Deck officer in merchant navy then airline pilot
 

Hi.
I really want to become a pilot however I don't have a spare 80k so I will have to get another career first.
Is this common these days. Do most get another career/degree first and then use it to fund pilot training.

My plan is to do a degree in nautical science and become a deck officer. Then apply for all the airline cadetships and if not successful stay in the merchant navy for maybe 4/5 years until I'm about 26 and pay for pilot training myself.
Would experience as a deck officer be advantageous when applying for pilot sponsorship?
Also, do many people use the merchant navy to find their pilot training.is it a good idea?

Thanks for any advice.

Not a bad idea actually. If it pays for the training, go for it. ;)

I don't have any experience as a deck officer but from what I have heard you will be proficient with most of the aviation subjects, especially law, meteorology, navigation, aeroengines etc. (As they say law of the air was derived from the law of the sea). I know a 3rd Engineer who did a few missions and then came to fly with us back in the day. He was very good at most of the subjects since he was already familiar with them.

Maybe a shippie can give you a better insight.:E

I actually considered doing this myself, though ended up in the City instead. Not sure I'd bother with the degree unless you are being paid whilst you do it. If you started in the MN at 18, you'd be an OOW or the engineering equivalent at 21. You'd earn £25-30k for a couple of years then perhaps £35-40k, particularly on tankers. Tax-free if you're at sea for more than half the year I think, plus no rent so you could go for the airlines at 26 I reckon.

Tankers pay the most, pax vessels the least as far as I'm aware. It's not for everyone from what I've heard, though I sort of wish I'd done it that way myself. I'm either going to try and get a role similar to my own but as a contractor, or drive trains for a living, both pay well.

This will make you smile. My old driver was a sailor in the merchant navy, he then got his atpl and flew with us for about 7 years. He now flies a very posh business jet all over the globe.

So yes, I would say it can be done!

The question of a degree is interesting - while you don't necessarily need one as a pilot, it's worth noting that, in some countries, particularly Germany (but they are not the only ones), a pilot is not considered to be part of a profession, which may cause troubles when seeking unemployment benefit. In that case, a degree becomes a very good idea!

Where's Basil when he's needed?:ok:

Pretty much exactly what I did. I funds my flying while driving tankers on a generous tax free salary. 3 months at sea to study for ATPLs in one's cabin with no distractions, and then go home and spend accumulated salary on flying. As a Deck Officer the academics will make the "harder" ATPL papers of Gen Nav and Meteorology much easier as you will have studied the same subjects to similar or greater depth previously, allowing you time to focus on areas you find more difficult.

I managed to complete the whole thing with no debt and after positions with two other operators am now in the hold pool waiting for a call from BA.

I sailed in the Merchant Marine before flight school, chemical tankers, a super tanker and a bulk carrier.
Most of the money was spent on cars, motorcycles, women and song.
To fund flight training I left the sea and drove taxi cabs, kept driving cabs while flight instructing and flying skydivers, etc.
Whatever it takes..