Hello!
I'm interested in becoming a Pilot for a while now, however now I'm 16 I'm wanting to know paths I should take now to get my CPL quicker or even what I should do during school that will help my career goal.
I've heard of colleges however is this the move? Is going to UNSW be better for me? Is the pilot academy at Qantas good and should I move to brisbane to do it? What can I do during school that will help me?
Thank you guys so much for the help. :)
Don't join the defence force if you want to be a pilot. The chances of you actually ending up in an aircraft is slim
@Kyrah96 , did he join the navy?
Yes
actually ending up in an aircraft is slim
What if he becomes a cleaner or mechanic?
Do you have figures to back up your statement?
This isn't a secret, article is a bit dated but it's pretty much the same. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-14/royal-australian-air-…
Only the best of the best get to fly the fighter jets, and just the normal best fly the rest. It's hugely competitive and if you think "just join the Air Force and you'll become a pilot" think again.
Well actually I do. RAAF has about 250 aircraft and around 700ish pilots already. What are the chances you will pilot one vs them recruiting and you fixing one instead. That being said working on million dollar equipment can move you around the world and be quite fulfilling so don't put that option out if you are happy with that being option B
yvan eht nioj
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The RAN does not have carriers, so does not operate any fixed-wing aircraft. Chances of transitioning to a commercial aviation role are slim to nonexistent. Even RAAF is hardly better, as 99% of personnel are support staff, not pilots.
The Seahawks are still plenty fun to fly. That being said, it takes about 88 weeks of training and at the end of the day, you're still flying a helicopter, not a plane.
A diploma of aviation would be the easiest way to get a commercial pilot licence.
Probably not the best career choice in the short term with all the grounded flights and unemployment for qualified pilots. But, as you're young, maybe in 6 years there might be demand for pilots.
Recreationally, it costs significant amount of time and money to get your license, so you're on the right path looking for college/work options.
As above, going for a defense force job would be a good route to investigate.
yvan eht nioj
Probably not the best career choice in the short term with all the grounded flights and unemployment for qualified pilots
+1 to this.
Really a big risk to sink any money into this dream right now.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-25/coronavirus-put-my-av…
Get the defence force to pay, or wait a few years. If you graduate with a huge debt and can't get a job it will be much worse than waiting and trying at a more appropriate time.
Griffith Uni - Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and Bachelor of Aviation (Flying).
Can become a pilot and in case you don't find a job as a pilot, can work in mechanical engineering around planes and stuff.
You'll end up with a massive debt for obtaining the flying qualification.
Best option hands down is the ADFA option, you get a guarateed entry with that as long as you get a 55 ATAR. They pay you to be in ADFA. However, you do sign a long contract with them and have to work for them afterwards so if that is your thing, go for it.
The UNSW program has the QANTAS Pathway which is kinda like a quota for the commercial program.
Don't listen to people telling you not to do it. You're only 16. It will be a tough return but travel will return.
There are quite a few young pilots on YouTube, have a look at them and they often have faqs usually including, how they did their CPL. Some would have had to move away either countries or states so be prepared for that.
The majority I've read about have done the cadet program through an airline. This way you aren't left with a large debt. There are other options like the defence force which could also be good.
All the best and don't give up on your dreams!
For people saying it's not a good choice you're 16 do what you want even if you make a bad choice you have plenty of time to change or persue another career.
When I was your age, I wanted to become an astronaut. I completed an unrelated degree to make my parents happy, then enlisted in the army to get closer to the stars . I wouldn't recommend it - army life is not for everyone. Go to uni, if it is what you want, and if you're lucky , you'll learn to think for yourself. You'll never learn that in the army.
Have you taken a look at VET courses??
They are decently subsidised through your schooling. I heard of a Yr 12 student who flew from Mildura to Bendigo when he got his licence.
I've seen plenty of year 12 students flying down the Sunraysia highway between mildura and bendigo. Bloody hoons.
