My Plan

[TurboJ]

Don't forget that you are likey to have better job prospects doing an integrated course than a modular.

Its not intended to start the age old debate but as a generalisation you are likely to appeal to more employers with 200hrs having done an integrated than a modular course; even having been to the same flight school.

[Felix Saddler]

A pilots license is a pilots license.

[rob152]

Is this a workable plan?

Hi guys,

Right, how does this for a plan sound?

Class 1 medical, important 1st step for obvious reasons.
Finish PPL, currently 50hrs but inconsistently.
Bristol groundschool for the year of home study.
Hour building at Stapleford in spare time for the duration of the groundschool year, this will include night qualification.
CPL at Stapleford after groundschool and hour building.
ME/IR at Stapleford after CPL.
MCC, not decided where to complete this course yet!

Total estimate is approx. 32k. Obviously have a contingency for more as required. Haven't calculated yet the estimated total number of hours on completion, would imagine 200-250hrs.

This plan is clearly unique to me due to having to maintain full-time employment in order to convince my Dad of helping me but, forgetting the integrated vs modular dispute, does this sound realistic with the potential for success? As far as I can tell my accumulated licences will be the same as an integrated route which are just as valuable, I just believe that this way is more realistic for me and I only hope that gaining all of the above I would at least be in a position to start applying for work and would finally have achieved the qualifications. Next hurdle, getting that job lol!

Cheers for any responses,

Rob152

[CAT3C AUTOLAND]

Sounds like a plan sir. It would be an idea to have a 15-20% contingency budget throughout your training, there is always something that will come up, like an engagement ring or something . This advice was given to me when I was in your situation and worked a treat, but I am not even married .

Good luck with your training.

All the best.

[Cavallier]

"Apparently Dave has a plan"

The Cav

[Snowiey]

My thoughts

After many years of dreaming of commercial aviation as a career I have finally decided to go for it at 28. However , the first hurdle I have came across is modular or integrated. I am planning to use the equity in my home to fund my final choice.
After many hours of reading this forum I am yet to find the perfect answer, and have come to the conclusion that the perfect answer does not exist. Financially, if I used everything I have, I could (just) manage to afford an integrated course with one of the big names.
I am also considering the modular route through my local training school - Cleveland ( based at Durham / Tees Valley ) as well as Bristol ground school. My query is the distance learning, I hear that Bristol is very good, but can you achieve what you could in a more intense classroom environment? With the added bonus of being able to ask questions there and then?
Another factor in going modular is that after achieving qualifications the saving made could be used to 'buy' my way into a officer training scheme - such as Ryanair cadet scheme ( if I did not do well with the 'posting CV's method ).
If I went Integrated and got no job at the end I would be financially wrecked in terms of being able to invest in 'a further step'. I am still unconvinced by the schools 'help' to find you employment, certainly not convinced enough to spend the extra £20K or more.
Even if it offends the morals of some that I am willing to 'buy' my way in to a cadet scheme, I have to be realistic. For me personally this is a huge sum of money. I need to aim to achieve the best possible outcome first time as this level of investment won't be possible again! Any comments?

Regards Jon

[justjoshing]

this is my plan so far.

go to sixth form and get some A levels, then bee a pst man for 2-3 years while doing tons of overtime which would get me about £23k a year.
Then do the modular route with money i have saved and help from my parents and a small loan.

I dont know if this sounds ok or not, i would like the opinion of some pilots and what the employment statstics are like.

Is cabair a good place to do the modular route.

Thanks Josh

[preduk]

I wish I could have done a £23k a year job when i left school lol, is there such a thing for an 17/18 year old?

I may be wrong, I left school a long time ago

[GrahamK123]

You seem to post the same stuff day after day on here and on the OAT forums- do you listen to what people say??

[future captain]

I had a friend work at the post office, and im sure they had different brackets for pay..But maybe 18 + is the last bracket, which you should be in after exams. I know the post office has alot of overtime available though

[skytrax]

Starting to fly

Hi guys,
I need a piece of advice please.
Im planning to start all this way of becoming a pilot. Im currently in UAE, working in Dubai so Im gonna do the PPL here at Emirates Flying School. It cost around 9000 euro. They say the license is international so I can do the CPL anywhere else afterwards. If it's not like this pls let me know if you have more information.
After this I was told to get a JAR license in Spain or UK. Probably Spain 'cos it might be cheaper. Innitially I wanted to go to Australia for CPL.
Im from a country part of UE and I know it's something that it matters in this industry in order to choose where to do my training and get a job later on.
Please don't laugh if I said something stupid and try to help me!
Thank you

[iamanaussiemavrick]

What license is it?? JAR???

If not i think you will have to convert at the end if you need to fly in europe(i am not sure about it, if i am wrong someone cud correct me)

[Hookerbot 5000]

The UAE license given is in accordance with ICAO requirements and is recognized internationally.

http://www.emiratesaviationservices....in_courses.htm


You will have to convert to JAA.

