Before Learning To Fly

Some senior industry figures we spoke to believe that there will still be opportunities for new pilots to get a start in the industry. We have heard that many employers in general aviation may not be willing to place senior pilots into junior roles. Many pilots who have lost their jobs have been forced to change industries in the short term and may not come back, so a career path may well still exist for most pilots. 

However, only time will tell. In the meantime, here is some advice based on how the world used to be, as that is the only solid foundation we have to work with at the moment. 

Where to start

Before anything else, it is usually a good idea to see if flying really is for you. When you are learning to fly, you will spend a great deal of time in small aircraft. So, it is probably a good idea to find out if you will be comfortable in them before you commit to a year of study and – potentially – a whole lot of debt. 

Trial Introductory Flights

Trial Introductory Flights (or TIFs as they are known by pilots who like to reduce everything to an acronym) give anyone the opportunity to experience the joys of flight for a relatively small outlay. 

The process may vary between schools, but usually the ‘student’ is given a brief introduction to what they can expect during the flight, how the flight controls work, and most importantly what to do if they are not feeling comfortable. Then it’s time to go flying. You will be accompanied by a qualified flight instructor who will usually let you do as much or as little of the flying as you are comfortable with – and capable of. 

The whole experience can give you some insight into the flying school itself. You can get a feel for factors such as how it operates, the vibe (formal or relaxed), or how new or well-maintained the aircraft are. 

As such, it can be used as a kind of job interview. You should approach the process as if you are interviewing the school and its instructors to decide if you are going to give them the job of teaching you how to fly. Because that’s exactly what you are doing. 

You would be well advised to interview as many schools and instructors as you can. You need to gain as much exposure as possible before you make any decisions. TIF’s are one of the best ways to do this because you will see the flying school and the instructor in their natural habitat – doing exactly what they will be doing with you for the next several months or even years. 

One of the great things about TIFs is that you can log the time that you spend flying. So, money spent on multiple TIFs is not wasted from that point of view. But despite that, you should view the TIF as a relatively cheap but necessary step in an otherwise long and expensive process. 

‘You would be well advised to interview as many schools and instructors as you can.’

Funding your training

You might not have the financial resources to become a pilot, even if some flying schools make you believe the opposite. Put simply, you might not be able to afford it! 

There are a few available options which require careful consideration. 

The first option is that you have sufficient cash and/or a well-paid job and you can pay as you go. This is ideal as you will have no massive debt at the end of your training. However, there are relatively few people fortunate enough to be in that position. 

The second option is to take out a loan. This may be secured against your assets (if you have been lucky or astute enough to accumulate these) or guaranteed by a member of your family (i.e. the bank of Mum and Dad). 

Finally, there is the VET Student Loan. The great attractions of this scheme are that almost anyone can qualify, and the balance does not need to be repaid until you are earning a reasonable annual income (currently $45,881 pa). However, this is generally regarded as the worst option of all for several reasons, and post-COVID it is likely to be even less appealing. 

VET Student Loans have a few problems 

The primary drawback is the massive debt that can be accumulated, currently up to $180,000 which is then indexed to inflation each year. 

The VET Student Loan debt may have extreme negative implications down the track if the new pilot decides to borrow funds for non-pilot activities such as buying a car or house. 

Further, we have found that many employers of brand new CPL holders do not view applicants who have taken the VET Student Loan pathway as favourably as those who have taken the ‘hard road’. 

Because not all flying schools are Approved VET Providers, the choice of schools may be severely limited. Usually only the larger schools will be able to provide such training, and some of these do not have very good reputations. 

Finally, some flying schools have been known to charge VET students a higher rate than those that are self-funded. Why? Because they can. They get away with it because the VET students are not as concerned about value for money as those who have had to work hard for every cent. Part 141 versus Part 142 – what does it really mean? 

Part 141 covers non-integrated courses while

Part 142 covers integrated training courses. Both refer to sections of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (1998). 

Part 142 schools must offer both theory and practical training as a single course. One perceived benefit to students is that only 150 hours of aeronautical experience (logged flight time) is required to obtain a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) instead of 200 hours for non-integrated (Part 141) courses. In theory, that should make those courses cheaper for the student. 

Unfortunately, in practice, nothing could be further from the truth. 

There is no direct relationship between Part 142 schools and those who are Approved VET Providers. However, in practice most if not all Part 142 schools are Approved VET Providers. 

