8 ways of becoming a Pilot
 

Can anyone add to these routes which seem to be the ONLY way of ever becoming a commercial pilot without having £40,000 lose change (or a rich daddy)??

1) Join The RAF/Navy
2) Work in a Office/Shop etc etc and pay £100 a week for the PPL then CPL then....blah blah blah for lessons for the next 100 years
3) Apply for the HSBC loan with a Career Development loan
4) Get a job as an Aircraft Engineer, be it at an Airline or Flight School (will this lead on to flying though?)
5) Malgus
6) Hold your breath for Full Sponsorship (Maybe in 50 years)
7) Rob a bank
8) Lottery

Seriously now, are there any Grants or Charities for less priviliged kids like me? Surely there is, but would anyone tell?

Any other routes in are welcomed to post, but I think from my research that I've got it covered.

Does anyone think a degree in Aircraft Engineering is relevant to becoming a Pilot? worth doing?

You forgot:

Buy a house in the south east. Sit on it for seven years. Sell up, move north and with the profit keep your whole family in svelt luxury whilst completing a full commercial training program and buying type ratings for an A330, A380 and 747 (a buy two get one free offer)...


...sorted!

GAPAN have a scholarship for a Full PPL and a FI rating
There is also the J.N. Somers Award

Basically, becoming a pilot involves large sums of money, and the increasing idiocy of purchasing type ratings :mad: is going to add 20k to the basic cost of becoming a commercial pilot.

Even if you live in a tent and eat Tesco's cheapest brand of baked beans cold for the duration of your training you are unlikely to see much change out of 45k (then add said 20k for your type rating :mad: ).

It is unlikely that any airlines will start full sponsorships within the next few years, so the only way to become a licenced commercial pilot will to have very deep pockets and very understanding relatives.

thats right,it s damn expensive. In 3 years it will be more expensive.this is the fault of our european governements who charge us a fortune for taxes, exam fees ...
this job at the end, is a hobby, nothing else!a hobby for rich people.
:mad: :mad: :mad:

I agree with selling the house.

Join the air force, get some of the greatest flying in the world and join commercial aviation later. The experience you get flying in the military is second to none. You have to be admitted first offcourse. Getting an atpl and ifr rating later will be a lot easier and cheaper.
It depends on your age too offcourse.
Don't give up on a dream.
Good luck.

Yes, I agree with joining the RAF.

Bear in mind though, that if you were not Capt of the 1st XV, 1st XI hockey, 1st X1 cricket, always took the leading role in school plays, head prefect, president of the union at university, ex-Oxbridge, and always dated the most attractive girl at all establishments, and dad was kind enough to pay for flying lessons, then a career as a fast jet pilot may be out of your reach.

Funny but a lot of c**p, and I am the living proof of it.:D

I agree that the military is the best option, as long as you don't agree with 'no sponsor' above..... you do not require any of those things to become a military pilot, but you do require the positive attitude which is lacking from the above post.

I spent 9 years in the RAF (not as a pilot) and during my time I only met one guy who made it through to pilot training. He was an ex-comprehensive school bod who joined up as a mere 'erk' and had a thick geordie accent......

I also did my ppl with a guy who, knowing I was ex-RAF, asked me what his chances were, as he wasn't confident of making it.
He was an aeronautical engineering graduate from cambridge university AND had rowed for them for the last 2 years (boat race etc). I don't know whether he made it, but my point is that those things will help an application but they won't get you selected.

The time is long past when you require the right accent/school/parents to become a military pilot.

Motivation and determination go a long way.

no sponsor, best laugh I have had for ages!

Whilst I can understand some people might find your post rather trite, it is I fear not without some truth... ;)

Skeet
 

Don't take my above post seriously; it is intended to be firmly tongue in cheek;)

Nevertheless, you have to be a gifted individual to a) be selected, and b) make it through the training. In 1993, the RAF had a grand total of 4 places to be reserved for fast jet candidates. I've no idea what that figure is today, but I can't imagine it's much higher.

:)

I tried in 1992 and it was 50,000 applicants for 10 places! I had a bit of hayfever that day and...well, I need say no more :p

no sponsor, I was vice captain of the 1st XV, 1st XI Hockey, 1st XI Cricket, was stand-in for leading role in school play, Deputy Head Prefect, Vice President of the union at Polyversity, ex Blackpool, and always dated the most attractive girls' (ugly) sister at all establishments and Dad was kind enough to pay for fly- fishing lessons.........can I still make it as a slow Turboprop pilot, (as virtually promised by my FTO) or is it out of reach?;)

F3 - You could be a RAF navigator with that impressive line up of achievements.

:D

ALMOST MADE IT!
 

Im order to maintain a slight relationship with anonimity, I will keep this as ambiguous as possible.

I desperately want to fly for a career but it is becoming apparent that there is no more room at the inn!
I joined the RAF 3 years ago, went all the way through pilot training to the end of a helicopter OCU and was chopped for low-level capacity. Now that the multi-engine stream has all but closed due to huge numbers of frontline pilots staying in after 11/9, my question(s) is this...

What are the current types of licences available under JAA rules?
What experience are airlines generally looking for?
How much would said licences cost on a modular course of training?
And most importantly: What can I hope to achieve with my level of experience?..... approx 500 hrs (220 FW, 280RW) including approx 180 helicopter twin turbine hrs.

Any answers from guys in the commercial world, ex-military especially, would be gratefully received!.....
:confused:

I love these posts!!!

I played in all the above mentioned teams, never dated the prettiest girl in school (I went to an all boys school!!:) ) and had family to help along the way. I also got accepted by the air force and said no thanks.

Still managed to get by though, sure it's a struggle but I feel fantastic every time the door gets shut and the engines fire up.

Sorry, for not answering the origianl post properly but I beg, borrowed and begged some more to get to the CPL level. From there it is totally up to you and how bad you want it! Go get it and never let it go. Sorry for sounding like some hippy bound for San Francisco but life is what you make it!

Happy hunting,
Ref

NATS is recruiting... join them after A-levels on fully paid training and then earn a decent wage.

Spend 4 years working and also completing the PPL, hours, modular CPL IR and distance ATPL. Live like a pauper naturally. Bide time and use extensive contacts to find a first flying job at the grand old age of 24/25.

Useful background too have, keeps you in contact with aviation rather than stacking shelves, the money is OK, your current passion for aviation should help at the interview.

WWW

NATS
 

On that subject...

I got out of Uni this year, with an engineering degree. I'm not in a position to start flying seriously yet. I'm applying for every engineering job I can find, but I've also got the NATS form on my desk. Given that I want to go through the ATPL's (surely an instant indication of insanity :D), is it worth looking at NATS? I wanted to carry on with engineering, as I felt it gave me a financial parachute in the event of airline redundancy, but would NATS offer this too? NATS appears to be good money, but it mentions "18 months training,... salaried" - surely this would be pocket money?

Oh, one other thing - how am I supposed to convince them that I really, really want to be an ATCO? Surely they can see right through that little scam... :rolleyes:

may be difficult to convince them loretta, I tried the NATS sponsorship earlier this year. got through initial selection, but didn't get through the interview - methinks they saw my ulterior motive??!! also, get ready for lots of training and bonds to keep you at Swanwick until you are 70 :D