integrated training.

If you try working and flying while only earning 12k a year it will take you forever.

I would go for the degree, although you will rack up about £15k in debt doing a degree you will realise a much better earning potential and have the degree to fall back on should something happen along the way to being a pilot (loss of medical etc)

Although you state you are desperate to fly and don't want to wait 10 years, without the finance to start now I fear you have little option.

Another option would be the military but you would have fierce competition and would have to show serious dedication, not just use it as a route to the airlines.

[Kerosine]

re Mcgoo

I wish I could go down the military route, but my eyesight does not permit.

Cheers,

dave

[mcgoo]

At least if you go to uni you may be able to join the university air squadron and gain some hours towards your PPL, also look into some of the degress offered by Luton and London Met where you can complete the ATPL ground school as part of your degree.

[Kerosine]

re Mcgoo

I've decided not to go for the pilot studies and the uni course together as i think I need to take one thing at a time. I'm not a fantastic student, so the 2 together might not suite me

I'm thinking of PPL first, then Uni, then secure job, then ATPL and career.

Swisshhhhhhh.......

[sloppysue]

Kerosine, I was in a similar situation to you. I went for the uni first option then got a job earning > £20k to help pay for ppl.
I'm knocking on a bit now but glad I waited, taking learning slowly but surely.
While your at uni bnrush up on your theory stuff, its amazing what ground school stuff you can find on the t'internet

[AlphaMale]

Ditto.

I have known what I have wanted since I was 6 and I am now 25 next week and still not a Pilot!?!

I didn't have the funds for PPL/CPL/IR/ATPL etc but could go to Uni so I took that option to gain employment that could pay for my training and a BSc that I can fall back onto should everything go wrong. (Plus it looks better o my CV having a ouple of letters after my neame).

Now I am in the same position as SloppySue where I am earning around £20k in E-Marketing and in 12 months time I should have the funds ready for a full course with my savings over the last couple of years

But now I am in a struggle with property, there is a rush to get in the property ladder so I either spend £40k on a house deposit that will go up in value or blow £40k on training for a dream job that is not guarenteed

There will always be crossroads so get used to it

Andy

[Kerosine]

Update on GAPAN postal request.

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

[sloppysue]

Originally Posted by AlphaMale

But now I am in a struggle with property, there is a rush to get in the property ladder so I either spend £40k on a house deposit that will go up in value or blow £40k on training for a dream job that is not guarenteed

Same here - at the mo Im renting but I wouldn't be surprised if Im knocking on my mothers door again soon!

[Rainboe]

Don't get in a panic about property. Some disturbing reports now about property prices stalling in December. If the spark has largely gone out of property in the UK, the panic is not there anymore. So review exactly what path you want to take, and have the means to take. The job market is pretty healthy- as healthy as I have ever seen it in 37 years in the industry.

[AlphaMale]

Originally Posted by Rainboe

Don't get in a panic about property. Some disturbing reports now about property prices stalling in December. If the spark has largely gone out of property in the UK, the panic is not there anymore. So review exactly what path you want to take, and have the means to take. The job market is pretty healthy- as healthy as I have ever seen it in 37 years in the industry.

Thanks Rainboe, I did watch the BBC 'What I really want to do' about being a pilot and they said there are over 10,000 Pilots in the UK alone

I have the misis looking in the estate agents at property and as much as I'd love to get my own pad the bills would mean not getting the Pilot Training funds for at least another 5+ years, making me 30 at which time she'd want a ring on her finger and proably look into having a family - Then I'd be 40 by the time I am paying for training and I'd be making posts in the 'Am I too old to start Training' thread

Your last comment offers me a lot of hope

Andrew

[nasher1319]

13 Year old Wanting some good advice!!

Hi yes well im 13 and about to choose my options and i would like to know the academic path to being a pilot? if anyone knows personal stuff...like what university degree you might do? im interestied in it all i just want to know whats the best way of doing this from a early age!!

[future captain]

Originally Posted by nasher1319

Hi yes well im 13 and about to choose my options and i would like to know the academic path to being a pilot? if anyone knows personal stuff...like what university degree you might do? im interestied in it all i just want to know whats the best way of doing this from a early age!!

Nasher, you got alot of time on your hands still. Choose subjects you enjoy, try your best for your next lot of exams (GCSE) get the basics in place, then choose what you enjoy at alevel and for a degree, trust me, you will do a whole lot better this way. If its sponsorship you may be looking into, then you may want to try have a shot at maths and maybe physics (alevel). At the moment get involved in team sports, look around for local clubs etc, i joined my cricket club and worked my way up from juniors to cpt of under 18's, then adults 1st eleven, i love playing cricket and can't go without playing. Its something you can bring up at an interview when the time comes.

Gud luck with everything, and always remain positive

[Mooneyboy]

Nasher what 'future captain' has said is very good advice. Pick subjects that you enjoy. You'll do a lot better in them and will find it easier to work harder with subjects you enjoy learning about.

I did English A level because at the time I thought that airlines would prefer this solid subject compared to something like History of Art. I spent two years of been totally bored reading and writing terrible essays on Andrew Marvel. I simply didn't have the dedication to the subject and in the end just scrapped a C grade. Luckily throughout all my flight training it never effected me but I wished I had done another A level and probaly have gained a better grade.

As 'future captain' said try to join in team activities. E.g rowing, football team basically anything which shows your used to working as a team or key word 'crew'.

I would especially recommend joining the RAF CCF. This will get you working in team activities, shoot a few rifles, fly in some interesting aircraft ( I once flew in the back of a Hercules) and teach you leadership skills. Also there are still a lot of airline pilots and instructors who are ex RAF who maybe giving you a future interview so with the RAF CCF history you have an 'empathy point'. It helped me out in a recent successful interview. I talked about my time in the RAF CCF for about 20 mins but my GCSE and A levels weren't mentioned once by anyone.

Don't forget to have fun at school and best of luck.

Mooneyboy

[Scorpioflyer1]

Licences

Hey guys im new to this site im starting my training in orlando in Jannuary i am 18.

I would like to know if i obtain a JAA licence from America, and i want to go back to europe and fly a UK airline, thats a FAA licence i believe, what does this involve, do you have to pay to convert or do an extra course

I would appreciate anyone who could support me on this

[Whirlygig]

FAA is the US equivalent of JAA. JAA is pretty much Europe-wide. So you're right to be doing a JAA licence if you wish to fly in the UK.

Cheers

Whirls

[cosworth211]

Their are schools in the US, such as EFT, OBA etc that offer JAA courses. You can complete all your European legal JAA licences in the US with these approved schools, except the JAA IR test, which has to be taken in JAA airspace.