Becoming a Pilot
Hello
I'm currently studying BTEC national extended diploma in Business. I was thinking whether this course will help me to become a Airline pilot or not..
Are A levels mandatory requirements to become a pilot or nowadays BTEC is also acceptable?) I really want to become pilot because I love aviation and airplanes... 
I'm currently studying BTEC national extended diploma in Business. I was thinking whether this course will help me to become a Airline pilot or not..
Are A levels mandatory requirements to become a pilot or nowadays BTEC is also acceptable?) I really want to become pilot because I love aviation and airplanes... 
Hi Mser23334,
Technically there are no minimum academic requirements to be an Airline pilot. All you need is a licence and to fulfil the experience reqruiement to get a job with an airline. The good academia will enable to you to get a job to pay for the cost of training to get your licence though!
Technically there are no minimum academic requirements to be an Airline pilot. All you need is a licence and to fulfil the experience reqruiement to get a job with an airline. The good academia will enable to you to get a job to pay for the cost of training to get your licence though!
Make sure you can get the UCAS points to get onto a course with training/ to be a pilot I want to be one aswell and i've applied to bucks+leeds
I want to be one aswell and i've applied to bucks+leedsOriginal post by Andrew657Thomas
Make sure you can get the UCAS points to get onto a course with training/ to be a pilot I want to be one aswell and i've applied to bucks+leeds
I want to be one aswell and i've applied to bucks+leedsHi there
Thanks for reply, I'm currently aiming to get 320 Ucas points that will enable me to study most courses at uni, I have looked at Bucks uni website and thinking of applying next year
Original post by Andrew657Thomas
Make sure you can get the UCAS points to get onto a course with training/ to be a pilot I want to be one aswell and i've applied to bucks+leeds
I want to be one aswell and i've applied to bucks+leedsOriginal post by Mser233342
Hi there
Thanks for reply, I'm currently aiming to get 320 Ucas points that will enable me to study most courses at uni, I have looked at Bucks uni website and thinking of applying next year
Thanks for reply, I'm currently aiming to get 320 Ucas points that will enable me to study most courses at uni, I have looked at Bucks uni website and thinking of applying next year
If you want to do a degree, fine, so it in something academic like English, Sciences or Maths. A 'Pilot studies' degree is a waste of time IMHO and won't really give you any advantages over someone who hasn't got one (I haven't!). The pilot degrees will give your licenses in a modular way (unless you go down the CTC/Middlesex road) which I also consider a waste of time and money. It is imperative to thoroughly research the pilot job market BEFORE making any rash decisions regarding training. Look at potential employers - how do they recruit? How often? How many? What are the background of successful candidates? If you're not in their position then how can you get there? The market for newly qualified pilots is totally saturated and a degree won't help you stand out at all.
Good luck
Original post by stevop21
If you want to do a degree, fine, so it in something academic like English, Sciences or Maths. A 'Pilot studies' degree is a waste of time IMHO and won't really give you any advantages over someone who hasn't got one (I haven't!). The pilot degrees will give your licenses in a modular way (unless you go down the CTC/Middlesex road) which I also consider a waste of time and money. It is imperative to thoroughly research the pilot job market BEFORE making any rash decisions regarding training. Look at potential employers - how do they recruit? How often? How many? What are the background of successful candidates? If you're not in their position then how can you get there? The market for newly qualified pilots is totally saturated and a degree won't help you stand out at all.
