old bag at under 30...?
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old bag at under 30...?
Having decided on a change of career, I was hoping for some guidance from you pros in the right direction.......... I'm 29 in 2 weeks and have missed the boat with the BA recruitment for sponsorship of 26 latest (makes me feel long in the tooth already) Is there anyone else I could try...?
I'm already a PPL holder with a share in a lovely IFR equipped light aircraft that I'm building my hours on.
Where next? It is a costly business whichever angle you take, so any pointers from you guys and girls in cyberville...?
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Fast Gal
I'm already a PPL holder with a share in a lovely IFR equipped light aircraft that I'm building my hours on.
Where next? It is a costly business whichever angle you take, so any pointers from you guys and girls in cyberville...?
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Fast Gal
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Get signed up and get the ATPL theory out of the way if you can while hour building to 150hrs and remember to fit in your multi rating as well at some point.
Cabair still have there slave labour cadetships open until i think 35.
But using my scottish tightness i reckon its actually cheaper to pay for it yourself than take the cadetship if you are in a half decent job ie 20k+ a year. You have to work for three years for next to nothing and all the self financed F/O's will be on better money from the outset for the first couple of years. I don't know if the time spent on the cadetships will count towards your seniority either.
MJ
Cabair still have there slave labour cadetships open until i think 35.
But using my scottish tightness i reckon its actually cheaper to pay for it yourself than take the cadetship if you are in a half decent job ie 20k+ a year. You have to work for three years for next to nothing and all the self financed F/O's will be on better money from the outset for the first couple of years. I don't know if the time spent on the cadetships will count towards your seniority either.
MJ
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Might I suggest that you take a look at http://www.gapan.org ; go to the 'committees' index and then to 'Education and Training Committee' which will provide you with details of awards available through the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators.
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Fast Gal, I'm in a similar position - except nearly 30 and with only a scant few hours towards my PPL - let me know if you turn up any positive advice on this subject! Makes you feel completely past it, dunnit?
[email protected]
[email protected]
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Remember that most pilots do not get sponsored so from that point of view time is still on your side.
As for me, I am 26 with a mere 12 hours, but due to a medical problem flying has been on hold for two years and will be for at least one more. By the time I am your age I hope to be starting again!
As for me, I am 26 with a mere 12 hours, but due to a medical problem flying has been on hold for two years and will be for at least one more. By the time I am your age I hope to be starting again!
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fast gal,
I'm 34 now and 35 in July, I'm not worried and a spring chicken like you will have no problems.
mad_jock hit the nail on the head about the slave labour cadetships, I will be avoiding them like the plague. My plan relies on probably fewer total hours but relies on having each hour count as quality time (IFR & Multi) avoid the hollow slave labour hours at all costs!
p.s. I'm not trying to deride this route since many hard working individuals have had to take this route (and enjoyed it), but if you have the finance to have the choice in the first place think hard about it.
Viggen I'd give my best friends right arm to be your age (need mine for the throttle).
I'm 34 now and 35 in July, I'm not worried and a spring chicken like you will have no problems.
mad_jock hit the nail on the head about the slave labour cadetships, I will be avoiding them like the plague. My plan relies on probably fewer total hours but relies on having each hour count as quality time (IFR & Multi) avoid the hollow slave labour hours at all costs!
p.s. I'm not trying to deride this route since many hard working individuals have had to take this route (and enjoyed it), but if you have the finance to have the choice in the first place think hard about it.
Viggen I'd give my best friends right arm to be your age (need mine for the throttle).
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You lot sound like a bunch of geriatrics reminising about your youth. You are still in your prime!
I'm 29 and in the past year I've decided to give everything I've got to make it in aviation. After all, we work our butts off in jobs that, if you're like me, can't stand doing anyway. I'm saving my earnings and plan to train full-time in helicopters. I'm probably going to have to get a loan to cover some of the costs, and yes it's going to be hard repaying that loan and looking for that first industry job that we're told probably won't be in a cockpit - but be damned if I'm gonna waste the next decade umming and ahhing about the pros and cons of leaving an okay paying job to go into the unknown - and wake up to find that it really is too late! And then have to spend the rest of my "life" working in a job I hate like my father does and wonder what could have been everytime an aicraft flies overhead.
