Pilot Training - anyone done it?

[ComfortablyGlum]

My son (17, doing A levels) has always been interested in a career in aviation. It faded a bit as he got into his early teens but now he’s come back to thinking it is what he wants to do. Unfortunately he hasn’t done air cadets or anything just a trial lesson plus an hour in a (full size) simulator.

A friend owns a glider and has offered to ‘start him off’ with lessons in that as that we are told it’s a good starting point.

We are going to a pilot careers day next month at Heathrow but I thought it might be useful to see if anyone else here has experience of pilot training and can pass on any tips?

His main concern is his height - he’s a smidge over 6ft 3 - which appears to be the limit for most commercial pilots although it does say in the research we’ve done that they will accept taller after a medical. Would love to know why this is an issue?

We know it will be expensive (been quoted around 90k to 120k) and we can help with some of it but wondered if there were any schemes / loans that are available?

Last question - there are apparently aptitude tests to take to get on the course - son is worried that because he has no real flying experience that he won’t be able to pass. My feelings are that not many 17 year olds will have a PPL or many hours flying time so surely that must be taken into account? Or is it an unrealistic dream unless you DO have a fair bit of experience?

Any help or advice appreciated!

When I was looking in to this, many years ago, most of the big airlines had training schemes where they trained you, and you committed to something like 5 years with that airline post qualification.

You needed no flying experience, and the “aptitude test” was one of those psychological tick box questionnaires.

May be different now, of course. But worth contacting a few airlines? Fairly sure I saw one of the budget airlines looking for trainee pilots a while back.

Presumably he’s too tall for the Air Force as an option then commercial afterward?

What about helicopters also? Police, air ambulance, coastguard etc? Also check jobs as dispatcher at base, come up reasonably frequently and if he does need to pay for training he could work shifts while making contacts and learning the “lingo”.

There is an airline based in Eastern Europe that are currently advertising for pilots and providing training (saw an advert in an onboard magazine recently but can’t rwmem which airline...) Not very helpful sorry but the point is there are schemes out there for people with no experience.

A friend of my DS qualified as an airline pilot at the age of 40 and now works for one of the big airlines. He took private lessons and, after he'd proved himself, then the airline took him on as a trainee.

Absolutely take up the gliding lessons. I know people who have used gliding as the launchpoint for a career as a commercial pilot.

Another friend who applied repeatedly, unsuccessfully, for the BA Future Pilot programme told me that everyone else at the assessment day seemed to have gliding experience (he did not).

He'll get experience in flying (helpful to work out if he enjoys it as much as he expects), and learn skills that will stand him in good stead for flying an airliner (remember the airliner that landed safely on the Hudson River? The captain was a glider pilot, and it showed). He'll get to enjoy the sport, and it's a much cheaper way to learn to fly than powered aircraft. He can also back it up with practicing on a simulator at home. I'm about 10 years out of date, but last I heard Condor was a good gliding simulator that could be installed on a PC at home; you can buy a control stick and rudder pedals to go with it.

careers.airbaltic.com/en/jobs/cabin-crew-and-flight-crew/pilot-academy-cadet-programme-student

My Ds is 19 and wants to be a commercial pilot. He is currently working full time and also trying to complete his private pilots license in his spare time. Ds has been flying since he was 14 and flew solo for the first time at 16.

None of the big airlines offer any kind of financial support now for male applicants (there have been a few for women over the last few years, to try and encourage them into aviation) Ds got a small scholarship last year with the air league towards his private licence but these kind of opportunities are few and far between.

He has chosen not to go to uni so he doesn't incur more debt and pretty much saves every penny he earns to go towards his training. He's going to train the modular route as it's a bit cheaper than an integrated course but he will still need at least 60k. I wish we could help Ds but we can't, I think many parents take out huge loans or remortgage their homes. I really hope that he will one day fulfil his dream of becoming a commercial pilot as he is working really hard to try and make it a reality.

Not sure about the height issues. Ds is around 6ft. I have read somewhere I think 6ft 3 is the maximum but you would need to check that.

