Best way to Become a Commercial Pilot?
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Washington, UK
Age: 36
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Best way to Become a Commercial Pilot?
I've been spending more time lately thinking about my ultimate career goal as a commercial pilot, and 2 routes have come up those being:
-Go to the states and do each license, its cheaper over there.
-Go to Buckinghamshire Uni and do the BA(Hons) Air Transport with 'Commercial' Pilot Training course which after 3 years you come away with a Frozen ATPL
-Airline Scholarship.
they both have their benefits those being that if i do my licenses in the states if i fail one part of the course i can do it again without risk of failing the entire course, but if i do the uni course im closer to home?
And with an Airline Scholarship its less of a financial burden to get a start and im much more likely to get guaranteed a job after it.
Im going to see if i can speak to some pilots at work see how they got their licenses.
-Go to the states and do each license, its cheaper over there.
-Go to Buckinghamshire Uni and do the BA(Hons) Air Transport with 'Commercial' Pilot Training course which after 3 years you come away with a Frozen ATPL
-Airline Scholarship.
they both have their benefits those being that if i do my licenses in the states if i fail one part of the course i can do it again without risk of failing the entire course, but if i do the uni course im closer to home?
And with an Airline Scholarship its less of a financial burden to get a start and im much more likely to get guaranteed a job after it.
Im going to see if i can speak to some pilots at work see how they got their licenses.
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: United Kingdom
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Airline sponsorship, there's not too many of these. I've done a lot of research on this forum. The chances of getting a sponsorship, are really low.
Personally, I think that in te current climate it's the best to go modular and spread your training over a period of time. In my case maybe 3 years.
Uni is a good back up career if you loose your medical or can't find a job.
Personally, I think that in te current climate it's the best to go modular and spread your training over a period of time. In my case maybe 3 years.
Uni is a good back up career if you loose your medical or can't find a job.
I'd go for the uni to mate, you'll come out of it in a much sounder (hopefully 
) economy and with job security for the lower ranks/seniority numbers these days it would be a great thing to fall back on. A lot of younger pilots in the airlines allready are doing part time uni courses because of this.
Best of luck!
) economy and with job security for the lower ranks/seniority numbers these days it would be a great thing to fall back on. A lot of younger pilots in the airlines allready are doing part time uni courses because of this.Best of luck!
Join Date: Jan 2009
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I agree with the other guys - a sponsorship would be mighty nice but they are few and far between and generally guys going for them have degrees and qualifications already to help make them look more impressive and valuable to the airline.
I wouldn't say modular was necessarily a great route if you want to get straight into a an airline following training. A lot of airlines will only take low hour guys who have integrated backgrounds, and often only from favoured schools such as Oxford, Cabair, CTC, Jerez, 43... who have links and contacts with the airlines to help get their students in.
Its expensive but in the long run gives you more chance of an airline job!
Sights like futureairlinepilot.com give good and (relatively) up to date info on who is employing and sponsorships available and look out in pilot magazines for the training school convention they hold at Heathrow - it is great for talking directly with the schools and often the airlines will give Q&A sessions on their recruitment requirements.
With regards training in the States, it is good over there especially for hour building but converting to the JAR IR can be tough because the standards in the UK are more rigourous than those in the States (so I hear) New Zealand and South Africa are also good countries to consider - if you go modular then definitely for your hour building.
Good luck whichever way you go!
I wouldn't say modular was necessarily a great route if you want to get straight into a an airline following training. A lot of airlines will only take low hour guys who have integrated backgrounds, and often only from favoured schools such as Oxford, Cabair, CTC, Jerez, 43... who have links and contacts with the airlines to help get their students in.
Its expensive but in the long run gives you more chance of an airline job!
Sights like futureairlinepilot.com give good and (relatively) up to date info on who is employing and sponsorships available and look out in pilot magazines for the training school convention they hold at Heathrow - it is great for talking directly with the schools and often the airlines will give Q&A sessions on their recruitment requirements.
With regards training in the States, it is good over there especially for hour building but converting to the JAR IR can be tough because the standards in the UK are more rigourous than those in the States (so I hear) New Zealand and South Africa are also good countries to consider - if you go modular then definitely for your hour building.
Good luck whichever way you go!
Join Date: Mar 2007
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I wouldn't say modular was necessarily a great route if you want to get straight into a an airline following training. A lot of airlines will only take low hour guys who have integrated backgrounds, and often only from favoured schools such as Oxford, Cabair, CTC, Jerez, 43... who have links and contacts with the airlines to help get their students in.
In this economic climate, when there aren't many employers looking for new staff it would be stupid to sign up for an integrated course until employment is back on its feet again.
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I'm not a big fan of these university courses. Especially the ones that give you a foundations degree + fATPL for a small fortune. Do a crediable degree if you want to go to university. I wouldn't waste my time and money on any flying degree, unless its something credible like aerodynamics of course and can be used. Just my opinion. If you want to fly the aircraft then spend your money doing just that, not some chocolate coated route that wouldn't get you any real job in aviation without the flying credientials behind it. Why pay a premium?
