Soon i will turn 16...

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20 years 11 months

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I will turn 16 soon and was wondering if the best way to become a pilot was to start early and start my PPL at my local airport. To you think this is the correct way to go about being a pilot?

Original post

Member for

24 years 2 months

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Sort of depends what you mean by 'pilot'

If you are planning to earn your living from flying your approach will vary whether this will be civil or military.

For the time being, don't wait until you are sixteen. Get to your local airport (s), talk to the flying club, to owners, to pilots. Offer to wash and clean aircraft, if anyone takes you up on that you'll probably get some free passenger flying chucked in.

Make yourself known, make yourself useful, ask questions.

If you are looking to be a pro though, don't let the fun you will have there get in the way of your academic studies. It's very competitive and you'll need every edge you can get.

I'm sure everybody here hopes that you suceed in your ambition. Most of us have, one way or another.

Regards

Moggy

Member for

20 years 11 months

Posts: 997

Thank you.

I have always wanted to be a commercial pilot but do you think it would be better to join the RAF first? I think most pilots become employed after retiring from the RAF dont they?

I am grateful for any replys and any information given is useful thank you.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,672

NO!!! - The RAF have u sussed now - it's a long term commitment. I think the figure quoted to me was along the lines of they would need a commitment to 12 years service to make it viable. All pilots now go in as fast jet, as they have enough fallouts to fill the rotary winged and transport fleets.

I'm in the same boot but basically can't afford to fund my way thru it - so off i'm going to Liverpool to work for an airline in Ops which was my fallback!

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24 years 2 months

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12 years flying fast jets for the RAF doesn't sound half bad to me.

I'd give it a go. Mind you if the punishment for not making it was 12 years flying eggbeaters I'd probably make sure I had enough funds to buy myself out. Can't think of much that's worse than that.

Best route here for Bren is to get to a university with a University Air Squadron. I beleive that is still a fast-track into the service and you get to learn to fly much sooner at the government's expense.

Moggy

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20 years 11 months

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but where could i find shuch a place? P.S. I live in wales

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24 years 2 months

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depends on which university you go to!

For example The Yorkshire University Air Squadron covers all Yorskhire universities and flies out of RAF Church Fenton.

Merseyside UAS fly out of RAF Woodvale so if your in North Wales and looking at a liverpool uni that will probably be your stance flying Grob 109s.

try www.raf.mod.uk for info

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20 years 11 months

Posts: 997

Hmmm bit of a problem there im in South Wales. Dont supose Cardiff does anyting similar?

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 289

Half the fun of university is being able to move several hundred miles from home! Have you considered moving further afield? Believe me, you won't look back once you're gone... so you might as well go someplace where they have aircraft!

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Boscombe Down - Southampton University Air Squadron.
Church Fenton - Yorkshire University Air Squadron
Cosford - Birmingham University Air Squadron
Leeming - Northumbrian Universities Air Squadron
Leuchars - Aberdeen, Dundee and St Andrew's University Air Squadron
St Atham - University of Wales Air Squadron
Woodvale - Liverpool and Manchester University Air Squadrons

Hope that helps

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 16,832

What a choice.

Boscombe for me!

Totally agree with Futurshox. The last thing you want to do is attend a University anywhere near your parents. Missing the point completely.

Moggy

Now how do I go about losing thirty years off my age?

Member for

21 years 1 month

Posts: 49

Better still, go to uni and study a course that relates to aviation. My best mate studied aeronautical engineering and got lots of flying as part of his course. Wish I had his brains!

Futurshox is right Bren - move away to a nice student town - it'll be the making of you.

Wish I could go back to a few years - uni was the time of my life.

S'gull

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20 years 11 months

Posts: 997

I suppose that is somthing to think about but i dont know if i am talanted enough for uni really. :(

I suppose my only way is to become rich and buy my own company.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,279

People of all ages and ranges of ability have learned to fly, really depends on your commitment.
Seriously, I had have always wanted to be a pilot (every aviation enthusiasts dream) but as I have become older I have looked into other areas like ATC or aviation business, even a cabin attendant. Have you ever thought about doing something in aviation other than a pilot? You would still be in the aviation domain and could still probably take your PPL for leisure purposes. Just as fun as a pilot if you like aircraft.

Member for

20 years 11 months

Posts: 997

Not really no....

Anyway 2 weeks and i'm on a virgin 747-400

Cant wait!!!

So are all u people pilots? If you are who do you fly for?

or do u work far an airline company? Which one?

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 16,832

Dear Brenmcc1.

I am a pilot.

You have no idea how much pleasure it gives me to write those words.

I grew up just after the Second World War.

