Learning to fly, or thinking of learning? Post your questions, comments and experiences here

Moderator: AndyR

#1520218
Thank you all for help and advises. At the moment I still need to try hard and do my best in order to achieve the best grades and success. And afterwards, after my GCSEs, I will definitely go and have a look around for any clubs which could offer me a trial flight first and then I would decide what would be my next step. As I'm only 16, I still can't apply for the scholarship, however, next year I will try to sort everything, so I'm able to apply and get my PPL license and therefore I would have a higher chance of stepping on the right tracks. I will definitely let you know in the future how I'm doing and if I also need any advice, I will post it here... Thank you again and just for letting you know, I will post how I'm doing and where I'm at the moment. Many thanks and enjoy flying!
By Ricky
#1566186
Dear Flyer Community,

I am really really really sorry for coming back after such a long time but my last couple of months were too busy. As I promised I am contacting you to let you know what are my plans or where I am at the moment etc.

First of all I think I should start by saying that I am currently studying Maths, Computer Science and Business Studies for my A-levels. I am still wondering whether I should have chosen to do Physics as that is what a person looking for a career as a pilot requires or should have studied, but I heard that even without doing Physics and just doing Maths you are on the good tracks.

I would like to ask for any recommendations or ideas where I should head towards now. Should I plan to go to university? Most people say that it is a bit of timewaster as you could have passed the PPL and started gaining hours flying and gaining experience by the time you graduated. But as I am only 16 I am still kind of unsure where I will end up after A-levels so I would be glad if you would have any recommendations.

Many thanks,
Ricky
User avatar
By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1566188
The problem with the airline industry is that it can be a bit hit or miss. Find the right airline and you have a job for life. Otherwise you can find you need to travel around the globe looking for work as each company you're working for goes bust. It depends on the lifestyle you want. Going to university and having a backup career in case of not being able to find work is certainly an option no one should be dissuaded from!

A lot of it is also who you know, so just getting involved any way you can, from cleaning windscreens and dispensing fuel to getting your PPL will get you into the right circle of people who may hear about opportunities and are in a position to make personal recommendations.

At the age of 18, not knowing anything about the airline industry, I had a mental coin toss. Should I try and be a pilot, or a telecomms engineer? I chose telecomms, and I have a job I love, and play with my aeroplane at weekends. I'm 47 now. I think for me, I made the right choice, but who knows? I know a lot of airline pilots who also dearly love their jobs.
#1566206
I am very much in the same boat as you, albeit a year further down the line and I already have my PPL. I would say if you have any ambition to fly professionally in the future, then do some trial lessons and if you enjoy it then go for the PPL before spending £££'s on a full ATPL. You will find out whether you enjoy the flying, and you may find (like I have) that you love flying, but the airline route is not going to be the right one and another form of flying may be more suited, or another part of the aviation sector. Either way it will give you a clue.

I am debating the University issue as well, it's definitely a very difficult choice - and having not yet made the decision myself I feel I'm not in a great position to offer advice on that, perhaps in a few weeks I'll have more ideas of what I want to do with my life!

Peter
By cockney steve
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1566244
Whilst it is good that you are studying hard, it is not the" be-all and end-all ". The only University graduate , ever in our family, is my daughter. She stated that employers were more wary of someone with a "First" (1-1 Degree) than a 2-1,- reason being that somebody with such a narrow focus is possibly not a good socialiser and communicator and lacks that broadness of character needed in a group activity......Whether that was an excuse for having a good time at Uni, I have no idea. She has a Doctorate in Particle Physics and did a Master's in Astrophysics (but, as Paul pointed out, works in IT ! )

During Uni, she worked in Mc. Donald's (or is it Macdonalds ?) as a checkout -operator...One day a customer said " Psst. I am manager of Tesco , over the road, would you like to work for us?".....Her reply..."What are you paying"......A couple of weeks later, she has a better income, more convenient shifts and easier work. Later, she became a call-centre operator,for an energy-supplier. There is work and money out there if you really want it.

