Can I make a career flying???
 

Hi all

Just joined the site and would like some good quality advice and feedback. I am currently learning to fly at Rochester airport in Kent. I am 36.65 years old and have just completed 2 hours solo. I know it's early days but is it possible to attain a good career as a pilot? I have no formal qualifications though have had a good career in IT and management. It may be worth pointing out I seem to be adapting to flying quite well. I don't mind hard work if the rewards are there.

Kind Regards
Brian :)

Well, It's all about personality I'm afraid.
Most (if not all) sponsorship-schools have their applicants see a psycologist and a doctor. Mainly to see that they won't be wasting the money on someone who won't be able to pass the Airline interviews. I'ts also to see that the applicant can get a class 1 medical. There are psychologists who specialize in aviation psycology and check the potential of people interested in becoming a commercial pilot. Usually this costs (in sweden) 3000-5000 SEK. this equates to about 200-333 Pounds.
This would be my advice, go and see an Aviation specialized psycologist. If he/she gives you a negative answer, go and get a second oppinion or give up and fly privatly. It might be harsh giving up a dream, but unless you've got financial resources, the possibility of loosing a lot of money is something to seriously consider. In sweden, full ATPL training will cost you something like 600 000 - 900 000 SEK. I don't believe many people can afford chucking this down the bin. Where will you use a full ATPL in normal day life?
I'm not trying to scare you or anything, but there are risks with taking on this type of training. Go and see what your chances are! Good luck!

Best regards/lns

A mere youngster! If you get hard at it, you can get the best job in the world.
I started this year at the tender age of 40, flying for a regional airline. Do it now as after 40 I would suggest it will be harder to find s job. There have been plenty of threads on this subject if you search back, but a psychologist? I thought all pilots were certifiable anyway?? The Class 1 Medical is a must, however, and has to be done at CAA in Gatwick (initially) for lots of your hard earned cash.

...otherwise, you can pop across to The Continent, and do it at a fraction of the price. ;)

Seadog: Certifiable - yes, seen by the JAA/FAA/CAA, but will the airlines want the person. It's very much up to who you are as a person, see that's why they have interviews and various tests before being taken on by an airline.

Some have it, and some others don't. They want to see how you react to stress, if you blaim bad test results on other factors than yourself, and if you cope well with working as a team.
But as long as you can see faults in your own actions, and you're able to perform tasks better by seeing what you've done wrong, you'll be attractive to the airlines!
Regards/lns

Commander Biggles:Yes in short it can be done though I agree that it is wise to be cautious before taking the plunge.
I too began flying later in life taking to the skies for the first time at thirty.I gave up a secure career in London and over a period of years on the "self-improver" route gained the necessary qualifications.
There are indeed many factors to consider.I was a single man when I began this process and in due course married a very supportive wife who helped me through the final stages (GFT's IR).Your family situation clearly needs to be considered as well as their thoughts and feelings.When push comes to shove you will need their love and assistance.
You mentioned a lack of formal qualifications.I qualified at the same time as an instructing colleague of mine who was formally a roofer by trade with no great educational background yet he coped well with the groundschool and the flying and now works for Virgin I believe.I in contrast come from a postgraduate background but this has not been of any special significance either during my training or in my airline career.What is needed is a basis aptitude real committment lots of energy and hard work and perhaps plenty of spare cash or an understanding bank manager!
Look at yourself and your situation with sober judgement.
An airline career is acieveable by you and people like you.You just have to want it badly enough!
My best wishes to you.

Depends what you mean by 'career' and what your current salary expectations are....The pay for F/O's in UK is very low.

If you are in your mid 30's you probably have a fairly reasonable income (?) and you'd probably have to go the self-improver route to get a flying job - so you have to consider is it worth;

a)forking out £40K - £50K in training for an ATPL and having to either not work whilst training or take significant time off work to train.

b)Loosing a few years salary and instead getting paid peanuts as a FI (no offence to FI's) whilst hourbuilding and trying to get a job.

c) Getting paid only £20K - £27K for at least the first few years.

d)having to spend alot time away from girlfiend/wife/kids and having to accept re-locationing, possibly several times.

Many people when they talk about 'how much it will cost' don't mention the (very large) cost of lost earnings whilst training, hourbuilding and early on in their airline career.

ie. If you are on a salary of £70K now, it means that by the time you have been a F/O for two years you will have lost financially;

50K in training costs
110K - 225K in lost earnings.

ie. worst case it could realistically cost you the best part of £250K !!

If you are 18 yrs old, never having earnt a wage before and without mortgage, wife, home etc then I guess the above doesn't apply, although the training costs are the same.

I'm not trying to put you off, but if you do fit into the profile of someone who has already a successfully established career, you really have to ask yourself are you prepared to slash and burn your finances, home and possibly familly...

Good luck!

Hi all

I would Just like to know of the people that have responded to Commander Biggles's posting, how many are airline pilots? Seadog mentioned that he's flying for a regional airline, so thats 1 and he had probably the most positive response. The rest of you seem quite negative! IF YOU WANT IT BAD ENOUGH BIGGLES THEN YOU'LL GET IT!!! :mad:

Qualifications don't come into it.
Guesswork, pure guesswork on the theory.
You might know the subject inside out but once you are in the exam hall the questions wont make any sense anyway. Designed to catch you out you see, more money for the CAA.
You could always bribe a member of FCL, apparantly it was going on a few years ago till they were found out.

Otherwise, good luck with the multi-guess "Pepsi-Challenge"

Err Eddy... It's not a case of being positive or negative or whether you are a airline pilot or not.... CB asked what his prospects are in becoming an ATP. Anyone whos spent time investigating the route to being a ATP or is actually there already can comment with some degree of accuracy. Sorry if the truth sounds negative.

I don't think any of the responses are incorrect.


You don't work for a training organisation do you...??

Best regards,

UKPPL

Hi all

I just want to thank everyone for their response to my post. They have all been helpfull.

Regards :rolleyes: