Advice please on where to begin in my shoes?
 

Hi everyone.

Paul here, 22 from the United Kingdom, and like many others I too dream of becoming an airline Pilot.

I only really discovered this desire of mine around a year ago, it's grown ever since and it's all I can see myself doing as a career now despite the fact that i'm currently studying a BSc degree in Computing. I plan to see the course through and graduate with first class honours as a nice paying back up plan, and it will also help in demonstrating I can work to degree level and achieve the best results.

I am however from a poor family, below the breadline and the family home is even under threat due to parents splitting and a father who is refusing to sell when my mother owns half. Sticky situation, but i'm in student accommodation, and my journey on my own into the world starts here...

After this degree I am willing to sacrifice what's necessary, relocate, do anything to make this dream achievable. I understand License modules and flight tuition, and the hours will total upwards of £100,000 which is what I don't have.

I plan on getting a first in University, touching up a few GCSE's to add to that, in Science and Physics, to apply to any and all Airline Sponsorship programs that may be taking on at the time in 2 years. This will therefore be a good application with good grades in GCSE, equivalent to 3 a-levels with a level 3 extended diploma in ICT, and then a first class honours in Computing. So I will try to maximise my chances that way.

I also plan on going for my Grade 1 medical at Gatwick in London before I graduate just to be sure I'm eligible.

My question is after giving a brief background about me is...

What are all the actions I could take towards becoming an Airline Pilot from now till I graduate? Who should I network with? What can I study in the meantime that will be beneficial to know to help when I finally study for my license.

How could I acquire the funds if I had to pay for a flight training program myself? What would you do to achieve this dream in my situation?

I'm willing to sacrifice 100% of my time and effort for this, and don't care how long it'll take me to become a first officer.

I'm mostly looking for advice on the best steps towards this dream given my financial circumstance, as I haven't got rich parents to put me through flight school.

Thank you.

If you're looking at flying in Europe, you should check out the pprune.org website, that one has more European pilots and training and career progression is different there compared to the US.

If you're thinking about coming to the US, you would need to acquire right-to-work here. If you can do that, training costs are lower and career progression would be faster and probably pay better in the long run). But you would need to figure out how to get US right to work (ie green card).

Paul,
If you ever come back here:
Go the modular route.
Graduate find a job and save $30,000 and do your PPL and Instrument rating in the USA.
Go back to work and start time building.
Year later do your CPL and ME then your EASA (European conversions)
You'll be done in 5 years, virtually debt free.

check your inbox. PM sent.

Advice please on where to begin in my shoes?
 

Why not CTC or Oxford in UK? They have partnerships with EasyJet.