Vying to be an airline pilot is highly competitive, do I have what it takes?

If you are like me you have probably dreamed about being an airline pilot ever since you were a young child, now you may be asking yourelf, can I make this a reality, do I have to be super human to be selected by the airlines?

The answer is no, you do not have to be super intelligent or super fit to make it in the world of civil aviation. Yes you will need some built in qualities such as good health, common sense, reasonable intelligence and a to be a good team player. But these key qualities are not enough to make in the highly competitve job market.

The dream of being an airline pilot is shared by many, the population is saturated by people with this dream who posses the right qualities. Fortunatley you have the chance to distinguish yourself from these other hopefuls.

In order to do this you must be highly commited, willing to make sacrafices and be prepared to do a lot of HARD WORK.

To get in the position to be employed by an airline you must hold an ATPL. This can cost up to £60,000 to gain and can take a whole year to get if training full time. This is where many dreamers will be left behind.

WHY...

While many people dream of being an airline pilot, not all of them are willing to make such financial and time sacrafices to make this dream a reality. This is why just to get an ATPL, so you can apply for an airline you must be commited and HARD WORKING.

It will take the average wannabe pilot a few years to finance such training costs. They will have to sacrafice holidays, nights out and other luxuries just so they can pay for there training. Scholarships are ever hard to find these days, meaning this is the only option for many.

This is why dedication is so important. You have to be passionate about becomming an airline pilot otherwise you are unlikely to bundle over many of the hurdles you will no doubt face.

On the positve...

It's not my intention to sound too negative in this article, if you are prepared to work hard and be commited then the end rewards are well worth it. While you have to make many sacrifices the whole process of training for your licences is an enjoyable and worth-while experience.

Continuing...

If you pull yourself far enough to get the an ATPL, the next step is to make yourself as appealing as possible by the airlines in the hope that one will employ you.

Even when you have an ATPL and are looking for an airline you are never guaranteed a job despite all that training and financial cost. The demand for pilots is always changing and you may have to wait a a couple of years to land that elusive first job.

This is where you must posses the qualities of PATIENCE and a determination not to give up. It can be heart-breaking having gained your ATPL and still being stuck in that desk job and looking out the window to see nothing more than the same old boring view.

You will be likely to be competing with many other newly qualified pilots for that job. To get this far your competitors are also likely to be hardworking and dedicated to the cause. This is where you must differentiate yourself from other candidates and make yourself stand out.

This is where some of the other more natural qualities come into effect. All the airlines are looking for similar qualities necessary to be a part of their team.

These qualities include confidence, maturity, common sense, teamwork abilities and potential leadership. If you wish to make it then you must bear in mind these qualities when going for interviews.

Not everyone with an ATPL has these qualities as they are not a necessity when funding your own training. So make sure you show these qualities to your assesors and you will distinguish yourself from the rest.

Conclusion...
To make it as an airline pilot you must overcome some potentially difficult hurdles. You must be dedicated and have a string passion to be a pilot. It is important you have some of the key qualities required of a pilot such as leadership and maturity. But above all you must be PREPARED TO WORK HARD.