Spitfires and Mosquitos flew over my house daily. All I ever wanted to do was to fly combat aircraft.

But I'm short sighted (And a coward - but that's another issue)

So, in a world crowded with retired bomber pilots I stood no chance of becoming a pilot at anybody else's expense.

Then I found out about women. A great diversion, but (trust me) nowhere near as good as the real thing.

After a marital disaster I had the (relatively) small amount of funds needed to learn to fly as a PPL.

Now I have a share in an old Piper ragwing off an ex-8th AF field here in Suffolk.

Nothing is more important than flying.

On the Fora I browse there are people who spend money on computers and games (Sorry - flight sims) and cameras that would enable them to get a PPL.

If they are still on the ground the only thing that is stopping them is themselves..

Don't keep blaming 'funds'

Don't keep blaming 'exams'

If you want to fly - you can.

Hold onto that dream and make it come true.

Moggy

Member for

20 years 11 months

Posts: 997

What a touching story:D lol.

Yes i will deff try at least 1s to get my PPL at my local airport (swansea - Air wales now flying from there to London city, http://swanseaairport.com , http://airwales.com) i think its about £90 a lesson including other fees. But what my DREAM is to say that i fly for a comapny e.g BA, Virgin or even Air Wales. So i suppose you could say i would like to do it as an occupation, therefore i kneed good exam results i think you kneed 7 GCSEs grades A - C for BA 5 for others which include ; English , Maths and Science. Then you kneed to get A level grade A - C in ; Physics, English and maths. You kneed evidence of good team work. But yet again it's very competative to get a job some go on to higher education and reach A* in all their subjects. I'm not using exams as an excuse but whith all the heppening ocver the last few yers in iraq, 9/11, afganistan its badly hit the airline industry and very few airlines are offering jobs and if they do the grade A pupils will always be chosen.

I have been saving for a while now for my PPL and will also have to save a bit more before i can afford it. I will get a job and learn to fly as soon as possible.

How much would a share in a small plane cost e.g Cessna 152?
And how do you work out when you get the plane and how you pay for all costs?

Cheers,
Brendan -------- Look out for Bren air if i win the lotto you'll them about :D

Member for

20 years 11 months

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How do i get a pic by my name?

Member for

24 years 2 months

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Wow Brendan, what a lot of questions!!

That's how you learn. I'll do my best to help, I'm sure there are others who will chip in too.

I'll use my own aircraft as an example.

I own it in a group with five other guys.

To buy into the group cost me 2,200 quid. Once I decide I want to leave the group it is up to me to sell that share to the next guy. I might get all my money back, I might lose some, I might gain some. Depends how many others are interested.

The fixed costs - rent for the hangar, insurance, compulsory maintenance are estimated each year. This sum is divided equally between the six of us and we can decide to pay it all in a lump, or monthly. Depends how flush you are in January. ('Not very' is usually the case for me) This year it has worked out at 600 quid each, or fifty pounds a month.

Then you pay for each hour that you fly the aircraft. This cost covers fuel and oil, plus there is a contribution to an 'engine fund' as aircraft have a statutory 'life' for the engine measured in operating hours after which time it has to be replaced with a new (rebuilt) one. Generally this is 2,000 hours for the Lycoming. As they cost about 12,000 quid you don't really want this expense all in one lump, hence the engine fund. If all goes according to plan there will be just about that much money in the bank when the hours run out.

On our aircraft we charge ourselves 37 Pounds for each hour flown. What actually happens is that you tend to refuel the aircraft on the day you fly it, so your account is credited with the cost of the fuel you have paid for. Often this outweighs the amount you owe for flying.

So you can see that in an average year, if I fly fifty hours each one has cost me just 49 quid, less than half what a club would charge me for rental (37 x 50 + 600 / 50).

Booking is done with one member holding a diary. It's first come, first served, but since we are all friends it sometimes works that a member has the aircraft booked for a local bimble and you decide that you would really like to take your wife to France then the bimbler will step aside. It is all very amicable, there has never been a problem yet (Even when I got stuck in France with bad weather and one of the others wanted to go to the PFA rally. You get used to that in private flying)

Picture by your name?

It's called an Avatar and you arrange it all through your user menu. Take a look. If you can't figure it out post something on the 'General' Forum and a technically minded bod will help you.

Regards

Moggy

Member for

20 years 11 months

Posts: 997

Wow thats great thanks for your help/time.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 16,832

Originally posted by Moggy C
Picture by your name?

It's called an Avatar and you arrange it all through your user menu. Take a look. If you can't figure it out post something on the 'General' Forum and a technically minded bod will help you.

Regards

Moggy

:) :) :)