Easy answer. Take the training contract. Those are HARD to come by so well done. Complete your training via the modular route while training. Time modular training with training contract and only quit your high paying law job when you secure your first job. Yes it’s your dream to fly but also don’t be stupid. No guarantee on how long it’ll take you to find a job after training. As someone who’s missus just completed their training context, do the smart thing. Also aviation is very cyclical. You may get made redundant at some point. You have the backup profession to do contract work until you get another flying job. Take the training contract

I am considering a career change from my current profession working at a bank. Due to the cost of the training we were told about at school, becoming a pilot was never an option. I am 30 now, and have sufficient cash to pay for modular training. It seems it will be max £70k, but there could be a number of ways to save if careful.

How much risk is there involved for a career changer in terms of not being able to get a job at the end of the training (up to 24 months after starting)?

I have a degree from a top uni, have had decent reviews all the way through my career, so no competency or personality issues that could prevent me getting a job. How difficult is it out there to land your first role?

I would always be able to get a contract role, but could look very stupid if i have spent all the money and time retraining and there being no jobs. This is the only thing holding me back currently.

There is always a risk, ultimately. But looking at your background it’s lower.

Genuine life experience, presumable a pretty solid work ethic to have done at least relatively well in banking, good academic foundations etc. You’re not just another 18 year old that daddy has sent through a pilot factory.

If you had a licence today you’d be able to join one of quite a few airlines. You’d have Jet2, Ryanair, Wizz, BA, Loganair all open to you. If nothing cataclysmic changes in the world within the next two years it looks like the picture will only get better. But there is a non-zero chance of something cataclysmic happening. But even those who graduated in April 2020 are more or less all employed now.

The real risk to me would be not doing it. Could you get through the next 30 years starting at P/L spreadsheets in an office without trying the flying gig, and still be truly happy. Or will you get to 55, the point at which it does become too late, and be furious with yourself for not following the path?

I thought Jet2 and Loganair wanted some commercial experience and won’t just hire someone with ME-IR-CPL-UPRT-APS-MCC (at least officially)?

J2 pilot apprenticeship. Loganair seems to be as and when but definitely a first airline job for a good number of people.

Hello,
I am almost 18 and i am set on becoming a pilot. I have spoken to many people and i have been told to take so many different routes its overwhelming.
Right now i need to decide whether i should go for my RPL because i have heard that you cant get a Cadetship if you have previous flying training. I am looking at applying for the REX and Qantas cadetships mid next year. (Virgin and Jetstar are not offering at the moment)
These are the pathways im looking at:

1. get a cadetship
2. if i don't get a cadetship get my CPL and then get a job in Alice springs or darwin doing charter OR become a flight instructor and get the hours up until i can apply for a commercial aviation job.
3. if i don't get a cadetship apply for an apprenticeship in aircraft maintenance and while i am doing the apprenticeship get my CPL and once i finish then get a job flying

Also i spoke to someone who recommended the Bush Pilot pathway then once you hit 1500 hours apply for the cargo airlines in the U.S. Wondering if this is a good route?
Also is the Griffith Uni aviation degree worth it? Does it help me get a job?
I am really stuck deciding and i with option 3 i dont really want to spend 2 years doing a diploma, spending $50k in training then spend another 2 years on the apprenticeship then on top of that its another $130k for my CPL. I definitely want a backup in case the industry falls like it did in COVID
Also my long term goal is to do long haul flights for an overseas airline such as emirates
any advice is appreciated and thanks

Hi there,

You answered a few questions yourself already.

Go for a Professional Diploma and or a USEFUL degree.
Many of us who did not have a proper pre education ended up doing unskilled labour during Covid as a Pilots License is not recognized as a Skilled worker diploma.

If you wanna work in the US, you need a Permit to live and work in the US, but Aussies such as yourself have a kind of way to get the E3 Visa relatively easy as there is a certain agreement about that between Australia and the US.

Once again, have a backup plan. That doesnt need to be Uni, but can be professional bachalor as well.

I dont know if in Australia there is a scene of Glider Flying. That could be a great option to do in the meanwhile 😄.

Good look and Happy New Year 😄✈️

Hey , this is my first time posting here and have a question
i wanted to be a pilot my whole life and i live in italy .
I can apply for EU citizenship in 5years and right now i only have EU permanent residence ( unlimited residence right ) and i was wondering if can work for let's say Ryanair wizz air or any regional airline without citizenship when i graduate flight school.
I would love to know before i embark on this aviation journey or go to university instead.
Thanks for reading

You're in an enviable position. As an Australian you can do all your training in the US and in 2 years be flying a Jet. The cheapest and controversial option is don't bother with CASA training - get an F1 visa and get all your FAA certificates, work in the US as an flight instructor then stay on an E3.

Hello everybody!

I'm 28 and from Hungary. I'm currently doing my PPL with around 30-ish hours, and have been working inside and close to the aviation industry for a long time now.
I would like to finish my PPL and after that my dream is to be flying biz jets (Or the Ryanair/Wizzair route is fine by me as well). I will soon have around 30.000 EUR of funds availabel for me.
I wish to ask for your advice on my next steps.

• I have an option to take an integrated post-gradual school with Govermental funds (interest free) which can be started to be paid back when I'm working.
  It costs around 63.000 EUR and the funds can be payed fully with this governmental fund.
  The School is Airwin Budapest, which is close to where I live now. It provides 239 flight hours with AUPRT+APS MCC. Of course no type rating.
• The second option is of course the modular route for which I will have around 30.000 EUR. I have read it is not enough for the whole PPL to cockpit route

My questions are following:
Is it possible to land a job in the EU for a biz jet with around 240 Hours fresh out of integrated school?
If not, how much money would I need to have for a 737 type rating, or is it possible to bond with RYR another airline in the EU?
I know it's not this thread but if you wish you can share your 2 cents, if you think it's possible for a PPL to cockpit route modula from 30.000 EUR.

