Question
I’m an aspiring pilot, however, the only way I can become a pilot is through the CAE Woman in Flight Scholarship Programme. I understand that thousands will apply for this and only 5 are lucky enough to receive it. I was wondering what kind of activities and/or hobbies I could do to make myself stand out from the crowd as I’m 19 and believe this puts me at a disadvantage due to my lack of life experience.
Answer
Thank you for writing to us about the CAE Woman in Flight Scholarship. As I am sure you are aware aviation is in a bit of a struggle at the moment.
The CAE Woman in Flight Scholarship Programme may sadly also be impacted by Covid-19. Easyjet for example has closed the MPL training route so it would, in our view, be difficult to justify if Easyjet too part in the Woman in Flight sponsored scheme for the time being.
Good times will be back and as the recent message from the UK Pilot union BALPA suggest, now is not a good time to become a pilot. If you do decide to become a pilot, BALPA’s recommendation is to do it the modular route with another avenue (education) to fall back on.
Here is a link to our youtube video where we are making comments on the announcement and also one about becoming a pilot in 2020, 2021.
Sponsored pilot training like the Woman in Flight programme is really rare to find. Also cadet schemes in general tend to only be available when the Aviation Market is doing well. A lot of different reports suggests that it may be 3- 4 years before the good times (for pilots) are back. This sounds about right in our view as the Aviation market first needs to recover and then most of the unemployed experienced pilots need to be re-hired. After that we hope that it starts becoming possible again for new graduated pilots to get a realistic chance of finding employment as a pilot.
In regards to interests that could help you to stand out from the crowd of applicants. We think that the most important thing is that your interest is something that is really “you”. There is no point in trying to do something that you don’t like as it will be really easy to spot. So find something you are passionate about. If you are really into flying, then maybe taking up glider flying may be a way to get into Aviation and it may also make you stand out a little bit, in particular if you get into doing competitions as a glider pilot.
While you may feel at the moment that a sponsored route via the CAE Woman in Flight Scholarship, is the only way to become a pilot, once you become part of the Aviation family, you may get a network and inspiration to train in another way. This could for example be applying for a sponsored PPL in the UK. It is still tough to get, but a lot easier than the CAE Woman in Flight Scholarship Programme. Once you have your PPL, you could build up your experience (hours) and maybe have a job where you can put money aside for a commercial pilot course. The route I am describing here is the “modular training route”.
We understand if you find it difficult to know all the options of how to become a pilot. An easy way to get an overview could be reading our book about How do I become a pilot
While we know that this reply may not be what you had hoped for in regards to the CAE Woman in Flight Scholarship, we still hope our honesty and suggestions will help you to reach your dream of becoming a pilot.
Happy Landings
Ask A Pilot
If I may just add a comment.
You write “the only way I can become a pilot is through the CAE Woman in Flight Scholarship Programme.”
If pilot is the only job you would be happy with, then do whatever it takes. Don’t sit in 50 years and wonder what if.
That program is not the only way, and you can turn your young age into an advantage instead.
So what do I mean by that? Let’s do some math:
Depending on your country and minimum wage, in example Denmark for 160hours a month is about 9600kr /1300eur after tax minimum by law.
So get a job, and work your ass off year after year!
Explain your parents your plan and try live at home as long as you can to save up everything you earn.
So if your parents can help you out with a bed, you could save up lets say 1000eur a month out of those 1300eur. That is 12000eur a year.
I know in Poland you can get your training for about 50.000 eur.
So in 5 years you have 12000×5 = 60000eur. You will be 24 year old, which is in no way too late to start your training (And a wise age to move out from home).
This includes some additional expenses, so may work more hours, or get promotions a long the way to save up more/faster. You may also get some bank credit after proving your ability to save up over a couple of years.
This way you can start applying for jobs at age of 26-27 years, which is normal. However note the risk too. I know a flight instructor didn’t get into my previous airline due to age limit of 32 years if without jet experience. So there is a buffer there of about 5 years to get your first job or either earn more or educate more.
But keep in mind the risk: Doing it this way it is hard to find time for getting another education first to fall back on because you may reach an age limit of about 32. But you will have work/life experience when you apply your first pilot job.
I think very few will take this way. I did this myself, I had to finance it without help from parents so I worked 5 years full time and some part time. It was not enough so I have a “small” but manageable debt while many of my colleagues have way more debts than I. Currently I have no job, probably for years to come. But I experienced flying a jet for 2 companies, so I will not go through life wonder how it would be like and regretting I did not do whatever I could.
The risk is yours to take, but there is ALWAYS a way!
If you do decide to go after it, I wish you good luck and likely this covid crisis is over with by the time you finished.
Feel free to ask me anything.