It is discouraging to see airline cadetships and military flying careers suddenly out of reach due to something as uncontrollable as aging but people in our age bracket shouldn't worry about this too much.
Employers see maturity in a canditate as highly desirable and even experience in other job fields is a benefit and something that a school leaver simply does not have.
I came across a couple of websites recently that made me realise that there's really nothing to worry about in the age dept., and as long as you're committed then you've got a good chance.
www.corellian-rotorcraft.co.uk
- This site is about a guy who's 30-ish who was driving buses around Newcastle then got his act together and is now a helicopter instructor.
also: www.avasp.com/world/index.shtml
- A US site devoted to giving advice to potential pilots on a large range of topics including how to choose a school, financial options, health and licensing info for the US, Europe, UK and Australian systems. There's some interesting info about age in the "Aviation Training Myths" section that you'll find under the "Fixed Wing Training" section on the main page.
I wish everyone the best of luck no matter what it is you want to fly!
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Its the age thing !
Age is a funny thing - ask a 40 year old about school and he'll tell you 'I wish I knew then what I do now' normally followed by a smile !
Ask a 17 year old about car insurance and he'll say he cant wait to be 21,25,30 !
Ask a wannabe about his age and he'd wish that he'd started flying at 6 and saved all the money he spent on 'life's little extra's' on a full ATPL at 10...if that were possible !
I'm 32 next month and feel like past it when I look at the ads for Airline cadets. Its a pity the schemes dont cater for us guys and girls that have a degree...a degree in life... worth more than 15 'A' levels in flower arranging and paper folding !
Good luck to you all - young and old - the news from Stanstead this week is good its still a growing industry - But please if you do work as a talent scout for the airlines dont count out us 'old folk' ! ! ! ! !
;0)
Age is a funny thing - ask a 40 year old about school and he'll tell you 'I wish I knew then what I do now' normally followed by a smile !
Ask a 17 year old about car insurance and he'll say he cant wait to be 21,25,30 !
Ask a wannabe about his age and he'd wish that he'd started flying at 6 and saved all the money he spent on 'life's little extra's' on a full ATPL at 10...if that were possible !
I'm 32 next month and feel like past it when I look at the ads for Airline cadets. Its a pity the schemes dont cater for us guys and girls that have a degree...a degree in life... worth more than 15 'A' levels in flower arranging and paper folding !
Good luck to you all - young and old - the news from Stanstead this week is good its still a growing industry - But please if you do work as a talent scout for the airlines dont count out us 'old folk' ! ! ! ! !
;0)
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Thanks everyone for your positive input. I even though I don't earn millions, I will be putting everything into the flying. Perhaps an airline job isn't for me - more of a cargo babe as the boxes don't answer back.... Who knows. Its all interesting stuff tho. I'll be keeping the old eyes peeled and ear to the ground.
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Fast Gal
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Fast Gal
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I know of a couple of people, both ex Cabin Crew, who decided to move to the pointy end at their own expense. Of the two, one was thirty-not-much when she started and basically took the same route as you (hours building in her own aeroplane).
Get the ATPL writtens done and STOP WORRYING ABOUT YOUR AGE.
PS: Of the two ladies I mentioned, one is a Captain, one is a FO, both are BA.
Get the ATPL writtens done and STOP WORRYING ABOUT YOUR AGE.
PS: Of the two ladies I mentioned, one is a Captain, one is a FO, both are BA.
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Hey big black rat same age same sympathy - got no A levels or a degree but I've got 7 years of fixing BA's aircraft, 6 years of teaching their bratty pilots how the aircraft works on the 744 and 777, a Flight Engineers license and a Frozen ATPL/IR and I'm still struggling to get a job. What else can a girl do? Moan Moan. Gotta go and print off a million CV's again to pester the aviation world with!
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Hell, if you are too old then I'm completely stuffed!
I'm retraining to go commercial at 30 and I've not even started my PPL (just got the money together for PPL->CPL-IR->ATPL...phew!)
