Leading Edge LEAP+FI, & TUI UK Pilot Cadet Programmes
Join Date: May 2022
Location: UK
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Unfortunaly for a lot of us, we don't have the privillage of parents having second homes they can sell, or even one home they can remortgage, or any well of family members to inherit from. My parents couldn't even afford a £50 weekend Ryanair flight or the cost of a passport. I didn't get my passport or get to see a plane in person until I was 23 and 3 years later I'm now a licenced pilot.
Funding is a huge blocker and for most, the only way past that is to get a well paid job and I mean £60k+ a year in the UK if you want to pay for the modular route in a reasonable amount of time. To do full modular course now in the UK over 3 years you're looking at burning through an average of £2k a month over 3 years and that isn't even accounting for a type rating. It doesn't matter how much you want it. For the majority, you either need to get onto a sponsored course or get a very well paid job that will llikely require a degree.
Funding is a huge blocker and for most, the only way past that is to get a well paid job and I mean £60k+ a year in the UK if you want to pay for the modular route in a reasonable amount of time. To do full modular course now in the UK over 3 years you're looking at burning through an average of £2k a month over 3 years and that isn't even accounting for a type rating. It doesn't matter how much you want it. For the majority, you either need to get onto a sponsored course or get a very well paid job that will llikely require a degree.
Join Date: Dec 2022
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Unfortunaly for a lot of us, we don't have the privillage of parents having second homes they can sell, or even one home they can remortgage, or any well of family members to inherit from. My parents couldn't even afford a £50 weekend Ryanair flight or the cost of a passport. I didn't get my passport or get to see a plane in person until I was 23 and 3 years later I'm now a licenced pilot.
Funding is a huge blocker and for most, the only way past that is to get a well paid job and I mean £60k+ a year in the UK if you want to pay for the modular route in a reasonable amount of time. To do full modular course now in the UK over 3 years you're looking at burning through an average of £2k a month over 3 years and that isn't even accounting for a type rating. It doesn't matter how much you want it. For the majority, you either need to get onto a sponsored course or get a very well paid job that will llikely require a degree.
Funding is a huge blocker and for most, the only way past that is to get a well paid job and I mean £60k+ a year in the UK if you want to pay for the modular route in a reasonable amount of time. To do full modular course now in the UK over 3 years you're looking at burning through an average of £2k a month over 3 years and that isn't even accounting for a type rating. It doesn't matter how much you want it. For the majority, you either need to get onto a sponsored course or get a very well paid job that will llikely require a degree.
i do agree, a degree would put you in a higher place for jobs like finance, law, medicine etc. But to me, and in MY opinion, a degree for the sole purpose of saving for a pilots course is ridiculous imo, the money spent (that has to be paid back) for a temporary job isn’t something I would want to do, PERSONALLY. I have so much regret, if, when I was 18, carried on my Hermes job (I got about 20,000 a year) I could have easily saved 90,000£. But I didn’t.
Join Date: Dec 2022
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I think you are looking at the issue from a very different perspective to most unfortunately. I myself am in the same boat as softwaredev - had to get a degree to get a job that pays enough to fund training.
A degree for the purpose of saving for training is not ridiculous, it isn't ideal no, but for some of us it is the only option. Student finance only has to be paid back in small amounts and for the vast majority will be written off after 30 years, with repayments rarely going above £150 pm, so student debt cant be looked at in the same way as a normal loan situation.
I assume 'easily' being able to save £90,000 in cash earning £20k was sarcasm??
A degree for the purpose of saving for training is not ridiculous, it isn't ideal no, but for some of us it is the only option. Student finance only has to be paid back in small amounts and for the vast majority will be written off after 30 years, with repayments rarely going above £150 pm, so student debt cant be looked at in the same way as a normal loan situation.
I assume 'easily' being able to save £90,000 in cash earning £20k was sarcasm??
Maybe im just different, I just couldn’t hold a three year degree out to get a job I have no interest in actually having long term.
and haha maybe, I was basing it again on my situation : living at home with maximum saving intentions , don’t have to pay board or anything.
Join Date: Apr 2012
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An AeroEng degree may have some use but not everyone is cut out for the university route. I tried it, was rubbish at calculus and algebra and dropped out after around six months. I simply wasn't cut out for university learning, as is the case with a lot of people.
I know a fellow who was a plumber in London and had a mortgage, wife and kids by 25. That in itself would fund the modular route with no debt. We were both train drivers at the same company, incidentally train driving is a great way to fund flying, I used it to fund my PPL. If it hadn't been for COVID, I'd have looked at going modular and if I hadn't just moved to intercity work I'd have put in for this.
