UK Pilots

[AMB]

I am thinking that I may want to be a pilot, the more I think about it, the more interesting it appears. This is just not like when I was 10 and saying I want to be a police officer, this is becoming more real for me.

I guess this started with Flight Simulator 95 and has now progressed to FS200 Professional.

What advice would people give to me, who to contact etc.

One big consideration has to be the salary, could someone tell me what different compainies pay depedning on what you fly.

 

[apoppin]

I don't know about the UK but in the United States becoming a pilot costs lots of money and training and schooling. The only way I know of to get "free training" is in the air force.

 

[Mday]

i was hoping it was pilots and not piolts. i hate them piolts with a vengeance

 

[Mday]

apoppin, don't forget the navy... you can sail the 7 seas... in the navy...

 

[AMB]

OMG, I just realised my mistake, is this why no one is giving me a proper reply

 

[Wingnut]

AMB,

I'm not from the U.K. but, have received a private certificate and currently working on a complex/instrument rating. First off I will tell you I'm not familiar with C.A.A. regulations so I'll try my best.

First things first...There's a long road ahead if you plan on going commercial. You will of course have to earn a private cert. which can take anywhere from 3 months + depending on your training frequency. Best financial results come from students who train twice a week or more. It saves big bucks because you won't have to backtrack on lessons because you are always fresh and it does save a lot of time. You'll know by the time you receive your private if this is what you want to pursue.

Your next steps will be:

-Complex add-on (constant speed props, retractable gear)

-Commercial/CFI- (at this point you're limited to to towing banners and flight instruction while getting paid 8.00 to 15.00/ Hr.)

-Instrument rating (Very important and grueling. You have a visor that limits your vision to just the instrument panel on landing approaches)

-Twin Engine

-Turbine

If you have gone this far I do know that in the U.K. you will have the benefit of getting into an apprenticeship program with an airline, while you get paid! They train you in simulators and specified aircraft and it doesn't cost you $10,000.00 a month to fly for Value Jet (Yes, those pilots are paying the airline for their training)Put it this way, the extremely motivated, military pilots, and rich boys get the airline jobs in the U.S. You're lucky to have a chance to train where you are since in my opinion the C.A.A. has a better system than the F.A.A and always produce flawless pilots. I think the most grueling part of any training is the F.A.A/C.A.A. checkrides where the agent sits next to you and barks out commands and scenarios that you have to be able to respond quickly. I think you'll enjoy it as long as stall training doesn't make you piss your pants! Anyway, good luck and have fun!

Here's a link that might be of help:
http://www.ukft.com/

 

[DataFly]

I don't know about the salaries in the UK, but I was talking to a United Airlines pilot and he said that "Senior" 747 pilots can make $200,000 (132,026 UK currency -- http://www.cnn.com/TRAVEL/ESSENTIALS/) a year, but most are paid substantially less than that.

I imagine it would take some time to reach the top of the ladder...