Hello Karim

There are many schools in Europe where you can obtain your pilot's licenses. The schools vary greatly in cost depending on how / where you wish to do your training. I did the integrated flight trainibg programme at Oxford Aviation Academy based in the UK. Check out www.oaa.com. If you require more info, i'll be more than happy to help.

Regards,

Right I wanted to be a pilot when I was younger finished my JAA PPL and had my heart set on it. However I genuinley wouldnt waste your time as the cost is horrendous circa £50k as you have to fly mandatory hours then you actually need to find someone to give you a job. The amount of instuctors there with frozen ATPL who are simply teaching whilst trying to find a perm role is ridiculous.

Obviously I dont know all your details but unless you have money to burn. lots of contacts in the industry and or ex military I just wouldnt bother if I were you. Much better to try get your ppl then just enjoy it at weekend plus for the money you would save you could buy your own smaller plane and rent it per hour to other people learning to fly.

Sorry to be a bit negative just this was my expeirence thats all. I learnt to fly at Blackpool Airport in the UK but if you are deadly serious leave here go to US or ZA where the feul costs are cheaper and it makes the cost significantly lower.

Regards

I worked in business aviation here in Geneva, am not a pilot, but Tim is within the reality parameters.  You would need to spend up to 5'000 hours as a co-pilot before becoming a captain, on major carriers many more, so do the math.  No offence to any pilot, but the job can be compared to a busdriver in the sky.  The US would be a cheaper option, you can in fact get your private licence in a matter of months, but there are certain obstacles after 9/11.

Despite any of this, if it is your passion, then go speak to someone at Swiss, Easyjet, etc and try some of the smaller private jet operators such as TAG, Privatair, etc - they can be helpful sometimes.  And sometimes they even pay your training.  Good luck.

Have you thought about being a helicopter pilot?  The son of Swiss friends of mine found it cheaper and quicker to train in Canada (which also improved his spoken English) and he then went on to enjoy a very interesting career on assignments all over the world, including places where commercial airlines don't venture.

Ritchie

Karim,

I read recently in newspaper that SWISS is so desperately missing pilots on short and long terms, that they hire and train people to become pilots.

Not sure what's the conditions but check it, it0's the best moment!!

And good luck!!

Thanks guys for all the information, i think i am starting to develop a sense of how to approach it (if indeed i manage to) :). a lot of people are pointing towards the US, would any of you know a couple of good schools... i searched and i got plenty of results each of them claiming to be top notch... are aviation schools also ranked like Harvard, MIT, Etc.... i guess what i am trying to say is would a certain school help my chances of getting a job?