View Full Version : Any pilots in the house?
plowsie
18-02-10, 04:56 PM
I'd like some advice, fancy a career change. Thought I'd ask here first and see if I can exchange a few PM's.
It costs a LOT of money. A friend spent an absolute fortune on trying to become a commercial pilot, then became ill and couldnt fulfill his ambition. We are talking 10's of thousands in flying lessons, air time, plane hire...etc etc.
Still if its waht you want to do, then you will find away. Good luck Biggles
Biker Biggles
18-02-10, 05:09 PM
It costs a LOT of money. A friend spent an absolute fortune on trying to become a commercial pilot, then became ill and couldnt fulfill his ambition. We are talking 10's of thousands in flying lessons, air time, plane hire...etc etc.
Still if its waht you want to do, then you will find away. Good luck Biggles
Thanks I'll need it.:confused:
plowsie
18-02-10, 05:14 PM
It costs a LOT of money. A friend spent an absolute fortune on trying to become a commercial pilot, then became ill and couldnt fulfill his ambition. We are talking 10's of thousands in flying lessons, air time, plane hire...etc etc.
Still if its waht you want to do, then you will find away. Good luck Biggles
Well that fooking thraps that out the window at the speed of a jumbo then.
I want to fly, I used to hate it as a kid, love it now, spose RAF etc is the same sort of thing? Lots of lessons before you even consider.
Already looked into the Navy and they want 180 UCAS points, and currently I don't have that, but, if need be I could work towards that.
Yeep +1 on the fortune it costs if you wanna train to become a commercial airline pilot.
There must be scholarships at some places which could be worth a shot. I had a mate who after A levels went on to flying school. Now he's working with easyjet as a 1st officer and making a good living out of it. In the end, it will definetely be worth while. Becoming ill/unexpected events can happen in any line of training for any career so don't let that matter.
I would have loved to be a pilot at one stage in my life, and still probably can't think of many other jobs I would find more fun.
Go for it mate, make it work somehow, I'm sure it would be very rewarding in more ways than one.
BBadger
18-02-10, 05:25 PM
my friend at work has her degree but is leaving come march to go to a flying school.
its a whole course like uni but not only do you learn to fly, you learn airport management and other things that goes with it all.
ill have a chat with her soon and find out details if you would like?
Wideboy
18-02-10, 05:27 PM
the raf will only take you on if you have loads of a levels and stuff like that, cant be wasting money on any old hick......... i was turned away :smt089
the raf will only take you on if you have loads of a levels and stuff like that, cant be wasting money on any old hick......... i was turned away :smt089
Not only that only 0.1% of people in the RAF actually fly, if you have a degree you can enter at officer level and become a weapons system operator, ie sit with a 50cal gun at the back door of a chopper or behind the pilot on a jet.
It's all a nice thought but it's out of reach unless you are elite.
I often see the trainee taking off in jets from airfields around Lincolnshire and cranwell, so jealous :( bet some of them are only 21
speedplay
18-02-10, 06:37 PM
You my friend, are destined for a career in the porn industry.
You can work your own hours, the first week in hand isn't too bad and talk about job satisfaction ;)
As others have said, it is expensie several of my friends work for airlines, or have a CPL, first off go do your PPL , some of my mates did this over in America and then transferred the licience over here as it was cheaper but that was some 10+ years ago so times might have changed.
It isnt all about flying either, there are a LOT of exams to pass, not just the physical, but also to get the different ratings as well. To do instrument ratings, night flying, blagh the list is never ending really and each exam costs a lot.
There are a lot of unemployed pilots out there right now too so to get a job even if you have a CPL is quite difficult. Others have gone into being a tug pilot on the gliding airfields to keep a job and keep their hours up.
Once you have a licence you have to keep it current, that is that you have to fly a set amount of hours per year other wise you will loose the licence.
Sorry if the above sounds negative. Flying is an amazing thing to do and I used to love doing it, the amusing thing is that I could afford doing it as a student because of the special rates I got, sadly cant afford it now.
yorkie_chris
18-02-10, 07:40 PM
Not only that only 0.1% of people in the RAF actually fly, if you have a degree you can enter at officer level and become a weapons system operator, ie sit with a 50cal gun at the back door of a chopper or behind the pilot on a jet.
