balpa become pilot

8/7/2019 Balpa Become Pilot

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How to become a

British Air Line Pilots Association

Commercial Pilot


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How to become a Commercial Pilot

The British Air Line Pilots

Association (BALPA) is the

professional Association for all

Pilots who work in civil aviation.

Additionally BALPA offers

Associate Class membership

for those serving in HM Forces

as Pilots, or for those embarking

on commercial training.

BALPA wants British Aviation to

be the envy of the world. We aim

to help those young men and

women who want to becomeCommercial Pilots or Flying

Instructors and have put together

this guide to help you. We have

also produced a separate

document to provide information

on sponsorship and bursaries

(useful information).

Growth in air travel over the

next decade, and the retirement of

longer serving pilots, makes it a

good time to consider becoming a

Pilot - for those who are

determined. If your ambition is

fulfilled BALPA will provide

support throughout your career.

Once enrolled on a Commercial

Pilots licence course with one of

the CAA approved training

schools, you can join BALPA as

an Associate Trainee Member.

Whilst undergoing ab initioCommercial Pilot training your

membership of BALPA is free,

providing you meet the criteria of

supplying a copy of your Class 1

CAA medical, along with

confirmation of the training course

you are undertaking. BALPA

Associate Trainee membership

gives you a chance to benefit

from some of the facilities offered

and also allows you to get to

know the workings of the

Association and future benefits of

Full BALPA Membership.

BALPA is both a Trade Union

and a Professional Association.In addition to myself, the

Executive Board consists of 13

members who are practising

Flight Deck Crew, and we are all

elected to these positions by

BALPA members. As General

Secretary I have a team of

around 50 staff and consultants,

including those with expertise

and experience in many areas

such as, legal,

employment/contract law,

technical, scheduling, pensions,

employment prospects/advice

and financial service facilities. In

due course, when you have

qualified as a professional Pilot,

we hope that you will become a

Full Member of BALPA.

BALPA wishes you good luck

and all the best in the pursuit ofyour future career.

2

I N T R O D U C T I O N

Jim McAuslan

BALPA

General Secretary
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INDEX

STARTING OUT

TRAINING TO BECOME A COMMERCIAL PILOT

AFTER YOUR COMMERCIAL PILOT'S LICENCE

THE JOBS AVAILABLE

CAREER DEVELOPMENT LOANS

WHAT'S IT LIKE AS AN AIRLINE PILOT?

HOW MUCH WILL YOU EARN?

HELICOPTERS

HOW BALPA CAN HELP YOU?

APPENDIX 1 BALPA BEST PRACTICE - WHAT TO ASK TRAINING

PROVIDERS

APPENDIX 2 PILOT DEGREE COURSES

APPENDIX 3 CONSIDERING TRAINING ABROAD - USA & NEW ZEALAND

USEFUL INFORMATION SPONSORSHIP/BURSARIES/CONTACTS


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4

Many young people dream of

becoming a pilot, perhapsflying the most modern airline

aircraft around the skies. For

most, it remains a pipedream.

But it is a dream that can be

fulfilled. For all of civil aviation

and most of military aviation

there are equal opportunities

for men and women.

There are basically two

routes learning to fly:

1 Learning to fly with the

Armed Services

First by getting into one of the

Armed Services (Navy,

Marines, Army or RAF) as a

trainee pilot. This is open to

young people from 17-24. But

only a limited number of trainee

pilots are taken on each year.To be accepted, applicants

should have five GCSEs

(including Maths and English),

two A levels or equivalent

and/or a degree.

Vacancies are few and

competition is fierce. You

make an application and go

through a rigorous three-day

selection process including

IQ, leadership and medical

tests. Learning to fly privately

is very expensive so training

with the Armed Services is an

excellent way of gaining a

wealth of experience at very

little cost to you.

As a note to those under

the age of 18 years, joining

the Air Training Corps (ATC)

or Combined Cadet Force(CCF), may improve your

chances of being selected for

the Forces as a Pilot. Also for

those at University joining theUniversity Air Squadron

Officer Training Corps or the

University Naval Unit when at

University will significantly

increase your chances for

Pilot selection in the Forces.

Information on becoming an

Armed Services trainee pilot

can be obtained from any

Navy,Army or RAF Careers

Office.(contact details for HM

Forces Recruiting Offices

useful information)

2 Learning to fly privately

Anyone who is over the age

of 16 and can afford lessons

can learn to fly a single

engine piston aircraft and

once you are over the age of17 and completed the

training, you can have your

Private Pilots Licence (PPL)

issued. This is a good step

towards getting your

professional licence, as not

only will you discover if you

are suited to the

environment, but also you will

be credited with 100 hours

ground instruction towards

the ground study

requirements for the

Commercial Pilots Licence.

To obtain a Private Pilots

Licence you will have to pass

a Class Two Medical

Examination, have

accumulated a minimum of

45 flying hours, pass seven

written examinations and takea skills test. Depending on

how often you can take the

lessons, this will take

between six and twelvemonths and cost around

6,000. This licence enables

you to fly in visual conditions.

If you wish to fly in instrument

conditions, you will need a

further qualification, which will

cost around 2,000.

Additionally, if you wish to fly

at night, you will need a night

qualification, typically costing

around 750. If you decide to

fly multi-engine aircraft

privately, you will need at

least 70 hours as Pilot in

Command (PIC), a minimum

of 6 hours flying training and

not less than 7 hours

theoretical instruction.

