Teenager dream of becoming a pilot

rolion · 30-06-2019 1:42pm #1

OK, please stay with me as I throw few questions here.
Not sure right forum but I hope someone that been through same process can help me or future candidates...

My son wants to become a pilot, he's still at a "teenager stage" so I take it softly and easy as that may change at some point.

However...he's completely mad about planes and flying and so on.
We walk and any plane he sees on the sky, he keeps saying that plane out there is that type and that airline. Playing with Flightradar routes and planes , and watching YouTube's Captain Joe and so on ,again and again !

I bought a home setup for a mini flight simulator from Logitech stuff, don't know the names of all those pieces but hes happy to press and turn and curse and laugh and jump happily.

I bought a voucher for a flight in around Dublin airfields but weather was bad that day and he spent an hour in simulator room.

Seen the Weston have a sort of academy/centre for pilots, for training and so on. We been there to watch smaller crafts flying and taking off.
As he's not the right age, he cannot do logging, if I remember correctly.

So, my plan is to wait until he's 15, save some money and then bring him to Weston and get the few months training, get the licences and so on.
Then, i understood is very expensive, ten of thousands to get the seat as a co-pilot and hundreds of hours and very big size of luck.

I read yesterday, thanks for sharing here, the latest good news about Aer Lingus cadet programme, where actually you don't pay anything just enrol, pass the tests and good luck....fly away.

Kindly asking you all here...what is the best plan of:
-action
-timeline
-money or funds or loans
-training virtual of physical
-exposure to industry or culture
-literature to be read and digested
-human connections
-online networking
to get his dream completed !?

Many thanks, in advance !

troyzer · 30-06-2019 6:02pm

Introductory in Weston is the obvious way to start.

He'll probably want to do engineering and higher level maths for his leaving cert and maybe do that aviation degree in DCU.

After that, try to get into a cadet programme. They're very competitive though, most people will self fund and get their hours in Florida or Arizona where flying is much cheaper.

Declan1 · 30-06-2019 6:09pm

Have a look at www.aspireaviation.ie - some good info in the blog section.

cherrytaz · 01-07-2019 9:22am

And get a Class 1 medical as early as possible to make sure he is medically good to fly. This supersedes everything!! I was in a very similar situation to your son 15 years ago and found out I was colorblind (red/green) and this stopped everything. Failed the Ishihara tests in the IAA in the Mater and the subsequent lantern test = no commercial flying.

rolion · 01-07-2019 11:11am

Thanks @troyzer, @Declan and @cherrytaz (really sorry to hear that), much appreciated.
Lots of toughts here,let me check it and follow-up, back,here.

My son plays piano, he enjoys it and kids around him playing along in class.
He play goalie in footbal and being part of the team is rewarding, on the grass and after, in estate, meeting with his mates and playing,c hatting and happy boy.
Wondering,applied to pilots, if there is some sort of social gatherings or networking events for "wanne be pilot" at his appropiate age ?
Or, is all competitive and secrecy and pushing around for failing the other one ?

Thanks.
Regards

blanchwill · 01-07-2019 12:14pm

The national flight centre are holding a summer camp for 15-17yr olds. How old is your son?

rolion · 01-07-2019 12:32pm

blanchwill wrote: »

The national flight centre are holding a summer camp for 15-17yr olds. How old is your son?

Thanks,it hasnt reached the 15 minimum age yet but thanks for sharing,i will check it with them,maybe he just can sit and watch without participating due to insurance or H&S reasons...

Any more info on the camp,please !?

LE
Have it here
Link broken here

blanchwill · 01-07-2019 12:40pm

rolion wrote: »

Thanks,it hasnt reached the 15 minimum age yet but thanks for sharing,i will check it with them,maybe he just can sit and watch without participating due to insurance or H&S reasons...

Any more info on the camp,please !?

I seen it advertised on their Facebook page, its €190 for a week long camp and includes

Airport tour, including ATC tower and maintenance hangers
Talks on becoming an airline pilot and the Irish Aer Corps
Classes on basic flight principles
Simulator experience
Chance to fly a c152 or c172

noelf · 03-07-2019 5:25pm

First Solo on 16th Birthday

FII Reader

Published on July 2nd, 2019 | by FII Reader

Congratulations to Ethan Sherry from Dungannon who completed his first solo on his 16th Birthday last Friday. Ethan has been flying on the Ikarus C42 at Kernan Aviation based at Tandragee, just outside Portadown. Ethan takes up the story from here:

“Hi there my name is Ethan Sherry I’m from Dungannon in County Tyrone here in Northern Ireland. Today on the 28th of June 2019, I took to the skies on my 16th birthday for my first solo flight making me as of this date the current youngest solo pilot in the UK! Flying for me has always been a passion ever since I was a kid and as soon as my 14th birthday came, and I was able to log hours, I was in the plane! Ever since then I have become more and more experienced with over 100 hours P2 in aircraft ranging from microlight to larger aircraft and even helicopters, I made it a goal of mine to solo an aircraft on my 16th birthday and today I have accomplished that and made not only myself proud but also my family and friends”