As far as I know the door gunners aren't degree/CO level I think they're NCOs. Mate of mines son in law does that on chinooks out in Afghan at the moment.
I think the back seater on fast jets is WSO(Officer not Operator) and much more skilled/prestigious job.
I could be talking balls though.
Army Air Corps if you can get near it. Fancy sitting front seat in an Apache?
oh yeah....:smt067
As far as I know the door gunners aren't degree/CO level I think they're NCOs. Mate of mines son in law does that on chinooks out in Afghan at the moment.
I think the back seater on fast jets is WSO(Officer not Operator) and much more skilled/prestigious job.
I could be talking balls though.
I think you could be right, it' s a while since I looked into it seriously
At least he couldn't run over his own foot in a plane! :smt046
Army Air Corps if you can get near it. Fancy sitting front seat in an Apache?
oh yeah....:smt067
one my mates is in that, fixes the apaches, refuels them and that out in Afghan, says it similar to the RAF, you have to be pretty special before they will train you up. that would be awesome though, prob better than being a jet pilot.
Yorkie is right...I was actually looking at the website a week or so ago and the aircrew (shooter-uppers as I call them) don't need A levels or degree.
yorkie_chris
18-02-10, 08:36 PM
one my mates is in that, fixes the apaches, refuels them and that out in Afghan, says it similar to the RAF, you have to be pretty special before they will train you up. that would be awesome though, prob better than being a jet pilot.
Yah outside in 45 degree heat lifting a lot of heavy stuff that goes bang. Sounds fun!
Flying apaches would be great, though yeah you'd have to be pretty special. Plowsie I wouldn't think you've got much chance of that with your build. They aren't the biggest of machines!
Yah outside in 45 degree heat lifting a lot of heavy stuff that goes bang. Sounds fun!
Flying apaches would be great, though yeah you'd have to be pretty special. Plowsie I wouldn't think you've got much chance of that with your build. They aren't the biggest of machines!
not being groundcrew, but a pilot.
saying that though, i thought they would be a pretty decent place to be on a battlefield, but just had a quick look on the net and they seem to get shot down a little too often.
When i tried for the marines, there was someone else going for pilot in the RAF, and they told him he needed to be exceptional in every area of what he did, school, extra curricular and all that to be considered.
speedplay
18-02-10, 09:26 PM
you have to be pretty special before they will train you up.
Plowsie is special.
In a window licker kind of way:rolleyes:
Essex of Essex
18-02-10, 09:32 PM
I fly 757s drop me a PM with any questions and I'll try and answer them for you. What you have been told so far regarding high costs is correct, and currently the job market is pants for newly qualified pilots with no experience.
Tiger 55
18-02-10, 09:39 PM
PM away old boy, like most pilots I have lots of time on my hands. :)
Essex of Essex (who replied while I composed this) is also living the dream, I'm sure he wont mind being probed. :help:
And by the way, this...
I want to fly
...is a fantastic start.
Go for it.
yorkie_chris
18-02-10, 09:42 PM
Best fun I saw looked to be guys in Oz flying little single seat helos to herd cattle, slinging them about in between trees and all sorts.
Kit aircraft thing looks fun too, if an expensive hobby but I have a feeling I'd get banned quite quickly. (what's the craic with PPL anyway, do you get points on your license and stuff for misbehaving or what?)
Now I have a degree in flying, I have BA knowledge.
Is microlights a low cost option to start with?
yorkie_chris
18-02-10, 11:18 PM
AFAIK they come under ultralight rules (too light to be a 'proper' plane?) so don't count toward PPL/CPL... but if you just want to get in the air they're probably the cheapest.
