Before anyone makes any career choices watch this video:
Cal Newport: Follow Your Passion Is Bad Advice - 99U

It's about 20 minutes long but worth it before throwing a lot of money at flight training

Are you studying A-Levels (or equivalent) at college? If you are then I don't think it makes a huge difference whether or not you study Geography instead of Electronics. Both are good subjects in my opinion.

Pretty good relative to previous years by most accounts, but still highly competitive.

I'm really not sure going to university does make you stand out a whole lot in this industry. I have mixed opinions on this question to be honest. On one hand I think it's good to have a plan B in case your chosen career never comes to fruition. On the other hand going to university will cost you a lot of money in terms of debt and lost earnings, which isn't hugely compatible with then embarking on a course of flight training. So it really depends on your personal circumstances. Either way, good luck! ;)

Thanks GFORCE made it clearer that il attempt to get on a graduate scheme post college as I have had planned for a number of years, I know their hard to come by and such but I feel as if I can do it. Thanks for your help :)

My Plan (Help & Advise could help)
 

Hi, From my profile you ca see I'm very new, however this is what I want to do in terms of later on it life, I'll give you a background.

I'm currently 17 years old, 18 in January 2015. I'm studying A-Levels at my Sixth Form and studying Geography, Psychology and BTEC ICT, I have the needed 5 C's or above at GCSE.

My dream is to become a commercial airline pilot, so I had a look at CTC's airline programmes. Ones that caught my eye were Monarch and British Airways. However, at such a young age, my fear of the cost of the training being so high, what would you do. I know both Monarch and BA use the bank loan from BBVA, do you think that's a good way to go?

Out of the two programmes, at this moment in time I think that Monarch's programme would be best in terms of entry requirements.

My family also do not simply understand how much I want this dream to become a reality, but with how much the training costs, they won't even think about it.

Any help or advise is welcome.

Thanks :ok:

hi, first of all i would like to be an airline pilot but i'm too confused if i'm going to start my training. since i'm not sure if i can hit the job right after the training. i'm already turning 25 this year still in the middle of yes or no.

First off - keep working on your A Levels - many schemes require two or more A Level grades at C or above, with the British Airways one requiring BBC or above at A Level. The British Airways scheme could be regarded as the most foolproof, as once you have completed training you have the sum paid back to you in full over seven years, however this makes it very popular and even getting to the interviews stage can be a challenge. I'm about to start applying for the Atlantic Airways scheme, which requires no funding up front but does require you to have a PPL before applying, and costs will be paid back once a position is secured. As I have been told many times, and it is good advice, find something that makes you stand out from the crowd and do it. I'm sure that interviewers get bored of hearing the same old stuff, and having a unique or interesting hobby or interest can help grab their attention.

The fact is, this is not an easy career to get into - but don't let that stop you from having a damn good go at it. I'll be 18 a month after you, but I have the benefit of a funding source. Sometimes however, money is the least of the issue, you first have to find a scheme that you get far enough in to actually need to pay for. The other ways in which fledgling careers are started are numerous. Whether it's bush flying (something many younger wannabes seem to be getting more and more interested in) or crop spraying, it seems that aspiring airline pilots are finding even more ways to make their dreams a reality.

My advice to you? Same as many peoples advice to me. Have fun, and for this great bit of your life that exists between 18 and 21, don't let the prospect of a future career dominate. By all means, apply to every scheme you can find and fly in smaller aircraft at every opportunity just for the experience, but make sure you remember to have fun. I hate the saying with a passion, but you do only live once, and it's very difficult to do the kind of things you do at this age once you've retired (do with that as you will...)

If you have any more questions don't hesitate to ask :)

Philip - continue to work hard at those a-levels and get the best grades you can. For many the BBVA loan is the only way to go, hence why the terms of the loan are shocking, if you have the money then great!