At the time of writing, if you

wish to obtain a PPL as a

stepping stone to aCPL/ATPL, it seems

preferable to train for the full

JAR PPL rather than the

National PPL (NPPL)

S T A R T I N G O U T
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5

When you have your Private

Pilots Licence you can fly for

fun but not for hire or

reward.As soon as you want

to earn money from

commercial flying you must

obtain a Commercial Pilots

Licence (CPL) or obtain a

CPL and complete all of the

theory qualifications and most

of the flying qualifications for

the Airline Transport Pilots

Licence (ATPL). The latter

qualification is known as aFrozen ATPLinitially and

may be upgraded to a full

ATPL when sufficient flying

experience has been

obtained. The ATPL is a more

advanced qualification and

allows you to become a

commander (Captain) of a

typical commerical aircraft

used by airlines at a later

stage in your career.

Before embarking on the

costly process of committing

yourself to a CPL or ATPL

course there is one thing to

consider.

Can you pass a CAA Class

One Medical? You might feel

completely fit, but there are

conditions that do not affect

everyday life and might noteven affect flying privately (for

which a Class Two Medical is

required), but which will stop

you flying commercially.

Many of these conditions

involve eyesight. The eyes do

not need to be perfect, but

conditions such as colour

deficiency (affecting some ten

per cent of the male

population) are not compatible

with professional flying. The

initial Class One Medical can

only be carried out by the Civil

Aviation Authority (CAA)

Medical Unit at Gatwick. Toavoid wasted money and

time, it is possible (and

recommended) to undergo a

Class One Medical test before

commencing any training,

even for the PPL if you intend

to proceed from the PPL to

commercial flying. A Class

One Medical is valid for the

PPL medical as well as it

encompassess all for the

Class Two criteria.

CAA medical contact details

You will need to remain

reasonably fit throughout your

flying career.Although you

can fly commercially until the

age of 65, you must be able

to pass a renewal medicalevery year, (or six months,

depending on age and type of

licence).

T R A I N I N G T O B E C O M E A C O M M E R C I A L P I L O T
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6

T H E R E A R E T H R E E W A Y S O F

O B T A I N I N G A C P L O R A T P L

1 Moving from the Armed Services to an airline

Airlines do take pilots from the

RAF,Army and Navy. If you

leave the Armed Services and

wish to become a commercial

pilot you have to take a spe-

cial civil aviation course and

gain a conversion qualification

before being awarded a CPL

or ATPL.

2 Putting yourself through training

A Commercial Pilots Licence

(CPL) may be gained by com-

pleting an approved course of

either integrated training, or

modular flying training com-

bined with a theoreticalknowledge training course.

Depending on the course

undertaken, the integrated

course will last between 9

months and 36 months, and

will require a minimum of 150

hours flying training for the

CPL(A) or 195 hours for the

ATPL(A). If you wish to

achieve an Airline Transport

Pilots Licence in the future,

then the ATPL course is the

one that you should choose.

You will have to attend a train-

ing school approved by the

Civil Aviation Authority. To be

accepted, you will need to

demonstrate sufficient knowl-

edge of Mathematics and

Physics to facilitate an under-

standing of the theoreticalknowledge instruction content

of the course.

The training course

includes ground studies in

such subjects as Aviation Law,

Flight Performance and

Planning, Principles of Flight

and Navigation. Then there isthe flight training. This

includes flying in single and

multi-engine aircraft and in

simulators. There is a high

technical content including

Avionics, Communications,

Meteorology and Operational

Procedures. These courses

typically cost between

50,000 and 60,000.

If you already have a PPL

and have achieved 150 hours

flight time as a Pilot, you may

elect to take the modular

route. The module for the

CPL consists of at least 25

hours flying training. It is also

necessary to have completed

the ground studies, (if you

wish to achieve an ATPL, then

it is best to do the ATPLground study course at this

stage), have successfully

passed the skills test and have

200 hours flight time as a Pilot

before the licence can be

issued. You will also need to

complete the module for the

Instrument Rating, which con-sists of a further 50 hours

training.


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How to become an Airline Pilot

7

There is great competition for

sponsorship and at the timeof writing there is a changing

approach from airlines to

whole and part sponsorships,

which seems to be develop-

ing away from the traditional

sponsorship arrangements.

You might be able to obtain

full or partial sponsorship by

an airline, which will pay for

your training. Airlines normal-

ly require a minimum of five

GCSEs/S 5 Grades (A-C/1-3)

(seven for British Airways)

including English, Maths and

Science, and two good Alev-

els/three H Grades, prefer-

ably in Maths and Physics.

Advanced GNVQ/GSVQ level

3 and BTEC/SCOTVEC

national awards are also

acceptable preferably in a rel-evant area, such as Science

or Engineering. Increasingly

now Commercial Training

Providers are entering in to

airline partnership arrange-

ments involving the Training

Providers conducting aptitude

assessments and selection

tests. These Training

Providers can then provide an

introduction to the banks for a

loan facility and if you are a

high achiever and first time

pass student, they liaise with

airlines to offer you a fast

track introduction to the air-

line for interview selection for

a job, once you are fully

trained and the airline has

vacancies.

A comprehensive list ofSponsorships and Bursaries

is included in useful informa-

tion. Additionally details of

sponsorship are obtainablefrom individual airlines and

are sometimes published in

the aviation press such as

Flight International magazine.