After talking to BA recruitment and lots of other commercial pilots, I don't think it will be a problem at all....although when you finally get there, there'll be people 10 years younger than you earning almost twice as much (seniority is VERY important in BA). Not sure what it's like for cargo though...
Good luck!
I'm retraining to go commercial at 30 and I've not even started my PPL (just got the money together for PPL->CPL-IR->ATPL...phew!)
After talking to BA recruitment and lots of other commercial pilots, I don't think it will be a problem at all....although when you finally get there, there'll be people 10 years younger than you earning almost twice as much (seniority is VERY important in BA). Not sure what it's like for cargo though...
Good luck!
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Fast Gal,
well spotted, yes I do like to throw myself out of the occassional twin turbine now and then. Did my AFF over in Florida at Skydive space centre 3 years ago. Finnished off my Cat 8 at Hibaldstow but prefer to jump at Langar when possible. It's either fly em or jump out of em at the moment since finances won't stretch to both.
Fast Gal....
Is that fast as in Terminal Velocity?
[This message has been edited by Cypres (edited 15 June 2001).]
well spotted, yes I do like to throw myself out of the occassional twin turbine now and then. Did my AFF over in Florida at Skydive space centre 3 years ago. Finnished off my Cat 8 at Hibaldstow but prefer to jump at Langar when possible. It's either fly em or jump out of em at the moment since finances won't stretch to both.
Fast Gal....
Is that fast as in Terminal Velocity?
[This message has been edited by Cypres (edited 15 June 2001).]
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Fast Gal and others,
Just like to say good luck wherever you all end up.
The main thing about the 'self-improving' route is commitment. You may find - as I did - that you get so in-hock with the banks that the only way to ever pay them back is to keep going and get that 1st job. Even then it wasn't until 8 years later and my second job that I finally got back in the black. My average overdraft throughout my training was 24k!
Reading this post - it seems that nothing has changed. I couldn't get sponsorship from BA - I was too old at 24! Still, you get there in the end - if you're determined enough.
ATB,
Underdog
ps Simchick - we're not all 'bratty' pilots at BA! Love & Kisses etc...
Just like to say good luck wherever you all end up.
The main thing about the 'self-improving' route is commitment. You may find - as I did - that you get so in-hock with the banks that the only way to ever pay them back is to keep going and get that 1st job. Even then it wasn't until 8 years later and my second job that I finally got back in the black. My average overdraft throughout my training was 24k!
Reading this post - it seems that nothing has changed. I couldn't get sponsorship from BA - I was too old at 24! Still, you get there in the end - if you're determined enough.
ATB,
Underdogps Simchick - we're not all 'bratty' pilots at BA! Love & Kisses etc...
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I was 29 when I started my PPL and 30 when it was issued . That was over 10 years and nearly 3000hrs ago . Now I fly PA31's for a living . Just go for it . You'll spend more than you budgetted and have a lot of pain and heartache and frustration along the way and wonder why you ever started in the first place . But like the lottery you have got to be in it to win it . Good luck
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Cypres,
Yes terminal velocity as often as possible. SPeed skydiver and freeflyer in the Hinton/Weston on the Green area, asn well as wannabe aviator. Maybe I'll navex my way up to your part of the country at some stage!!
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Fast Gal
Yes terminal velocity as often as possible. SPeed skydiver and freeflyer in the Hinton/Weston on the Green area, asn well as wannabe aviator. Maybe I'll navex my way up to your part of the country at some stage!!
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Fast Gal
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Fast Gal.
Did you jump the Black Beaver?
Did you buy the T-shirt?
I was the YOUNG guy who flew it and did the T-shirts!
Regards to Vince and Tiggs and the rest of the folks!
And for sound advice? Buckle down to the books and give it all you've got! If you've had a few !!!!! jobs in the past just remember you'll never have to do it again!
Did you jump the Black Beaver?
Did you buy the T-shirt?
I was the YOUNG guy who flew it and did the T-shirts!
Regards to Vince and Tiggs and the rest of the folks!
And for sound advice? Buckle down to the books and give it all you've got! If you've had a few !!!!! jobs in the past just remember you'll never have to do it again!