“I would like to thank my instructor Martin Conway and also the guys at Carrickmore where I started to fly and the guys at Kernan Aviation where I currently fly who have been massively supportive throughout my journey for the past 2 years and continuing onwards to my GST next year. I hope that I’m able to complete and pass my GST on my 17th Birthday and then plan to go to Atlantic Flight Training Academy (AFTA) in Cork and train to become a commercial airline pilot. My ultimate goal and absolute passion”

Tags: Carrickmore Flying School, First Solo, Kernan Aviation

California Dreamer · 03-07-2019 6:41pm

[QUOTE=rolion;110568306

My son wants to become a pilot,[/QUOTE]

Brass tacks. If you go down the self funding route.

Its €100k.

There is scholarships, cadetships etc but if none of that works out and he still wants to do it, thats what its going to cost.

Petetheroadie · 03-07-2019 7:02pm

OP, you could have been describing my 13 year old as well in your initial post. :-) We're taking him to Atlantic air adventures in Shannon in a couple of weeks as they do a teenage summer camp for wannabe pilots.

Great advice on the medical too!

Pete

Psychlops · 03-07-2019 8:45pm

OR....

He could just join the Irish Air Corps & learn to fly the Militray way, do his years there on Helicopters/Fixed Wing & then see what happens after a Military career, Military pilots are highly sought after in civvy street.

faoiarvok · 03-07-2019 8:57pm

Psychlops wrote: »

OR....

He could just join the Irish Air Corps & learn to fly the Militray way, do his years there on Helicopters/Fixed Wing & then see what happens after a Military career, Military pilots are highly sought after in civvy street.

“Just join” makes it sound like a walk in the park to get selected, when it’s an extremely competitive recruitment process.

California Dreamer · 04-07-2019 7:32am

Psychlops wrote: »

OR....

He could just join the Irish Air Corps & learn to fly the Militray way, do his years there on Helicopters/Fixed Wing & then see what happens after a Military career, Military pilots are highly sought after in civvy street.

I didn’t know the exact number but an Irish Indo report from
2010 said 718 applied for 2 pilot jobs.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i · 04-07-2019 7:46am

Psychlops wrote: »

OR....

He could just join the Irish Air Corps & learn to fly the Militray way, do his years there on Helicopters/Fixed Wing & then see what happens after a Military career, Military pilots are highly sought after in civvy street.

Our of all defense forces the Air Corps is the most difficult to join as there are very limited places and the bar is quite high too. Not everybody in the Air Corp will fly either. It would be a fantastic career but I imagine it's also more challenging than private flying.

Psychlops · 04-07-2019 9:27pm

faoiarvok wrote: »

“Just join” makes it sound like a walk in the park to get selected, when it’s an extremely competitive recruitment process.

Understood, but no harm in trying.

Psychlops · 04-07-2019 9:29pm

Holden Defeated Yankee wrote: »

Our of all defense forces the Air Corps is the most difficult to join as there are very limited places and the bar is quite high too. Not everybody in the Air Corp will fly either. It would be a fantastic career but I imagine it's also more challenging than private flying.

Isnt that the reason to also join, to serve & every day isn't the same? If even not getting to be a pilot I wouldn't turn my nose at being aircrew.

04-07-2019 9:52pm

I am a 58 year old (female) aviation freak from the days I was brought to Dublin ATC tower as a baby, my parents having been friends with the Chief Air Traffic Controller, Tom Donovan. I learned the principles of flight as a child as my father got me to hold a spoon in the flow of tap water, and could name any aircraft from the sound of it passing overhead. However, money being short in a 1969/70s household, I didn’t get on board any aircraft until I was 14, in a Cessna 172 at Iona, Dublin Airport. I ended up taking lessons from the famous Darby Kennedy at Weston, during my early 20s.

My advice is to encourage your son to read about flying (what I did long before I flew) on the Internet/books from library, take a half hour intro lesson at Weston, a familiarization with the Dublin Gliding Club our at Punchestown, a lesson in a helicopter (Weston), etc, to introduce him to the world of aviation in its various forms. A 737 pilot always starts on a small Cessna etc, and even if it doesn’t become a career it can always be a lifelong joyous hobby, even if o e can only afford to be an occasional flyer or indeed a spectator/aficionado.

A pilot’s career depends on health holding up. I always remember hearing from a pilot in Gran Canaria that his father funded his flying career on the grounds that he study a backup up related subject, so that he also had a qualification in aviation business & law. There are degree programs which qualify you as a pilot plus aviation business degree, so that one could theoretically follow the career path of Willie Walsh.

Teenager dream of becoming a pilot

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