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Cop to Pilot!

Old 04-26-2016, 09:10 AM
  #1  
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Cool Cop to Pilot!

I am a Police Officer in the Met Police in London, England. I am 39 years old and have taken the decision to train to become an airline pilot! (Not a mid life crisis, more a professional career change).

I would like to train in the USA, and have been flooded with search results from ATP, but see from their reviews that many suggest looking elsewhere.

Does anybody out there have any suggestions as to where I should look into. I am very keen to study this full time, and ideally would like to complete training in between 12 to 18 months.

I will be self funding and have the funding available, so finance is not an issue.

Ideally I would like advice as to which school to train at, and any personal views and reviews you may have concerning those schools.

Many thanks

S.
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Old 04-26-2016, 09:26 AM
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Welcome. I think the biggest question lies in where do you want to fly professionally? If it's in Europe then it would be best for you to look into places that do EASA training. If you would like to fly in the US then immigration will be your overshadowing concern unless you already have a pathway to legal residency.
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Old 04-26-2016, 10:14 AM
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Sierra Academy
Sierra Academy of Aeronautics

American Flyers https://www.americanflyers.net/about/international.htm

I suggest you go to PPRUNE.ORG for the reasons xdashdriver mentions. PPRUNE.ORG is UK based and there is a TONS of good information from pilots for you to browse through.

PPRuNe Forums - Professional Pilots Rumour Network
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Old 04-26-2016, 11:48 AM
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The best thing you could do would be a Private Pilot License first. This will help you gauge how fast you learn and your general flight aptitude. Do this BEFORE paying for a complete commercial course. Many schools will promise you a commercial in 6 months; there is little way to know if that's possible personally for you unless you go through a pvt. course first. Even then, you still will have do the instrument course later, which for most is the hardest training in the syllabus and can take quite a while to complete.

Here is a resource that you may find helpful.

AOPA Flight Training - Flight School Directory
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Old 04-26-2016, 02:51 PM
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If you do end up doing training is the US, do the training in a state with no sales tax. This alone saves 10-20% total cost.


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Old 04-28-2016, 03:20 PM
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I would swing through AOPA.org too, they have a 'free' 1 year membership for student pilots. There are flight school contacts to look over. If you really want it and have the $$$ I would get on the fast track, at least to a point.

That may be through private, then towards commercial and instrument, but through private for starters. Once immersion takes place, you will have all types of roads to explore.

Many schools and flight programs are in FL or AZ and the southwest.

Aopa offers 'Flight Training' magazine, which has a bunch of school contacts inside. Some are attached to universities, others just the schools themselves.

Do you due diligence before sending any money.
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