Pilots of PH - Did you believe you could do it?
Discussion
There is always part of me that wishes I was a commercial pilot but there's also a part of me that doesn't believe I could ever do it. Mainly not thinking I'd be intellectually capable of it.
Those of you who are commercial pilots, did you think the same and at what point did you stop thinking it?
Those of you who are commercial pilots, did you think the same and at what point did you stop thinking it?
Dr Jekyll said:
Seriously though. How academically difficult are the ATPL exams?
I've no first hand experience, but know someone with a 2:ii in Geography who passed. They were ex-RAF which I'd naively imagine helps, but then the academic requirements for entry aren't tough there either. I think it's just a case of getting your head down enough.Dr Jekyll said:
Seriously though. How academically difficult are the ATPL exams?
The exams are not difficult but as has already been said, there is a lot of material. Also the 'quality' of the questions is not particularly good and some can be interpreted or read in different ways or the answers can be close together for the multiple choice questions. I originally studied Electronic Engineering at university (mathematics degree in disguise)& it made the ATPL exams look like the 11+
In answer to the original question - I always believed I could do the theoretical side as soon as I saw the course material! Map reading however has never been my strong point, so cross referencing a VFR chart against a roundabout or pond with no reference to nav aids or GPS whilst flying a piston twin with no autopilot was probably the toughest part for me.
I agree with the other posters. Time pressure was a significant part for both the ground school and the flying. I was fortunate enough to be sponsored. The airline really wanted you through in minimum time. This obviously added pressure.
The content itself would likely be achievable by a great many. Your value to an airline is undermined if everything takes resits.
The best way to find out is have a crack at it.
Atvb
The content itself would likely be achievable by a great many. Your value to an airline is undermined if everything takes resits.
The best way to find out is have a crack at it.
Atvb
I was the same as FuzzyLogic in that I found hacking around in decidedly past it's prime Seneca on a claggy day, while trying to maintain an accurate ETA on a canteen roof I'd never seen before and all this down to a few seconds accuracy was much more stressful than the written exams. Even working out Grivation and mercators in GNav wasn't as much of a ballache as that.
Ironically what juggling the turbos of a Seneca and all it's little foibles and challenges has in common with Vr then punching in Lnav a few hundred feet later in a BBJ is debatable. I know which one is harder!
Ironically what juggling the turbos of a Seneca and all it's little foibles and challenges has in common with Vr then punching in Lnav a few hundred feet later in a BBJ is debatable. I know which one is harder!
Intellect isn't really that important for the job. What is important is aptitude and capacity. The initial theoretical exams are tedious but managable if you nuckle down for them. The hard part of becoming a commercial pilot is the instrument rating and this is where your aptitude and capacity are tested. In truth, almost anyone could pass the IR given enough practice but even 15 years ago I was paying £6 per minute burning holes in the sky preparing for the IR test. Everything since the IR has seemed easy in comparison - both the initial type rating and command upgrade course. I would imagine every commercial pilots has dark days during the IR where they wonder if they've made a terrible mistake.
Hmmmm yes. I remember getting my letter accepting me for pilot training in the RAF and I had an intense feeling (despite having next to no previous military or flying experience) that if I could hoodwink them through officer training, I would pass my flying courses without a hitch. Can't describe why but it was my dream and nobody was going to take it away from me. 20 years and 5000 flying hours later as both a military and commercial pilot, I think drive and determination is all anybody needs to make it. Well that and being able to successfully bs a load of blunty officer training course knobs that you wanted to be Chief of the Air Staff and not actually be a productive member of the finest flying club in the world 
Yes.
However, I think it's fair to say at some point in the process most trainee pilots feel a sense of pressure (either self produced) or following a bad trip with an instructor.
I recently read Carrier Pilot and like First Light it was amazing how the feelings the authors expressed about training seemed so familiar even to a purely civvie pilot like myself.
However, I think it's fair to say at some point in the process most trainee pilots feel a sense of pressure (either self produced) or following a bad trip with an instructor.
I recently read Carrier Pilot and like First Light it was amazing how the feelings the authors expressed about training seemed so familiar even to a purely civvie pilot like myself.