Haha! Funny!
I should have mentioned it was a pilot license (obviously not your massive aircrafts - just a small simple one)
Given how big the bumps in the road are, it's hard not to get airborne even under the limit.
Very surprised nobody has mentioned air cadets.
When I was interested in the same question mumble decades ago, the glider training cadets do was highly thought of and seen as the lowest cost entry that showed commitment and allowed you to demonstrate skill and application.
I know a couple of kids who have been involved in recent years and say it is a ball.
http://www.aafc.org.au/
I knew people used to do it in Adel near Mawson Lakes? I hear they loved it which is great, but I was told its super expensive which is an issue. I think largely because you need x amount of flight hours, and each flight hours cost a lot of $$$. So worth keeping in mind that you may want to look for something that helps financially also.
Have your eyes checked to ensure they're good enough to be pilot.
For more specific advice, go over to pprune.org and check out some of the threads there about people thinking/wanting to become pilots and what do do etc.
I'd be very worried about automation. Assuming you succeed and can fly by your late 20s, will there be jobs in the 2030s? And assuming you intend to work for 40 years, who knows what the sky would look like between 2030-2070?
Drones are already encroaching on military aircraft roles, and there are self-driving cars on our roads. Once people get over the anxiety of having robots drive our vehicles and aviation regulations relax, it's not implausible for us to have self-flying planes, or at the least, remote-operated ones. It's the truck driver apocalypse 2.0.
it's not implausible for us to have self-flying planes,
They already exist. Modern commercial aircraft can literally do everything. The pilots are only there to monitor systems, follow ATC instructions and keep the flying public happy.
Yep. But it'll be a while before the public gets over its anxiety about a robot plane. Realistically, I expect regulations to relax in the near future to a compromise with planes fully capable of autonomous flight, not carrying a pilot or co-pilot, but will be partially remotely controlled.
It'll still hurt the pilots, because if a 20 year old in a bunker can already target a drone strike with an Xbox controller, then you don't need pilots for these roles. Airlines won't pay pilot salaries for essentially a desk job, and flight experience will mean nothing. It will also slash staff requirements, because rather than a pilot in each plane, one guy at a desk could theoretically switch control between multiple craft around the world.
After seeing where automation is taking other sectors, I can't see piloting being a viable career path for much longer. The old timers will be able to ride it out to retirement or take on interim roles as trainers or advisors, but I wouldn't go near this industry as a 16 year old.
No helpful advice on how to get there, but follow your dreams.
Not a pilot so could be wrong.
The research I have done so far is:
Cost
A CPL will cost you roughly a 100k regardless of which path you go.
You can defer that cost by going through uni or trying to minimise by going through the defence force (there are lots of caveats involved there so read up on it).
Piloting as a career
You will generally be working a large part of your career in shift work.
Jobs may not be available in nice places and you may have to spend a significant amount of time in remote/foreign places away from friends and family.
Piloting skills are not easily transferable so if something was to happen either to you being unable to fly (e.g. failed medical) or to the industry (e.g pandemic) it may make it difficult to get another job.
Having backup skills could be a good idea and a Uni degree could be useful from that point of view, but comes with additional time and costs.
Coronavirus downturn
I wouldn’t worry too much about the down turn as you are a while away from graduating.
There was a shortage of pilots worldwide prior to the outbreak.
Aviation demand is expected to return to pre-outbreak levels around 2023-2025
Next Steps
Do your research. As others have suggested check out forums such as pprune.org.
Do advanced study. Many resources are available through the internet. Be careful with YouTube videos as accuracy may not be the best, but they are a great place to start.
I highly recommend this free MOOC from EmbryRiddle Aviation University
https://www.canvas.net/browse/erau/courses/aviation-101
Keep up your grades as a high Year 12 score increases your chance of a scholarship.
Good luck
Have a look at joining the Defence Force. My nephew joined the navy and is completing the pilots course and loves it.