[airbus]

I am currently in college doing an aviation related course (engineering to be exact) but my goal is to be a pilot,my plan was to do what i'm doing now and get a higher cert from college just to have some sort of advantage but i'm torn i don't know if i should stay for another year of college(i would still have a qualifacation if i decide not to) or begin my flying. Currently all the aviation parts of the course i'm doing, i enjoy and do well in but i'm not an engineer at heart and find the complex engineering parts boring and difficult and just keep thinking of the flying end of things. I don't know if i should begin my PPL or do i stay in college to be honest i would rather begin flying,but i need advise.

[dara]

I studied and worked in engineering before starting flying, I would defo say to finish off the course, if money allows do a bit off PPL now, if not get all the PPL and ATPL books and have them studied by the time you can start flying full time. it will save you time and money!

[airbus]

keep in mind i will continue to finish my two years which has been the long term plan but this third year is an option,i never said i would be dropping out or anything like that its just i'd like to get to my main goal now rather than sitting in a college studying something i would not persue a carear in,i originally got into this as obviousley any little bit of engineering experience looks good. i'm not interested in getting an engineers licence just something useful to do as i waited to fly rather than doing something totally useless to me in the future and i know that wat i'm doing now will benefit me down the line in some way or another.

[ifty]

why not start a ppl now, or at least get a class 1 medical done without that you wont be doing any flying for a living.

[hibby]

I think you should stay and get your degree. If you have the money and the time, you can do some flying lessons while you are still at college.

[michael747]

1. Dont rush it...

I started my PPL when i was in 5th year of school,
And i did not finish it until my summer holidays after 1st year in college,
I did the Certificate in Engineering (Avionics) and found it a great help doing both together.
However, i had ambitions to travel around the world before i started to train as an airline pilot.
I took a maintainance/manufacturing technicians job for 4 years while i saved to build up my hours to qualify to start the CPL/MEIR, And while i traveled around the world...... Having seen most of Europe, Asia, Australia, North America and some of Africa, i decided it's time for more hard work and not so much fun.
I've packed in my job a couple months ago and am full time at the ATPL's now, And am still on track to having a job secured as an airline pilot when i'm 25.... Im currently 23 - It just happened to work out perfect

Patience is a virtue

[ifty]

There is no point saying do this or that, spending whatever time and money then discovering you cannot get a medical. Without it you wont be able to fly for a living, do that, THEN plan your next step(s)

[michael747]

There is no point saying do this or that, spending whatever time and money then discovering you cannot get a medical. Without it you wont be able to fly for a living, do that, THEN plan your next step(s)

Did you not already say that ?????
Why so pushy.....

You've already stressed it enough, Thats why i didnt' feel the need to repeat it..... And there's nothing wrong with being optimistic....

[vanman]

Finish whatever course you're on and get a qualification so you can work while you wait for a job after you qualify as a pilot. Michael 747s route is a good one. If you can afford to train for your PPL as you do it, so much the better. There is no hurry to qualified as there are few jobs at the moment. Most newly qualified CPLs are back at their old job or on the dole. If you start flying training now, you could be qualified next year, assuming you have the money. But end up sitting around waiting for non existent jobs with no qualifications to do another job. It will be a few years before the job market comes back.

Don't be in any hurry.

Oh and yeah, do the medical.

[AndyMax]

I've packed in my job a couple months ago and am full time at the ATPL's now, And am still on track to having a job secured as an airline pilot when i'm 25.... Im currently 23 - It just happened to work out perfect

I like your optimism. There are few jobs out there right now. So I hope it works out for you. Im puzzled by your very last comment.

To the original poster....Stay with what you are doing. No point having a license and ratings when there is a good chance they will just expire before you have the chance at securing a job. Dont forget you need to spend money to stay current.

Maybe start with just the PPL and work on the ATPL books in your spare time after that.

[airbus]

I think i will do the medical soon enough thats another thing about the medical i wear glasses but i was told that the days that pilots could not fly if they needed glasses are over is this true. Also the word class 1 medical sounds as if i have to be a super fit fantastic human being i mean i am healthy and all but ask me to run for miles and i'm wrecked. but i don't smoke or do drugs but i don't mind a drink or an odd chipper to an extend i just want to confirm that the class 1 medical isn't the hardest thing in the world to pass can someone explain in lay mans terms what goes on in the medical.
Also in the engineering industry what jobs would be availabe without the easa exams somebody said they qualified in avionics for two years which is what i'm doing but did you get all your EASA JAR EXAMS done because a lot of the people in this course who are more interested in flying don't bother with does exams and just get the college qualifacation.

[Bob]

another thing about the medical i wear glasses but i was told that the days that pilots could not fly if they needed glasses are over is this true.

This link is on the IAA website it's the document that outlines the medical requirements;

http://www.jaa.nl/publications/jars/606984.pdf


JAR–FCL 3.220 Visual requirements
(a) Distant visual acuity. Distant visual
acuity, with or without correction, shall be 6/9
(0,7) or better in each eye separately and visual


This is quoted from the above document so if your glasses correct your vision to 6/9 you should be ok, however there's a lot of other requirements there your eyes must meet so you might want to read through it yourself.

Also in the engineering industry what jobs would be availabe without the easa exams somebody said they qualified in avionics for two years which is what i'm doing but did you get all your EASA JAR EXAMS done because a lot of the people in this course who are more interested in flying don't bother with does exams and just get the college qualifacation.

I'm just out of my avionics apprenticeship. I've also done a year in Carlow but realised it wasn't going to get me a job as an avionic engineer. The problem you'll face getting into an maintenance facility is your lack of experience, Carlows biggest downfall. Your easa exams shouldn't really matter because you'll need on the job experience before you can apply for your license. This will be either 2yrs or 5yrs 'OJT' depending on Carlows certification. However, it might look well on a c.v. if you had them.

i'm not an engineer at heart and find the complex engineering parts boring and difficult

In reality you'd probably be better off with a qualification that wasn't aviation orientated. Something that also interested you aside from aviation, that you could fall back on. A lot of people seem to do this, 'my self included' think that these aviation courses are the back door into flying. Another example of this is Aeronautical Engineering in UL a standard Mechanical Engineering degree would be far more valuable and there's still nothing stopping you applying for aero engineering jobs.

[AndyMax]

can someone explain in lay mans terms what goes on in the medical.

Here you go. I wrote this up a few years ago when I first did my Class 1....

http://www.flyinginireland.com/forum/vi ... ight=class