To become an airline pilot there is no necessity to hold any particular qualification other than passes in the Licensing Authorities exams (i.e. the ATPL ground and flight training). It is undeniably advantageous to have studied certain subjects, such as Maths and Physics to as high a level as possible before, purely because it will make the mathematical and scientific aspects of the course less demanding and more familiar when they appear. The actual level of mathematical skill required in the actual flightdeck is relatively low (although the ability to do a bit of mental arithmetic is a distinct advantage) and I wouldn’t be caught dead without a calculator in my breast pocket for checking loadsheets, etc! The best example of how people can succeed if they have the desire is a mate of mine who used to be a lorry driver for a dairy company in Sussex. He left school with no qualifications but a deep desire to fly. He bummed his way through the light aviation scene and managed to get a commercial license. He joined AirUK as a F27 FO working up to become a F100 Captain before leaving a few years ago to take up his present position as an A300 FO with Monarch.
The difference with this situation is that we are not talking about someone arranging their own training but a sponsorship. Now the entry requirements are those chosen by the sponsoring airline in order to provide an initial cut down in numbers from those that apply. The requirements they state are, however, just a a guide. For example, in the mid-80’s BA asked for A levels in Maths and Physics. My brother applied with A levels in English, French and Economics but that didn’t stop them from selecting him and turning him into the BA skipper he is today. Who knows what he would have been if he had read the advert to the letter of the law.
On the subject of A levels, I agree with both sides. Any individual is only as educated as his highest level of achievement. When studying for O levels (in my day) they seemed like the hardest thing ever and meant everything. However when I did my 3 A levels the O levels suddenly didn’t seem so important. If you go on to do a degree (something which will only be permitted due to the important A level results) it will be the degree that gets you a job in your desired field rather that your A levels themselves. Similarly Martin has used his GCSE and AS successes to get himself on a course that will provide him with the qualification that will employ him for life. Fortunately an ATPL is so highly revered that in the event of a lost medical I would hope that many employers would be prepared to put their faith in someone that has trained and worked to such a high standard. Training for an JAA ATPL is equivalent to completing a 3 or 4 year degree course in 1 year, which explains why the schools are now very choosy as to who they let join. They don’t want you to remortgage your house and waste tens of thousands of pounds if there really is no chance of success. That is in itself the sign of a responsible college and a big improvement on how the colleges were a few years ago.
I think my advice to all of you is to get yourself educated to at least A level standard (unless you have specific reason to do something else) as A levels are the starting point for proper educational recognition.
I have a view on applying for jobs that equates to education and employment –
A CV gets you an application form, the application form gets you an interview, the interview gets you the job. Each step is individual and it is rare to leapfrog a stage or two. For example, no proper job is ever given on the basis of an application form but only after a proper interview.
Similarly, GCSE’s let you decide which A levels to take, A levels let you qualify to a university for a degree, the degree is the qualification that turns you into a professional person. I can’t think of any profession where you become a professional with no higher qualification than A level.
Sign In
