Airline cadet schemes
 

Hello chaps,

This is my first time posting so please, be gentle with me...
I am currently an undergraduate who really, really, really, really wants to make a career out of flying. Unfortunately my eyesight is too crap for the RAF, though it is okay for airlines.
As money is non-existent, and RAF is out my only realistic opportunity lies with an airline sponsoring my training. Apart from BA, who else offers sponsorship (I dont speak any foreign languages)for someone who has 3 hours flying time? Also, could you also supply any contact info you know of, especially web sites.
Thanks a million to anyone who replies!

Get yourself a class 1 medical from the CAA, so you don`t waste your time getting info before finding out you cannot be a pilot.
The usual airlines should be sponsoring in the autumn, all except BA require financial contribution of varying amounts :

bmi British Midland : £15000
British European : £33000
Airtours : ?
Air 2000 : £22000 ish ?

Look in the back of Flight magazine for the ads or else somebody on pprune will let everybody know when somebody is sponsoring.
Regarding being skint, if you do get sponsored it shouldn`t be too hard to get the cash together if the bank manager knows you will have a decent job at the end of your training.

cheers

Schooner

The EuroPilot Program looks promising if you can affoard the £600 for the Aptitude tests.

http://www.epst.co.uk/

Everyone seems to think British Midland will be sponsoring soon.

JonathanG

Oh, and if you can afford it, try and get a few more hours, even a couple a month will help to show the interviewers you are keen and gives you something to talk about

cheers

Some kind soul put a spreadsheet contact list on here a while back. Have mailed it to you: wouldn't bother writing to the named people unless you are after a smaller place, but web addresses etc are on there.

I am in sort of the same position at the moment except I have about 70 hours TT and my eye sight is good. But I am going about things a little bit differently. The airline cadet schemes are quite good if you get into them the first and only one I applied for was with Qantas in late 1999 and that was going to come to the total of about $105,000 (Australian) which wasn't going to be a problem with my folks putting the house on mortage. However you also have to look at the competion you're up against most of them will have flying experience spaning much further than yours and posibly a full CPL (depending on the cadet scheme you apply for). For instance the year I applied there were a bit over 500 applicants and about 10 positions.

I have just applied for the Army here in Oz and I have my testing on the 10th of July but if I am unsuccessful on this attempt I am going to accept a position as a G.E. (General Entry Soilder) because the pay is very good for someone without any sort of formal qualification, this way I will have plenty of time to go flying and I will be able to afford it because of a well paying job. If you are unsuccessful in your attempt at the cadet schemes keep this in idear in mind as the military is a good way to go and it also looks good on your resume.

Best of luck I am sure if you have the desire to become a pilot it will happen.

Regard Wowie

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if your gonna die, die in a kingswood

[This message has been edited by wowie (edited 30 June 2001).]