Is there anyway to become a pilot in the UK without paying the £110K fees?

My brother is interested in becoming a pilot but he isn't well off and no way he would be able to get anywhere near the £70-110K in fees.

We have told him he can join the RAF as apparently they teach you how to fly within the job itself.

Is there any sort of finance or schemes that he can join that will allow him to become a pilot? We have looked online but can't find anything.

He has zero flying experience.

Reply 1

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

To be a commercial, private, or military pilot? There are different routes and requirements for each.

For commercial piloting usually the costs are paid for by the company you are training with, but a) you can often only fly that specific airline's planes and b) you still pay that back, through your wages after you are employed; often you are locked into long term contracts while you pay that off, and you can't leave without having to pay the remaining balance on their "loan" to you.

Not really sure how private or military piloting works so much or whether the latter route will qualify you for private or commercial piloting. Qualifying as a private pilot doesn't allow you to be a commercial pilot though (and usually you are restricted from flying other people for more than fuel costs on a private pilot license I believe), although perhaps it can reduce the length of training if you do go into a commercial piloting scheme afterwards?

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 2

danwalker117

Original post by artful_lounger

To be a commercial, private, or military pilot? There are different routes and requirements for each.

For commercial piloting usually the costs are paid for by the company you are training with, but a) you can often only fly that specific airline's planes and b) you still pay that back, through your wages after you are employed; often you are locked into long term contracts while you pay that off, and you can't leave without having to pay the remaining balance on their "loan" to you.

Not really sure how private or military piloting works or whether the latter route will qualify you for private or commercial piloting. Qualifying as a private pilot doesn't allow you to be a commercial pilot (and usually you are restricted from flying other people for more than fuel costs on a private pilot license I believe).

It's for commercial flying.

He said he has looked into it but apparently, all of them require you to have some form of license beforehand which costs £70-110K.

Reply 3

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by danwalker117

It's for commercial flying.

He said he has looked into it but apparently, all of them require you to have some form of license beforehand which costs £70-110K.

I believe various airlines have (or had) training schemes which don't require any specific license beforehand, although I could be wrong. No matter what you probably be pretty certain none of them will be recruiting any time soon due to the ongoing pandemic and how it affected the tourism and airline industries though...