Pipelines in Pilot Training: Part I
When it comes to choosing a particular path in the field of flying, what do you choose? What is available to you? Let’s address some of these questions in this post. First and foremost, there are a couple of major industries where one could find themselves flying in. Some may leave this decision up to fate in the end, by completing their relevant pilot’s licence/licences, and taking the first opportunity of employment that comes their way. This is certainly nothing to be ashamed of, and is the route a lot of individuals end up taking, should they not be completely certain, about what their end goal looks like in their career.
The alternative is obviously to have things planned out, with major decisions made early, so they can guide your pathway through what is often quite a complex process. Having said this, your choices and pathway may still change, even if you have done your best to put things down on paper. Just the nature of the industry and qualifying yourself in order to enter it.
Firstly, a big decision to start with, is whether you can see yourself flying in the civilian sector, or being part of the military or law enforcement. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, the military, will more often than not, cover your flight and examination costs, provided you meet stringent entry requirements and are happy to sign on with them, for a work contract for a number of years, after qualifying and/or graduation. This route is quite a strict option as you can imagine, offering less flexibility. Contracts within the law enforcement sector, such as police and border control/security, would probably offer you similar parameters. An important factor to consider, in the military sector for example, is the fact that you would need to go through basic training first, and become an officer in the relevant arm of the defence force, before you can start your flight training and ground school.
Alternatively, the private sector offers the prospective student a much more flexible training schedule and more space to plan around. The downside to this being the cost of tuition and flight training. The costs involved, in funding your pilot training privately, can be substantial! But upon completion of your relevant training, the world becomes your oyster, so to speak. Any option of employment and flying are open to the newly qualified pilot. Some examples being industrial aid, which includes sectors like private security and vehicle tracking and recovery pilots.