Immerse yourself in as many activities as possible, get a part time job, visit your local airfield, attend FTO open days (take what is said at these with a huge pinch of salt), visit the flyer exhibition at Heathrow, and ask to visit the flight deck on flights that you are on. These activities will help to demonstrate your motivation to become a pilot, of which recruiters will want to see evidence. This should also help demonstrate to your family how much you want this job. If you want to do it and get the loan you will need to have them onboard. However I would ask yourself if you feel comfortable with using your parent’s home as security for a loan?

Most importantly before you spend any money, get yourself down to Gatwick for the initial class 1 medical – without this you will never be able to fly commercially.

I think it’s worth bringing yourself up to speed with what’s currently happening in the aviation industry. In the current state of affairs Monarch will most likely not be recruiting cadets for a while. BA on the other hand probably will. Look at airlines and see how they recruit their pilots, what do they look for when hiring new pilots? The low hour market is flooded with people that all have the license, what makes you stand out?

To fly or not to fly!!
 

I completed my PPL(H) in 2008 but haven’t flown for 4 years due to work and financial commitments.
For these 4 years I have thought about nothing apart from flying again and have really missed it. I am disillusioned with my job so now I have decided to carry out my dream and continue with flying helicopters again.
My issue is the old favorite of money and spending money with no guarantee of a job at the end.
I read on all the flying schools websites that there is or will be a shortage of chopper pilots within the next year or so. This maybe propaganda to take my money and give me false hope but naively and optimistically I hope this is true and they are not the scammers of the century!
I’ve looked online to see what jobs there are and this may have been my first mistake. On looking there doesn’t seem to be many jobs and the ones I have seen seem to have everybody and their dog going for it.
Are there jobs out there or am I for a major disappointment?
I’m still going to push on with my dreams but the question now is where to go to learn?
I am English but do I train in the UK where I would have to sell every organ in my body or go somewhere warm like the good old US of A??
I know I would have to put travel and accommodation into my funding but it still seems to come out cheaper by the hour compared to good old blighty.
If I get my FAA exams all the way from hour building, IFR, CPL, CFI and then CFII, it’s going to cost me a fortune to change back to the new EASA.
Sooooooo, if it costs me a lot to change my licenses over, would it be a waste of time going the US way and just bite the proverbial bullet and do my licenses in England?
Also where is the best place to learn and hopefully be taken on at the end?
If you wish you can PM me.
Thanks guys.

First of all, take with a pinch of salt any promises of employment after training. Next, don't forget you need immigration if you train and intend to work in another country, and that you have to think many years ahead in this business.

Having said all that - there are indeed shortages of helicopter pilots, but in the mid range. That is to say, there are lots of low time guys (and gals) and lots of high timers, but not much in the middle. As the average age of the industry is quite high (57 in the GOM a few years ago), I can see that over the next few years most of the industry will have to retire, which should nicely take you to the end of your training.

Your licence is not the only hurdle - that is actually the easy part - you need some sort of specialisation (IR or longlining, mountain course) or hours in the book, so your budget needs to be quite high for the extras.

If you want to go that route I would also recommend another language (Spanish, etc), which is a cheap upgrade for a low hours pilot.

Thanks for all the suggestions and help. I am trying to apply for a part time job to earn some money, however I do need more help to persuade my family that this is what I want to do, it's what I want. They keep explaining that it's a lot of money, which I understand. any more help?

Thanks

Thinking about becoming a pilot
 

Hi guys,

My first post here, hope its in the correct section.

For a long time I have wanted to be a pilot, scared of heights but love being in the air (yeah as crazy as it sounds). Until recently i have never had the cash to do the training. Now I am able to afford to pay for the training outright i am considering doing it however there are a number of things putting me off. If possible i would like to hear the views of people with more experience on the following points:

Salary:
Are pilots salaried or paid per flight hour? I have read conflicting things on the internet.
Also is it true pilots can start on as little as 20k a year? Again i have read different things. Many websites state being a pilot is one of the best paying jobs earning 70k + per year however others say you can start on around 20k.
I currently earn 32k (+OT taking it to around 40k) repairing the EEC for trent 700 & 800 engines. I dont really want to spend 60k on training to walk into a 20k a year job.

