MY MODULAR PILOT JOURNEY

TO BECOMING A PROFESSIONAL PILOT...


Me and Phil before going on our Trial Flight, Barton (City Airport)

 LANCASHIRE AEROCLUB

 CITY AIRPORT (BARTON)

 First Trial Flight

 August 2005, Age 15

 My very first flight at Barton Aerodrome, with Phil Kirby, in a Cessna 150, G-AWPU




Sleap Aerodrome Club House

SHROPSHIRE AEROCLUB

SLEAP AIRFIELD

Private Pilot's Licence

Start: June 2006

End: October 2006, Age 17

Duration: 4 months





The beginning of my Private Pilot's Licence started at Sleap, flying in the countryside of Shropshire, starting and ending a days flying in the very popular Club House. Flying only at weekends here as was part of the College's self funded Aviation Enrichment Group, alongside studying my AS/A Levels
Backbones of our Aviation Enrichment Course
Myself about to go flying in a PA28, Sleap
About to go flying - G-AVIA C150


 CHESHIRE AIR TRAINING

 LIVERPOOL AIRPORT

 Private Pilot's Licence

 Start: February 2007

 End: August 2007, Age 18

 Duration: 6 Months





After settling into the demands of A level studies and coursework, I joined Cheshire Air Training at Liverpool Airport, where I continued my PPL training in a more busy appropriate Air Traffic Environment. Again, working towards my Private Licence on a casual basis around my studies and weekend work in a famous yellow and blue building, renown for their meatballs! Fergus, who I am good friends with to this very day gave my flight training structure and a commercial pilot's approach to which sadly came to an end in August, 2007, as the school went into administration. I left here with approximately 20 hours of Dual Flight

Cessna 150 at Cheshire Air Training, Liverpool
G-LFSM - PA38 Tomahawk on an icy apron

 LIVERPOOL FLYING SCHOOL

 LIVERPOOL AIRPORT

Private Pilot's Licence

 Start: November 2007

 End: January 2010, Age 20

 Duration: 2 Years 2 Months



After some months, I was recommended Liverpool Flying School, where I continued my Private Licence alongside my last year at college, mainly focusing on Navigation and preparing for my First Solo Flight in the circuit at Liverpool. I went on to finish my A level studies in June, 2008, gaining 3 A Levels in Travel and Tourism and ICT. 2 months later, I left the Swedish Blue building for Servisair, a handling agent for EasyJet at Liverpool Airport in August 2008...
August 2008 - Passenger Service Agent - Easyjet, Age 18



I flew solo here in February 2008, age 18, with solo circuit consolidations (3 hours of solo flight time required in circuit) and my first Navigation Solo to Ormskirk being completed by the end of the year, 2008


FIRST SOLO FLIGHT 
28th February 2008
Age 18 
PA38 - G-LFSM
25 minutes due to conducting my solo during the EasyJet and Ryanair rush hour! 

FIRST NAVIGATIONAL FLIGHT
3rd December 2008
Age 19
PA38 - G-LFSH
40 minutes, Leaving the zone via Seaforth, routing North Ormskirk, then joining at Jaguar

During 2009, Private Licence Training progression was in the slow lane for various reasons, with just a couple of navigation flights per month to keep ticking over. Unsociable shifts during my months at Servisair was part the reason, however, 2009 offered a new opportunity to work as Cabin Crew for one of the UK's well known Charter Airlines based at Manchester Airport. My PPL training was put on hold, to give me a chance to endure the many weeks of training for my new role and also the demands that the roster patterns required during my first flying Summer Season, 2009, age 19

CABIN CREW GRADUATION
10TH APRIL 2009
AGE 19
CHEADLE - MANCHESTER

I left Liverpool Flying School in January 2010, having a total of almost 60 hours Dual Flight with 6 hours of Solo Flight Time, involving circuits and navigational routes. The requirements for Private Pilot Licence set out by Lasors at the time (which is know CAP 804 Flight Crew Licencing) to conduct my Private Licence test included:


'10 hours of supervised solo flight time, including at least 5 hours of solo cross country, with 1 cross country flight of at least 150nm, during which full stop landings at 2 aerodromes different from the aerodrome of departure shall be made'



