Dive into this article from Wingman Andrew – a useful story for anyone looking for that dream job on the flight deck!
Why gaining an ATPL could cost you more than £500,000…
Ok, so you can certainly complete your licence for a lot less than this! The purpose of this article is to tell you a personal story that has certainly cost me £500,000 on top of gaining my licence.
Many pilots view the expense of completing their flying training as the largest outlay of their professional career, and whilst that might be true at the point of your training, the true cost of a career in the airlines can be a lot more.
An Airline Assessment Preparation course by Flight Deck Wingman
My story…
In 2005, I made my first application to an airline. I had just left the Royal Navy and was already an experienced pilot. I was lucky enough to enter the recruitment process fairly promptly and attended day one of my selection, which I failed.
Over the coming months, I took what I had learnt from that process and was lucky enough to be offered a position with Thomas Cook airlines some months later. Fast forward 10 years and the writing was on the wall for Thomas Cook. I had a command course just months away, but the financial health of Thomas Cook was far from good and I made the decision to jump to a bigger ship – my current airline.
That jump meant starting at the bottom again, despite almost 8,000 hours of flight time and multiple type ratings. My starting salary was that of a new joiner, the equivalent of being straight out of flight school, and my career progression had been reset to zero.
“My starting salary was that of a new joiner, i.e. the equivalent of being straight out of flight school and my career progression had been reset to zero.”
The harsh reality!
Had I passed that first selection, I would today be a Captain with that airline. I might even have moved into a training position, who knows. I now regularly fly with Captains who’ve been in the industry the same amount of time as me and who earn considerably more than I do, not including pension contributions. That failure back in 2005 has cost me more than £500,000 in lost career earnings, and it will be compounded for the remainder of my career. It makes the outlay of flight training pale into insignificance.
“I now regularly fly with Captains who have been in the industry the same amount of time as me and who earn considerably more than I do”
Failure to prepare for any stage, or carrying out ineffective preparation, can lead to failure.
So what can you learn from my mistake?
Preparation for selection processes should be treated at least as seriously as gaining your licence.
I’m consistently amazed by how many pilots, newly qualified and experienced alike, fail to prepare adequately for a selection process. Competition for airline jobs is fierce, and pilots should be preparing at least two stages ahead of each process:
- Have bespoke CVs ready to go before a recruitment opportunity opens.
- Be ready for interview before hearing the outcome of your initial application.
- Be ready for a sim assessment before an interview.
“Preparation for selection processes should be treated at least as seriously as gaining your licence!”
Some interesting stats…
That’s my story, and it’s why I do what I do now. I can’t get those earnings back, but I can help make sure you don’t find yourself telling a similar one in twenty years’ time.
Preparation isn’t an afterthought. It’s a crucial part of your journey, and it deserves the same seriousness you gave your training.
Book your service today at www.flightdeckwingman.com
Flight Deck Wingman provides comprehensive assessment preparation for both airlines and flight schools.
