What You Should Know

Most of you who follow or have just started following this amazing blog are either already in training, or at least considering it. I was once in the same situation, but I had never really thought about how life would be on the other end. In other words, what is life really like once you land that first job? This will differ greatly depending on your age, previous experiences, personal circumstances, and also what you're expecting out of it.

It is important to mention that I only base what I say on my own experiences, and I reserve the right to change my views of how things are in a few years, since things change so rapidly.

There are a variety of factors that determine how good or bad this job can be, and one of them is of course finance. Many centuries ago, airlines used to sponsor young hopefuls, and where there weren't cadets, there would be a pool of ex-military pilots that needed a job when they were too old and wrinkly to pull 8Gs in an RAF Tornado. Recruitment was never a problem. However, since the economic downturn, and the relentless growth of Low Cost Carriers, we've seen the pool of ex-military pilots reduce, and a wave of self-sponsored pilots flooding the industry. Pilot recruitment has changed dramatically.

Nowadays, the airlines have pushed the financial burden of training onto their cadets, costing anywhere between £20,000 to £30,000, sometimes more for a Type Rating. And that's not to mention having to cover personal expenses during the training period. The world of pilot recruitment is now an industry of its own. Let's be honest, no one likes this, especially after paying upwards of £90,000 on the Ab-Initio training. Unfortunately, we have to accept that this won't be going away anytime soon.

The contracts are also not what they used to be. I am paid by the hour which puts me in a good position since I am working out of the largest base in the network, but the same can't be said for people in smaller bases where the income can be very seasonal. It does also mean that I am reluctant to play certain contact sports, seeing as a loss of my medical fitness would mean that my bank account would look just as bad as the injury. I almost forgot to mention that joining a LCC will mean that you will most likely have to bring your own food and water to work, and pay for your own uniform. Reheatable food containers come in handy.

But an opportunity is an opportunity. I think that it is only logical to go for an airline that will relieve you of a further £20-£30k for training as your first choice. And if you can go for an airline sponsored Cadet Programme or even an MPL scheme from the beginning, then by all means do it for that peace of mind, knowing that you'll have that job at the end of the tunnel.

So what about the lifestyle? Surely after all that hard work that you'd be rewarded with layovers with a hoard of beautiful cabin crew knocking on your hotel room at 2am, free first class meals, a limo ride to and from the airport, and a free apartment... Well not quite, and believe it or not, these don't necessarily mean happiness at work (although they all do sound quite appealing)

I think that the lifestyle is something that isn't carefully considered by a lot of people, and I personally believe that it is one of the most important factors. I again, count myself lucky to be based in London Stansted; I live at the doorstep to London, where the vast majority of my closest friends are, and I only need to drive an hour and a half further out to see my family and girlfriend. The 5/4 roster makes all of this an ideal situation. But the same can't be said if you have a family at home, and you need to suddenly move away with no idea of when you can expect to return. This is unfortunately all part of the deal. Unless you are very lucky, then you are going to have to accept that being away for extended periods of time, or even relocating permanently is a necessity.

I've met a lot of naysayers, and some extremely negative people already in this industry. You don't exactly need to dig far on pprune to find some horrendous testimonials. For me, I can only think about the positives: The learning and experience building is unrivalled, the roster is great, I get to see my closest friends and family regularly. But most importantly, I have a job!
It's very easy for people to get bogged down and focus on the negative aspects, so much so that they forget how far they've come, and what they've achieved so far. 

I would always say to people that I speak to at open days that this isn't something that anyone should do unless they really want to do this. This isn't a case of just having a go. A lot of sacrifices need to be made, from the moment that first deposit is handed to your Flight Training Organisation, to the day you retire will be years of perseverance. This isn't a debt, it's a mortgage. If you really are passionate enough for the job, then you will deal with any of the challenges thrown your way.

When you do make it through, make up your own mind about how things are. Don't ever let another person tell you how it is, or how it should be. Have an open mind, and enjoy the ride. In either case, whether you like how things are or not, it's all about getting your foot through the door in the beginning. And like with any job, the more experience you get, the more valuable you will become in the long run, and that will only be a good thing. 

Regardless of the politics behind this industry, we can all agree that everything is worth it when you get to experience views like this:

It's all worth it

Good luck and stay positive.