Having 2 hours 55 minutes solo cross country time, and 3 hours 5 minutes of solo circuit time totaled 6 hours Solo time, still needing to do 2 hours cross country Solo including my 2 'land aways' and 4 hours total solo flight, as well as preparation for skills test including limited instrument flying


Phil, Myself and School Manager, John at Westair, Blackpool

 WESTAIR FLYING SCHOOL

BLACKPOOL AIRPORT

Private Pilot's Licence

Start: July 2010

End: December 2011, Age 22

Duration: 1 Year 5 Months
After working for the first part of 2010, in Ground Operations for a Friendly Low Fares Airline, based at Manchester, I returned to the duralumin tube, to fly mainly Long Haul routes on the A330-200 from Manchester. A busy start to the year 2010, with the training involved with Ground Operations and the re-current training for my second Cabin Crew season however, mid 2010, I was again actively seeking reputable Flight Schools to continue and finish my Private Pilot Licence. That's when in July 2010, I stumbled across Westair, a long established flight school for over 70 years!


My progression through excellent aircraft availability and instruction at Westair could not be faltered, and I was soon on my way to conducting my qualifying cross country flight, a 150nm navigation flight, landing at 2 different airports other than the one you departed from

Snowdonia National Park, flying up the Menai Strait back towards Blackpool 
150nm Qualifying Solo Cross-Country 
17th January 2011
Age 21
Cessna 152 - G-BJKY
2 hours 55 minutes routing Blackpool - Hawarden - Canarfen - Blackpool 

By January 2011, I was ready for my Private Pilot Licence Skills Test, having done my required 10 hours Command Flight Time, including 5 hours of solo cross cross country and the qualifying cross country. I passed my Private Pilot Licence on the 27th January 2011, age 21, with a justifiable Total Flight Time of just under 89 hours, 76 hours being Dual Time and 10 Hours being In-Command Time
Passed Private Pilot Licence
27th January, 2011
Age 21
Cessna 150 - G-UFLY
2 hours skills test routing North-Bound around the Cumbria area


G-OWST - Cessna 172S at Westair

 Post PPL, and alongside my 3rd Season flying as Cabin Crew, I remained using Westair to casually Hour Build towards my 100 hours Pilot In Command needed towards my Commercial Pilot Licence

 I flew this lovely high powered and equipped Cessna 172S for approximately 10 hours taking me to the end of 2011, where I planned to start my Airline Transport Pilot Licence studies in early 2012 at CATS, Luton. I now had just under 20 hours In-Command by the end of 2011




My Formula Learning Solution...

 CATS

LUTON, BEDFORDSHIRE

 ATPL Studies - 14 Subjects 

Start: May 2012

End: November 2012, Age 23

Duration: 6 Month Course, Sitting Last Exams In May 2013 (1 Year)
By far, my most proudest achievement, and realization that anything is possible! Not forgetting all the help and support from the lovely couple I stayed with in Hitchin! 

My social life for 12 months
FIRST TIME PASSES IN ALL 14 SUBJECTS WITH 90% AVERAGE SCORE
May 2013
Age 23
CATS - Luton

Principles Of Flight - Aircraft General Knowledge - Mass & Balance - Instrumentation -     Operational Procedures - Flight Planning - General Navigation - Radio Navigation - Meteorology - Human Performance - VFR & IFR Communications - Performance - Air Law


RAVENAIR FLYING SCHOOL

LIVERPOOL AIRPORT

Hour Building, Night Rating & Single Engine Renewal

Start: December 2012

End: April 2013, Age 23

Duration: 4 Months

After returning home from CATS in December, and whilst studying for my last 4 exams, having not flown for 1 year, it was time to renew my Single Engine Piston Rating in order for me to carry on hour building and to also gain my Night Rating which I needed to do during the winter months. After renewing my rating, and also 4:30 Dual and 0:45 In command to gain my my Night Rating, I built approximately another 10 hours, by April 2013, giving me just under 30 hours In command towards my 100 needed
As of April 2013 I had 30 hours In Command and 118 hours 40 minutes Total Time...

