PPL hinder a scholorship?
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PPL hinder a scholorship?
Knowing that I want to be an airline pilot, getting a place on a full sponsorship scheme has always been on my mind. However I am thinking about obtaining a PPL at the moment as I will be going to university and the course is five years (I have already turned down flying lessons due to the pressures of school and now I really want to get some flying experience!). I was wondering if the holding of a PPL would hinder in any way application to sponsorship schemes? Would the airline or group offering the sponsor not accept me as I have prior experience?
Also, what if the PPL was obtained through a scholorship itself? Would the airline not allow me entry to their scheme because I have already taken the benefits of a seperate scholorship?
Thanks
Richard
Also, what if the PPL was obtained through a scholorship itself? Would the airline not allow me entry to their scheme because I have already taken the benefits of a seperate scholorship?
Thanks
Richard
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Having a PPL doesn't normally exclude you from most sponsorship schemes, although there have been one or two where it might have done. If you think about it, an interviewer might think it a little odd if the applicant before him professed to have always wanted to fly, yet had never done any flying!
Equally, the fact that your PPL had been gained through a scholarship will have no effect on a sponsorship application - other than to show that you'd impressed someone in the past!
However - a 5 year degree? Are you perhaps on a medical course? If so, you will struggle to find time to fly. I used to be CFI on a University Air Squadron (and you should check out the one your university is affiliated to) and our medical students were rarely able to take part in any of our activities. Conversely, the geography students were never out of the place!
Scroggs
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Equally, the fact that your PPL had been gained through a scholarship will have no effect on a sponsorship application - other than to show that you'd impressed someone in the past!
However - a 5 year degree? Are you perhaps on a medical course? If so, you will struggle to find time to fly. I used to be CFI on a University Air Squadron (and you should check out the one your university is affiliated to) and our medical students were rarely able to take part in any of our activities. Conversely, the geography students were never out of the place!
Scroggs
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Thanks,
I just wanted to make sure, get all the facts before I go ahead.
I am actually taking an MEng in Aerospace at Surrey. What is the minimum hours for the 'upkeep' of a PPL? How much flying would I have to do in order to retan my licence? Sorry for my ignorance. I was reading the 'So you want to be a pilot' airticle written at the GAPAN website. It says that PPL's should not build up hours after otaining a PPL because sponsors are detered from accepting you due to the 'bad habbits' than can be leant whilst hour building. Would you advise me NOT to get a PPL and build up hours if I want a sponsorship because of this reason?
Sorry, one last question: How long does it take the average PPL student to get through the course?
Thanks
I just wanted to make sure, get all the facts before I go ahead.
I am actually taking an MEng in Aerospace at Surrey. What is the minimum hours for the 'upkeep' of a PPL? How much flying would I have to do in order to retan my licence? Sorry for my ignorance. I was reading the 'So you want to be a pilot' airticle written at the GAPAN website. It says that PPL's should not build up hours after otaining a PPL because sponsors are detered from accepting you due to the 'bad habbits' than can be leant whilst hour building. Would you advise me NOT to get a PPL and build up hours if I want a sponsorship because of this reason?
Sorry, one last question: How long does it take the average PPL student to get through the course?
Thanks
Last edited by rich49; 18th Jan 2003 at 20:12.
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How long does it take to get a PPL? That rather depends on how much time you can devote to it! I'm not best qualified to say, having neither held one nor taught the syllabus, but I believe the course is around 45 hours. If you have the time, you could do it in a month to six weeks! More practically, doing it in your spare time, it's likely to take you 6 months or so. However, Private Pilots is the forum to discuss the finer points of PPLs, not here on Wannabes.
As for hour building, you have to do some to qualify for the CPL. I appreciate you're hoping for a sponsorship, but remember they're few and far between! You may very well end up self-sponsoring, like most of the Wannabes here. In which case, I would advise every so often during the hour-building process you fly with an FI to make sure that bad habits don't creep in.
Scroggs
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As for hour building, you have to do some to qualify for the CPL. I appreciate you're hoping for a sponsorship, but remember they're few and far between! You may very well end up self-sponsoring, like most of the Wannabes here. In which case, I would advise every so often during the hour-building process you fly with an FI to make sure that bad habits don't creep in.
Scroggs
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Thanks for answering my questions. I know that I will most probably end up paying for my training, I just did not want to shoot myself in the foot when it came to the very slim chance of a sposorship.
Once again, thanks for your help.
Once again, thanks for your help.
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Hey Richard,
Regarding sponsorship for your PPL, try the Air League...they always have some to offer.