Paramotoring looks like a laugh too.
theshed
18-02-10, 11:27 PM
think about this do you really want to be a pilot ?
isnt that a bit like being a lorry driver trunking up and down the motoway except there is nothing to look at out of the windows
at least on the motoway it never ceases to amaze what people get up to in their cars when they think no-one can see them LOL
arenalife
19-02-10, 04:33 AM
I always wanted to fly but thought it was an impossible ambition - BUT I'm just getting into this :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlZtzNgWARY&feature=channel
Cost about 2.5k for the kit and 1.5k for the training
No licensing or registration required, just set up and go (but do get training) :)
No GATSO in the sky! It's like 3D motorbiking :)
This is me on the 4th training day (without the power unit), it doesn't look like it but that's a big drop I'm running off and height was about 300' at highest. The legs keep running while you're in the air cos you can't help it, you're so psyched up about running off the edge your legs just keep going. You're running for your life really haha:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WKdq8lzAUE
metalangel
19-02-10, 07:56 AM
I wanted to learn, but I'm terrible with math and such so that pretty much destroyed that dream.
A guy I knew on another forum, though, was accepted by BA for some sort of scholarship where he'd basically be taken in and trained from a complete n00b up to first officer level. His course was due to start in October 2001.
Gutted!
plowsie
19-02-10, 09:42 AM
Thanks for all the help guys, Essex of Essex & Tiger, thanks for handing up, I will be in touch in time.
I want to try and explore other avenues for flying, surely there's got to be ways round for those of us who struggle to string a weeks wages to last :lol:
Littlepeahead
19-02-10, 11:01 AM
Anna about summed it up but my ex is 3 years into his training to be a commercial pilot and he sold our former home to pay for his training. He took me on a flight in a little 4 seater as his first passenger after he got his licence.
He's spent a fair bit of time in the USA doing the second stage of training.
If you want more info about the process I'm sure he'd be happy to tell you what you need to do so PM me contact details and I can ask him to get in touch.
timwilky
19-02-10, 11:12 AM
One of the guys who contracts for us flys helicopters for fun. He did try to do it commercially but no work or money in it for a new pilot. He must have spent over 50 grand. So flys in the summer and spends a couple of days a week coding from a distance to subsidise his expentiture
Tiger 55
19-02-10, 11:20 AM
surely there's got to be ways round for those of us who struggle to string a weeks wages to last :lol:
Yes, Fly Navy. :D
I have no idea what an UCAS point may be but I bet 180 of them are easier to come by than 50,000 of these £££. Get on with it. ;)
but no work or money in it for a new pilot.
Well no money in it for sure, but no work is just a failure on his part to look/try hard enough. That's cool though, it's a natural filter for those who lack the commitment resulting in more jobs for those that don't.
christopher
19-02-10, 11:38 AM
I have no idea what an UCAS point may be but I bet 180 of them are easier to come by than 50,000 of these £££. Get on with it. ;)
According to people over at The Student Room (http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1110076)...
"Tariff Table for A Level. AS is half
A = 120
B = 100
C = 80
D = 60
E = 40"
So basically, one B and one C and you're done.
I'm looking at helicopter lessons (just for fun, not for a career change) but it is so expensive, going to have at least a couple of taster sessions soon though.
muffles
19-02-10, 12:46 PM
the raf will only take you on if you have loads of a levels and stuff like that, cant be wasting money on any old hick......... i was turned away :smt089
Hang on but wasn't TheGreek in the RAF? :lol:
You my friend, are destined for a career in the porn industry.
You can work your own hours, the first week in hand isn't too bad and talk about job satisfaction ;)
Hmm...surely you have to hold back and can't just 'enjoy' yourself? :confused: Haha...
From what I remember of the RAF, they were looking for good quals but just as importantly they were looking for the right kind of attitude, it used to be training was approx a million a year for 3 yrs so quite an investment and they want peeps who are totally committed, you,ll have to expect constant deployments and long hours, what do you want to fly ? fast jets, rotary wing, transport ? the new airbus A440 is coming online in the next few years plus the joint strike fighter is round the corner, however the nimrod is being drawn down and camps are closing quite regularly, when I left in 86 there was 110,000 of us now there are only 48000 plus its looks like we will be swallowed by either the navy or more probably the army within the next 10 yrs so a lot of things changing, word on the grapevine is that if the army take over there will be 48,000 apps for redundancy going in.
plowsie
19-02-10, 01:25 PM
Yes, Fly Navy. :D
I have no idea what an UCAS point may be but I bet 180 of them are easier to come by than 50,000 of these £££. Get on with it. ;)
Very good sir, tis what I thought.
RAF is an option also. I think my main aim is get on the application ladder and get meself fitter.
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