Job Prospects:
Is it really that hard to get a job with a decent airline? Due to the high cost of training id have thought pilots are hard to come by, however many sites on the internet are saying there are loads of pilots and few jobs.

Commuting:
I understand being a pilot is not exactly a 9-5 job. I have no problem working unsociable hours, however I have also read that pilots have to commute 100's of miles or get a flight to another airport before starting their shift, that some sleep in airport lounges and even the planes themselves. What is the reality of this?

I have read articles at the following link however it seems to be very US orientated. How does this compare to flying for UK airlines?:
The Truth About the Profession - Home

All advice greatly appreciated.

IF you manage to get a job, the starting salary for most newbie pilots I know (myself included) is £20-25000 If you have paid for your type rating, it might be towards the top end. If you are bonded for your type rating, it's towards the bottom end. I took a pay cut of nearly £10000 to do the job I'm in now.

I expect to be in this kind of pay bracket for several years until I have gained enough experience to be able to move to a larger operator where the progression to higher pay scales is possible.

That's the realistic picture, particularly since you seem to be heading for the modular route rather than the integrated route. There are those who do get straight into an airliner job, and over the course of a few years their financial position does eventually get somewhere decent.

Commuting - it's a 2.5 to 3 hour commute from my home to where I work. I work some pretty strange hours, but nowhere near as bad as some. That said, the worst of the "flying to fly" commuting seems to happen in the USA and not so much in Europe. Bear in mind you have to go where the jobs are. Would you move to Inverness, or Newquay, or Norwich, or London, to follow a 6 month contract? If you have a house established and a mortgage, this makes it a lot more complicated since paying mortgage on your own house and then rent on a hardly used room near to your current place of work makes life very financially stretched. If you're a 20 year old living at mum and dad's hotel, your options are clearly much greater for renting something near to where you're working.

Advice (stepping stones)
 

Hello all,

I am now 20 years old and in the final year of my Bsc hons degree in sport with a predicated grade of 2:1/1st. My whole life (especially more recently) i have dreamed of one day perusing a career in aviation as a pilot. I have a fully functional Boeing and Cessna flight simulator at my university which i use on a weekly basis (all hours logged) so even though its not substantial, i am currently gaining some aviation training. I just wondered whether there was any advice on what next steps i should take to start being more serious about aviation and start training to become a pilot? I have researched aviation training for some time now and am aware of the substantial financial investment i must make!

If anyone could offer any advice then please post as it will be much appreciated!

Basically - fly something.


I'm guessing as a final year undergrad, you're up to your eyeballs in debt, and also fairly busy. However, not all flying needs to be expensive.

Most universities have a university gliding club - go and join them. Get some time with air under the tyres: at this early stage it really doesn't matter what, and actually gliding does tend to create good "stick and rudder" pilots which should help counteract the bad habits you've probably been developing from unsupervised mucking about on computer flight emulators.

Once you do have time and money, then the next stage is to do a PPL. It really doesn't matter what that is in - microlights, gliders, motorgliders, helicopters will all serve the basic function. That said, if you do it on light aeroplanes, then the hours are most portable to civil professional licences. The main issue here is that you need to learn:-

(1) Whether you have an aptitude for real flying (and don't think that simulator time has told you that, it hasn't).

(2) Whether you have enough real passion for flying to keep going through the exams and training.

(3) How the real world flying environment works - from contact with the various professional pilots who will be teaching you.


Once you have a private flying qualification of some description, then you're in a position to decide if you want to go pro or not.


And don't forget at your relatively young age, everything is open to you - not just the standard default of airline pilot that is all most people see. Military careers in particular - either as (say) a PT Officer with access to service flying clubs, or as a military pilot.

