[Ricky]

Dear pilot community,

I'm a 16 years old boy from Slovakia who currently lives in UK who is really interested in flying an aircraft. I just love the feeling. I currently study college, however, I would like to become a pilot and after reading all those websites and forums about how to become a pilot, I learned something about the requirements and also I found out how difficult it might be to start a career as a pilot. But the only thing which is holding me back is the cost of the training to get a pilot license and therefore be qualified to apply as a commercial pilot. I wouldn't like to set myself on a loan at such a young age because if I won't be able to pay the interest who will? There are websites which talk about funding new pilots, but I'm not sure how it works or how should I get involved... Could you please suggest me any ideas or ways how I should get involved to gain more experience and give me a better idea of what it actually takes to become a pilot?

Thank you,
Ricky

[Irv Lee]

Welcome, but did you know that there are many pilots here who would like to be 16! You stand a much better chance than they do to achieve the ambition.
There are many way to get involved, there are even scholarships, but of course there is no real getting away from it, powered flying is expensive. Do you have any aviation involvement as a teenager, for example, in gliding? I suspect some of the scholarships are interested in whether you have shown interest in aviation before the scholarship was offered... as an example of only some scholarships, see https://www.airpilots.org/career-matters/scholarships/

[Cessna57]

Hi Ricky.
You do not mention if you have flown yet ?
Not in a B737, but in a glider or light aircraft.
Also, you do not mention where in the U.K. you are.

I know of one young man in your position who won a scholarship. How did he do this? He became involved, he was at a flying club helping at weekends, he was gliding to start (which is cheaper).

3 hours at a Saturday job when you are sixteen will buy you a flight in a glider.

I think that with flying you either start with lots of money, or lots of enthusiasm (and sometimes both).

I know 2 pilots that had the money, now they no longer fly. I know lots of pilots that had no money, but had the enthusiasm. They fly.

Tell us where you are and people can make recommendations.

Flying is not a "job" though, it is a lifestyle. I wish I was 16, at 16 I had no money too, nor my parents, and couldn't believe I would ever even be able to fly.

I had the enthusiasm though, but no one told me I could use enthusiasm. There was no internet. I didn't become a pilot until I was 46, too old to have it as a job.

Go to your local club, offer to polish the aircraft and make the tea, and you will quickly learn how to become a pilot if you have no money, and if you have the enthusiasm to do so.

I know 2 young men who did this, who have joined the RAF.

It is possible to win a scholarship, but you'll have to find out if it what you REALLY want. If it is, and you have no money, it is going to be hard work, but it is possible.

This forum is fantastic, people will tell you how and where to get involved.

[leiafee]

If you decide to get a straightforward job to pay for it don't forget the advantages of having a clear goal when applying for jobs either - I teach people your age on a programme designed to get them into work and most of them have no good answer for the interview or aoplication form question asking "Why do you want this job.

"My mum says I have to get off my butt and out of the house" or waffling something from a stock answer taught in class, is not going to cut it compared to "I'm self funding myself through pilot training!"

[Highland Park]

I can't add much to what has been said, but make sure you've got your educational qualifications sorted and you get the best grades you can. I wish you every success and that you achieve your dream, but also make sure you have a "Plan B" in case for whatever reason you can't achieve that dream.

Keep us up to date on your progress!

[Ricky]

I'm glad that I found this forum with a lot of nice people who offer to help. Well, at the moment I live in Cambridge and I dreamed about flying from a young age, but as I said before I wouldn't be able to afford to pay for the training and nor my parents as it would be risk to do as you won't get insurance whether you going to find the job and therefore make money to pay back. Now, I came to an age in which I started thinking about my future and therefore I'm here and I'm interested what is my first step how to start as a teenager rather than wait for it to come to you. After I have done some research, I found out that there is a gliding club but I'm not too sure if they would be able to offer me a smaller job by which I could get into flying. At the moment I'm doing my GCSEs and I was planning to study Maths, Computing, Business or Economics next year but the thing is when do I get flying? Where should I look for it? Will I be able to start flying without enough money? It is a really good idea to join a gliding club or somewhere where I could learn more whilst I would get a part time job there for the weekends. I also wouldn't like to spend more time on flying or being in a club than studying as nobody will guarantee that I will be a pilot. Thank you again for being helpful!

[Paul_Sengupta]

There are so many ups and downs in the world of aviation that it would be good to have a fall-back career. This could kill two birds with one stone, being a fallback, and also earning you money to put towards flying.

But do get involved somehow, any how, in the meantime and do as much as you can, where you can, when you can, taking up whatever opportunities are offered. Fly along as a passenger with some people as well, it'll be good experience for the cost of a bacon butty!

