Dreaming of a career in aviation!
Discussion
Well it's a pretty odd situation I'm in here. I'm 26, nearly 27, have worked in the motor trade since I was 17 (parts advisor) and have a GNVQ in IT.
I love aeroplanes and aviation (I love cars too, but the motor trade is generally NOT the trade to be in!). I used to dream of becomming a pilot (if I didn't have commitments and kids I'd look into the RAF now) but I'm aware there are many other fulfilling roles apart from pilots, ground crew, ATC etc.
I live near Southampton airport, but am struggling to find information on what possible positions exsist, let alone any actual vacancies.
I was wondering if anyone on here is based in aviation, and what advice/suggestions anyone might have if they can spare the time. I've had enough of doing what I'm doing and am aware life is speeding by quicker than I'm reacting, so need to react now.
Thanks
I love aeroplanes and aviation (I love cars too, but the motor trade is generally NOT the trade to be in!). I used to dream of becomming a pilot (if I didn't have commitments and kids I'd look into the RAF now) but I'm aware there are many other fulfilling roles apart from pilots, ground crew, ATC etc.
I live near Southampton airport, but am struggling to find information on what possible positions exsist, let alone any actual vacancies.
I was wondering if anyone on here is based in aviation, and what advice/suggestions anyone might have if they can spare the time. I've had enough of doing what I'm doing and am aware life is speeding by quicker than I'm reacting, so need to react now.
Thanks
I think in general you have to take on an £80k loan to get qualified as a pilot, perhaps in some remote corner of the world to keep the costs down, then you're out on your own hoping a job comes up with an airline and you get past all the other competition so you can pay some of that back.
I think you're also too old to make it as a pilot in the air force now anyway.
I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will be along soon to correct me.
Also pprune is a popular pilot's forum, this probably comes up daily there.
Someone asked about ATC on here recently, I think there's very tough competition for places but there's a better chance of doing it in the UK and a decent salary eventually too.
I think you're also too old to make it as a pilot in the air force now anyway.
I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will be along soon to correct me.
Also pprune is a popular pilot's forum, this probably comes up daily there.
Someone asked about ATC on here recently, I think there's very tough competition for places but there's a better chance of doing it in the UK and a decent salary eventually too.
Edited by TuxRacer on Friday 18th June 10:53
I known 2 people going to be Pilots.
1 taken on by an air freight company running out of Luton. Who was constantly being messed around by other airlines when she applied for jobs to fly passengers. And another who quit as an engineer for RR engines and went to spain to train for a few years to get to a level where he could fly passenger jets. No idea if he ever made it.
But the overriding impression from the 2 of them before I lost touch was that prospects were not good for people starting with zero experience.
1 taken on by an air freight company running out of Luton. Who was constantly being messed around by other airlines when she applied for jobs to fly passengers. And another who quit as an engineer for RR engines and went to spain to train for a few years to get to a level where he could fly passenger jets. No idea if he ever made it.
But the overriding impression from the 2 of them before I lost touch was that prospects were not good for people starting with zero experience.
I have a cousin who was in SA, he was in IT, spent a small fortune earning his commercial pilot’s license about 5 years back....he's still working in IT.
If the aviation industry is anything like IT, then most companies will be taking on staff from agencies, might be best to find out which agency most use and contact them.
If the aviation industry is anything like IT, then most companies will be taking on staff from agencies, might be best to find out which agency most use and contact them.
www.pprune.org has a wealth of information but is often a bit negative about the industry and there seems to be an abundance of armchair pilots.
It really depends on what you want to do in the industry. If you want to go down the pilot route are you looking to fly for an airline or do you have something else in mind. If you are looking to go down the airline route your best bet would be looing at the major schools with the best relationships with airlines. You may find after you training you then have to pay towards a bond for a type rating and be tied in with an airline for a minimum period. At the moment people are finishing training and waiting in hold pools for around 12 months before being taken on so if you chose to train full time expect 3 years before your flying on the line with an airline. It's certainly not a cheap career to start out in either, training is expensive and sponsorships dont really exist anymore.
Alternatively you could do modular training, alot cheaper and you can train for various parts of your license as and when you wish whilst still working full time, you will however have much less chance of getting a job at the end of your training.
Qualifications wise you may also need to take 2 a-levels.
If you have any specific questions you can pm me if you like or post on this thread
k
It really depends on what you want to do in the industry. If you want to go down the pilot route are you looking to fly for an airline or do you have something else in mind. If you are looking to go down the airline route your best bet would be looing at the major schools with the best relationships with airlines. You may find after you training you then have to pay towards a bond for a type rating and be tied in with an airline for a minimum period. At the moment people are finishing training and waiting in hold pools for around 12 months before being taken on so if you chose to train full time expect 3 years before your flying on the line with an airline. It's certainly not a cheap career to start out in either, training is expensive and sponsorships dont really exist anymore.
Alternatively you could do modular training, alot cheaper and you can train for various parts of your license as and when you wish whilst still working full time, you will however have much less chance of getting a job at the end of your training.
Qualifications wise you may also need to take 2 a-levels.
If you have any specific questions you can pm me if you like or post on this thread
k
What type of work are you looking for? The aviation industry is vast, pilot being the obvious choice.
Do you want to continue sitting behind a computer screen? ATC or aircraft design. If your good with IT, avionic licensed engineer with hands on aircraft or NDT engineer. Do you enjoy spannering/tinkering with cars, mechanical engineer maybe the way to go.
Think you could do a Degree in Enginnering? Aerodynamics, Thermodynamics, Stress/material engineers. If you don't feel you can do a degree then you could still work on aircraft as a fitter or ground support roles.