The Pendolino west coast operator is apparently doing a big trainee recruitment programme this month for trainee train drivers. All the training is paid for by the company plus a £40k salary and defined-benefit pension from day one of training, salary goes up progressively to nearly £70k once two years qualified. The TUI programme is very good but it doesn't come close financially.
I know a fellow who was a plumber in London and had a mortgage, wife and kids by 25. That in itself would fund the modular route with no debt. We were both train drivers at the same company, incidentally train driving is a great way to fund flying, I used it to fund my PPL. If it hadn't been for COVID, I'd have looked at going modular and if I hadn't just moved to intercity work I'd have put in for this.
The Pendolino west coast operator is apparently doing a big trainee recruitment programme this month for trainee train drivers. All the training is paid for by the company plus a £40k salary and defined-benefit pension from day one of training, salary goes up progressively to nearly £70k once two years qualified. The TUI programme is very good but it doesn't come close financially.
Join Date: Feb 2023
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Anyone had updates beyond Stage 3 / invitations to Stage 4 for the TUI programme?
I’ve completed my digital interviews, but no updates so far beyond that. I was invited to them basically immediately after the online assessments - I scored Average, and Above Average x2.
Just wondering how it’s going for you guys, if you’ve heard anything, or if anyone knows a timescale?
Heard there have been over 10,000 applicants to the role, so I presume Stage 3 -> 4 will be the great filter!
Just wondering how it’s going for you guys, if you’ve heard anything, or if anyone knows a timescale?
Heard there have been over 10,000 applicants to the role, so I presume Stage 3 -> 4 will be the great filter!
A degree costs more and takes longer than a modular fATPL, so getting one should be considered a luxury, it certainly shouldn't be considered a useful step into aviation, the US excluded obviously..
It's very very simple to find training: foolproof even.
1 get a job.
2 get a second/third job.
3 move in with your parents.
4 don't smoke, drink or procreate.
5 borrow just enough to establish decent credit.
6 actually know what a fATPL will cost you, then save half and borrow half.
In the UK, budget £40k to be employable as a cadet.
2 years of living like a monk and you'll have £20k, then split the rest across multiple loans and 0% credit cards.
It's very very simple to find training: foolproof even.
1 get a job.
2 get a second/third job.
3 move in with your parents.
4 don't smoke, drink or procreate.
5 borrow just enough to establish decent credit.
6 actually know what a fATPL will cost you, then save half and borrow half.
In the UK, budget £40k to be employable as a cadet.
2 years of living like a monk and you'll have £20k, then split the rest across multiple loans and 0% credit cards.
Join Date: Jan 2023
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I’ve completed my digital interviews, but no updates so far beyond that. I was invited to them basically immediately after the online assessments - I scored Average, and Above Average x2.
Just wondering how it’s going for you guys, if you’ve heard anything, or if anyone knows a timescale?
Heard there have been over 10,000 applicants to the role, so I presume Stage 3 -> 4 will be the great filter!
Just wondering how it’s going for you guys, if you’ve heard anything, or if anyone knows a timescale?
Heard there have been over 10,000 applicants to the role, so I presume Stage 3 -> 4 will be the great filter!
Last edited by D4NPC; 9th Feb 2023 at 12:43.
Join Date: May 2022
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For modular in the UK you’re looking at £65kish if completed in minimum hours with no exam resits, no flying test resits, no medical investigations and that’s just for PPL CPL ME/IR APS MCC without a type rating which is currently around €30k with Ryanair.
You then have to factor in general day to day living costs on top. Living with parents for free is not an option everyone has.
Right now in the UK to complete modular training over 3 years you will be burning through £2000 per month minimum in training costs.
Loans and credit cards? Good luck getting anything decent without a well paid job.
Also - that training makes you a qualified commercial pilot. It does not make you an airline pilot. You may never get an airline job. Any debt is a massive risk if at the end, no airline wants to hire you and you have no other career or qualifications. That’s why people get a degree first. There are thousands of qualified commercial pilots who haven’t been able to get an airline job. Flight schools are full of them teaching PPL for minimum wage.
You then have to factor in general day to day living costs on top. Living with parents for free is not an option everyone has.
Right now in the UK to complete modular training over 3 years you will be burning through £2000 per month minimum in training costs.
Loans and credit cards? Good luck getting anything decent without a well paid job.