Good luck
Good luck
I want to become a commercial pilot and hopefully going to Buckinghamshire ''[h="1"]Air Transport with Commercial Pilot Training'' This year. And says 80% of students were in work or further study 6 months after the program. In my first year I get to do my PPL for Just above 10k (I will then have 35hours dual training + 10 hours of solo flying)
For my 2nd and 3rd years I can pick to do training with CTC wings OR G air group (any idea which one would be better?) They offer the same training but in different locations. PPl Completion, Hours Building[/h]and Night Rating (13 hours dual + 83hrs solo) Airline Transport Pilot’s
Licence Theory (24 weeks at ATPL ground school)
3rd year the courses are named, Multi Engine Piston
Class Rating + Basic Instrument Flight
Module + Multi Engine CPL + Instrument Rating
All that comes to 70k worth of training + University fees+ Accommodation. Isn't that going to be the best option I can take to be successful in being a commercial pilot. OR Should I go to Leeds and study aviation management & opertaions +Pilot studies (you've said they're a waste of time I agree) Thats a foundation course and then I can go onto a 1 year top up and get my full Bachelors degree, I would be happy doing this but, 10/10 would rather going to Buckinghamshire. What are your thoughts!
Original post by Andrew657Thomas
........
Go to a proper University and get a proper (academic) degree. You will get into the same debt eventually, you don't need the degree to be a pilot, but you need need to protect yourself from the very high likelihood that you won't make the cut in a full blown career as a pilot. You need a back up plan and a respectable degree at a respectable university is the best way to have that back up.
Original post by Andrew657Thomas
I want to become a commercial pilot and hopefully going to Buckinghamshire ''[h="1"]Air Transport with Commercial Pilot Training'' This year. And says 80% of students were in work or further study 6 months after the program. In my first year I get to do my PPL for Just above 10k (I will then have 35hours dual training + 10 hours of solo flying)
For my 2nd and 3rd years I can pick to do training with CTC wings OR G air group (any idea which one would be better?) They offer the same training but in different locations. PPl Completion, Hours Building[/h]and Night Rating (13 hours dual + 83hrs solo) Airline Transport Pilot’s
Licence Theory (24 weeks at ATPL ground school)
3rd year the courses are named, Multi Engine Piston
Class Rating + Basic Instrument Flight
Module + Multi Engine CPL + Instrument Rating
All that comes to 70k worth of training + University fees+ Accommodation. Isn't that going to be the best option I can take to be successful in being a commercial pilot. OR Should I go to Leeds and study aviation management & opertaions +Pilot studies (you've said they're a waste of time I agree) Thats a foundation course and then I can go onto a 1 year top up and get my full Bachelors degree, I would be happy doing this but, 10/10 would rather going to Buckinghamshire. What are your thoughts!
For my 2nd and 3rd years I can pick to do training with CTC wings OR G air group (any idea which one would be better?) They offer the same training but in different locations. PPl Completion, Hours Building[/h]and Night Rating (13 hours dual + 83hrs solo) Airline Transport Pilot’s
Licence Theory (24 weeks at ATPL ground school)
3rd year the courses are named, Multi Engine Piston
Class Rating + Basic Instrument Flight
Module + Multi Engine CPL + Instrument Rating
All that comes to 70k worth of training + University fees+ Accommodation. Isn't that going to be the best option I can take to be successful in being a commercial pilot. OR Should I go to Leeds and study aviation management & opertaions +Pilot studies (you've said they're a waste of time I agree) Thats a foundation course and then I can go onto a 1 year top up and get my full Bachelors degree, I would be happy doing this but, 10/10 would rather going to Buckinghamshire. What are your thoughts!
A degree is a purely academic thing and my advice would pretty much follow what threeportdrift has said below - except that having a degree in itself isn't a good back up plan as there are many "graduates" out there doing menial jobs. I use the word graduate loosely here as there are some ridiculous degree out there. A good backup plan would be either completing an academic degree then obtaining some experience in a totally different field or perhaps qualify yourself in a trade.
Original post by threeportdrift
Go to a proper University and get a proper (academic) degree. You will get into the same debt eventually, you don't need the degree to be a pilot, but you need need to protect yourself from the very high likelihood that you won't make the cut in a full blown career as a pilot. You need a back up plan and a respectable degree at a respectable university is the best way to have that back up.
It is very likely that you will spend a long time looking for a job with little results if you do down the self-sponsored route, like what the universities offer. I strongly recommend looking into airline mentored programmes associated with some of the major flight schools as these offer as close to a guaranteed job as possible. The best example in the UK is the British Airways Future Pilot Programme.