The days of traditional air-

line sponsorship seem to be

fading rapidly, however with

regards to the ones that do

airlines are very selective

about who they will and will

not sponsor. Successful can-

didates must convincingly

demonstrate a real intereset

in flying. The spending of,

say, 6000 of your own cash

towards securing your PPL

would show the type of comit-

ment the sponsor is looking

for.

Generally airlines will insist

on you meeting the standardsfor a Class One Medical

although some employers set

their own higher standards.

Age requirements for airline

sponsorship schemes varies -

so it is best to check out the

websites for these airlines, or

the websites for the Training

Providers they are in partner-

ship with. Typical sponsor-

ship ages can range from 18

to 28.

Some airlines have height

restrictions - in British Airways

for example it is between

1.58m (5 ft 2) and 1.91m (6ft

3).

British airlines also require

that applicants have the unre-

stricted right to live and work

in the UK and have a pass-port allowing unrestricted

worldwide travel.

Please also refer to

APPENDIX 1 BALPA BESTPRACTICE and APPENDIX 2

PILOT DEGREE COURSES

3 Obtain full or partial sponsorship
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8

W ith your Commercial Pilots

Licence you are ready to flyfor hire or reward. You may

carry goods in small aircraft,

do aerial photography, spray

crops, or decide to undertake

a Flying Instructor Course to

train others to PPL and CPL

standard. But at some stageyou will most probably

consider becoming an airline

pilot.

To be the Co-Pilot (First

Officer) of an airline requires a

frozen ATPL, ATPL and

Instrument Rating or a CPLand Instrument Rating. To be

a Captain requires a full ATPL

and Instrument Rating.

Once you have achieved a

licence, what jobs are open to

you? With an ATPL the range

is almost limitless. Your

chances of being hired howev-

er are entirely down to supply

and demand. You can be the

greatest pilot in the world, but

if there are no vacancies, it

may take some time to obtain

employment as a Pilot.

However, do not get disheart-

ened. It is very common for

employers in this business to

be convinced that they need

no one extra on Friday only to

find that the whole situation

has changed by Monday. If

you are in the right place at

the right time with the rightqualifications, the job could be

yours.

There are pros and cons

with different types of flying.

Charter airlines tend to work

their pilots very hard in the

summer with winters quiet.

Quality of life on long-haul

flying tends to be less hectic,

so long as the pilot does not

mind being away from home

for days at a time, and can

cope with the time zone

changes.

Scheduled flying is popular

because there tends to be

fewer delays due to airport

slot problems, and night flying

is restricted because busi-

nessmen are sensible enough

not to want to be sitting in an

aeroplane at four in the morn-

ing. On the other hand, therecan be less variety of flying

than in charter flying.

Turboprop aircraft are seen,

rightly or wrongly, as less

demanding than jets, and this

is reflected in the salaries.

Generally speaking, a Captain

on a turboprop will be paid the

same as a Co-Pilot on a jet.

Having diminished consider-

ably in numbers, new turbo-

prop aircraft opportunities are

now again more in evidence

amongst the UK regional air-

lines.

There are many non-main-

stream ways of earning a liv-

ing from flying. Examples are

banner-towing, ferry-flying,

bush-flying in remote areas,

and agricultural flying in equal-

ly remote areas. Some jobs

exist flying corporate aircraftbut these are rarely advertised

- as is the case with most of

the better jobs. News gets

T H E J O B S A V A I L A B L E

A F T E R Y O U R C O M M E R C I A L P I L O T S L I C E N C E

A full ATPL is not issued until

you have successfully

completed the theoretical

examinations and achieved

1500 hours flying time, 500 of

which must be in an aircraft

requiring more than one crew

to operate it. This will probably

be gained as a Co-Pilot with

an airline. It is also necessary

to have completed a Multi

Crew Co-Operation Course.

This is included in an

integrated ATPL course,

although many airlines may

include this as part of their

initial training.

T H E A I R L I N E T R A N S P O R T P IL OT S L IC EN CE ( AT P L )


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9

A few discerning banks are

prepared to help would-be

commercial pilots invest in

their own flying future. The

banks are offering Career

Development Loans (CDL).

Suitable applicants might be

offered up to eighty per cent of

course fees, plus the full cost

of books, materials, travel and

even childcare. Those who

have been unemployed forthree months or longer

immediately prior to applying

might be able to obtain a 100

per cent loan. The course

towards a Commercial Licence

is not the cheapest form of

vocational training potential

borrowers should note that the

maximum CDL amount is

8000.

During the course, the

Government pays the interest

and the student need make no

repayments. The various

banks have their own flexible

arrangements for repayment

thereafter, over three or

possibly five years. The rules

are fairly complex and too long

to cover here, but explanatory

leaflets are available from

Career Development Loans,

Freepost, Newcastle-upon-Tyne X, NE85 1BR. There

should also be leaflets in

branches of the particpating

banks. The thing to remember

here is that this is a

commercial loan and once

you fall outside the criteria the

loan starts to accrue interest

and you are liable for the

repayment in full. Therefore,

also, during times of Pilot

surpluses, or likely economic

recession in aviation, these

CDLs may be difficult to

effect.

Another alternative for

obtaining financial help is a

professional studies loan

offered by banks such as

HSBC. These recongnise a

CPL or ATPL qualification and

can even offer upto 100% loan

for the cost of your training atquite favourable interest rates

and arrangements such that

you would not need to start re

paying your loan until some

time after qualifying.

C A R E E R D E V E L O P M E N T L O A N S

around by word of mouth.

