If anyone is still hanging on this topic, here are some updates.

 

I spent 6 hours yesterday with a guy from Austrian Aviation Academy, who, without me owning him anything, has spent all this time explaining me how everything is working out, not in connection to their school, but in general. I could ask whatever interested me. I think I got all my questions answered.

 

I am now really really sad. I feel like there is this dream I have been dreaming my whole life about is crumbling down like those skyscrapers at the end of Inception movie. I have never ever felt so bad. :( I bet many of you will get me how I feel, I think Ronan as a real pilot will have some ideas what I'm going through right now...

 

I'm basically too old to get any kind of sponsored training. The "oldest" training I was able to find was by FlyNiki, an austrian airline, which would pay only part of the training, the TR, and you still have to pay back every cent. They have it up to 31 and are unflexible.

 

Then I went to one of the best austrian training schools, they just told me to come for a "Carreer Talk", the Austrian Aviation Academy, and their prices are not much higher than any others, and they have 3 full motion simulators in their school on which students train, in the end having a total of 200 hours.

 

And here are the catches: all has to be financed myself. But they have two ways of doing stuff: 68000€ (+/-5000€ for different additional small expenses) for a integrated ATPL.

 

And the second option is an interesting option, which costs 94000€ (+/-5000€ for different additional small expenses), but: you do a selection for the Farnair before you start the training (and a medical), cost for both about 1300€, with the guarantee that you will get an one year limited contract for 500 flying hours. The 30k are basically for the ATR typerating. The downside of the whole story is though that the pay is quite low, about 2000€ and I would have to live in Köln (which is quite far away from where I live now) for that one year. And if I would decide to fly further for Farnair, and IF they take me (there is no guarantee here), then the salary doubles, and you can be stationed and working anywhere. The school told me though that the last 6 pilots they trained were taken by Farnair.

 

The thing is, Farnair is a small 17 ATR aircraft cargo company having about 80 pilots right now. Also the school, AAA, is not a school which is primarily training people for ATPL, but their primary task are trainings of normal pilots. According to them, pilots come from accross Europe to them for various trainings, TRs etc. The small ab initio ATPL is just something they "decided" to do along. So they have right now about 17 students. They also teach from Nordian books.

 

So basically they would guarantee me an exit from the whole shabam with an ATPL licence and 500 flying hours, which would put me in the better position than many other people who are fresh out of schools or with much less hours.

Still, I would have to take a life-long loan of 100,000€ if I went that way. Ugh. Unfortunately, I have noone who could help me financially, my parents have even less money than I do right now, coming from Croatia. They were hit by the economy crisis way more than we ever were (I don't think I ever felt anything of the crisis in Austria...).

 

Anyway, I don't think I will do it, since I am "unfortunately" at the beginning of my family life (no kids yet, but I hope soon). If I were 10 years younger, I would have already done it yesterday. But that also would have been impossible due to me not being EU citizen (and now I can easily become one). So, fubared any way I look. I will probably forever despise myself for not risking, but I will be forever telling myself that a sure "poor" life (if we can call it that in comparison to what pilot earns) is better than no life at all.

 

My dream is over. Over and out. :Cry: :Cry: :Cry: I would only like to thank you guys for all the help you provided, I am now totally aware how things are working out there, and unfortunately, I really really can't take a 100,000€ loan at this point in life. I don't even think bank would give it to me just because I asked.

 

My only hope is winning the lottery soon or just meeting some rich Sheikh who's gonna say, hey, a cool ambitious kid, I like him, here you go kiddo :lol:

Sorry to hear that Srdan, seems like such a shame given all you have put into the FS community and your obvious passion for aviation. I wish you well in your future endeavours.

 

Regards,

Ró.

Thanks Ro.

Word Not Allowed, ya just need to start a trust fund and axe for donations. I've given to FAR less worthy causes

Word Not Allowed, I feel for you as I understand from reading this thread alone that your passion very real indeed. Every time I walk alongside a commercial jet ( in EICK we walk to the aircraft rain or shine) I get pangs of sadness that I'm not a commercial pilot,there are lots of people in our "club" no doubt.

 

If at all possible you might do a PPL and fly for fun, many ( not all ) of the instructors and pilots I have spoken to have told me that for them at least the fun stopped after the PPL. I'm very lucky to have friend that owns his own plane and believe me flying GA is fantastic. I'm also slooooooooooowly doing the PPL. So your flying days don't have to end with this news.

 

Captain Ró is obviously a happy camper but his career started and is still associated with an excellent airline.

Word Not Allowed, sorry to hear about that. I saw somewhere not so long ago, about training(and sponsorship)for Dash Q300/400. For pilots with PPL age limit was really high, aomething about max 51 years. Enrollment was stoped at that date, but is expected to start again.

I saw this before you started this topic and i can't find it right now. Maybe somebody knows something more about that, it was in Europe for sure. I don't want to give you a hope, but i'm sure about this. I think that it was "CTC aviation" and their programs for airliners, probably Flybe. I don't see that application form on their website anymore, it say that is currently closed but you can register and get info on mail.

If anyone is still hanging on this topic, here are some updates.

 

I spent 6 hours yesterday with a guy from Austrian Aviation Academy, who, without me owning him anything, has spent all this time explaining me how everything is working out, not in connection to their school, but in general. I could ask whatever interested me. I think I got all my questions answered.

