F/O on a 737 at just 19
Join Date: Dec 2006
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BA F/O at 19
A good friend of mine turned 19 just last december and is now doing his type rating with BA on the 737 to be based out of LGW.
No special father deals there, just plain hard work. He'll just have to wait a few months more to get his ATPL when he reaches 1500 hrs because he won't be 21 years old yet. Quite impressive
, but nothing new.
No special father deals there, just plain hard work. He'll just have to wait a few months more to get his ATPL when he reaches 1500 hrs because he won't be 21 years old yet. Quite impressive
, but nothing new.
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Great achivement! However having a dad who can sponsor you and
who knows all ins and outs in the business concerned, especially flying
for the same airline makes it more then 50% of a success.
In between the hundreds of 250hrs guys who fly as my FOs on B737 in India for sure there are some of 19 age. Most of them went for commercial
pilot training straight away from the high school as their parents were
rich enough to pay for it.
who knows all ins and outs in the business concerned, especially flying
for the same airline makes it more then 50% of a success.
In between the hundreds of 250hrs guys who fly as my FOs on B737 in India for sure there are some of 19 age. Most of them went for commercial
pilot training straight away from the high school as their parents were
rich enough to pay for it.
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Well done chap and bum holes to what ever everyone is saying. Titan is a fantastic place to work. The MD does not suffer fools-so take pride in that. The LHS's have been there since flying was a theory-you can/will learn plenty. Not some unrealistic, robot like SOPs-but a bit of proper airmanship. Absorb, learn and listen-its diamond covered. Every year at Titan is worth 3 of easyJet.
My only concern is one of maturity-how will you handle the beautiful cabin crew on nightstops? You have a long tradition of good FO performance to live up to!
Fill your boots young man
My only concern is one of maturity-how will you handle the beautiful cabin crew on nightstops? You have a long tradition of good FO performance to live up to!
Fill your boots young man
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Congratulations to the young man concerned I know his father a real aviation enthusiast who instructs and flies vintage types as well as the day job.I believe the young man already has some classics in his log book!!!.In spite of the obvious family assistance still a great achievement at such an early age.I,m not sure I,d relish looking forward to 46 (+) years of the industry as it currently stands and god knows what our status will be at the end of his career.My dear departed father recommended accountancy to me,looking at how my schoolmates who took that path have faired ....he was right they,ve all got much better lifestyles than me.
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I was a 14 year old sprog when I first started flying and didn't have the benefit of wealthy or 'connected' family.
I was 30 when I first flew a jet, so at the end of the day - it's just luck that gets you there. . .
I was 30 when I first flew a jet, so at the end of the day - it's just luck that gets you there. . .
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Stampe - Don't feel bad about not doing accountancy! Im an accountant at the mo and yes the money is good and the requirement for newly qualified's is through the roof but I can't wait to leave my desk and start doing something that I have a passion for and makes me genuinely happy. Infact that'll be 8 weeks today! 
I've got a nice lifestyle at the mo but I've certainly found that the more you have the more you want. Prime example, about 3 years ago I bought the car I'd wanted for ages! But within a month I was looking at what I fancied next and have since changed twice again since then.
I quite like my job at the mo but I can't see myself doing anything but flying long term and whilst I know the money may not ever be quite as good it certainly ain't bad and you can't put a price on happiness!
One final point, you may well find that you accountant friends in particular are privy to a number of clever tax dodges when in Limited Liability Partnerships which you won't ever know about or benefit from as an employee of an airline I'm afraid.
CS
I've got a nice lifestyle at the mo but I've certainly found that the more you have the more you want. Prime example, about 3 years ago I bought the car I'd wanted for ages! But within a month I was looking at what I fancied next and have since changed twice again since then.
I quite like my job at the mo but I can't see myself doing anything but flying long term and whilst I know the money may not ever be quite as good it certainly ain't bad and you can't put a price on happiness!
One final point, you may well find that you accountant friends in particular are privy to a number of clever tax dodges when in Limited Liability Partnerships which you won't ever know about or benefit from as an employee of an airline I'm afraid.
CS
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I am a Qualified accountant
Nice to see another wanting to so badly get away from the desk. I started PPL ages ago but stopped because of financial risk and all that i hear of pilots with FATPL and no work. I just dont know what to do. My heart tell me differently to my brain which pumps out the financial Risk!!!It seems to be a business of who you know and that worries me about venturing into it and investing all the hours and financial resources which i dont really have. DId you also do modular route while practicing as an accountant? my problem is i am 38 and I earn in a good year around 80k and in a bad year 30k being a contractor thats how it works. I am completely confused as what to do because I cannot see myself behind a desk for another 20 years at least my place is in a cockpit where i feel i belong!
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Its clearly all about who you know
there are lots of decent pilots out there but wont get a look into the cockpit but yet this lad has a first officer position. But guess what his father is an established captain. It says it all!
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An awful lot of jealousy here. Some rather naive talk about fairness and unfairness.
If you turn the table and look at it from a personnel point of view, its probably a very safe option. Look after your own; good publicitity. In any company, if you were a personnel manager/management you'd rather employ family or someone recommended by an employee.