You will find opportunities presenting themselves. A gliding club may need a commitment for 1 day a week, but you can relax from academic pressures, meet other Aviation enthusiasts, talk to them (they are a very friendly crowd) get loads of differing opinions, advice, philosophies and trades. It may take a few months to get known, but soon you'll find the offers coming in. -A social circle that could lead who-knows where.

Gliding may not be your scene. To start flying, you could try Parascending, hang-gliding, flex-wing or fixed-wing Microlighting.....There is now a single-seat class where you only need a basic licence, where you could qualify in 25 hours...The aircraft is your personal responsibility, as regards Airworthiness. (see SSDR ) there is also an ultra-lightweight class which is totally unregulated, but, AIUI, it's on a year's trial. You'd be very foolhardy or brave to save~£9,000 and try to teach yourself!

Me? just a wannabe. 70 years old, circumstances, family, never thought I could afford to fly. (no Internet in those days!) A friend in the Motor Trade completed his PPL and wound up with a share in a Permit (LAA) aircraft....I went flying with him on many occasions. very basic, swing the prop to start, hand held radio, yell to each other (no electrics, hand-held radio) until he could afford headsets and a battery-powered intercom.
(Oh , and he met his future wife at the Flying Club.)
If you want it badly enough, you'll find a way. look at other forums such as PPrune. You may decide that flying big jets is absolutely NOT what you want, but biz-jets, crop-spraying, air-taxi or a myriad of other things appeal. One fellow did a rush-hour "eye in the sky" morning traffic report, for local radio, pleasure -flights at weekends and Bank Holidays, and a bit of Aerial Photography. He wasn't rich, but enjoyed life.
#1566247
Hi Ricky,

you never said if you have flown in a light aircraft or glider already ?

Have you experienced what it is like yet?

I fly from Duxford, (have you been to Duxford?) drop me a pm, we'll see if we can schedule some flying.

Dave.
#1566405
Wow, it is amazing that just over night so many people have read and replied to my post. I was definitely not expecting this and I think this forum is a great place to start as there are a lot of people with a variety of experience so this a big plus from me. I shall apologize for my English but hopefully, it is not that bad. Just so I don't spam the forum I will try to put everything into one post so hopefully you will be able to find my response somewhere down bellow. Thank you again for help, I am glad I found this forum.

First of all I should say that I wouldn't be here if I wouldn't be so ambitious about becoming a pilot or living the life of a pilot. To be honest, I am that type of person who would rather become a full time pilot, travel the world than care about games, friends, girls and for me any other timewasting things which my colleagues probably do. I have moved to England around 4 years ago and I am really pushing myself forward. Some people might call me a "nerd" but that's just how I am. I currently I'm studying A-levels and I probably have about a year before I will have the choice between university or anything else which will lead to my career so hopefully I will get some ideas here.

For me it would be disappointing not to get involved in this career and if I would have to head in a different direction, I think, I would still get a PPL and fly over the weekends such as Paul_Sengupta does. My key question is where should I go next? University? Or maybe contact an airline? Well, they probably wouldn't even think about giving me a job without any experience etc. so that is a bad example. But my only fair is the cost. Whether it is University or PPL those are expensive, I won't lie.

About a month ago I have applied for a position at Tesco which is about 10 minutes away from me so I though it would be a good opportunity for me to earn some money and possibly be able to start gliding or find out about any opportunities in my local areas. So far they didn't get back to me so I guess they either have too many people applying or they are not really looking for anyone at the moment. My father also knows the manager of Tesco so I might force him to ask on behalf of me whether they have any positions available so I can speed up the process.

So far I don't have any experience but if I would get a part time job and would have some spare money which I could spend on gliding or joining a club then of course I would do so but at the moment I enjoy watching steveo1kinevo on youtube who creates some good content while he is flying around from different places. It is exactly what I would like to do straight away. Even thought it doesn't provide as good experience as sitting in an aircraft or a glider I still enjoy his videos.