Thank you in advance,
Adam

Unless you either know someone, namely the person who owns the jet, or you can bring something else to the table, it is practically impossible for a low houred pilot to get a job on a bizjet. Usual numbers are a min of 1500 hours, 500 multipilot, ATPL and in many cases, experience on type or similar operations.

Looking around Europe at the moment, most jobs involve A320 series of aircraft. Boeing's having a bit of a time at the moment. Buying a rating does come with it's own pitfalls. They are very expensive to keep current...

Thanks for your answer! Do you think a lot of companies offer bonded or financed type ratings?

Hi guys,

I’m 17 years old, I’m from Poland and I’ve been really doing research about flight schools, ways of becoming a pilot etc. I’m planning on going the ATPL integrated in an airline academy program (I’ve got some choices) once I graduate high school but my question is, because I don’t want to do anything else in life and never wanted should I go to university/college? I mean I guess you don’t need a degree to be a commercial pilot and it sure does provide some stability and a plan B but im technically guaranteed a job.

AD27 It depends on what you're bringing to the table. If you have extensive relevant experience etc, you might get bonded. It does depend on the company. If you're a freshly minted CPL, then there's a good chance you'll have to finance the rating either up front or with a reduced salary for a while. Companies that historically have a higher turnover of staff tend to expect you to finance the rating.

@320
Will the university or college degree saddle you with debt? If so, don't bother. A degree with no experience is pretty useless after a couple of years. Being able to drive a forklift or a semi trailer is probably more useful than a degree as a back up plan.

You're lucky. You have rich parents. Get the degree as well.

Hey matey, just weigh the risks of each option and do as you please. There are a lot of factors to take into account though.

What I can say is that many people your age are unsure about their career paths; it's part of growing up. Dreaming of being a pilot might seem like a way to avoid choosing between unexciting career options, but most of us have probably faced the same dilemma.

Unfortunately, only a fortunate few land a job shortly after completing flight school. For the others it can become a real challenge and take a while. Some even end up completely outside of aviation. In between, it can be a long, tough grind, both mentally and financially, especially if you wind up in a low-skilled job.

Remember, there are no guarantees in aviation. I've seen it firsthand. People get turned down during initial training, type rating, OCC, LIFUS, you name it, for various reasons—poor performance, airlines shutting down, or industry shifts. Just imagine being told, "Sorry, your OCC is canceled; we don't need flight crew right now." (I've seen it!) And that example is a few years ahead, while you're just starting out.

We all tend to believe that those things won't happen to us, and perhaps they won't happen to you. But it's definitely something worth considering.

So, here's my advice (aside from finances): take some time to mature, think about what interests you beyond aviation, and consider pursuing a degree in that area. At 17, even if you only earn a Bachelor's degree, you'll still be just 20. That's quite young to start flight training.

I agree that the depth is something to consider. However, in Northern Europe, having a degree, even without experience, can pay off. Many entry-level white-collar jobs require candidates to have a bachelor's degree, so not having one could put you at the bottom of the pile. It could be especially beneficial if you live in a country that has a considerably bigger pay gap between white-collar and blue-collar jobs. I don't know if that holds true for Poland though.

Looking ahead, I see having a Plan B as a long term, and not just a short-term solution. If you never land that flying job, working as a forklift driver might not offer much in terms of career advancement or mental stimulation, unless, of course, driving a forklift is your true aspiration..

Personally, I'm biased for getting a degree. I did it myself before starting flight training and it worked out great. It gave me a nice paycheck, valuable experience, a strong CV, and the peace of mind that if I lost my job in the deck tomorrow, I'd be back in an office next week.

I'm not "My parents gave me 61k for flight training" rich (or at least not the full price). I was thinking about financing the integrated training with a loan or for example a another route, going to the Wizzair academy program or something simmilar if even exists which takes away from your paycheck to fund it, as far as I've read.

No degree and with a loan, that already sounds pretty bad.

Hi African_TrouserSnake My caveat with the degree is the "no experience" bit. Sounds like you got a job relevant to the degree. Great. That's ideal especially if you can pay off the student loan (if you needed one). I got both my degrees while working I haven't missed student life as I worked at a university for 8 years paying for my flight training. Fun times indeed.

I tend to agree. More education is never a bad thing, and you never know where you can put your degree skills to use in aviation. Many pilots end up in the office at some point in their career, where suddenly those stats and creative and technical writing courses begin to make more sense. For some, like me, education becomes a hobby in its own right, so having a degree or two is nothing more than the end result of that hobby. I'd argue that in many ways it's a pretty cheap hobby compared to others, but I digress.

Not all degrees are created equal if you are looking to simply pad your resume. Just because you have a degree in a field does not mean you can immediately return to that field should you find yourself an out-of-work pilot, which is what most suggest is the reason for getting the degree. Many degrees are useless after only a few years if you don't continue to study or work in the related field. Therefore, my typical suggestion is to get a generalized degree that you could build upon in the future, but not so specific that you may as well not hold that degree later five or ten years later. Alternatively, you could mix your passions. We have two pilots at my airline who hold doctorates and who split their time 50/50 between flying and research, and many more who have built a business around their education or who continue to study so they can use their degree later on.