Like i said before, step one is a class 1 medical. Until you have that, any effort or money spent might be entirely wasted.

Thank you for your advice it is much appreciated, I have gained few 'real world' flight time but will keep looking at gaining more after I graduate as like you said I am up to my eyeballs in work!

Where do I start?
 

Hello!

I am fairly new to these forums. I've been snooping around them for the last couple of days...

To cut a long story short I am a bloke in his early 20s born and bred in the US who has had a burning desire to become an airline pilot ever since he was a little kid etc etc etc. Unfortunately I sort of gave up on the idea in high school when I realized that there was no way I could ever back my dream with the adequate amount of mulah or achieve it via the military route. So I had to think of something else to do in the mean time...

Fast forward a few years and I am now a professional firefighter in one of the biggest cities in the UK. A bit random I know but I feel very blessed and also very content to be where I am now, doing what i'm doing BUT... I still always find myself looking up at the clouds etc etc etc [insert cheesy dream stuff here].

Now I am beginning to feel like I am in a position where I can actually start thinking about pursuing my ultimate dream of being in the right seat of an airliner. I am not saying i've got the money to do it this very moment but at least I am making decent money which I can save towards my dream. Plus I hopefully also have time on my side. Maybe?

From what I can tell these are my options...

A) Save around £30k, go and do all my training in the US. However I know this will not get me anywhere near the amount of hours or experience I will need to apply for any airline job. So if I went this route would there be any part-time flying jobs I could do in the UK to make me competitive for an airline flying job?

OR

B) Go the integrated flight school route like CTC, get lucky and get hired for easyJet flexicrew or something similar. However it is a terrifying thought that I might be nearly £100k in debt and be making less £££ than I am now.

Now money is not everything to me. I do not want to be a pilot for the big $$$ but obviously we all need to be making enough to look after our families and not be in a load of debt.

Oh and before I forget there are also things like BAs future pilot program but I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket, get rejected by these excellent programs and not be any closer to becoming an airline pilot because I didn't do any training myself. But then again you can't be a fully certified pilot and apply to these programs...

Heck, what about becoming a bush or mission pilot? But you need a load of hours for those jobs too.

So that brings me back to the title of this thread, where do I start?

Let me specify I do love my job and would be quite happy doing it till the day I die but that doesn't mean I don't want to give my ultimate life long dream the big old try otherwise I will always wonder, what if?

I fully appreciate anyone's input in advance! :)

And let me just specify that I attempted to get my PPL a few years back so I know I love to fly. Never achieved because I ran out of money.

I think you should apply for sponsored schemes and see where they take you. You have a good job from which I'm sure you'll have demonstrated lots of qualities that airlines are looking for. You're also still young enough that if they don't work out over the next few years then you can try the alternatives.

Hope it's helpful.

Cheers for that G-FORC3!

Are there any sponsored schemes you can recommend? The best one i've seen is BAFPP which will be up again in 2015.

The reason I ask this is because I see an application for easyJet open on CTC and am not sure if it's even worth applying for.

I know I need to have a look myself as i've only just got back on board with this stuff but I also appreciate tips from those more experienced... ;)

Any mentored scheme with a reputable airline is a golden opportunity. The BAFPP is the best in my humble (and entirely unbiased :p) opinion. But a scheme that gets you to the RHS of an Easyjet A320 is an excellent one too. :ok:

Ha, and my fire station is the best and busiest in the world! :}

Yeah, after having spent quite a bit of time reading the stuff on these forums i've decided to throw myself off a bridge... :eek:

Kidding... no... instead over the coming years I will attempt to save a giant mound of money as well as apply for all the best sponsored schemes I can. And if I don't ever get into any of those then I will hopefully have saved enough to go the modular route. And then at least I will still have my job and be able to look for flying jobs without the debt.

Advice heeded!

USA or UK and other stuff
 

Hi everyone,

I was wondering... if you had the choice of pursuing an airline career in either the USA or the UK where would you go and why?

