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wormhole 13th March 2026 09:25

Another wannabie
 
Hello, another wannabe pilot looking for some general advice.

A list of facts / limiting factors

- 42 years of age (yep I know, could be more ideal)
- Living in a Nordic country
- Have EASA medical
- Have a young daughter and girlfriend so can't just go off flight training somewhere for months
- Have a UK PPL(A) but the type rating expired some 10 years ago
- I should be able to borrow the money I need, or it's possible I'll have to try and find a part time job if I max out all other possibilities

I have concluded that flight training is too expensive where I live, plus employment opportunities both now and in the future are probably not good for me (language skill issues amongst other things), so the plan is to relocate to the UK.

I am working on getting the UK medical, so everything else is obviously dependant on that.

The basic idea is that I will;

1. Remain where I live for now, buy the ATPL ground school course from Bristol Groundschool. I will try and do the hardest subjects first, spend 2/3 months, maybe more getting a few exams done.
2. Relocate to the UK, renew the type rating and start flying the needed hours
- 150 TT and 100PIC needed to start CPL course I think?
- hour building > SEIR > hour building > MEP > MEIR > hour building > SECPL once @ 200 hours with ATPL exams completed > UPRT > APS MCC

Does this seem to work as a plan?
Does anyone have any recommendations on flight schools? I am looking ideally around the South-East but for family reasons I might end up elsewhere in the country, maybe midlands or further north.
Does anyone have any recommendations for finance (like I said I at least should be able to borrow, but always worth hearing about other options if my Plan A falls through).
Does anyone know which APTL exams I should focus on first (I want to do the hardest ones first if possible). I might get this help from the course anyway.
Any other advice (Example: "What are you doing? You are crazy")

Thanks!



rudestuff 13th March 2026 12:00

Is that British but living in a Nordic country? Right to live and work is the most important factor.

wormhole 13th March 2026 12:09


Originally Posted by rudestuff (Post 12051610)
Is that British but living in a Nordic country? Right to live and work is the most important factor.

Hi rudestuff, British and Finnish citizenship, currently living in Finland.

+TSRA 13th March 2026 20:37


Does anyone know which APTL exams I should focus on first (I want to do the hardest ones first if possible). I might get this help from the course anyway.
That's rather subjective as everyone has at least one subject that they struggle with to varying degrees. One pilot might argue Air Law is hard while another will say they can't understand Met while someone with a physics background will tell you principles of flight is the easiest. I suggest you think back to your PPL and identify what you found difficult and use that as a jumping off point. Yes some exams are harder than others, but you have to know your strengths and weaknesses before you take on any advice for what order to write exams in.

Good luck.

wormhole 14th March 2026 09:07


Originally Posted by +TSRA (Post 12051873)
That's rather subjective as everyone has at least one subject that they struggle with to varying degrees. One pilot might argue Air Law is hard while another will say they can't understand Met while someone with a physics background will tell you principles of flight is the easiest. I suggest you think back to your PPL and identify what you found difficult and use that as a jumping off point. Yes some exams are harder than others, but you have to know your strengths and weaknesses before you take on any advice for what order to write exams in.

Good luck.

Right that is a very good point. I suppose I might have to just base it on sheer amount of material or maybe if people consistently talk about a certain subject being difficult.

Beaker_ 14th March 2026 10:02

The BGS modules are set so that certain subjects are grouped. I'd just follow their suggested order of doing things.

wormhole 14th March 2026 10:05


Originally Posted by Beaker_ (Post 12052134)
The BGS modules are set so that certain subjects are grouped. I'd just follow their suggested order of doing things.

Thanks Beaker_, sounds like I won't have to think too hard about it then.

mr.unemployed 17th March 2026 09:43

Flight Time Building
 
Hello guys, I want to build some additional flight time in a cheaper country (aprox. 50 hours) to meet the EASA CPL conversion requirements. do you have any advice for me & is there anyone I can share cockpit & costs with as a (safety pilot & PIC) in countries like the Philippines or Thailand.
I hold a CPL + ME/IR (issued by the Jordanian Aviation Authority) with 229 total time and 152 actual time in planes

My plan is to convert to EASA then get my Flight Instructor Rating (I'm 23 and I have the right to work & live in EU)

wormhole 17th March 2026 17:55


Originally Posted by mr.unemployed (Post 12053690)
Hello guys, I want to build some additional flight time in a cheaper country (aprox. 50 hours) to meet the EASA CPL conversion requirements. do you have any advice for me & is there anyone I can share cockpit & costs with as a (safety pilot & PIC) in countries like the Philippines or Thailand.
I hold a CPL + ME/IR (issued by the Jordanian Aviation Authority) with 229 total time and 152 actual time in planes

My plan is to convert to EASA then get my Flight Instructor Rating (I'm 23 and I have the right to work & live in EU)

Probably would make sense to start a new thread for this one.....

rudestuff 18th March 2026 03:12


Originally Posted by mr.unemployed (Post 12053690)
Is there anyone I can share cockpit & costs with as a (safety pilot & PIC) in countries like the Philippines or Thailand.

No. Cost sharing with another pilot is not allowed under EASA rules. There can only be one pilot in a single engine aircraft.

mr.unemployed 18th March 2026 08:12


Originally Posted by rudestuff (Post 12054184)
No. Cost sharing with another pilot is not allowed under EASA rules. There can only be one pilot in a single engine aircraft.


Thank you for the information. I believe you can do that if one of you has FI license but it’s so unlikely to find someone with FI license to share the cost with (SPIC/ instructor given)

rudestuff 18th March 2026 12:55


Originally Posted by mr.unemployed (Post 12053690)
229 total time and 152 actual time in planes

If you have 229 total time what other aircraft licences do you hold? You might be able to credit some of those hours. If you are including simulator time then bad news - your total time is actually 152 and you need to find another 48 hours and to hazard another guess quite a lot of that needs to be PIC.

I suggest 2 weeks in florida doing some intensive hour building. You can rent a cessna 150 for $3000 for a 50 hour block (dry).


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