As mentioned above, VET schools often charge much higher rates than non-VET schools, and even different rates within schools for VET and self-funded students, for exactly the same training. 

‘The more quality contacts you can establish during your training, the better your career prospects will be at the other end’

Why 150-hour courses are mostly a waste of time

Unless you are an exceptional human being, you are unlikely to gain enough skills and experience in under 200 hours to be able to fly an aeroplane in a manner that will satisfy an employer. Anecdotal evidence suggest that it is rare for anyone to become suitably proficient in less than 190 hours, even when everything is working in their favour. It usually takes over 200 hours for most people. 

Remember, the CPL is not a ticket to get a job. It is merely the minimum requirement to apply and hold the first job. 

One shortcut the integrated courses often use is to skip the Recreational Pilot Licence (RPL) and Private Pilot Licence (PPL) and go straight for the CPL. This creates two major problems. 

The first is that there are no milestones along the way to objectively measure and confirm progress. The second and most important is the fact that if you don’t pass the CPL test, or you drop out of training before that point, you will have nothing to show for your investment. You cannot ‘drop back’ to the PPL or RPL, because you never held one. You will be grounded. 

Networking for the future

The best way to get something in aviation is by using your network. Anecdotally, we find that most jobs are found via networks rather than on the open market. And even those that are initiated via the open market may well be sealed via a network. That is, the employer will usually know someone who knows the new employee. Aviation in Australia is a very small industry. 

New pilots need to be very mindful of this from day one of their training. Almost everything they do will be noticed by someone. Hence it is a good idea to always conduct yourself in a professional manner. Don’t be too concerned about making mistakes, everyone does. Just remember that it is how you deal with the mistakes that will be noticed. 

The more quality contacts you can establish during your training, the better your career prospects will be at the other end. 

Common myths exploded

Because some flying schools have been known to make outrageous claims (along with some critical omissions) about their future graduates’ career prospects, now is a good time to dispel some myths. 

The most common one is that graduates will be snapped up by the airlines as soon as their training is over. They may well be snapped up, but most likely not the day, month or even year after graduation. To be competitive for airline recruitment, the logbook will have to resemble something like a few years and generally more than 1,500 hours in general aviation, starting on single engines operating under the Visual Flight Rules (VFR), then graduating through multi-engine, instrument (IFR) and the elusive 100 hours of night flying that is required for the air transport pilot licence (ATPL). 

Another myth is that those who are lucky enough to be accepted into an airline cadetship are guaranteed a job on completion. Read the fine print. It usually says something like “if the student completes all aspects of the course and meets our requirements” which are often quite vague or even unspecified. And, therefore, subject to change. 

Alternatively, the cadet’s immediate employment may be ‘subject to interview’ – at which point they are advised that they need more experience that they should gain in the wider industry. “Come back in a couple of years…” 

Cameron Marchant is the head of operations with Flight Standards, a current check and training pilot with several regional airlines and a Flight Examiner with many years’ experience. He conducts the ATPL flight test for aspiring ATPL candidates and sees first-hand some of the problems that come from pilots trying to shortcut the system. 

“Technically speaking, you can go ‘straight to the jet’ from flying school. But the demonstrated problem is that without the aircraft command and broader aviation experience gained elsewhere in industry, the progression to the left seat (captain) is likely to be slower if you are a cadet versus a pilot who had trodden the traditional path,” says Marchant. 

Can a raw CPL operate on a Regular Public Transport (RPT) flight deck? “Yes,” says Marchant. “The cadet at that stage can certainly be trained to fly the aircraft in a technical sense, but their command aptitude, problem-solving skills and ability to balance every aspect of the operation in a holistic sense has not even begun to develop. Those who have a wider range of experience and aviation context outside of the airline will likely develop these skillsets quicker, due to operating in a less rigid professional environment and being left, somewhat, to their own devices when on the job. 

“That’s what we mean by ‘pilot in command’ hours. Going straight to an airline will likely limit one’s growth as an effective aircraft captain – a sentiment that is mirrored by many of my contemporaries who work in airline checking and training. The CPL in this context can only fly as a first officer and the internal path within the airline to the ATPL flight test opportunity (i.e. prerequisite for captain) might be many, many years away.” 

So, if someone tells you that you will get an airline job straight after you get your CPL, they are not telling you the whole story. Unless of course by ‘airline job’ they mean baggage handler, sniffer dog, or the dude who operates the equipment that dumps the airplane dunny. 