[Batfink58]

Realistic or just dreaming??? The Master Plan

Well….here I am another 30 something contemplating a career change (from IT) to fulfil my desire for a flying career. I’ve been contemplating taking this step over the last 3 -4 years and have now concluded it’s now or never. I currently hold a PPL with just over 100hrs TT and also have my class 1 medical.
I’ve thought through a plan of action and would be most grateful for any positive or negative comments.
So, my plan is as follows:
I request my employer to let me take a career break for 6 months starting early 08. I get myself on a full time ATPL theory course and get my 14 exams done in the 6 months. Reason for full-time and not distance learning is that it’s been sometime since I’ve had to do the whole exam thing and I feel that I really could do with classroom influence. Also, with a wife and young baby, the D.L route will realistically take me 18months – 2 years to complete. During the 6 months away from work I will live off our savings and also cash raised from equity in the house.
After completing ATPL theory I return to work and start on CPL/ME/IR/MCC etc This will obviously need to be completed on a part-time basis (weekends and as many evenings as I can squeeze in), I can not afford to be off work for more then 6 months. I’d like to complete the flight training section in 6 months – do you guys think this is achievable?
What do you reckon, is this a realistic plan of action? There is a big IF and that is my employer granting me a 6month career break.
I need some guidance as to how long the flight training part will take me to complete on a part-time basis. Any inputs positive or negative will be well received and much appreciated.
I estimate this will all cost me approx £25K (excluding loss of earning during 6 month break). Does this figure appear realistic to you guys?
Thanks in advance for your inputs.

[boogie-nicey]

You could also opt for the distance learning but study it away from home on a full time basis and get it done quicker than 6 months. Thus the time saved will allow you to pick off the CPL at least and leave fewer modules to contemplate once you've returned to work. You might also wish to consider a flexible flight school that will allow the majority of the training to be conducted at weekends thus saving more valuable work time. In other words Go for half day Tuesday and Thursday = 1 annual leave day from work coupled with Saturday and/or Sunday perhaps..... I know one small school at Cranfield that understand the time constraints of students. You might wish to consider some US based schools that offer Multi rating and CPL training.....

As long as you have an effective gameplan then crack on with it now and don't hang around you never know what's around the corner. Also be realistic during training and don't push yourself to the extent that you end up being your own worst enemy, learning to fly is only part technical the remainder is the maturity of the knowledge in your head and the motor-sensory skills you've been taught, allow yourself to develop into the mould of things.

Best of luck my friend

[potkettleblack]

I have a mate that is doing his CPL and IR part time whilst working. It really is a struggle for him. Thing is on paper it looks like a great idea. BUT what happens in practice is that on the days/weekends off you have planned to fly things like weather, instructor availability, aircraft serviceability, airfield closures etc etc all come into play. Then depending on your own ability you might find that with a bit of a break between lessons that you have to go over old ground which will amongst other things add to the costs. I can tell you from experience at a PPL level that the longer it takes you the more chance you have of your instructor going AWOL which means you start again and are going over old ground with someone new.

Whereas if you are sitting around a school day in and day out then generally they will try their darnedest to get you up in the air after any protracted delays. Sometimes maybe flying twice a day if they have an aircraft available.

Other thing to consider is the great British weather. What month you start your training (more so for CPL but CB's, howling winds and turbulence aren't what you want for the IR) can have a big influence. I started my CPL/IR back in September of last year. I got through the CPL in about 4-5 weeks. Some guys starting after me weren't so lucky and were grounded for a couple of weeks which didn't help matters. The IR can race along at the start as depending on where you go part of the course can be done in an FNTP2 so no weather issues to take account of.

In summary my advice would be to try and do at least the CPL full time and get some more holidays. Then have a break and go back to work if necessary and then do the same for the IR. Failing that if you must go part time then make sure that you find a school that buys into what you are trying to achieve. More than likely it will be a smaller school I am guessing who might have an instructor that is willing to work weekends.

[wiggy]

Just to add my twopence worth (ex military, ex-QFI, did ATPL academics by distance learning many years ago) I think both the previous posters have given you good advice.
If you have a limited ration of time off/leave or whatever I would save it for the flying, because that is where you need the continuity.
I would have thought that as you currently work in IT you have probably developed some fairly sound studying skills and methods and so I would have thought you could cope with the academics by part time and/or distance learning.

[camel toe]

How about doing the ground school, then go back to work for 6-12 months, and then take another break (or quit) and do CPL/Multi/IR full time? There are plenty of decent schools in the UK so you don't need to go to the US, therefore get maximum bambino time on non-flying days.

Good luck

Camel Toe
"Over Macho Grande?"

[Batfink58]

Thanks for your inputs – some very useful advise. It’s amazing how much it helps to just hear other opinions.
Wiggy – I see what you mean about achieving continuity during the flying stage – good point. If I’m honest, one of the other reasons I want to get the theory done is that I’m absolutely dreading it and just want to get the exams done fast as possible with as much help I can get.
Ok…. another question - what would you recommend if I could secure a 12 month career break and manage to get the cash somehow (don’t know how yet though!!!) to support myself for 12 months – would you go modular or integrated?
I know there is a large difference in cost between the two routes, but to be honest I’ve never understood why since in the end the same modules are completed. Let me know if I’m completely barking up the wrong tree here…….

Camel-toe – Thanks for your advise – another great suggestion. What I’m worried about here is that I’m now 32 and not getting any younger, therefore I feel age is not on my side so it’s prudent that if I’m going to do this then I should try for the fastest possible route. Hope you can see where I’m coming from.

[coodem]

I am in the same boat as you, thought about distance learning, started distance learning, but with a full time job in IT, working weekends, nights, I was not getting anywhere.

I decided to take redundancy, I am lucky in that respect, I am due to start with CATS on the 8 Oct full time, One of the biggest reasons for going full time is due to wanting to have a good understanding of all the subjects, Its one thing to pass them, but when you are given a chance of an interview, you want to make the most of it. The ATPL theory will always come back at the interviews

Beeing in the company of other wannabes will also help keep motivated, as you won't get the feeling of being alone. I'm sure 6 months will go by very fast