Depending on the weather, you could probably complete a PPL course in the summer prior to starting your degree - that's what I did. Once you start the degree, you simply will not have the time - trust me, Aeronautical Engineering involves a lot of work (I'm in the 3rd year of it now).
Once you have a PPL, you will need to do at least 12 hours every TWO years to keep the rating valid. However, these 12 hours must be done in the 2nd year of it. Additionally, the flying school will probably require you to do some kind of checkout if you haven't been flying in a long time. Since I started my degree, I have only just managed to get the 12 hours in - because of lack of time and lack of money - something you will also have to take into account unless you join the UAS.
Hope this answers your questions
P.S. How come the course is 5 years when it's an MEng? Normally 4??
Jason
Regarding sponsorship for your PPL, try the Air League...they always have some to offer.
Depending on the weather, you could probably complete a PPL course in the summer prior to starting your degree - that's what I did. Once you start the degree, you simply will not have the time - trust me, Aeronautical Engineering involves a lot of work (I'm in the 3rd year of it now).
Once you have a PPL, you will need to do at least 12 hours every TWO years to keep the rating valid. However, these 12 hours must be done in the 2nd year of it. Additionally, the flying school will probably require you to do some kind of checkout if you haven't been flying in a long time. Since I started my degree, I have only just managed to get the 12 hours in - because of lack of time and lack of money - something you will also have to take into account unless you join the UAS.
Hope this answers your questions
P.S. How come the course is 5 years when it's an MEng? Normally 4??
Jason
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Thank you all for your help!
Jason, the reason my course is 5 years is because I will undertake an industrial placmentin my 4th year, working as a junior engineer with BA or BAe (or such like...)
If it works out, I plan to do as scroggs said, get a couple of jours with an FI to make sure I don't get any bad habbits.
Richard
Jason, the reason my course is 5 years is because I will undertake an industrial placmentin my 4th year, working as a junior engineer with BA or BAe (or such like...)
If it works out, I plan to do as scroggs said, get a couple of jours with an FI to make sure I don't get any bad habbits.
Richard
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As someone who did get sponsorship from Big Airways with a PPL and 100 hours I thought it was well worth doing. At interview having a PPL went down quite well and during training pressure was off regarding flying up to about 120hrs into the course.
It shows your potential sponsor that a) You have a genuine interest in flying, and b) You can fly.
Also, you can see if you enjoy it, which is rather important if you're thinking about making a career out of it.
From a personal point of view if I had two guys sat in front with the same qualifications , same aptitude and interview scores and one had a PPL I know which one I'd choose.
Best of luck
It shows your potential sponsor that a) You have a genuine interest in flying, and b) You can fly.
Also, you can see if you enjoy it, which is rather important if you're thinking about making a career out of it.
From a personal point of view if I had two guys sat in front with the same qualifications , same aptitude and interview scores and one had a PPL I know which one I'd choose.
Best of luck
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Hi there,
I once read in the finacial times, in Germany a interview with a pilot/managere(dont remember) from LH who said that when it comes to recruitment, they rather have people who have never flown bevor, as they do not have to get ride of theier bad happits
??? Well what ever it means, the must pilots I talked to, told me to start flying as asap.
Like glider flying (with 14) etc...
And as everybody else has said I would think it really shows your interest in the subjekt. And the fun and friendship you find in a flying club beats anything...
Regards
Micky
I once read in the finacial times, in Germany a interview with a pilot/managere(dont remember) from LH who said that when it comes to recruitment, they rather have people who have never flown bevor, as they do not have to get ride of theier bad happits
??? Well what ever it means, the must pilots I talked to, told me to start flying as asap.Like glider flying (with 14) etc...
And as everybody else has said I would think it really shows your interest in the subjekt. And the fun and friendship you find in a flying club beats anything...
Regards
Micky
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I agree with RoyMunson. I've just been successful in gaining sponsorship and I've got a PPL with IMC rating and approx 90 hours and I reckon that it stood me in good stead.
My advice is, if you can, do a PPL. One it gets you flying and you can find out if it really is as good as you think it is and whether it is what you want to do as a career or whether it's something you'd rather keep as a hobby. Plus I think that it shows commitment to your chosen career path when it comes to interviews, especially as it may take you a few years to gain sponsorship and you may end up working as an engineer to pay the bills.
VTOL
My advice is, if you can, do a PPL. One it gets you flying and you can find out if it really is as good as you think it is and whether it is what you want to do as a career or whether it's something you'd rather keep as a hobby. Plus I think that it shows commitment to your chosen career path when it comes to interviews, especially as it may take you a few years to gain sponsorship and you may end up working as an engineer to pay the bills.
VTOL