It is a competitive market and you must be looking to give yourself the best possible chance of making it
Guys then is Degree in Accounting, Law or Business appropriate ?
Original post by Mser233342
Guys then is Degree in Accounting, Law or Business appropriate ?
Accounting or Law - yes, Business - not at undergrad.
Being a pilot is always my dream since the age of 8. I do physics A level to improve my understanding in natural sciences and hope i can stand out more when I apply for the cadet pilot programme one day.
My parents don't want me to be a pilot and they want me to be a doctor instead. I did work experience before and quite like the job. I always tell my parents I want to be a pilot and do aerospace engineering or aviation when I go to uni. I know if i do medicine, it will be hard to be a pilot after that. I am thinking to get the private licence when I start earning money.
I am quite concerned about my height. I am 5"4' and people keep telling me 5"7' is the minimum height for being a pilot.
Good luck with your study. There are many different pathways to become a pilot. Never give up
Posted from TSR Mobile
My parents don't want me to be a pilot and they want me to be a doctor instead. I did work experience before and quite like the job. I always tell my parents I want to be a pilot and do aerospace engineering or aviation when I go to uni. I know if i do medicine, it will be hard to be a pilot after that. I am thinking to get the private licence when I start earning money.
I am quite concerned about my height. I am 5"4' and people keep telling me 5"7' is the minimum height for being a pilot.
Good luck with your study. There are many different pathways to become a pilot. Never give up
Posted from TSR Mobile
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Wing:)
Being a pilot is always my dream since the age of 8. I do physics A level to improve my understanding in natural sciences and hope i can stand out more when I apply for the cadet pilot programme one day.
My parents don't want me to be a pilot and they want me to be a doctor instead. I did work experience before and quite like the job. I always tell my parents I want to be a pilot and do aerospace engineering or aviation when I go to uni. I know if i do medicine, it will be hard to be a pilot after that. I am thinking to get the private licence when I start earning money.
I am quite concerned about my height. I am 5"4' and people keep telling me 5"7' is the minimum height for being a pilot.
Good luck with your study. There are many different pathways to become a pilot. Never give up
Posted from TSR Mobile
My parents don't want me to be a pilot and they want me to be a doctor instead. I did work experience before and quite like the job. I always tell my parents I want to be a pilot and do aerospace engineering or aviation when I go to uni. I know if i do medicine, it will be hard to be a pilot after that. I am thinking to get the private licence when I start earning money.
I am quite concerned about my height. I am 5"4' and people keep telling me 5"7' is the minimum height for being a pilot.
Good luck with your study. There are many different pathways to become a pilot. Never give up
Posted from TSR Mobile
Unfortunately physics a-level won't make you stand out amongst the crowd as virtually everyone has a-levels. Airlines are not fussed what they're in. Academics won't make you stand out amongst other candidates what will is your motivation and what you have done to pursue your career along with key competencies such as working well in a team, leading a team, assessing risk, solving problems, communication skills. Airlines will want to hear about a specific time in the past in which you have displayed these skills. This is what will make you stand out.
I would recommend doing engineering if you wanted to be an aero engineer, it seems a bit pointless to me if you're end goal is to be a pilot.
Earning money and gaining your PPL sounds like an excellent idea to me.
Don't worry about your height, it's no issue.
(edited 9 years ago)
I am doing thinking of doing a Aviation Operations level 3 extended diploma which is equal to 3 A levels. But I also got into a good college but can't do much since I can only get a grade 5 in maths which is a High C. So if i was going to go I would do Geography, law and something else. What should I do.
Original post by AliveVSDead
........
An Aviation Operations Extended diploma won't help you become a pilot. But if you can't get more than a grade 5 in maths, you probably aren't going to be a commercial pilot anyway. While being a pilot doesn't require any specific qualifications, it does require a wide range of physical and mental aptitudes, and maths is very high up there.
