Wannabe a pilot! (And I'm too damn lazy to do a search)
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: UK
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Becoming a Commercial Pilot
Well there are 14 exams for ATPL and 9 for the CPL. So its going to be more work to get the ATPL's but if that is your eventual aim, I would bite the bullet and sit the ATPL's.
As for time required. If you work hard and get first time passes, you can do them all in about 9 months.
As for time required. If you work hard and get first time passes, you can do them all in about 9 months.
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Outer space
Age: 43
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Why do you want to be a pilot?
For me it depending on the Airline, is you have the best office view in the world and unlike any other Chief Exec. it is forever changing. You are served tea, coffee and food by lovely girls. When you do get a night stop or even a few days you will allways have fun and when you've landed back at base you leave your work there and can return home for a nice glass of whiskey, wine or whatever you like and go to bed. Plus the feeling you get when you set T/O thrust is the best!
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Scotland
Age: 38
Posts: 548
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Becoming a pilot
Originally Posted by scroggs
I think the links I gave him frightened him off!
Scroggs
Scroggs
Perhaps we should feed them the information in stages...otherwise, information overload disorder may become a new medical term in the world of professional 'wannabe' flying!
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Southampton
Age: 40
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Advice to become a pilot
Nevs,
Have you not considered going to university to do an aviation degree? Im am in my third year at the University of Leeds doing Aviation technology with pilot studies. I gained my PPL last year and it only cost me £2400 (the university pay the rest), this is around half of the normal price in the UK. I now have over 60 hours in the PA28 and the 152.
When I complete my degree in May I will be going straight to Jerez to hopefully gain my fATPL. This will mean I will have my student debts of around 12K and will then take out the huge loan needed to pay for the ATPL training. All in all, my total debts will amount up to around 80K, but at the end of the day, all I have ever wanted to do is be a pilot. Im sure alot of you will think I am being quite naive but I would rather be 80K in debt and be doing what iv always wanted to do than be in no debt doing another job!
It may seem that the aviation degree is quite specific, and you could not get many other jobs if you failed to become an airline pilot. However, the course includes large chunks of engineering, airline economics and aircraft maintenance, which means you are well qualified for a huge range of jobs within the aviation industry.
The best thing about it is that the rest of the modules I have taken are drawn directly from ATPL manuals, things like advanced navigation, flight procedures and planning, communications, crew resource management, advanced avionics, aircraft general knowledge, which im sure will make my ground studies in Jerez much easier.
Anyway, just thought id let you know as the degree would enable you to complete your PPL and get some hours in your log book.
Have you not considered going to university to do an aviation degree? Im am in my third year at the University of Leeds doing Aviation technology with pilot studies. I gained my PPL last year and it only cost me £2400 (the university pay the rest), this is around half of the normal price in the UK. I now have over 60 hours in the PA28 and the 152.
When I complete my degree in May I will be going straight to Jerez to hopefully gain my fATPL. This will mean I will have my student debts of around 12K and will then take out the huge loan needed to pay for the ATPL training. All in all, my total debts will amount up to around 80K, but at the end of the day, all I have ever wanted to do is be a pilot. Im sure alot of you will think I am being quite naive but I would rather be 80K in debt and be doing what iv always wanted to do than be in no debt doing another job!
It may seem that the aviation degree is quite specific, and you could not get many other jobs if you failed to become an airline pilot. However, the course includes large chunks of engineering, airline economics and aircraft maintenance, which means you are well qualified for a huge range of jobs within the aviation industry.
The best thing about it is that the rest of the modules I have taken are drawn directly from ATPL manuals, things like advanced navigation, flight procedures and planning, communications, crew resource management, advanced avionics, aircraft general knowledge, which im sure will make my ground studies in Jerez much easier.
Anyway, just thought id let you know as the degree would enable you to complete your PPL and get some hours in your log book.
Last edited by wordyuk; 14th Jan 2006 at 18:28.
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 209
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Advice to become a pilot
Originally Posted by Frank Furillo
I have no interest whether you want to spend nearly double what I did to get that Blue Book, you know it does not mention where you went to school in it.
Originally Posted by Frank Furillo
I would not like to remortgage my house, just for my son or daughter could follow a career that there is NO JOB GUARANTEED with it, I would rather put 75K on Red at a Casino.