 

I am now really really sad. I feel like there is this dream I have been dreaming my whole life about is crumbling down like those skyscrapers at the end of Inception movie. I have never ever felt so bad. :( I bet many of you will get me how I feel, I think Ronan as a real pilot will have some ideas what I'm going through right now...

 

I'm basically too old to get any kind of sponsored training. The "oldest" training I was able to find was by FlyNiki, an austrian airline, which would pay only part of the training, the TR, and you still have to pay back every cent. They have it up to 31 and are unflexible.

 

Then I went to one of the best austrian training schools, they just told me to come for a "Carreer Talk", the Austrian Aviation Academy, and their prices are not much higher than any others, and they have 3 full motion simulators in their school on which students train, in the end having a total of 200 hours.

 

And here are the catches: all has to be financed myself. But they have two ways of doing stuff: 68000€ (+/-5000€ for different additional small expenses) for a integrated ATPL.

 

And the second option is an interesting option, which costs 94000€ (+/-5000€ for different additional small expenses), but: you do a selection for the Farnair before you start the training (and a medical), cost for both about 1300€, with the guarantee that you will get an one year limited contract for 500 flying hours. The 30k are basically for the ATR typerating. The downside of the whole story is though that the pay is quite low, about 2000€ and I would have to live in Köln (which is quite far away from where I live now) for that one year. And if I would decide to fly further for Farnair, and IF they take me (there is no guarantee here), then the salary doubles, and you can be stationed and working anywhere. The school told me though that the last 6 pilots they trained were taken by Farnair.

 

The thing is, Farnair is a small 17 ATR aircraft cargo company having about 80 pilots right now. Also the school, AAA, is not a school which is primarily training people for ATPL, but their primary task are trainings of normal pilots. According to them, pilots come from accross Europe to them for various trainings, TRs etc. The small ab initio ATPL is just something they "decided" to do along. So they have right now about 17 students. They also teach from Nordian books.

 

So basically they would guarantee me an exit from the whole shabam with an ATPL licence and 500 flying hours, which would put me in the better position than many other people who are fresh out of schools or with much less hours.

Still, I would have to take a life-long loan of 100,000€ if I went that way. Ugh. Unfortunately, I have noone who could help me financially, my parents have even less money than I do right now, coming from Croatia. They were hit by the economy crisis way more than we ever were (I don't think I ever felt anything of the crisis in Austria...).

 

Anyway, I don't think I will do it, since I am "unfortunately" at the beginning of my family life (no kids yet, but I hope soon). If I were 10 years younger, I would have already done it yesterday. But that also would have been impossible due to me not being EU citizen (and now I can easily become one). So, fubared any way I look. I will probably forever despise myself for not risking, but I will be forever telling myself that a sure "poor" life (if we can call it that in comparison to what pilot earns) is better than no life at all.

 

My dream is over. Over and out. :Cry: :Cry: :Cry: I would only like to thank you guys for all the help you provided, I am now totally aware how things are working out there, and unfortunately, I really really can't take a 100,000€ loan at this point in life. I don't even think bank would give it to me just because I asked.

 

My only hope is winning the lottery soon or just meeting some rich Sheikh who's gonna say, hey, a cool ambitious kid, I like him, here you go kiddo :lol:

 

I feel for you man I went through the same thing recently when I got told I was slightly epileptic and couldn't get a medical (at least you could still get a PPL haha ;-)).

 

At least the other good thing is that flying isn't the only thing that pays well - someone with your brains would do really well in an IT career =D.

Kannwar, I know, IT is also my passion, but as much as flying would be. I don't think I would be happy as a network specialist or something like that.

 

I still don't know if I would pass medical. Right now have couple of costs incoming, including my EU citizenship, maybe doing a entry assessment, and also medical. All this costs a heaps of money.

My dream is over

Son, your dreams are never over. Perhaps, now all you have is hopes and desires. But dreams never fade. At 52 I gave up a 30yr engineering career to go farm. Yes farm. I make a 10th of what i use to and wouldnt change for the world! Because it was a Dream!

Son, your dreams are never over. Perhaps, now all you have is hopes and desires. But dreams never fade. At 52 I gave up a 30yr engineering career to go farm. Yes farm. I make a 10th of what i use to and wouldnt change for the world! Because it was a Dream!

 

Ditto! I love what I do for a living now!

My only hope is winning the lottery soon or just meeting some rich Sheikh who's gonna say, hey, a cool ambitious kid, I like him, here you go kiddo

 

Well it might seem that way... This coming from someone who has invested over $100k (U.S.) and a number of years into Flying...

 

I still haven't given up my hope of flying corporate or airlines... I got a few years yet before hitting the "drop dead" age. And I am willing to go just about anywhere in the world...

 

With all the help you provide here Srdan... combined with a love of Aviation... I think the potential is there to be a Flight Instructor. That you can do long after retiring from the airlines... at least here... if you can hold a 3rd class medical... technically you don't even need the medical -as an instructor- if you are flying with someone rated and current in the aircraft being flown.

 

You have no idea what a blast it can be to be sitting in that right seat, letting the student do all the work... guiding them and watching them learn thru the different phases of flight while you sit there and absorb the joy and thrill of "being up there".

 

And there is always the chance of making flying / owning an aircraft part of a small business. For many in the U.S., this is the only way they can afford to fly.

 

There are ways...

 

-Rob