BALPA Members are kept

abreast of current Pilot job

opportunities through theirEmployment Services facility

and hosts an annual

Employment Opportunity

Conference, each October

that is supported by many UK

and overseas airlines.

Promotion to Captain in

many of the established air-lines depends on seniority,

suitability and vacancies. The

trick is to get accepted by an

airline, which is expanding but

is not going to go bust.

Minimum flying hours to

become a Captain are usually

in the region of 5,000, whichwill take an average commer-

cial pilot some seven to ten

years to achieve.

The Pilots union, BALPA, has

been in the forefront of

improving pay and conditions

for pilots. Airline Pilots starting

salaries depend upon experi-

ence and hours and

supply/demand and the

salaries can be anywhere

from circa 16,500-28,000 on

turboprop aircraft and circa

21,000-38,000 on jets,

depending upon who has paid

for a type rating. Having

gained experience in an air-

line after approx 2 or 3 years

salary levels around 40,000+

for jet aircraft experience is

likely.

Having obtained a command

in an airline (time to this can

vary considerabley) Captains

starting salaries can range

across airlines from 45-

66,000 for jet aircraft

Captains and 33-40,000 for

turboprop aircraft Captains.

H O W M U C H W I L L Y O U E A R N ?


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How to become An Airline Pilot

Pilots fly aircraft on long-haul

(for example, the USA, India,Africa) and short-haul (UK,

European) flights.

Duties begin one hour or so

before take-off when pilots

check flight plans that set out

the route to be taken, the

altitude at which the aircraft

should be flown and the

meteorological information.

Pilots need to calculate

take-off and landing weights

and the fuel needed, based on

the distance to be travelled.

Pilots also check that

equipment and instruments

are working properly and that

noise regulations for take-off

and landing are observed.

They brief the cabin crew

and supervise loading and

refuelling. Then they open upcommunications with air traffic

control who tell the pilots when

the aircraft will be taking off.

Pilots need to be able to

understand and interpret the

data presented to them on

instruments and controls and

they use computers in their

calculations.

While take-off and landing

are the most demanding

aspects of a flight, Pilots have

continuously to use their skills

during the flight, checking

instruments and making

adjustments as necessary

even when the aircraft is on

autopilot.

Pilots maintain contact with

air traffic control bases and

with their cabin crewthroughout the flight, and from

time to time speak to

passengers, giving them

information on cruising speed

and altitude and details ofcountries over which they are

flying.

Most aircraft on short-haul

flights are flown by a Captain

and a Co-Pilot. On long-haul

there is the Captain with one

or two Co-Pilots (though a

Flight Engineer might take one

of these places on older

aircraft). But ultimate

responsibility for the aircraft

and for the safety of its

passengers rests with the

Captain.

After landing, when the

aircraft has been taxied to its

final position, the pilots shut

down the engines and write a

Flight Report, noting any

problems or unserviceabilities.

Flight decks, where pilotsspend long hours in a seated

position, are usually very

confined spaces. Flight

delays can mean long,

irregular working hours.

Pilots have to be calm,

reliable and level headed, able

to take charge in an

emergency and have good,

clear and confident

communications skills. They

must have excellent co-

ordination and have first-rate

technical ability.

Pilots are likely to work anti-

social hours, although the

number of hours they are

permitted to work is strictly

controlled. On long-haul

routes they usually have

enforced stopover restperiods, although it might be a

single night with no time for

sightseeing! Pilots can go

through several time zones on

one flight. On short-haul

routes pilots might be on four

or more consecutive flights

without even leaving the

aircraft and be home again

most nights.

Pilots have to be fit. There

are regular health and fitness

checks throughout a pilotscareer.

Every airline has its own

system, but as an example,

British Airways newly trained

pilots usually start as Co-Pilots

on short-haul routes. After

about five years there may be

the chance to transfer to long-

haul aircraft, still as a Co-Pilot.

Promotion to Captain is

unlikely to come until mid-

career.Although pilots can fly

commercially until the age of

65, retirement age in most

airlines is 60.

Airline Pilots might also be

eligible for senior managerial

positions with their airlines.

There are also opportunities to

become involved in training

other pilots in their airline.

W H A T S I T L I K E A S A N A I R L I N E P I L O T ?


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11

A P P E N D I X 1 B A L P A B E S T P R A C T I C E

Guidance document for those considering self-funding a JAA

Commercial Pilot Training Course

The following has been put together in order to assist those of you who are serious about acareer as a Pilot and are embarking on the information gathering exercise in order to evaluate

the various requirements as well as determining the Training Provider who has the Best Practice

to provide the commercial pilot training. Having read the foregoing BALPA document How To

Become a Commercial Pilot you may now need to do some further research.

BALPA hopes this information and the prompts herein will assist you in taking your decision.

1. Undertake the JAAClass 1 Medical (cost approx. 400) to ensure that you are medically

fit to be able to obtain a Commercial Licence. When you are spending 45-60,000 this

is a must. (Information contained above TRAINING TO BECOME A COMMERCIAL

PILOT and CAA medical contact details )

2. Although not mandatory, it would appear that recently some airlines now favour that

individuals have undertaken a "selection process" or "aptitude appraisal" before

embarking upon any commercial training. This is something you cannot do in retrospect!

In any event, from your own point of view, you may need confirmation of whether you are

"Top Gun" or "Jo Average" or "Below Par" in any appraisal as this could have an impact

on your financial resources in the latter two categories - and that extra 2-5k, or more,

for additional training if you "dont cut the mustard" first time, may be too much to fund.