[Highland Park]

But do get involved somehow, any how, in the meantime and do as much as you can, where you can, when you can, taking up whatever opportunities are offered. Fly along as a passenger with some people as well, it'll be good experience for the cost of a bacon butty!

Taking Paul's very valid point, I'm sure there are people closer than me to Cambridge, but I fly from Old Buckenham, which is about an hour's drive from Cambridge up the A11 towards Norwich. If you can get there, I'd be happy to take you for a trip...

Have you also thought about joining the local Air Cadet Squadron (104 from memory)? While Air Cadet flying has been difficult of late, the academic syllabus they follow along with other skills they can give will stand you in very good stead.

Ian

[Ricky]

Yeah, I know what do you mean and it sounds like a good idea, but I'm sorry, I don't think it would be possible at the moment to join you as I don't have much time because of school and I rather spend more time learning and getting good grades then start flying without any guarantee to become a pilot straight away. It is good to hear that there are people who even would offer a fly and therefore let me experience how it is to be in the cockpit. Don't worry after I get some more time I will definitely start looking for a place to start, even if it is going to be a flying training or something... I just wanted some recommendations where should I go or where should I start to have a greater chance of becoming a pilot without money... One of the main roles in becoming a pilot are the training costs which are holding me back, so I will have to find a way to get around it... As someone above has suggested looking for a local club where I could ask to help them somewhere but I'm not too sure if they would allow me and if there even is anything which I could do... I might need to get a part time job first and see... Do you guys have any other suggestions? Btw what type of aircraft do you fly on? And how old are you.. if you are able to tell me just because I'm wondering how much time you possibly spend on flying etc... Thank you again.

[Paul_Sengupta]

Btw what type of aircraft do you fly on? And how old are you.. if you are able to tell me just because I'm wondering how much time you possibly spend on flying etc... Thank you again.

I have an ex-RAF Bulldog, 1974 trainer. I'm 46, learnt to fly at 26. I had a trial lesson when I was in university and was hooked. When I started work I started saving and by 26 I barely had enough money scraped together, but I did my PPL at the earliest possible opportunity.

I'm not married, don't have kids, bought my house before prices went silly and have a 1% mortgage rate. I also work a reasonably amount of overtime! I try to go flying every weekend if the weather's nice.

[Ricky]

I have an ex-RAF Bulldog, 1974 trainer. I'm 46, learnt to fly at 26. I had a trial lesson when I was in university and was hooked. When I started work I started saving and by 26 I barely had enough money scraped together, but I did my PPL at the earliest possible opportunity.

I'm not married, don't have kids, bought my house before prices went silly and have a 1% mortgage rate. I also work a reasonable amount of overtime! I try to go flying every weekend if the weather's nice.

Well, seems pretty nice to me... I definitely won't forget that you don't live as far away and if I would have the opportunity I would let you know if you could take me for a flight but at the moment as I said I don't have enough time so... I'm just wondering where should I go to get flying... I can join a club but I'm not earning any money at the moment so I wouldn't be able to pay for it and also I don't know anybody else who could help me... I do realise that pilots don't have the same life as everybody else and to be honest, I'm more of a careerist... Even if I would get a different job I would be a careerist...

[Genghis the Engineer]

Hi Ricky,

Greetings, and welcome to the forum - I'm about the same age as Paul (and have known him for far too long), been flying since I was 19, and earning my living in aviation for all of that time, although never full time as a pilot (This is just to give some context.)

In my opinion there is only one reason you won't become a pilot - that's because you decide that you don't want it enough. Circumstances, luck and aptitude may have a bearing on what sort of pilot you get to be, but only you'll decide whether you will become a pilot or not.


Now - how? Living between two countries may create security issues that interfere with the military route, but if it's the whole aviation thing you have a fascination for, look hard into that Living in the UK, the Air Cadet organisation give you many opportunities to get close to aviation, get some flying experience, and meet and network with people with similar ambitions. You're a little old to enter the Air Cadets, but it's not out of court.

I think that you probably are a little old now to try and enter Air Scouts - but again, see what's around you, and ask.

Gliding clubs are great. They're enthusiastic, about achieving affordable flying, and most have schemes for young people like you. It's a great route into become a pilot - and many people have gone all sorts of flying directions - both private and professional from that. So I would certainly go and find your local gliding club, chat with the folks there, see if you can get a trial flight, find out if they have a young members club and/or cadet scheme.


Powered also has loads of opportunities - whether through light aircraft or microlights. The fact is both routes will take more money than others, but equally clubs and schools are often pretty open about having somebody young and enthusiastic about the place prepared to muck in a bit with jobs, and get some flying back. If there's an airfield near you - go and ask.