From what I can tell, the modular route in the USA seems to be a much more acceptable route to the flight deck for those of us who will never have a spare 100k lying around. The only catch is that you will most likely need a bachelors degree to be competitive for a major airline.

UK seems to offer a more direct route to the cockpit (integrated ATPL OAA/CTC) but only if you have the cash and you don't even get a PPL out of them? You are also stuck with your airline? Factor in a high degree of luck and being in the right place at the right time. The cadet programs are definitely worth as many shots as you can give them though as they are not available in the US.

I personally feel that America would be the best way to go if you factor out the cadet programs. You get all your licences (including PPL) and all options are open to you unlike in integrated ATPL/MCC programs. It is cheaper and you can work your way up the ladder.

And if you already loved your job would you give it up to pursue a career in the flight deck of a major? Or would flying Cessners for fun on the weekends satisfy? Is flying a big jet ACTUALLY much more exciting and enjoyable than flying a small prop plane and going on flying adventures around the world. I understand that there are A LOT of variables in this one but general thoughts would be appreciated... If you don't want to fly for money than why are you flying for money? Do you get more of a buzz from flying a big jet? Are the views much better?

I just can't shake off the feeling I get when I think about being in control of a large multi-million dollar jet aircraft, full of passengers that are relying on my skills and professionalism to get them from point A to point B safely and efficiently. But as I said, I can only imagine, I don't know what it actually feels like... I just can't get rid of that, "WOW, I wanna do that" feeling (shiny jet syndrome). Do you airline pilots still get that feeling?

Lastly, are you ever too old to become an airline pilot (bearing in mind you have to give your license back when your 60)? Will you still get a fair shot as anyone else starting out in your mid to late 30s?

I would highly appreciate your response!

Considering career change - doctor to pilot
 

Hi all,

I am currently a medical student in year 4 out of 6 years of study. Basically I always wanted to be an airline pilot, right from my first ever time flying, took a few flying lessons around the age of 16 before I realised that me and my family simply couldn't afford pilot training, modular or integrated.

Anyway, I went into medicine at University because of the above reasons, I also enjoyed work experience in the field and basically around when I started (2011) the chances of getting an airline job were slim and I wanted to go to university anyway. But the thought of becoming a pilot always niggled.

I fully expect to get told where to go when I say I am coming from a guaranteed job in medicine but I'll tell you this: whilst I enjoy the subject matter, medical careers have had a fall from grace much like flying jobs recently: my starting base salary will be around £22k (less than a FlyBe Q400 FO I believe), with around £60k in student debt and endless competition for jobs that will have me moving around every 6 months and maybe not ever getting a job in my chosen field and location. Basically while your job is secure in medicine in your early years (when you're getting married and raising a family) stability is basically zero and it's entirely possible you can end up in a job you hate in a place you don't like. On top of that the government is making a right mess of the NHS in general, morale is low and the future is uncertain. If I walked away from the job right after graduating it would be difficult to get back into it.

A little bit of me died inside when I realised I had missed opportunities like EI's recent cadetship and BA's FPP. EI covered 75% costs I believe; BA offered to act as a guarantor for the £100k loan and then pay it back (or am I missing something?). Basically what I am saying is that whilst I have no intention of doing ab inito training without a job at the end of it, if a scheme similar to these opened up again I would have a hard time turning it down.

My questions therefore are as follows:

1. what are the chances of similar schemes coming along again and is it worth applying? It seems to me that both are good deals at stable, "career" airlines. Also if I was to start with someone like BA, what would be the chances of commuting from EDI or GLA as a junior FO? For people like EI and Flybe, am I right in saying that Scotland/NI bases are easier to get into? (I'm basing that on very very old info)

2. is the industry as bad as PPRuNE makes it sound? Granted paying to fly at Ryanair sounds horrendous and I see a lot are moving out east (many doctors do too by the way), but when the cockpit door closes are you happy or is there a lot of moaning at 35000ft?