Additionally some airlines these days will only consider employing "first time pass candi

dates" in all the examinations you will have to take to gain your Commercial Pilots

Licence - but this comes down to supply/demand. (Contacts for Aptitude Tests are contained in USEFUL INFORMATION Scholarship/Bursaries.

3. The Commercial Pilot Training Provider must be approved by the Civil Aviation

Authority (CAA) for JAA Commercial Pilot Training - check Website:

www.caa.co.uk/srg.

Be Aware - the CAA states in its CAA Training School Approval literature that:

"It should be noted that the Authority is required by the Joint Aviation Authorities to ver

ify the financial viability of an organisation providing courses of flying or ground training.

However, even when the training provided conforms to a CAA recognised syllabus, or is

a CAA approved course, or is provided by what is known as a CAA approved schoolthis does not imply any financial protection. Prospective trainees are therefore strongly

advised to give careful consideration to their financial commitment before entering into

an agreement".

Note: There is no CAAATOL-style bond for bankrupt flying training schools (as per pack

age holidays).

4. Questions to ask (also see other details contained herein)

"Obtain details of the Student/Instructor ratio from the Training Providers you areconsidering putting your business with. The minimum CAArequirement under JAR FCLs

(CAP682 April 1999) is:

Modular Course: 3:1 Student/Instructor
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12

Integrated Course: 6:1 Student/Instructor

Other points to ask Training providers:

"check the Student/Instructor ratio of each Training Provider"ask them if you can have the contact details of two recently passed I/R students - with

a view to you getting their comments on the training provided

"what is the real split between "simulator" and "actual aircraft" flying

"ask if the "simulator" is an FNPT 1 or 2 (2 has visuals and 1 does not)

"ask if the "sim" is the same configuration and type as the actual aircraft you will be

trained on

5. Obtain a copy of the training contract you will have to sign. Ensure you understand

everything. Take independent advice if necessary. Buyer Beware and attempt to nego

tiate out elements in the contract you do not agree with, or ask for clarification of the

intent if the situation is less than clear from the wording used. (Outline Model Training

Provider Contract not yet available) Examples regarding finances being:

> Avoid paying for training in advance - pay as you go and just maintain an

ccount that is in the black - not in chunks in advance of the training.

> If you have to pay for your training in advance to get the best deal, secure a

method of payment that will protect your unused funds should the Training

Provider become insolvent. This may be addressed by having an Escrow

Account independent from the Training Provider, but ensure that this remains

your property in the event of the Training Provider becoming insolvent.

> If you do pay a lump sum in advance, ask what the reimbursement procedure

would be in the event that your training has to be prematurely terminated for

any reason.

> Ask if "landing and approach fees" are included in the price from the Training

Provider.

> Ask if you agree to do CPL/IR/MCC with the Training Provider will you be

offered a better discount.

> As what the aircraft and simulator rates will be, should you require extra train

ing in the event that things have not gone according to plan (see item 8 regard

ing illness) if you have not come up to standard

Finances - In addition to the information given above, the following suggestions are put

for your further consideration. For UK training - pay by credit card to secure a period of

time covered for non-delivery of services/goods (British Consumer Credit Act). This is

unlikely to apply to those who have signed Training Contracts with organisations outside

of the UK so you will need to clarify this with your credit card company.

n the event you have yet to pursue the possible aspect of a Career Development Loan

(maximum 8,000 - no interest accrues whilst under training), take time to research the

information given in the CAREER DEVELOPMENT LOANS section above

6. Check if the Training Provider has a Student Pilot Disputes Procedure that is in force

which identifies the procedure to be used and the timescale associated to

address/resolve any grievances/disputes you might have. Do not allow too much time

to elapse to obtain redress if the area of dispute relates to one likely to resort to a request


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13

or financial recompense, as other political factors might start to creep in - as some

students in some Training Organisations have experienced. Ask in advance of signing

your Training Contract that BALPA is an acceptable body to act as an arbitrator on these

issues, should it become necessary. Ascertain whether the CAA Examinations/Flight

Tests etc. are included in the quoted Course price or whether extra expenses will haveto be met by the student.

7. Check that BALPA is the recognised body for the Training Providers employees/

contracted Flying Instructors and if BALPA is recognised formally or informally as the

negotiating body for this group of employees. If it is not, then consider other Flying Train

ing Provider options and their approach to the guidance material mentioned herein.

8. Consider insurance regarding any loans that you are taking out to finance your

Commercial Pilot training - this is particularly relevant to any health problems that you

might encounter whilst training. Contact BALPA Financial Services Ltd who have spe

cialised cover for trainees (0208 476 4000 - BFS).

9. Obtain statistics from the Training Providers you are considering for your Commercial

Pilot training regarding the percentage of first time passes on:

> All Written/Theory Subjects (encompassing Air Law,Aircraft Knowledge,

Instrumentation, Meteorology, General Navigation, Principles of Flight, VFR

Communications, Mass and Balance, Performance, Flight Planning, Human

Performance, Radio Navigation, Operational Procedures, IFR Communica

tions)

> General Flying (GFTs)

> Instrument Rating (I/R)Other questions relevant:

> Taking into account the time of the year and location of flying training, what is

the realistic average course length.

> How many student graduates (%) have obtain full time employment and what

is the times-span involved from finishing training

> Does the Training Provider have links with prospective employers - if so what

is the connection/how do they put forward students - are you eligible for the

course you intend to take.

This gauges league tables with which you can compare the results and overall end

product of their past training results.