Also - that training makes you a qualified commercial pilot. It does not make you an airline pilot. You may never get an airline job. Any debt is a massive risk if at the end, no airline wants to hire you and you have no other career or qualifications. That’s why people get a degree first. There are thousands of qualified commercial pilots who haven’t been able to get an airline job. Flight schools are full of them teaching PPL for minimum wage.
Join Date: Dec 2022
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For modular in the UK you’re looking at £65kish if completed in minimum hours with no exam resits, no flying test resits, no medical investigations and that’s just for PPL CPL ME/IR APS MCC without a type rating which is currently around €30k with Ryanair.
You then have to factor in general day to day living costs on top. Living with parents for free is not an option everyone has.
Right now in the UK to complete modular training over 3 years you will be burning through £2000 per month minimum in training costs.
Loans and credit cards? Good luck getting anything decent without a well paid job.
Also - that training makes you a qualified commercial pilot. It does not make you an airline pilot. You may never get an airline job. Any debt is a massive risk if at the end, no airline wants to hire you and you have no other career or qualifications. That’s why people get a degree first. There are thousands of qualified commercial pilots who haven’t been able to get an airline job. Flight schools are full of them teaching PPL for minimum wage.
You then have to factor in general day to day living costs on top. Living with parents for free is not an option everyone has.
Right now in the UK to complete modular training over 3 years you will be burning through £2000 per month minimum in training costs.
Loans and credit cards? Good luck getting anything decent without a well paid job.
Also - that training makes you a qualified commercial pilot. It does not make you an airline pilot. You may never get an airline job. Any debt is a massive risk if at the end, no airline wants to hire you and you have no other career or qualifications. That’s why people get a degree first. There are thousands of qualified commercial pilots who haven’t been able to get an airline job. Flight schools are full of them teaching PPL for minimum wage.
Im not sure it’s correct that instructors can be assumed to be failed airline pilots, the job needs to be done and by many pilots who don’t want to be airline pilots an instructor role would be extremely desired. Without instructors, there would be no pilots, and without instructors there would be no flight schools.
The graduate pool in leading edge and skyborne are pretty low right now, not empty but low. My friend graduated skyborne along with 4 others who all got jobs at east jet.
but yeah, instructors aren’t just failed airline pilots. I myself; have not a focus on instructing, but hell, if I graduate flight school and don’t find a job straight away, you know what I wouldn’t want to do? Get a job using my degree, I’d much prefer to stay in aviation despite the wage and be a instructor until i found one.
there would be no instructors if it was a undesirable minimum wage job, everyone would go for something better, my driver role earned well above minimum wage
Join Date: May 2022
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I absolutely did not say instructors can be assumed to be failed airline pilots. It’s an important and respectable profession. You also need another £10k on top of your training for the instructor rating.
Instructors get paid per hour flying. Many earn great money when they have a good reputation at a busy school. Many don’t.
Instructors get paid per hour flying. Many earn great money when they have a good reputation at a busy school. Many don’t.
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Join Date: Jul 2018
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For anyone on the Leading Edge programme, I had my Phase 4 results email today - Was good news for me, and I'm on to Phase 5 (last one I believe?)
I'll be in Oxford at the academy on March 1st if anyone else is there?
Nothing from TUI at the moment - well not for me anyhow..
I'll be in Oxford at the academy on March 1st if anyone else is there?
Nothing from TUI at the moment - well not for me anyhow..
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Join Date: Jul 2018
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Join Date: Jul 2019
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For anyone on the Leading Edge programme, I had my Phase 4 results email today - Was good news for me, and I'm on to Phase 5 (last one I believe?)
I'll be in Oxford at the academy on March 1st if anyone else is there?
Nothing from TUI at the moment - well not for me anyhow..
I'll be in Oxford at the academy on March 1st if anyone else is there?
Nothing from TUI at the moment - well not for me anyhow..
But getting to stage 5 of an assessment is definitely an achievement so congratulations to everyone that made it.
Join Date: Jan 2023
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Unfortunately it was a no for me, my essay let me down! I wish all the best to those going forward and will be interested to see who get awarded a spot! Onwards for me!
Cheers.
Cheers.
Join Date: Dec 2022
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Join Date: Mar 2023
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Still waiting to hear from TUI after the digital interview, although everyone keeps saying assessment days are end of May which if this is the case it makes no difference whether I get through or not as I'm away.
Does anybody know if these are set in stone or just hearday?
Does anybody know if these are set in stone or just hearday?
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Still waiting to hear from TUI after the digital interview, although everyone keeps saying assessment days are end of May which if this is the case it makes no difference whether I get through or not as I'm away.
Does anybody know if these are set in stone or just hearday?
Does anybody know if these are set in stone or just hearday?