3. what are the timescales of schemes like the above? If I was to apply would it be worth sticking out my uni studies in case it all went awry? And is there anything I'm missing that makes them less rosy?

Thanks for reading this long post. I'd really appreciate some honest answers because to be honest I'm sick of turning it over in my head for the last 6 months! Does anyone have any advice for me on where to start? Getting a Class 1 medical before I do anything stupid for instance?

Hi,

I am 19 years old and have just completed my A-Levels in the previous year. After much deliberation, thought and industrial advice I decided that going to university was not for me. I'd rather utilise the 3-4 years saving up for my ATPL as a degree was not compulsory.

My father already works for a leading UK airliner 'in the air' so travelling with him has given me the opportunity to meet various pilots on the job so to speak. Having spoke to many pilots they have advised that a Integrated route is preferred to the Modular, As airlines favour the 'Full-Time training'.

I have decided to set up my own business as well as accompany my father on many flights to keep the dream alive. I am currently in the process of applying for my Class 1 medical which I would recommend to everyone. This will give you peace of mind:that you can meet the MEDICAL requirements to avoid disappointment in the future.

Good Luck.

There is already a long thread about the debate between modular and integrated so I won't start it again here, but I would urge everyone to make the decision themselves after doing their own research, and not based on what one or some pilots/others tell you.

I was originally told by an instructor that integrated was the only way if I wanted a job. I couldn't afford this so I did it modular knowing that I may have to use some savings doing less well paid work whilst waiting for a job. The result of this is that I have never been out of a job for more than 2 months and where I work now (flying jets in Europe for a mid sized operator) I have had discussions with other FOs who said they felt sick learning that they had paidin excess of 3-4x more than I did.

26 years old and wanting to become a pilot?
 

Hi,

I am currently 26 years of age and will be 27 come April. From a very young age i knew i wanted to fly no matter when i turned 17 years of age i started my PPL training at my local flying school, however i did not finish the whole course.

I am currently a Banking relationship manager employed full-time, however i want to reach my go back and commence training for a PPL and possible progress after my PPL so i can make a career out of it.

My question is because of my age and the age i will be when i complete training in a few years time will this be a disadvantage to me because i know a lot of pilots today are very young both male and female.

I have booked my first one hour flying lesson which will take place tomorrow and i I'm extremely excited at the thoughts of even being near the aircraft.

I welcome any advice anyone has to offer.

Thanks

Where to Start? (For becoming a Pilot)
 

Hello everyone!

Since I was 12, I have had a deepened interest in aviation. I participate in aviation fourms and enjoy discussing and learning about the subject. I'm now 15, and really considering a career as an Airline Pilot.

The thing is, I've no clue where to start. I've never actually been in the cockpit of a plane and know little of controls etc. I know some of the technical side eg: Lift, Wind, Go-Arounds (which I'll admit isn't much) but I don't know what to do to even half follow my interests.

My end game would be to become a pilot for a commercial airline, preferably for an Irish airline. I would also like to get my training done in Europe.

So where should I start? Should I get lessons on light aircraft for my birthday (June)? What are the requirements for becoming a pilot?

I'm really clueless on the issue.

@aer Ryan

Jobs are very hard to come by once you finish your training. My advice to you would be to go to college and get a degree so that you have something to fall back on. In the mean time, maybe start by getting your PPL, it's the first step and will give you a real sense of what flying is all about. Depending on what part of Ireland you're in there are a few flying schools and clubs around that you can take lessons in.

Zero to ATPL - Where?
 

Hello, caution, long post ahead!

I would like to ask your advice about starting training in order to be a commercial pilot.

- Some background about me:
I'm a 31 year old, Finnish guy working on my PhD in natural sciences.

It has always been my dream to be a pilot ever since I saw the movie 'Top Gun' when I was 5. When I was 18 I started my training as a cadet in the air force, but had to drop out due to personal reasons (death in the family), and finished my military service in the special forces (sgt. first class). I have no flight hours.