10. Continuity of flying instruction is important as this can increase the hours you need to fly

in order to pass tests. In pragmatic terms one would suggest you have no more than

three different instructors, although there are sometimes advantages to having more

than one instructor (but no more than two or three) in terms of acquiring different tech

niques. Any more might mean that at the end of the course you will have had to fly more,

which will cost more. See other prompts above and below.

11. Check the hourly charge criteria for flying undertaken - if it is:

> Chocks to chocks (the time the aircraft starts moving on the ground to when itceases moving on the ground)

> take off to landing (the best value for money for trainees is this reference point)


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14

> Hobbs Meter (immediately the engine starts, it triggers the start of your

payment which continues until the engine stops on the ground)

12 Check the amount of aircraft traffic/business using the airfield to assess the value of

payment as mentioned in 11. above. For example, a very busy airfield might mean longdelays for take-off for which you might be paying.

13. Check the navigational radio aid facilities at the Training Providers base/airfield, as you

will have to pay more to fly to other airfields if the base airfield does not have the

facilities to do the necessary instrument training. Also check how congested the airfield

gets, to gauge value for money.

14. Check the aircraft operated and owned by the Training Provider for age and

serviceability levels.

15. If possible, speak to current and former students of the Training Provider(s) that you havein mind - ask for their experiences.

16. Security Passes for Airline Personnel - this has recently become a very important area

for ab initio and would-be commercial pilots. The issuing of airside passes w.e.f. 1st July

2003 will be tightened up. If you have any sort of criminal record (be it relatively minor

in nature), it may be worth enquiring about your eligibility to achieve a UK security pass

before you invest large sums of money with Commercial Pilot Training. Further

information on the Disclosure process can be requested from CRB information line on

0870 90 90 811 or visit website w ww.disclosure.gov.uk. There is also a Home Office

leaflet Wiping the Slate Clean which is available free of charge: Home Office, 50 Queen

Annes Gate, London SW1H 9AT or e-mail: [email protected] .

17. Twice a year in the London/Heathrow area there is a "Professional Pilot Seminar"

organised by Flyer Magazine, where many of the Commercial Training Providers

exhibit and are available to discuss their Ab Initio Commercial Pilot Courses and

Facilities. This might be a good source to acquire some ground work information in one

day. These Seminars are usually held in April and November and are advertised in the

Flyer Magazine or on their website: www.flyer.co.uk If you attend the Flyer Show then

on that day ask if you sign up to the Training Provider will they give you extra discount -

(view all information to herein as a check list to try to obtain the best price).

18. TYPE RATINGS AND OTHER COSTS TO CONSIDER - CPL/IR TRAINED

Recently, to gain employment as a Pilot, more and more newly trained Commercial Pilots

go on to spend more money to obtain additional qualifications and airline selection

programmes offered by Training Organisations - so they stand out as a "potential better

bet" for the airline to employ or offer temporary contracts:

MCC Course (Required for ATPL issue) Circa 3000

Airline Qualification Course Circa 5000

Airline Selection Process Circa 1000

Smoke/Wet Drills/Security Circa ? (guess 500)

Type Rating Courses Circa 15-20000

The Type Rating Training Organisation (TRTO) providers are now teaming up with some

airlines and as they are still evolving and TRTO product is changing it is difficult to


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15

identify a "Best Practice". The purpose of this note is to forewarn would-be Commercial

Pilots that once you have obtained your frozen ATPL and parted with the money for this,

the cost will not necessarily stop there - so rather than get to the "point of no return", this

is a caution/advance notice of additional further costs which could be incurred on top of

your basic ATPL course. Although it is quite rare that individuals have to complete all ofthe mentioned additional qualifications

The above information is to keep you fully aware of the current trend, but like all criteria

it is based on supply/demand principles.

19. Useful Information Scholarships/Bursaries (separate BALPA Document)

See separate BALPA document to obtain links and useful contacts to further research

training. Medicals, airlines, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Approved Flight Training

Providers, CAA medicals, companies offering sponsorships/bursaries.

20. When you are enrolled in Commercial Pilot Training and have obtained your JAA Class1 Medical Certificate*, you will be eligible to join BALPA as a Trainee Member.

Providing you meet certain criteria, your Trainee Membership of BALPA will be free.

Application form on www.balpa.org .

BALPA wishes you all the best in your chosen future career.

* Supporting Paperwork required to be sent to BALPA for Free Trainee Membership:

> Copy of JAA Class 1 Medical

> Letter from your Commercial Training Provider stating your

enrolment and the duration of your traininge-mail: [email protected] or Fax: 020 8476 4077
http://www.balpa.org/intranet/How-to-bec/UsefulInfo.htmhttp://www.balpa.org/intranet/How-to-bec/UsefulInfo.htmhttp://www.balpa.org/intranet/How-to-bec/UsefulInfo.htm


16/19


16

As previously mentioned in the Training To Become a Commercial Pilot section, you do not need

to complete a degree to become a commercial pilot. However many pilots choose to start their

careers after completing graduation from a degree course. I think that possible unemployment dur-

ing your career should never be underestimated when coming into this business. Therefore I

encourage all school leavers / college students to get a qualification in another discipline to providean insurance policy and alternative income should the worst happen. I think the people who go

straight into flying training from school or cadets without any previous work experience are leaving

themselves extremely exposed. Also they lack the "worldly experience" of slightly older individuals

which can hinder their future career path. Degree subjects chosen by pilots have been from a wide

variety of subjects ranging from languages, arts, science, engineering and even nursing! If you do

decide to complete a university degree first, it generally does not matter which subject you choose.