Lots of options, do you want to sit behind a desk, fly the desk, or be as far away from the desk getting your hand dirty!
Do you want to continue sitting behind a computer screen? ATC or aircraft design. If your good with IT, avionic licensed engineer with hands on aircraft or NDT engineer. Do you enjoy spannering/tinkering with cars, mechanical engineer maybe the way to go.
Think you could do a Degree in Enginnering? Aerodynamics, Thermodynamics, Stress/material engineers. If you don't feel you can do a degree then you could still work on aircraft as a fitter or ground support roles.
Lots of options, do you want to sit behind a desk, fly the desk, or be as far away from the desk getting your hand dirty!
Randomly I looked in to ATC, but my eyesight isn't good enough for it. Reasonable pay as I understand it, although I'm not sure personally it'd be that interesting in the long-run (imho though).
If you're on the South-coast, that may be a bit more advantageuous obviously with them being based in Fareham. They have a specific ATC careers site at ATC Careers website if you're interested.
If you're on the South-coast, that may be a bit more advantageuous obviously with them being based in Fareham. They have a specific ATC careers site at ATC Careers website if you're interested.
You may want to consider working for one of the companies that design/mamufactur/support aircraft. Take a look at the attached http://www.lockheedmartin.co.uk/careers/vacancies.... LM do far more than aircraft but there may be something here of interest & one of their biggest sites in the UK in Havant. [I have further info if of interest.]
I considered this for a while earlier this year and whats been said above seems to be generally true.
Its very expensive to train (allow for up to £100k).
The job market for experienced pilots is extremely tough at the moment, let alone those with zero experience.
Its not massively well paid.
You may have to relocate.
Its not a job pattern really condusive to a relationship.
PPrune is a very useful site & there are some really helpful posters on it - sign up and search the forums, there are loads of threads on "How do I become a Pilot"
At the end of the day, if you want to do it, are aware of the risks then go for it & good luck!
Its very expensive to train (allow for up to £100k).
The job market for experienced pilots is extremely tough at the moment, let alone those with zero experience.
Its not massively well paid.
You may have to relocate.
Its not a job pattern really condusive to a relationship.
PPrune is a very useful site & there are some really helpful posters on it - sign up and search the forums, there are loads of threads on "How do I become a Pilot"
At the end of the day, if you want to do it, are aware of the risks then go for it & good luck!
Marty Funkhouser said:
The job market for experienced pilots is extremely tough at the moment, let alone those with zero experience.
Its not massively well paid.
Oh, I dont know about that... you do realize you can pay for a job? Just pony up 25k ontop of the pilot training to get that coveted right seat in a REAL awesome jet 737/320, The airline accountants love the whole concept of pilots paying to work!!Its not massively well paid.
LRdriver II said:
Marty Funkhouser said:
The job market for experienced pilots is extremely tough at the moment, let alone those with zero experience.
Its not massively well paid.
Oh, I dont know about that... you do realize you can pay for a job? Just pony up 25k ontop of the pilot training to get that coveted right seat in a REAL awesome jet 737/320, The airline accountants love the whole concept of pilots paying to work!!Its not massively well paid.
Marty Funkhouser said:
LRdriver II said:
Marty Funkhouser said:
The job market for experienced pilots is extremely tough at the moment, let alone those with zero experience.
Its not massively well paid.
Oh, I dont know about that... you do realize you can pay for a job? Just pony up 25k ontop of the pilot training to get that coveted right seat in a REAL awesome jet 737/320, The airline accountants love the whole concept of pilots paying to work!!Its not massively well paid.
Thank you everyone for the replies. I'd actually assumed Pilot was a bit far out of the question, and also have a friend who's been through the ATC process, but he didn't have good things to say about it!
I'd just enjoy working in and around the airports, around planes etc. I think some sort of ground control position would suit me. Engineering wise, yes most definately. I do a fair bit of tinkering on cars already and know how to work a ratchet set! I'm a very quick learner, however I have no qualifications what so ever, and being nearly 27 I don't hold out much hope sadly.
I appreciate everyone taking the time out to reply. After the day I just had, I can safely say working as a parts advisor (nay order taker/salesman....a partsman has to engage his brain and know his way around a car!) is NOT the career for me. I'm actually feeling slightly deflated about it all, as truth be told I feel trapped. I know I should be grateful to have a job in this climate, but it's easy to not be rational when it's yourself in the frame. There is no progression in the company I'm in, and truth be told due to the sort of people who do progress in it, well, I'm not sure I'd like to be in the same boat as them! Not my sort of people.
Who knows, maybe a specialist indie will open across the road from my house specialising in TVR's, French Hot Hatches and classic Italian motors, who need a partsman to deal with their classics.
Then again, maybe not!
I'd just enjoy working in and around the airports, around planes etc. I think some sort of ground control position would suit me. Engineering wise, yes most definately. I do a fair bit of tinkering on cars already and know how to work a ratchet set! I'm a very quick learner, however I have no qualifications what so ever, and being nearly 27 I don't hold out much hope sadly.
I appreciate everyone taking the time out to reply. After the day I just had, I can safely say working as a parts advisor (nay order taker/salesman....a partsman has to engage his brain and know his way around a car!) is NOT the career for me. I'm actually feeling slightly deflated about it all, as truth be told I feel trapped. I know I should be grateful to have a job in this climate, but it's easy to not be rational when it's yourself in the frame. There is no progression in the company I'm in, and truth be told due to the sort of people who do progress in it, well, I'm not sure I'd like to be in the same boat as them! Not my sort of people.
Who knows, maybe a specialist indie will open across the road from my house specialising in TVR's, French Hot Hatches and classic Italian motors, who need a partsman to deal with their classics.
Then again, maybe not!
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