How I Became an Airline Pilot at 21

Introduction

• Welcome back to another video.
• Author shares personal journey to becoming an airline pilot at age 21.
• Aims to provide guidance for aspiring pilots.

Early Inspiration

• Dream of being a pilot since childhood (around age 4).
• Interest in math and physics, particularly in mechanical aspects.
• Trial flight at age 12 was a defining moment.
• Joined Air Cadets at age 13, gaining more flying experience and knowledge.

Flight School Decision

• At age 18, faced decision between flight school and university.
• Chose flight school to avoid three years of studying an unrelated degree.
• Recommended visiting pilot careers live for insights into flight schools.
• Emphasized importance of attending open days at flight schools to assess suitability.
• Chose Leading Edge Aviation based on personal fit.

Preparing for Flight School

• Worked and saved money for flight school; flying is expensive.
• Interview with CEO of Air Malta provided valuable industry insights.
• Gained work experience at Air Malta which developed core competencies essential for pilots.
• Encouraged seeking any aviation-related job to enhance CV and experience.

Flight Training Experience

• Started ground school during COVID-19, transitioned to online learning.
• Completed ground school with a 93 average across 14 exams.
• Flight training included single-engine and twin-engine flying.
• Participated in Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT) and APS MCC in an A320 simulator.

Post-Flight Training

• Completed flight training in March 2023.
• Airline industry recovering from COVID; job options were limited.
• Worked in marketing for Leading Edge Aviation to stay in the industry and connect with students.

Airline Job Acquisition

• Applied for various positions, secured an A320 commercial airline job.
• Started type rating for the A320 in November 2023.
• Ground school learning for type rating, followed by simulator training.

Line Training

• First flight with passengers on the A320 during line training.
• Line training is essential for gaining real-world flying experience under supervision.
• 66 sectors of line training followed by line check.

Conclusion

• Author is currently completing line training and reflecting on the journey.
• Encouragement for aspiring pilots to ask questions and seek help.
• Emphasized the worthiness of hard work in achieving the dream of becoming a pilot.
• Recommended subscribing for more content and additional resources.