Science and Engineering subjects would give you a bit of a head start on the theoretical side, but

airlines do not normally stipulate further than A levels preferably in maths and physics.

However, there are now some degree courses offered which encompass the CPL/ATPL course

whilst giving you a university degree at the same time. These highly specialised degrees are now

compared:

CITY UNIVERSITY DEGREE COURSE

Essentially the Air Transport Operations course at City University is a BSc Hons that takes three

years to complete. Its primary goal is to develop airline pilots for the future with skills that can fast

track to command positions. Within the three years the first year is based in London covering key

technical areas and management skills. Typical modules completed are in marketing, accountan-

cy, leadership and safety management. Year two is spent on an integrated Flight Training

Organisation (FTO) Course - in the past this has been either at Oxford Aviation Training, Flight

Training Europe (Jerez) and Cabair College of Air Training. Performance at the FTO School

accounts for 25% of the final University grades towards a classification.

Once the flight training is completed to frozen ATPL level, year three is back in London part time.

This final year the key development areas are teamwork, communication and an understanding of

the industry through completing three major projects.

Whilst in year three Students are required to undertake two Masters Module which provides an

insight into the Masters Programmes providing a specialist knowledge in key subjects - Example

Modules - Crisis Management and Safety Analysis and Statistics. Year three also provides the

opportunity for 8 hours of heavy jet simulator time, some of which is on an A320.

LONDON METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY DEGREE COURSES

London Metropolitan University offers both a Foundation degree in Aviation Management &

Operations for both Pilots and Managers, and a BSc in Aviation Management. Both programmes

are offered both full-time and part-time and the Foundation degree is available as a distance-learn-

ing course.

As far as a direct comparison of the 2 University pilot courses is concerned, London Met offers a

2-year Foundation degree for the pilot pathway and, effectively, a 4-year sandwich course for the

BSc, including the ATPL theory. Flying up to CPL/IR standard that can be completed within the 4-

year programme at any JAAApproved FTO. London University offers the MCC course to complete

the frozen ATPL.

APPROXIMATE COSTING OF THE UNIVERSITY DEGREE COURSES

City Universitys course is NOT Higher Education Funding Council (HEFC) subsidised, so the cost

of their course is 9,000 for year 1, about 65,000 for the frozen ATPL at Oxford etc, plus about

another 4,500 for a part-time year 3.

The London Met University course is HEFC approved and therefore costs to individuals is muchlower - 1,150 per year and the cost of the modular flying comes to about 35,000 to frozen ATPL

level.

A P P E N D I X 2 P I L O T D E G R E E C O U R S E S


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17

Views on obtaining a JAAcommercial licence, from some who have chosen this route are produced

below to assist you in considering and evaluating this route to determine your own decision on the

method/country to obtain an approved JAA licence. Always ensure that the course is a JAA

Approved one.

USA

Here is the experience of one person who trained in the USA. During a conversation with BALPA,

I agreed to write my own experiences and thoughts and in gaining a flying licence in the US. These

are only my own personal views and there maybe many out there who would disagree with my

thoughts.

There are several areas that I feel training in the States do not prepare you for flying in the UK:

1. The congested airspace: Over here in the UK as I found out, it is all too easy to stray

slightly off track over here and pay the price as I did. Above, and all around you, are

restricted areas where you cant fly.Apart from close to major airports, there seemed to

be little places where you couldnt fly in the US.

2. RT Procedures:Although the RT is different, this is probably something that you can

overcome in the air, but it is still something you will have to adapt to once back in the UK.

3. The Level of Instruction: This may not be true of all schools, but the level of tuition I

have received here in the UK has been of a better quality and more thorough than what

I received in the US. Certainly at the beginning of someones flying career you need all

the best advice you can get.

4. The Weather: This gives the ability to complete the course in as short a time as

possible. However Im not the quickest of learners and I think that I struggled to cope with

everything being thrown at me so quickly. Id rather take my time and learn thingsthoroughly than rush it into a 3/4 week period. Again this is a subjective thought, for

some people who can pick up on things quickly, this may be an advantage. Another point

of view could also be that learning to fly in fair weather conditions would not give you the

experience or appreciation of the typical weather conditions found in the UK. Learning to

fly in the US and then using your licence to fly in the UK, could catch you out at some

point, especially when combined with the airspace factors mentioned in point 1.

5. Cost: Im not too sure on this point, so dont take it as gospel. Im just not too sure how

much cheaper it turns out in the long run. Once you get back here in the UK no flying

school is going to let you up straight away.You probably need, say 5 - 8 hours, to have

a short introductory course on flying in the UK. To get used to the RT, the local area, and

just to demonstrate to your club you can fly.Add on top of this your flight to the US,living expenses etc, how much cheaper is it, Im not too sure?

6. Fragmentation: This is another point where it is specific for me, but one that many

others could fall into. As soon as I arrived back in the UK I started my JAAGround School

that consumed all of my time. Consequently I didnt start my flying over here until about

9 months after getting back from the States. I think if you do learn over there then get

straight back into it here as well so you dont forget half the stuff you learnt.

Above are some of the things any potential pilot should maybe think about before making the deci-

sion of where to start their flying career. These are just my own personal thoughts, right or wrong

- who knows, but just something I have thought about since starting my flying adventure.

