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Qualifications to be an airline pilot

Ok, I've just finished my GCSEs and I've definetely had at least 5 Cs - including Maths. Anyway, my ambition is to become an airline pilot. On a website I found about this career, it said that I needed a minimum of two A levels, preferably maths and physics, or equivalent, is required, plus five GCSEs at grades A*-C. Anyway, the teachers said that I couldn't choose Maths or Physics because they said I wasn't good enough, so instead I was thinking of choosing Design & Technology, Electronics and Health and Safety. So will I be able to quaify to be a professional airline pilot with these subjects or even to be an army jet pilot? Or could I qualify with subects other than these, because it did say "or equivalent"?

Please help! You'll help me to take the right turning in life! :smile:

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Reply 1

turgon

To be an airline pilot you need an ATPL license - to get that you need to be able to get into a training school. You'd generally need 5 GCSEs A*-C including maths and english, and 2 A-levels are also needed most of the time, PREFERABLY A levels in maths and physics, but it doesn't matter too much if you do different subjects. Same academic qualifications are required for military flying.

Reply 2

OceansbigC

thankyou, that seriously helped!! Thanks :smile:

Reply 3

x.beth.x

Don't you need perfect eyesight as well? I remember someone in my class wanted to be a pilot but they were shortsighted so they were told they couldn't...

Reply 4

Hedger

My friend is training to be a pilot. His way is: He's on a scholarship thing at college which allows him to attend flying school and stuff, basically to pass his written exams. He's training for 3 liscences, his first is a Private Piloting Lisence(PPL)if i remember correctly. He goes college to get his A-Levels, you need a physics a-level, well not need, but it shows your competance.

Then after that, he's taking out a £80,000 loan, flying to spain, and training there for 18months I think he said, then when he comes out, he'll have enough qualification to at least begin his career...

Reply 5

turgon

Military flying needs you to have perfect vision (at the time of applying anyway :biggrin:

), whereas civilian airline pilots need to pass medical tests known as the Class 1 Medical, which includes eyesight. Civilian pilots don't need perfect eyesight but it still needs to be very good to get through the medical.

OceansbigC

Do you think you're good enough? Seriously, if i had taken my teachers' advice seriously i would of gone nowhere. The majority of them are idiots, especially in high school. Then again, its not worth taking up a-level maths and physics if you wont do well in them. but tbh, you dont have to be a genious to do a-level maths and physics, just really hardworking and slightly mathematically minded.

Reply 8

The Regend

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Explore_types_of_jobs/Types_of_Job/p!eipaL?state=showocc&idno=76&pageno=4

Reply 9

Joffy

My boyfriend is a commercial pilot and he says that you don't even need to have A-levels to do it. The A-levels are just for integrated courses (the £80,000 option completed in 18 months at a flying school such as Jerez in Spain, Cabair in Cranfield or Oxford Aviation Training) or they're required for the few sponsorship schemes which are popping up around the country. Otherwise, you don't need any other qualifications and you don't need to spend £80,000, you can spend £40,000 and complete it as a modular course in about 24 months with most stages of obtaining your CPL/IR being completed at your local flying school. Don't be sucked in to splashing out thousands of £ when you don't necessarily have too.

Also, in regards to the glasses thing, for commercial flying it doesn't matter what your eyesight is (just not too extreme)...as long as it can be corrected with glasses.

Reply 10

shaunlynch16

Or right, you COULD just go straight here http://www.ctcwings.co.uk/index_home.asp :yep:

and fill in an application for the CTC Wings Cadet Route, which you do NOT need any qualifications for, you just need talent and ambition! It's free because it's sponsored, you go to New Zealand to do something like 14 months training to get your PPL (Private Pilots License) which would usually cost around £4-5000, and whatever else you need to have to be eligible to take you CPL (Commercial Pilots License) which you do back in the UK over a period of something like 3-4 months.

Just take a look and you'll know what I'm talking about. I've filled in an app. and I didn't even do that well in my exams.

As for the whole teacher thing, **mentalheroin** has a very big point! Telling you you're not good enough to do certain A levels, ******** to them, the majority of them don't know what the hell they're talking about, and can't even be kind enough to let people have a chance, even if they believe in themselves and think they have what it takes to get where they want in life!

Heck, who knows, we might be flying the same plane in a few years :cool:

Reply 11

MrHowlett

shaunlynch16

Or right, you COULD just go straight here http://www.ctcwings.co.uk/index_home.asp :yep:

You do have to pay for this and you do need qualifications, I suggest you look into it a bit more carefully before you commit yourself.

Reply 12

mike9665

Just like to point out eyesight wont stop you being a pilot, laser eye surgery can get you past that. What i would imagine would be important is your muscular endurance, i know some people who wanted to be a pilot but after having a medical realised they had wasted years of their lives, just get everything checked out before you even start training. Hope this helped.

Reply 13

username430180

How much?

Looks like my little brother has to find a new career path.

Reply 14

MrNabz

OceansbigC im in the same situation as you was a few years ago, i got my 5 A*- c GCSEs but i never got a B in english so i cant do physics :confused:

and maths was full so i ended up doing applied science and A level biology

does anyone know if this will still affect me becoming a pilot seeing as im doing applied science??
any help will be greatly appreciated, thanks :u:

Reply 15

pug

No formal qualifications are required to become an airline pilot with the exception of an ATPL. There is only one half decent 'sponsorship' in the UK currently. See link.

http://www.bafuturepilot.com/

You do need to meet their qualification requirements for this, and as you would expect it is highly competitive. You are still getting a bank loan for the cost of your training, but it will be secured through BA so no having to risk your parents house. I believe this is the best of a bad bunch at the moment, and is certainly open to talent over the size of your wallet.

As for the rest, a great deal of caution is needed. The flying training organisations will try and sell you a dream. Unfortunately it is just that. You will be required to stump up over £80,000 for most of the intergrated courses, and you are by no means guaranteed a job. It can be done cheaper on the modular route, which I would suggest is far less of a risk financially as you can in effect 'top up' your ratings as and when you need to, and also work during training to fund the costs. Tenacity is required for both routes, and there are not a great deal of openings for fresh faced 250 hour fATLP holders (and these are increasing in number stacking the odds up against you getting a job).

Do what you are good at academically, dont tie yourself to Physics and Maths if you are better at the others you mentioned. It would be a foolish choice, particulartly where UCAS points are concerned. Perhaps most importantly is get some flying hours in to see if you actually like it. You would be surprised at the number of wannabe jet jocks who, upon actually having a bumpy hour being blown about in a cessna, decide that flying is not for them!!

Hope the advice helps, I know the OP posted four weeks ago now so hopefully will still see this.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 16

Drewski

Original post by pug

Hope the advice helps, I know the OP posted four weeks ago now so hopefully will still see this.

OP posted 4 years ago and hasn't been here since April. You might've just wasted your time a bit! Others might find it useful, though.

Reply 17

pug

OP posted 4 years ago and hasn't been here since April. You might've just wasted your time a bit! Others might find it useful, though.

Ha, oops

Im not sure if the new BA scheme has been mentioned on TSR though so hopefully some wannabe's might see it in this thread.

Reply 18

TonyRAFpilot

Answer to your question its not too hard to become an raf pilot u dont need certain gcse and highers any five gcse general level or above and three highers thats all im about to get my degree and fly the tornadoe jets cant wait hope this helped :smile:

Reply 19

ProStacker