Avocados, Ds applied for the BA future pilot programme. He didn't get further than the online application. Not sure why he applied though as he didn't have the 93k that he would have needed to pay for the course!

Best of luck to your son OP.

My brother is a military fast jet pilot. He has been obsessed with aircraft since he was tiny so it's lovely to see him in his ideal career. He won't be going into commercial flying when he's finished in the forces though.
He began gliding and then did his PPl at a young age also.

I find it amazing that people have to self fund the commercial course. So expensive

Airlines have schemes where they lend you the money and work off the debt (not 100% sure how it works) it's expensive to train privately but in theory they can pay it back in 5-10 years once qualified.

Another option is to look into training as a pilot in the airforce - they have pilots to fly passenger aircraft not just fast jets. It certainly would not hurt going to the local careers office.

Gliding is a very time consuming, as well as potentially expensive, hobby. Be prepared to give over at least one full day every weekend at the local club.
Many then move onto doing their PPL (cost £££), then work as a tow pilot at one of the bigger gliding clubs to build up hours towards the CPL.

I lived in Africa for a few years and learnt to fly out there - it was ridiculously cheap compared to UK. Not sure if that’s still the case these days. If he wants to take a gap year and get some flying experience it might be worth looking into, even if o Uk to rack up some experience ahead do applying for pilot training.

@Punxsutawney I forget the details (this was 5-8 years ago) but I seem to remember that BA organises loans which were then paid off once working?

My DB went from A Levels to pilot training without a PPL. He has been successful, got a training contract with a big airline and now earns mega bucks. He had no connections or real flying experience before he did training, but my parents did pay the £100k course fees so he was very lucky in that respect.

Things to note from what he has told me:

• during the first few years you can be posted anywhere with just a week’s notice. Your son would need to be resilient and comfortable with change, and being in a new environment not knowing anyone
• my DB was applying during the big boom years where travel was growing. We are now seeing profit warnings issued by airlines and pilot strikes. It may not be easy to get a job afterwards
• the shifts are, and always will be, a killer. My DB is very very senior but still works in the middle of the night, even when just on the simulator (which is kept active 24/7
• my DB is lucky that his wife is happy to be a SAHM because there’s no way you could have a family with two working parents and one as a pilot

Thanks everyone - some really useful advice!

He would definitely be looking at training with an airline rather than doing it independently (the link to Baltic Air was very informative- thank you to that poster).

He’s ruled out the military route as he isn’t suited to it - plus hes too tall by quite a margin for most of their roles. However, a (non military) helicopter pilot route is a good suggestion and we will explore this avenue too.

Our other son is doing an arts degree and will be in 40k of debt when he finishes - with no guarantee of a job. So although the initial outlay is a lot for pilot training I guess the guarantee of a decent job and salary at the end numbs the blow a bit. *Just to add we are extremely proud that our elder son who is following his dream at art school and don’t begrudge helping and supporting him on that path!

I learnt to fly in my early twenties - saved every penny I earned to pay for lessons. I very nearly got on the BA Cadets scheme, but failed at the final stage.

This was a long time ago now, but what I do remember is the importance of ‘showing willing’ by having a few hours of flying training under your belt. The gliding is a good start, but I’d get him to do half a dozen or so hours in a light aircraft too.

You’re welcome OP! I just happened to remember which airline had the advert I saw. Good luck to your son, I have an acquaintance who is a BA pilot and every time I see him I love hearing about his job!

My parents both worked full time despite one being a pilot - it's not impossible.

It's a great career. You do need to be committed, willing to work weird hours, stay fairly fit, and do a lot of training. It wouldn't do any harm to get some gliding experience. BTW it's much cheaper to get a PPL in the US if your son is seriously thinking about it.

My sister aced the aptitude test despite having no flight experience. She is very good at thinking in three dimensions, she's physically very dextrous, and she can hold a lot of information in her head at once - I imagine all of this helped.

My DN has just started training with a major airline. He’s 6ft2 and said that the upper limit was 6ft4. Maybe your DS can slouch a little when measured! My DN had no flying experience at all, but said that the assessments were pretty tough. It would be useful for your DS to practice online simulators etc.