As it happened I abandoned the flying dream and started studying, graduated, started work life, and now doing research and working on my doctoral degree.

Last week my professor and supervisor had his second heart attack, and is still in intensive care, not sure if he will get out of it and in what shape he is going to be if he does. This, as well as the job market for people with my education made me reconsider my career choices.
All I have is degrees, no savings, and no real job (I make the same money as the cleaners who clean the floors in university), no pension (researchers don't get salaries, they are paid grants). I can either continue doing research, or be a teacher.
It means I will have to take a study loan for the entire cost of the training+living expenses.

My uncle and my cousin are both commercial pilots, one captain in SAS, the other first officer in Lufthansa, they both are really happy and make really good living.
I would (and do) consult with them, however they both came from the air force with hundreds of hours and just converted their license, they never had to do the training from scratch.

- Where should I start my training?
I've narrowed it down to three schools, each with its own advantages/disadvantages:

#1: Aeropole Finland:
http://www.aeropole.fi/prices/
Cost: 107,000 euros
Time: 16 months
Advantages:
Location: it's in Finland, so housing, paper work etc. are much less of a problem.
Quality of service and teaching: should be high, if they stick to the Finnish standards, also us Finns have a good reputation to keep in regards to honesty and reliability.
Disadvantages:
Price: 107 thousands + loan interest means it will take me about 8-10 to repay the loan, plus pay for extra hours and upkeep of license, if it takes time to find work, which I expect it will, if I only have 229 hours.
Hours: at the end of the training one has a frozen ATPL and 229 hours.

#2 EFT Florida
http://www.flyeft.com/professional-courses/
Cost: 120,00 or ~100,000 USD
Time: 12 or 24 months
Advantages:
All included approach: no extra hidden fees, accommodation on premises included as well as everything else.
Both FAA/EASA licenses: opens more employment opportunities.
internship: possibility to earn experience, pay, and hours as flight instructor. If their website is to be believed, they claim students are able to pay back 30%-40% of their training costs with internship and earn 1500 hours.
Disadvantages:
tighter selection criteria: I don't know if I'm too old for them, or how hard is it really to get in, they also have all kinds of strange English tests, but I don't know if I should take them, since I've completed 2 full academic degrees in English, published in English, etc.
American bureaucracy: need to figure out all the issues with Visas and permits etc. probably not a big deal, still a small headache.
Quality of service and teaching hard to verify: They have plenty of testimonials, and positive reviews even on this forum, however, even I can put up a fancy website and flood this forum with positive reviews in a couple of weeks, better be safe than sorry, what do you guys think?
Price(???): seemingly the most expensive, but might be the cheapest overall, it's hard to say because the other schools don't advertise many hidden costs and don't include living costs.

#3 Flying Academy Czech Republic:
http://www.flyingacademy.com/index.php?page=zero-to-500
Cost: 45,000 euros (ex. VAT)
Time: 16 (+12 months)
advantages:
Price(???): seemingly the cheapest option, but so many extra costs exist
Instructor internship: Like in EFT you can work as an instructor which is great.
Disadvantages:
All exclusive approach: no idea what the total cost is. No idea how much the cost of living is in Czech Rep, will have to sort out housing etc.
Quality of service and teaching hard to verify: same as EFT.


I'm still relatively young, healthy, disciplined, somewhat bright, single.
Would love to hear your opinions, experiences, and advice.
Should I even be considering this?
Maybe I should just go and start studying else from scratch?


Thanks a lot!

Help needed!
 

Dear all,

My name is Daniel here, I am 18 this year, a Singapore citizen. I've just completed my GCE 'O' Levels.

Since young, at about age 7, it has always been my childhood dream to be a commercial pilot. Recently, I spoke to an airline pilot and he introduced pprune.org to me.

I need help on what to do next. Some has recommended Massey University in New Zealand to me. Any ideas?