Dressing up your resume

From an employer’s point of view, there are some great occupations to have on your resume. Most trades will be viewed positively, but anything in the service industries is always welcome. If you have never had a job, find some work in a service industry job, and learn as much as you can about providing great service. 

As you will discover on your aviation journey, flying the aircraft is only one part of the role. 

You may also need to develop some of the qualities that will be appreciated by future employers. You can try to emulate someone who has the qualities that you are aspiring to. You will need to be likeable and to be someone that people want to be around. There are plenty of self-help books available that can assist with these areas. 

‘Be aware that often prices quoted are for timetables that are rarely, if ever, achievable’

The biggest problem of them all

Aspiring pilots might want to apply to the Australian Defence Force, where they can learn how to fly while being paid for the privilege. Of course, there are gotchas, not the least of which is that you must sign up for at least nine years to offset the training costs. You will also acquire a HECS debt for the aviation theory courses that are outsourced to universities. 

But the biggest hurdle is the entrance process. The ADF has little interest in training pilots who will be second best, or worse, not make it at all. Hence, they make it very hard to gain entry in the first place. 

Another option might be one of the cadet programs that the airlines run from time to time. But they too don’t want to waste their time on unsuitable candidates. They might only select a handful to be trained from thousands of applicants. 

Then we have the good old flying schools. As long as the student is willing to pay, the school is willing to train. There is rarely any questioning about whether the student has what it takes to make it as a commercial pilot. Hence there is usually a high dropout/failure rate for these organisations. 

In case you haven’t yet joined the dots, the ADF and airlines filter out the underperformers at the start of the program, while the flying schools let the students self-filter during the training. Then the industry will get rid of the rest as fresh CPLs discover that learning to fly and getting the first job do not necessarily require the same skillset. 

Aero Circus has just released a new book that examines the flight training process in Australia and explains why most student pilots just starting their training will never get to fly an aircraft for a living. 

‘So You Want To Be A Pilot’ explores the gap between the training syllabus and what aviation employers need their new recruits to able to do from day one. It also provides a wealth of proven practical advice for pilots to maximise their chances of getting the first flying job. 

When the wheels fall off

What can you do if you can’t get a job after your CPL training is over? 

Our advice is not to go straight into instructing from CPL, especially in the same school you just graduated from. To be blunt, if you are not good enough to get a job in the industry, what gives you the right to teach the next generation of hopeful pilots the same stuff that doesn’t work? 

Let’s be clear – instructing can be an excellent way to improve your aviation skills and experience. It may also be viewed favourably by employers especially if you think you may be interested in check and training roles later in your career. But the way it is conducted may be detrimental to the industry. 

There is an easier and less expensive way. You could get a detailed skills assessment from a successful, independent pilot who is not afraid to tell it how it is. Some groups like Aero Circus offer a basic skills assessment which will uncover issues that might be holding you back from success. 

But at the end of the day, no matter how good your flying skills are, employers will be looking at your attitude above all else. If they don’t think it is suitable, you won’t even get to the initial interview stage. 

Full circle

Now that you understand some of the issues that the flight training industry has, you should be a little better equipped to choose a flying school and instructor. 

For example, you can now ask the right questions of an instructor to understand why they are working as an instructor. Is it because they have a passion for aviation and teaching? Or is it a fallback because they were not good enough to get their first real job in aviation? Are they a career instructor or just building hours until the airlines will give them a job? Have they had any experience in the job that they are supposed to be training you for? 

We believe that you should not choose a flying school until you have a clear understanding of how the system works, what funding methods are appropriate for you, and how to tell a good school from a bad one. You need to understand how the theory will be delivered and if that suits your style of learning. You also need to be able to identify when a school might be giving you false hope about your career prospects at the end of training. 

Of course, the costs associated with each section of the training should be thoroughly investigated. However, do be aware that often prices quoted are for timetables that are rarely, if ever, achievable. There will almost always be ‘extras’, especially if you do not pick up new skills and concepts quickly. 

The only really objective comparable measures for flight training are the various hourly rates for things like dual instruction, private aircraft hire and briefings. 

Aero Circus was formed by a group of General Aviation pilots with different experience levels from RPL to Grade 1 Instructor. Their aim is to bridge the gap between what the CASA syllabus teaches and what a truly safe or employable pilot needs to know. For more information – including the full version of this article – see their website at aerocircus.com.au.