Standard piece of advice - if you have any aspiration to be a professional aeroplane pilot, spend a few hundred pouds on a "Class 1 initial" which is the first professional pilots medical. Find out now if there's anything in your body that will get in the way. If you can't pass a class 1, there are other options - to work in aviation, to fly things that don't require that standard of medical (you can, for example, become a commercial balloon pilot whilst suffering from red/green colour blindness). But knowing if you do have that limitation now will clarify a lot of things about the options you have,


As for money. Basically, if you need it, you need to earn it. Whatever it takes - many many people have done that before. The world of work is there to exploit. Clearly, if you can find work somewhere near aeroplanes, that's a huge bonus - and do try. If you can't - well McDonalds still pay!


For what it's worth, my route was A-levels in maths, physics and chemistry, a degree in aeronautical engineering, a few flying lessons whilst I was a student, got my first PPL not long after graduating with my BEng, and have been pursuing jobs and qualifications in both engineering and flying for a quarter of a century since (through a PhD and a Commercial Pilots Licence, and out the other side of both). Never been unemployed, always been in flying practice, done a heck of a lot of very interesting stuff around the world, written a couple of books on aviation, earned a comfortable living all my adult life - but not actually ever been a full time professional pilot. And of-course, I'm in a minority in having gone this way, but certainly not unique.

G

[Ricky]

Gliding clubs are great. They're enthusiastic, about achieving affordable flying, and most have schemes for young people like you. It's a great route into become a pilot - and many people have gone all sorts of flying directions - both private and professional from that. So I would certainly go and find your local gliding club, chat with the folks there, see if you can get a trial flight, find out if they have a young members club and/or cadet scheme.

Thank you for a useful reply. I totally agree with the quote above in which you suggested for me a great way how to start... I think this is what I was looking for. At the moment I don't enough time to start flying straight away as I'm doing my GCSEs but afterwards and especially during summer I really would like to experience flying. Another thing to think about is what should I study afterwards? A lot of people suggested to have a plan B as well so therefore I'm planning to study maths, computing and business or economics. What do you think about my subject choices for A levels? Would they be useful also in the future if I would be about to become a pilot?

I definitely think pilot as a job would suit me perfectly as I like to travel and I love the feeling of flying. Also, I'm more of a careerist so even if I would get another job I wouldn't be looking to get a family. Well, definitely not whilst I will have enough work for university or get those pilots courses right.

Just to get it right what courses should I be looking to take to become a pilot? You mentioned Class 1 initial and also after some research, I found something like PPL and also some others. What are the key differences and where do they take me? Thank you again for help.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Well, firstly on the topic of A-levels, the ones you have in mind are good, but I'd suggest that there's probably a lot of merit in swapping one of the non-mathematical subjects for physics. There's probably no professional aviation career where those two aren't useful, and few (including mine) where they're essential. So, Maths, Physics - and anything you enjoy, is a pretty good combination. Some people advocate languages, and that does no harm either, but is certainly not essential.

Yes - leave off much flying beyond the odd trial lesson until after your exams, but there's absolutely nothing to stop you researching and laying the groundwork. Anybody studying and revising every hour of the day will go mad, and you need to help yourself out with both a break from the studying, and preparing for things to look forward to after (and motivation for passing) your exams. Frankly, you're not missing much for the next few months anyhow, the British weather being what it is !

On a few technical points. Class 1 is a medical certificate, and the one you need to have to be a professional civil aeroplane pilot, and basically the highest medical standard that exists outside of the military and space agencies.

It is absolutely fine to have both a family and a career in the 21st century!

In my opinion, a PPL (whether aeroplane, microlight, or a gliding equivalent) is an essential before committing to professional flying training. Very simply - it'll tell you whether you have the aptitude and enough dedication to then go through the rest of the process. Even if it leaves you £6k+ down, that's cheap compared to professional courses - and you might just discover that you love it as a hobby, but would rather pursue something else professionally.



Plan B is an often debated topic. A lot of people, wrongly in my opinion, advocate a degree before pilot training as a "backup". The reason I think that this is a bad idea is that the 3+ years and £40k commitment doing a degree is a ludicrously disproportionate as a backup. fine if you want to pursue something that wants both (business studies degree 'cos you fancy owning and running your own flying school, aero-eng degree because you want to be a test pilot, something that meets officer entry requirements because you want to be a fighter pilot) - but not otherwise, unless you simply have a massive passion for a subject and just want to study it. I'd advocate as a backup something skills based you'd enjoy. That might be sport coaching, lifeguarding, cooking - there's all sorts of stuff out there, and you know what you enjoy. Basically stuff that can finance your flying, give you an instant fallback if flying falls through for any reason, and if you do decide instead you want to do a degree and enter a graduate profession - buys you space to sort that out going forward.

G

[Paul_Sengupta]

Don't discount computing or engineering. I did a poll on here once and over 50% of us on this forum worked in some form of IT related job.