A few questions related to becoming an airline pilot
 

Hello folks,

I am a second year university student (B.E Computers) and wanted to know how do I pursue my dream of becoming a pilot.

I did some research around but still have some confusion regarding licenses, Institutes and other stuff.

So here are my questions,

1)So far what I've read here and other websites the path to becoming a pilot is SPL>PPL>CPL>ATPL(After 1500Hrs of flying).?
2)Type Rating means that you're authorized to fly that type of aircraft.?
3)Instrument rating is to be done only once?
4)Every six months you go through a fitness test or some sort of test so that the airlines can be sure that you're fit to fly?

Now coming to the training part..

• Since I have a degree in Computer Engineering, would getting a degree in some aviation stream made any difference? Basically the point of getting my degree is (1)Fail-safe option (2)My parent's don't have enough money for full flight training. So my plan was to work for 2 or odd years after my degree, save up some money and cost will be divided 50-50.
• Now about the institute, a few weeks ago I had emailed CTC aviation and they quoted 85,000pounds ~ 85 lacs Indian Rupees which is tooooo damn high!(like Audi A6 high!). Goggling results in some famous top institutes to a shady flying school in some deep corner of the country which is very confusing/:confused:. Mostly I do not want my training in India and want to go abroad. Some countries which offer good training will be sufficient. I'm taking German Language next semester so can it be helpful somehow?
• Also can someone explain the licenses stuff? Is it correct that If I've got an FAA license I can only fly in the US? EASA means only Europe? Then what about Asia? I also read about license conversion, what is that?
• I know that after training I'm definitely not gonna get a job right-away so what are some tips to get that "first" job?

I had a few more questions(less important) that I'll ask later.


But if someone could guide me or show a way it would be very helpful. I don't come from a family of pilots so I have no practical knowledge, just what I read on the Internet.

P.S I want to become a pilot because It's my passion /dream. It's not about the money. I'm ready to face the initial struggle.

A 350, you'll need to do a bit of homework if you're actually serious and not just a contrail watcher. It's a fair amount of work, at least as much so as a degree but more expensive...and guess who's paying? £100,000+in UK. And the six monthly proficiency checks go on for all your working life. There are a load of scam artists offering shortcuts -pay this for a guaranteed job. Follow your dreams...but do your homework!

Chasing the dream
 

Hi Guys,

I am in my early 30's and now considering chasing my dream of becoming a pilot.
Unlike most I am not aiming to become an airline pilot. I would prefer to stick to lighter aircrafts.

I would appreciate anybody who has worked through the ranks to give me an indication on what salary expectations should be, I am UK based.

I would also appreciate if anybody can give some input for ideas to get funding.
I would be able to some save for a portion of the cost but would need funding of some sort.

You can choose any two out of the three :hmm:

http://www.pprune.org/professional-p...ine-pilot.html

There are other threads, equally easily found, which will answer othr aspects of your questions.

Any advice for a keen wannabe commercial pilot?
 

I'm a 15 year old female, who is about to choose my A-levels. I was wondering what routes into the industry was. I've considered going to uni and studying air transport, and I plan to apply for any airline based in the UK's future pilot scheme. I know that the acceptance rate is extremely low, so I need to have a back up plan. I've been fasinated by aviation for as long as I can remember and have wanted to be a pilot since I was around 10.

Any advice would be helpful, thank you. :)

18 years old Singaporean
 

Join the RSAF.

emileijane

:confused:

I may be wrong (often am) but I'm not sure there's any such generic "UK" scheme that feeds all the UK airlines - are you perhaps thinking of the British Airway's "Future Pilot Programme"?

Whatever you choose, good luck....

Many UK based airlines offer 'courses' like British Airway's future pilot scheme, I just used that as a generic term for all the airlines which offer it. :)

Ah OK, my misunderstanding, it's just that to me looked like some form of official title.

..I'd still offer the caution that some advertised "schemes" are much more equal than others :hmm: , and wish you the best of luck....