“As a child, holiday excitement began at the airport as I watched the pilots walk to their gates. From checking in at the airport to watching the flight crew, I’ve always been fascinated by all things aviation,” says 20-year-old Fareeha Ahmed from London, who is in her second year of a BSc (Hons) Air Transport with Commercial Pilot Training degree at Bucks New Uni.
Historically, airlines paid for an individual’s training, but now the expectation is that the aspiring pilot must bear the burden of the cost, and private training can be in excess of £100,000. Other ways to get your airline transport pilot licence and become a first officer include armed forces training or a university degree, which includes pilot training for candidates willing to pay for the additional degree cost. And these days, many people are choosing the latter, drawn to the aviation career longevity graduates can expect. According to Ucas, there are now almost 30 courses that include pilot training, and 11 providers incorporating pilot studies.
Ahmed says, in addition to the practical flying elements of her degree programme, she has chosen modules that have taught her about management, airline marketing, airport operations and general business management. “I will get both a degree and my commercial pilot’s licence in around three years,” she says. “It means I will be able to move into managerial or senior positions if I want to.” Ahmed says she is always thinking long-term and the degree route was the best option for her.
The British Airline Pilots’ Association says it is vital that people have a complete understanding of what they are embarking on before they commit. The job often involves early starts and late nights, but with starting salaries of about £36,000 – and the potential to rise throughout a career to as much as £140,000 – it’s a rewarding career choice for many.
Bucks New Uni introduced their Airline and Airport Management degree programme in 2000, and in 2004 introduced the three-year Pilot Training programme, wrapped around a degree. There are two routes to becoming a pilot; the integrated route and the modular route. The integrated route is full-time study that lasts 18 to 20 months, sometimes longer (weather permitting and depending on whether they pass their assessments), with the same Approved Training Organisation (ATO) from start to finish. The modular route is more flexible in the way the student selects their training provider. It could be the same ATO from start to finish, or different elements undertaken at different ATOs. Whichever method of training the student decides to take, Bucks New Uni provides the opportunity for the student to not only become a pilot, but also to graduate with an undergraduate degree.
Despite all the practical elements involved, George Georgiou, course leader and senior lecturer in Aviation Management, says becoming a pilot is not all about training. “Enthusiasm for the aviation industry is a must. When someone is invited for an interview, airlines are also interested in seeing a passion for the industry,” he says.
Pilots operate as part of a crew, and being a team player is vital. Ahmed says being at university and surrounded by others with a shared interest has enabled the people on her course to bring out the best in each other. “All of us students share the same goal,” she says. “We’re learning about the industry together.”
To find out more about studying aviation at Bucks New Uni, visit the website or call 0330 123 2023