If you turn the table and look at it from a personnel point of view, its probably a very safe option. Look after your own; good publicitity. In any company, if you were a personnel manager/management you'd rather employ family or someone recommended by an employee.
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I haven't even been bothered to read this thread as I really don't care if an FO is only 19 on the B737. A pilot could be 16 or lower if the law of the land allowed it. Not interested at all and nothing special.
I think you will find that people are unhappy because this guy's achievement is only because his parent's have some money. If he had to earn the money himself he wouldn't be an FO at 19 he'd be an FO at 29!! Good on him for getting where he is however I don't believe it's that big a deal. There are plenty of people in aviation around the world who have overcome much bigger hurdles to get into the RHS of a jet than what this guy's done.
It is also a reflection of the system in Britain too. Most people in Australia or the USA would have no chance of even qualifying for a 737 job in their early/mid 20's let alone 19.
It is also a reflection of the system in Britain too. Most people in Australia or the USA would have no chance of even qualifying for a 737 job in their early/mid 20's let alone 19.
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Hmmmm,lots of green eye here.
It may well be the case that the finance and ultimately the job have all been down to the parents but ultimately you still need the skills to get to that point..
despite what some think not everyone has what it takes to become an airline pilot...
It may well be the case that the finance and ultimately the job have all been down to the parents but ultimately you still need the skills to get to that point..
despite what some think not everyone has what it takes to become an airline pilot...
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A lot of people commenting about jealousy and chip on the shoulder, but I don't think it's a fair comment.
I can only speak as a wannabe, as I only hold a PPL, and I don't find the young man's achievement out of the ordinary. Learning to fly is fun and exciting, and even the hard studying to go with it is still part of a learning process into something you are interested and passionate about.
Given a year or two off work, bills paid, 50k spare cash and nothing else to worry about (including debt, job security after training) apart from passing the ATPL exams and the skills tests, and many of us can achieve the same.
Not everyone could achieve that with a family, a mortgage, bills, full time work and the usual grind.
Choose your favourite method to study for your ATPLs :
Day off, wake up 9am, have breakfast (ready and served) then get on the books for a few hours, then have a break (probably, also ready and served) then when you feel like it do some more studying.
or
Up at 7, one hour in the rush hour traffic, 8 hours at work, one hour in rush hour traffic, make your own dinner, then if you still got any energies try and get a couple of hours studying done.
Consider these 2 options and then we can talk bout achievement ?
regards
Ivor
I can only speak as a wannabe, as I only hold a PPL, and I don't find the young man's achievement out of the ordinary. Learning to fly is fun and exciting, and even the hard studying to go with it is still part of a learning process into something you are interested and passionate about.
Given a year or two off work, bills paid, 50k spare cash and nothing else to worry about (including debt, job security after training) apart from passing the ATPL exams and the skills tests, and many of us can achieve the same.
Not everyone could achieve that with a family, a mortgage, bills, full time work and the usual grind.
Choose your favourite method to study for your ATPLs :
Day off, wake up 9am, have breakfast (ready and served) then get on the books for a few hours, then have a break (probably, also ready and served) then when you feel like it do some more studying.
or
Up at 7, one hour in the rush hour traffic, 8 hours at work, one hour in rush hour traffic, make your own dinner, then if you still got any energies try and get a couple of hours studying done.
Consider these 2 options and then we can talk bout achievement ?
regards
Ivor
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This is my background:
First trial flying lesson: 12
First Solo: 17
PPl: 18
FATPL: 19
Turboprop Job: 20 (and i wasnt in any of the papers!!)
Medium size jet: 21
I worked hard before and during training (modular) to save up 75% of the cost of training. luckily, mum and dad were in a position to give me the remaining 25% which had been saved up for university costs.
I say well done to this guy. i do wonder quite how it ended up in the papers though. im sure there are plenty of 19/20 year olds gettins jobs worldwide and in the UK (me being one). but that doesnt matter. i do this job just as well as the 25 - 30 year olds so i really dont see what the problem is. just shows that not all us teenagers spend our time fighting and taking crack.
First trial flying lesson: 12
First Solo: 17
PPl: 18
FATPL: 19
Turboprop Job: 20 (and i wasnt in any of the papers!!)
Medium size jet: 21
I worked hard before and during training (modular) to save up 75% of the cost of training. luckily, mum and dad were in a position to give me the remaining 25% which had been saved up for university costs.
I say well done to this guy. i do wonder quite how it ended up in the papers though. im sure there are plenty of 19/20 year olds gettins jobs worldwide and in the UK (me being one). but that doesnt matter. i do this job just as well as the 25 - 30 year olds so i really dont see what the problem is. just shows that not all us teenagers spend our time fighting and taking crack.
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And how did you go from first solo at 17 to fATPL at 19 ? (I mean, financially)
Just curious to know how you earn and save, as a teenager, about 25k to 30k in less than 2 years....
Washing cars and serving tea at the local airfield ?
Sorry for transforming this in a wannabe thread but that's probably where it belongs.
Just curious to know how you earn and save, as a teenager, about 25k to 30k in less than 2 years....
Washing cars and serving tea at the local airfield ?
Sorry for transforming this in a wannabe thread but that's probably where it belongs.