You only need a couple of A-Levels and average fitness, so it's not particularly testing to get in the door. Most commercial flying, nowadays, is done by computer from start to stop, so you're mostly paid to sit in the front of the plane and eat food from a plastic tray while trying to persuade cabin crew to get their t*ts out. Having said all that, pilots die fairly young, as crossing timezones and breathing jetfuel / cabin fumes eventually take their toll. And pilotless planes are on the horizon (they are just big drones). So, becoming a commercial pilot is not a career decision to be taken lightly.
Yipper said:
You only need a couple of A-Levels and average fitness, so it's not particularly testing to get in the door. Most commercial flying, nowadays, is done by computer from start to stop, so you're mostly paid to sit in the front of the plane and eat food from a plastic tray while trying to persuade cabin crew to get their t*ts out. Having said all that, pilots die fairly young, as crossing timezones and breathing jetfuel / cabin fumes eventually take their toll. And pilotless planes are on the horizon (they are just big drones). So, becoming a commercial pilot is not a career decision to be taken lightly.
I would not stress that enough. It's a career that's many different things to many different people, but for every upside there are serious downsides that are easy to ignore at the start of the dream.My personal journey was realising I was happier as a frequently flying private pilot than a commercial one, so I got out and thankfully first managed to replicate then substantially increase my salary. As I'm in my 40's now and physical considerations are becoming something I need to think about I'm glad I made the choice when I did instead of being like some I know who are facing the ticking clock from Class 1 medical to sim trainer only.
Hainey said:
I would not stress that enough. It's a career that's many different things to many different people, but for every upside there are serious downsides that are easy to ignore at the start of the dream.
My personal journey was realising I was happier as a frequently flying private pilot than a commercial one, so I got out and thankfully first managed to replicate then substantially increase my salary. As I'm in my 40's now and physical considerations are becoming something I need to think about I'm glad I made the choice when I did instead of being like some I know who are facing the ticking clock from Class 1 medical to sim trainer only.
We have the same medicals (changed to a European class 3) and they're not exactly difficult to obtain. We don't lose many on medical grounds.My personal journey was realising I was happier as a frequently flying private pilot than a commercial one, so I got out and thankfully first managed to replicate then substantially increase my salary. As I'm in my 40's now and physical considerations are becoming something I need to think about I'm glad I made the choice when I did instead of being like some I know who are facing the ticking clock from Class 1 medical to sim trainer only.
Yipper said:
You only need a couple of A-Levels and average fitness, so it's not particularly testing to get in the door. Most commercial flying, nowadays, is done by computer from start to stop, so you're mostly paid to sit in the front of the plane and eat food from a plastic tray while trying to persuade cabin crew to get their t*ts out. Having said all that, pilots die fairly young, as crossing timezones and breathing jetfuel / cabin fumes eventually take their toll. And pilotless planes are on the horizon (they are just big drones). So, becoming a commercial pilot is not a career decision to be taken lightly.
I take it you aren't a commercial pilot then.... 
I bailed out of the cockpit after 10 years. I loved it for a time, but realised that I simply wanted to get involved in the running of an airline far more than you ever get sitting in the seats with the best view.
Even in a pilot management role you rarely actually have any say in how the business wirks as a whole despite what most crew seem to think, so I've found myself actually out of the airline industry and now am running a company that supplies it.
I occasionally miss the flying, but that's what small aeroplanes are for. I was lucky enough to get into the industry back when we still had to rely on steam driven instruments and hand flying as well as not having to worry about FDM systems watching every move. This meant we had a lot of fun that today I would tut loudly at, whilst secretly thinking "bet that was a laugh!"
Airline flying has changed massively since I got into the game. Knowing what I do now, I'm not sure I'd do it again, but I am glad I got into it when I did.
Even in a pilot management role you rarely actually have any say in how the business wirks as a whole despite what most crew seem to think, so I've found myself actually out of the airline industry and now am running a company that supplies it.
I occasionally miss the flying, but that's what small aeroplanes are for. I was lucky enough to get into the industry back when we still had to rely on steam driven instruments and hand flying as well as not having to worry about FDM systems watching every move. This meant we had a lot of fun that today I would tut loudly at, whilst secretly thinking "bet that was a laugh!"
Airline flying has changed massively since I got into the game. Knowing what I do now, I'm not sure I'd do it again, but I am glad I got into it when I did.
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