Don't be
off with people that have gone to do the Oxford APP, it's their choice. I would seriously consider the APP, you seem to believe where you train doesn't matter, but until you have a few thousand hours airline time, it DOES matter where you trained. 200 hour pilots with the ink drying on their CPL/IR are ten a penny my friend, if airlines are going to take a low hours pilot, they want the best they can get!Back to the question, the only sponsorship programmes available in the UK as I know are, Air Atlantique, Atlantic Airlines, Highland Airways (Fully paid training, 4 year bond applies) FlyBE *cadetship* (approx £60,000 cost, guarenteed job I believe).
If your going to self fund, pick the best school your money can buy.
My two pennies
AT
Join Date: May 2005
Location: UK
Age: 38
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Advice to become a pilot
Atreyu - No point in arguing this, but no doubt FF will come back with his usual rants and ravings 
Ive said it before and I'll say it again, theres no right/wrong answer. Choose a school that suits you and your budget.
If you dont like somebody else's choice in where they go to train - Mind your own business
Ive said it before and I'll say it again, theres no right/wrong answer. Choose a school that suits you and your budget.
If you dont like somebody else's choice in where they go to train - Mind your own
business
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Manchester, England
Posts: 171
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Advice to become a pilot
hmmm, things may have changed. However - I did a mod course, ie ppl - night - multi and hour building in the states. Came back to the UK for the CPL/IR and did it in 11 months (zero to done) to a fATPL/IR, then after a few months searching - off to a Boeing. Modular CAN work guys - if it saves time and not to mention money, its worth a look at. Its you and the blue book on interview not just the name of the flight school.
If you're the right chap/lovely lady - it can happen
I wish you all the best of luck - it will happen
best regards,
TS
If you're the right chap/lovely lady - it can happen
I wish you all the best of luck - it will happen
best regards,
TS
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Abroad
Posts: 1,172
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Once More
The link has changed. Follow http://www.gapan.org/Papers/sywtbap.pdf to the direct 27.3Mb download, or http://www.gapan.org/career/pilotadvice.htm to order a copy by post.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: colchester
Age: 34
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Wannabe a pilot! (merged)
i am very confused there are so many ways to become a pilot but which one is the best??????
Last edited by Jetdriver; 22nd Feb 2006 at 20:17.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 1997
Location: Suffolk UK
Posts: 4,927
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There is no 'best'. The right route for you depends on many factors. Read this thread, this thread and this thread. They should give you some ideas.
Scroggs
Scroggs
SO YOU WANT TO BE A PILOT?
Both the Guild of Air Pilots and Navigators and the Royal Aeronautical Society receive many enquiries requesting advice and information about a career as a pilot. Captain Ralph Kohn, with the help of a committee of very experienced pilots has produced an informative booklet on the subject. This covers almost all aspects, from the qualities required of a potential applicant, through the selection process and training for both military and civilian pilots.
This publication has been updated for 2006 and is available from the Guild Offices. To obtain a copy send a stamped, self addressed A4 size envelope. Stamps required are 79p for First Class post, 58p for 2nd Class post). It is also available to download from http://www.gapan.org/Papers/sywtbap.pdf .
However this is currently a very large pdf file (27mbs); it will hopefully be available as a smaller file in the near future.
Send your request to
GAPAN
Cobham House
9 Warwick Court
Gray's Inn
London WC1R 5DJ
Please mark the envelope with "I want to be a pilot"
Both the Guild of Air Pilots and Navigators and the Royal Aeronautical Society receive many enquiries requesting advice and information about a career as a pilot. Captain Ralph Kohn, with the help of a committee of very experienced pilots has produced an informative booklet on the subject. This covers almost all aspects, from the qualities required of a potential applicant, through the selection process and training for both military and civilian pilots.
This publication has been updated for 2006 and is available from the Guild Offices. To obtain a copy send a stamped, self addressed A4 size envelope. Stamps required are 79p for First Class post, 58p for 2nd Class post). It is also available to download from http://www.gapan.org/Papers/sywtbap.pdf .
However this is currently a very large pdf file (27mbs); it will hopefully be available as a smaller file in the near future.
Send your request to
GAPAN
Cobham House
9 Warwick Court
Gray's Inn
London WC1R 5DJ
Please mark the envelope with "I want to be a pilot"