I'd suggest you do A levels, in the subjects that best suit your back-up career, assuming you can't be a pilot. Then if you can be a pilot, all is fine, because the qualifications needed aren't specific.
Make sure you can pass a Class 1 medical before you start anything. This does not come cheap- £600.
I plan to do this next summer to ensure my eye sight is good enough to become a commercial pilot. I may have to pursue laser treatment if my astigmatism is too large.
I am currently a solo glider pilot, a cheap and great way to see if flying is for you. Most weekends I spend about 3-4 hours flying round the skies of southern Britain. I plan to do A levels then train to be a commercial pilot via the modular route. I live within 15 miles of Stapleford Abbotts so I will drive there daily to do my PPL, ATPL and hour building, then head off to FTE Jerez to do the Flight Deck plus: CPL/IR/MCC/ JOC.
Hopefully, this will be a financially viable route and doing the end part with FTE Jerez will give me access to good airlines for jobs.
I plan to do this next summer to ensure my eye sight is good enough to become a commercial pilot. I may have to pursue laser treatment if my astigmatism is too large.
I am currently a solo glider pilot, a cheap and great way to see if flying is for you. Most weekends I spend about 3-4 hours flying round the skies of southern Britain. I plan to do A levels then train to be a commercial pilot via the modular route. I live within 15 miles of Stapleford Abbotts so I will drive there daily to do my PPL, ATPL and hour building, then head off to FTE Jerez to do the Flight Deck plus: CPL/IR/MCC/ JOC.
Hopefully, this will be a financially viable route and doing the end part with FTE Jerez will give me access to good airlines for jobs.
Original post by Breward
Make sure you can pass a Class 1 medical before you start anything. This does not come cheap- £600.
I plan to do this next summer to ensure my eye sight is good enough to become a commercial pilot. I may have to pursue laser treatment if my astigmatism is too large.
I am currently a solo glider pilot, a cheap and great way to see if flying is for you. Most weekends I spend about 3-4 hours flying round the skies of southern Britain. I plan to do A levels then train to be a commercial pilot via the modular route. I live within 15 miles of Stapleford Abbotts so I will drive there daily to do my PPL, ATPL and hour building, then head off to FTE Jerez to do the Flight Deck plus: CPL/IR/MCC/ JOC.
Hopefully, this will be a financially viable route and doing the end part with FTE Jerez will give me access to good airlines for jobs.
I plan to do this next summer to ensure my eye sight is good enough to become a commercial pilot. I may have to pursue laser treatment if my astigmatism is too large.
I am currently a solo glider pilot, a cheap and great way to see if flying is for you. Most weekends I spend about 3-4 hours flying round the skies of southern Britain. I plan to do A levels then train to be a commercial pilot via the modular route. I live within 15 miles of Stapleford Abbotts so I will drive there daily to do my PPL, ATPL and hour building, then head off to FTE Jerez to do the Flight Deck plus: CPL/IR/MCC/ JOC.
Hopefully, this will be a financially viable route and doing the end part with FTE Jerez will give me access to good airlines for jobs.
Your basically in the same boat as me. I'm doing A-Levels and hoping to start gliding soon. The cost of flight school is the main problem
Do you have a junior gliding club near you? I managed to go solo paying £32 a month for unlimited flying and tuition. The gliding cadet scheme at my club got so popular that they put the price up to £45 a month - still amazing value for money for the hours I spend flying every weekend. They reckon the best pilots started off gliding! It is like sailing in the air, reading the weather, thermals etc as opposed to driving a speed boat (in the air!)
Original post by Breward
Do you have a junior gliding club near you? I managed to go solo paying £32 a month for unlimited flying and tuition. The gliding cadet scheme at my club got so popular that they put the price up to £45 a month - still amazing value for money for the hours I spend flying every weekend. They reckon the best pilots started off gliding! It is like sailing in the air, reading the weather, thermals etc as opposed to driving a speed boat (in the air!)
The closest one is about an hour away unfortunately, the prices are about £50 a month, still good value compared to flying a plane though!
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