Any pilots on here?

[Daggers89]

Hi all, I'm currently 21 years old and want to make the next step into an aviation career as a pilot.

Now I know it's a very difficult job to get into, with the cost of the commercial pilots licence etc, but all I wanted to know is if there are any pilots on here that have been there and done it or anyone that can offer me any advice on sponsorship to raise the £70k required for a licence.

I'm currently an RAF reservist (like the TA) but unfortunately they won't give me any discount on flying lessons as I'm not full time, balls or what!

Cheers in advance for any replies

Richard

[LD1Racing]

This is probably not much help, but I too have considered re-training as a (professional) pilot. The advice received by most professionals that I've spoken to is this - don't bother. Rather than pour £50k+ of my own money into a frozen ATPL and launching myself into an oversubscribed and not particularly well-paid industry, simply continue what I'm doing and fly for fun. £xx buys a lot of flying on your own terms. Plus you will need type ratings to make yourself more attractive to potential employers, which aren't cheap either (our pilot paid around $20k for his G5 rating i believe).

Granted, I'm not 21 (32) and If you really want to make a career of it then great, but try and go the 'sponsored' route, be it HM Armed Forces, or an airline. I know there are a few professionals on here who will give you all the advice you need. If not, try PPRuNe.

Sometimes I do wish I'd tried harder to go down the professional pilot route, but fear that depending on something for ones livelihood can remove the element of enjoyment, and for me, that is what flying is about.

All IMHO of course.

Good luck though!

[dave9]

my mates just paid that 70k - hsbc professional loan and he went to nz to do it. he's now 26 i think and his loan repayments are £1200 per month ish. He is a barman at the moment and starts with easyjet next year on about £28k.

its tough out there at the moment

[bull996]

I have a read of Pprune every now and again, and the rates of pay are shocking!

There are some new pilots who PAY THE AIRLINE to fly!

[Oxygen Thief]

Daggers89 said:

Hi all, I'm currently 21 years old and want to make the next step into an aviation career as a pilot.

Now I know it's a very difficult job to get into, with the cost of the commercial pilots licence etc, but all I wanted to know is if there are any pilots on here that have been there and done it or anyone that can offer me any advice on sponsorship to raise the £70k required for a licence.

I'm currently an RAF reservist (like the TA) but unfortunately they won't give me any discount on flying lessons as I'm not full time, balls or what!

Cheers in advance for any replies

Richard

What do you do in the RAAF?

[andrewh]

bull996 said:

I have a read of Pprune every now and again, and the rates of pay are shocking!

There are some new pilots who PAY THE AIRLINE to fly!

I remember on a school trip to manchester airport we had a talk with a BA pilot and he said senior pilots can be looking at £120K+ this was a couple of years before 9/11 though.

[Daggers89]

Yeah, the rates of pay for a 747 First Officer etc are very good, realistically they're very difficult to work to and take an awfully long time though :-/

I'm a mover with the RAF

[Daggers89]

Yeah, the rates of pay for a 747 First Officer etc are very good, realistically they're very difficult to work to and take an awfully long time though :-/

I'm a mover with the RAF

[Daggers89]

Yeah, the rates of pay for a 747 First Officer etc are very good, realistically they're very difficult to work to and take an awfully long time though :-/

I'm a mover with the RAF

[Oxygen Thief]

Daggers89 said:

I'm a mover with the RAF

Me too, regular though.
Brize flying club does reduced rates for oggies as well as regulars.
The office used to be at the bowl end of the movs hangar, but has moved in recent weeks.
I'll ask where it has moved to when I'm back in work in the new year.

[Spoof]

I fly an A320. I went through the Oxford APP route a few years ago, and so long as you fk nothing up, and I mean nothing, average >95% in your ATPL exams, first time CPL, first time IRT you stand a good chance of finding a job. Even in these tough times Ryan and Easy will hoover you up (you'll have to pay for a job - for how much longer though?) BA are even re-opening their recruitment centre for next year, Qatar are taking Frozen ATPL guys and in huge numbers, if what I've heard is correct.

I know guys though who have a partial pass on their IRT, and they're still to find an aviation job.

Like I've said, I went to Oxford, for some reason the airlines seem to look on this favourably. If you want any more info, PM me, I have some good and bad stories from Oxford.

I learnt to stay well clear of PPrune, 4-5 years ago people were telling guys like myself, we'd never get jobs, stop dreaming, it's a rubbish career now, etc etc and they still do this. Couldn't be more wrong, It's the best job in the World and providing you put in the hard work initially to get the results, you'll have no problems.

You'll never tire of this view.

Edited by Spoof on Thursday 30th December 10:05

[nammynake]

Spoof said:

I fly an A320. I went through the Oxford APP route a few years ago, and so long as you fk nothing up, and I mean nothing, average >95% in your ATPL exams, first time CPL, first time IRT you stand a good chance of finding a job. Even in these tough times Ryan and Easy will hoover you up (you'll have to pay for a job - for how much longer though?) BA are even re-opening their recruitment centre for next year, Qatar are taking Frozen ATPL guys and in huge numbers, if what I've heard is correct.

I know guys though who have a partial pass on their IRT, and they're still to find an aviation job.

Like I've said, I went to Oxford, for some reason the airlines seem to look on this favourably. If you want any more info, PM me, I have some good and bad stories from Oxford.

I learnt to stay well clear of PPrune, 4-5 years ago people were telling guys like myself, we'd never get jobs, stop dreaming, it's a rubbish career now, etc etc and they still do this. Couldn't be more wrong, It's the best job in the World and providing you put in the hard work initially to get the results, you'll have no problems.

You'll never tire of this view.

Edited by Spoof on Thursday 30th December 10:05

It's refreshing to hear the other side of the story. I agree that PPrune is full of negative stories and rarely do you see people posting success stories. Personally I had my heart set on a career in aviation (RAF) but found out whilst applying for an RAF flying scholarship aged 16 that my colour vision was way below their cut-off. My dream was smashed, although I do have plenty of fond flying/gliding memories from my time in the Air Cadets. Recently I've taken up paragliding, so I still have that itch which needs scratching!

My hopes were recently rekindled when I learnt that a new colour vision test for civil pilots. I am hoping to get down for a colour vision test in the new year, to see if I can pass it. If I can, then I have a big decision to make regarding switching careers. I'm 32 now, so at that point where I really need to decide one way or another. Then there's the modular/integrated decision....

I don't want to look back in 10 or 20 years time, thinking "what if?".

[simonej]

I can't help you with the sponsorship advice but training need not cost £70k (and from speaking to a few OAA fellas the real cost is much greater and into six figures, plus your inevitable type rating on top!). There are plenty of pilots working out there who spent half that amount doing it the modular way.

PM me if you want any advice on the modular route, it's about 5 or 6 years since I did it but it should still be current. Spoof should give you some good 'integrated' advice so between the two you might be able to avoid all the ste that's written on Pprune.

[Spoof]

simonej said:

I can't help you with the sponsorship advice but training need not cost £70k (and from speaking to a few OAA fellas the real cost is much greater and into six figures, plus your inevitable type rating on top!). There are plenty of pilots working out there who spent half that amount doing it the modular way.

PM me if you want any advice on the modular route, it's about 5 or 6 years since I did it but it should still be current. Spoof should give you some good 'integrated' advice so between the two you might be able to avoid all the ste that's written on Pprune.

Be happy to.

Simonej isn't wrong about the OAA costs unfortunately.