What I say next may shock you and have you thinking - is this guy stupid or what?? But Im off toTyler,Texas, to hopefully get my CPL.

Indeed I have fretted about whether Im making the same mistake again, I just hope Im making the

right decision. Several of my friends have come back from Tyler and one of them is out there now.

A P P E N D I X 3 C O N S I D E R I N G T R A I N I N G A B R O A D


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They all report back with glowing assessments regarding the level of instruction and the organiza-

tion in general. The school is run by Oxford with a mix of OAT and US instructors, as well as British

JAA examiners. I guess only time will tell, fingers crossed anyway. Whatever happens Ill be doing

some flying over here when I get back to re-adjust once more. I hope that the above gives you

enough information for further research.

NEW ZEALANDThis is a story of one way to eventually obtain a JAA commercial licence from an individual who

gives a resume of his own experiences and some further food for thought as to the course of action

you may be considering:

I did an integrated (ICAO) course in New Zealand with a Flight Training Organisation (FTO), based

at Christchurch International Airport. I found this to be tremendous fun but also I believe I received

quality instruction in New Zealand and was trained to a very similar standard to that prescribed for

the European JAA Commercial Pilot Licence.

Initial cost roughly for the New Zealand ICAO Licence was 25,000. This includes: all my expens-

es in New Zealand - rent, food, car etc for 14 months, 240 hours flying including PPL, CPL, MEIR,

Aerobatic rating, a lot of flying around the Southern Alps - incredible scenery and all of the written

exams.

In my circumstances I still view this as fantastic value for money, and there were quite a few Brits

out there doing much the same as me. Some of these people (especially ones who couldnt afford

to convert and further train to get a JAALicence) decided to stay in NZ and become instructors etc.

Not a bad idea I reckon

However, I came back to the UK to convert the NZ ICAO Licence to a European JAA one. This

involved taking all 14 ATPL theory exams in the UK by doing the modular course through one of

the larger UK CAA/JAA approved FTO. This was very tedious, as I had done most of it once before

in NZ, but the CAA required I do all of the school tests etc. In total it took 6 months and probably

about 650 study hours! Not fun slaving away at home, no money etc

After that I converted the CPL and IR with the same UK CAA/JAA approved FTO. The CPL skills

course and test was pretty straightforward and took 8 hours flying. The IR was a bit trickier due to

the relative complexity of the British Airspace and I needed 15 hours in the aircraft and 10 hours

on the simulator. This mucked up my cost calculations a bit because most schools base the IR

conversion on 15 hours total. An extra 10 hours in a Seneca with the UK FTO cost 3,500. A bit

of a sting in the tail that one!

Total costs at this stage for the CAA/JAA (UK) Licence conversion amounted to another 15,000-

ish - not including any living expenses - for 33 hours flying and10 hours in the simulator. I then

undertook an MCC course more recently with another UK CAA/JAA Approved FTO that cost a fur-

ther 2,300.

The total cost (so far) is roughly 45,000 plus living expenses in the UK. Compare that to inte-

grated course costs.

And I have more flying experience (275 hours compared to an average 200). I also obtained in

NZ an aerobatic rating and got to fly in some simply stunning scenery in NZ.

However, there are some other draw backs too. Firstly, repeating the exams was not fun. Nor

the stress of 2 lots of flight tests. Secondly, the whole process took 2 years - which is consider-

ably longer than an integrated UK course. In theory had I paid for a UK FTO JAA licence and

got a job immediately, I could have earned as much money in employment as I had saved by

doing my training abroad. The elements of not being in a position to network in the UK for

potential pilot opportunities is also an element to consider.

But for me the whole experience of training in NZ has been fantastic and I wouldnt have

changed that for anything. All I need now is to get that elusive first job in a commercial airline

.

SOUTH AFRICA - Report not available.


19/19


H O W B A L P A C A N H E L P Y O U

Although the information given here is referenced to aeroplane (fixed

wing) commercial flying, most of it is also applicable to helicopter com-mercial flying. Salaries tend to be lower and in the UK most helicopter

work is in support of the off-shore oil and gas industry, although there are

appointments in the civilian emergency services and corporate (execu-

tive) aviation.

Airline pilots will tell you that the first and possi-bly most important step you should take is to

join BALPA as a Full Member.

There are many good reasons why. For BALPA

gives pilots the support and protection they just

cant get anywhere else "when the chips are

down".

As a pilot, you could be involved in an incident

or an accident or sued by a passenger, you

could work for an employer who seeks to cut

your allowances or increase your flying hours,

you could face a disciplinary hearing or find

yourself before an accident investigation board.

You could even face the loss of your flying

licence on medical grounds.

BALPA has a network of support groups, both in

the UK and, through the International

Federation of Air Line Pilot Associations, world-

wide.

BALPA has teams advising on technical and

medical issues.

For Full Members, BALPAs free legal servicesare second to none, and BALPA will represent

its members anywhere in the world in a way that

no other organisation, and certainly no individ-

ual, can.

BALPA negotiates with the airlines and is con-

stantly improving the professional status and

lifestyle of pilots and their families.

At the same time, the organisation is a key play-

er in the world of civil aviation, consulted regu-

larly by Government, the Civil Aviation Authority,

National Air Traffic Services (NATS), the air-

lines, and European and International authori-

ties.

As a member of BALPA you will be part of a

powerful, influential professional organisation

that cares for its industry - and cares for its

members.

BALPA extends its good wishes for your future

chosen career.

Secure your future with

BALPA

H E L I C O P T E R S

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