I don't really know what else I should say. I think that is enough for now. I would like to thank you once again for sharing your experience.
Rob P, Cessna57 liked this
#1566430
Ricky wrote: I am that type of person who would rather become a full time pilot, travel the world than care about games, friends, girls and for me any other timewasting things


I say! Steady on old chap. You can't lump 'girls'into the time-wasting category! 8)

That said, your commitment is impressive.

Rob P
By cockney steve
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1566450
Good post, Ricky, Your command of English is impressive, a lot better than many native speakers (that's one box you can tick, level 6 English ;-) Yes, a part-time job, will earn enough for you to do maybe an hour a month training for your PPL. once you have that, you can then progress and become an instructor and thus combine hours-building with flying! Keep posting!
#1566557
Ricky.
I don't think it has been mentioned yet. Look up the Light Aircraft Association website, find the nearest "strut" /local group to you. And give the co-ordinator a call. He's the "chairman" of the local group. Ask if you can come along to their next meeting.
These groups meet usually on a monthly basis and consist of pilots/owners/enthusiasts.
The membership fee to our (East of Scotland) strut is £25 per year. What they charge further south I don't know.
These organisations have regular talks/presentations on aspects of flying, arrange fly outs to various destinations and general aviation chit chat over a pint.
The LAA are trying to encourage young members to join.
With your enthusiasm I'm sure they would welcome you.
I'm sure if someone offered to vacuum my aircraft, clean the bugs off the paintwork, push it in and out of the hanger, I would be more than happy to fly them free of charge.
It will certainly get you into the aviation scene a lot cheaper than flying lessons at a school.
User avatar
By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1566623
Crash one wrote:The membership fee to our (East of Scotland) strut is £25 per year. What they charge further south I don't know.


My Strut, Andover, charge £10 a year. We have presentations from various speakers over the winter and then BBQs, "bums on seats" (giving each other rides in our aeroplanes), fish and chip night, etc, in the summer.

If anyone wants to come along, it's second Monday of every month, talk starts at 8pm, Popham clubhouse.
#1566664
A few thoughts from me:

I really, really wish I was a professional pilot. It's all I wanted to be when growing up. But money etc, and people also told me I should go to university "just in case".

I did go to university, which saddled me with enough debt to ensure I couldn't then do flight training in any sort of reasonable timeframe to make it my job. There was a slight - ahem - loss of focus in my early/mid 20s too :cheers:

The irony is my degree was mostly pointless for my current (IT-related) profession, which I sort of fell into via a completely different route. Not totally pointless mind, but that's just because I work in the public sector which has a ridiculous and unjustified intellectual snobbery about degrees - you want to make the interview shortlist, you need one.

Unlike university, a flying career is a bit time-limited. You're better starting at 16 than 26, and certainly 36 which is when I did my postgrad. So if I had my time again I'd be looking at how I could get the money to invest in flying first. And maybe that includes going into debt like most students. You can always go to uni later if you need to - and indeed people who go later tend to study better, in my experience, because they have a genuine reason to be there rather than just thinking of it as an extension of school.

The great thing about IT as a career is that you don't need any formal qualifications! Sure they help, and for some jobs you do. But there's a ton of stuff out there where enthusiasm, aptitude and practical experience are more than enough to get you good jobs. Some (not all) of the best people I've worked with never went to university, but they had experience and aptitude in spades. Conversely one of the biggest liabilities had a degree from Cambridge. So again if I had my time again I'd probably make IT the Plan B - make sure you're employable but don't put down too much money, at least at first. Practical technical fields such as system administration, networking, or programming are good ones to aim for where you can get decent jobs without needing a degree. Management and business-focused fields a bit less so.

I wouldn't necessarily advocate the pay-a-ton-of-money-to-get-an-Airbus-FO-post "academy" approach (and I know some people who think it's downright ridiculous) but it is an option, and there's a great blog by a young guy who's going through the process at the moment. He also talks about his Plan B, the reasons he decided to go the way he did etc so it's well worth a read: https://www.pilotgeorge.co.uk/

What do I do now to get my aviation fix? I fly microlights as a hobby. So my final thought: don't discount the lighter end of aviation if you don't end up working in the industry but still want to fly. You get a lot of hours and fun for your buck with microlighting.