Vacating Runway 27 at Liverpool behined a 737 Ryanair
Night Rating Gained
January 2013 
Age 23
Ravenair - Liverpool
Sitting and passing my final ATPL exams in May down in Shuttleworth, with plans to enroll on CTC WINGS TAKE-OFF starting on the 7th August, I had to make a quick decision, a decision that would enlighten the excitement towards how to spend building the rest of my 70 hours in command...The USA. To enroll on the course at CTC to gain my Multi Engine/Commercial/Instrument Rating, they required at the time:

* 70 hours Pilot In Command before commencing Multi-Engine Training
* 200 hours Total Time before commencing CPL skills test (under new EASA legislation)
* 100 hours Pilot In Command for Licence Issue
    
With the drawbacks of General Aviation flying in the UK, including the renowned summer haze associated with high pressure systems, it was clear I needed the 'ACE' card to get onto the course at CTC in in just under 3 months time....that ACE card was Chandler Air Service in the USA, Arizona, where myself and my good friend headed out on my next strategic adventure! 

Miss Cheers - Americans - most friendliest amongst all human kind!

 CHANDLER AIR SERVICES

 ARIZONA, USA

 Start: 12th June 2013

 End: 5th July 2013, Age 23

Duration: 21 Days

Hours: 50.2 In Command
             100  Total with Pas





On the 20th April, 2013, after finishing an intense 7 month Airline Transport Pilot Licence Course at CATS, Luton, consisting of 14 various ATPL examinations, Myself and a great friend, Pas, with just as much commitment to the industry decided to pioneer a successful route for our hour building. Having a combined total of 28 first time passes in all ATPL subjects with an average grade of 90%, our confidence in each other was more than an existence! We had only known each other for the last stage of the course (approximately 2 months), and to find a great guy with similar interests other than flying and with just as much passion for aviation was an unquestionable decision that I made to share our hour building experience together out in the USA
Myself and Pas with are famous oil consuming PA28 - Palm Springs for the afternoon
Just like Orville and Wilbur back in 1903, our decision and planning has shown to us nothing but success.......21 days, 18 airfields visited, 100 hours total, CPL cross country achieved, memories to last a lifetime and a good variety of ale discovered in the Wild West! 

Palm Springs View From Above
San Diego Cross Country Achieved - Rather Tired! Now..the beach!
300nm Qualifying CPL Solo Cross Country To San Diego
28th June 2012
Age 23
PA28-140 - N7308C
4 Hours 25 Minutes - 315nm
Chandler - Palm Springs - Banning - San Diego (Gilespee) 


Returning home with just over 80 hours In-Command and 174 hours Total Time, I could now enroll at CTC on the Wings Take-Off course to undergo my Frozen ATPL, knowing I would have to fly another 20 hours In Command during or after the course to reach the required 100 hours In Command for licence issue


DA42 Twinstar - Bournemouth Flying Club Cafe

 CTC WINGS TAKE-OFF

BOURNEMOUTH

 Frozen Airline Transport Pilot Licence

 Multi Engine
Commercial Licence
Instrument Rating

 Start: 7th August 2013

 End: 20th January 2014, Age 24

 Duration: 5/6 Months


CTC certainly revolutionized my training, from Private Level to Professional Level, orientated towards future airline employment and extremely high levels of professionalism and standards expected. The course was as follows:

Multi-Engine Piston -                                     6 Hours + 1.5 Hours Simulator
Basic Instrument flight Module -                   5.6 Hours + 5 Simulator
(To reduce IR flight training by 10 hours)
Instrument Rating -                                        10 Hours + 35 Simulator
Commercial Licence -                                    15 Hours

After review of the requirement to have 200 Hours Total Time before commencing CPL Skills test, adding the Multi-Engine Piston and CPL course hours (21 hours) to my 174 Hours gave me 195 hours - 5 hours short of being able to conduct my CPL test if I completed the CPL in minimum time that is. As a consequence, I had to start my Instrument Rating first, just after my Multi-Engine Rating. The disadvantage being that we were in Summer, and spending time in-doors on the simulator was not desirable, and as expected, by the time came at the end of the year to undergo my Commercial Licence (where idyllic weather is much needed), the weather was not that and further delayed my training due to the re-scheduling of training and skills tests during winter months

Multi-Engine Instrument Rating
First Time Pass
10th November 2013
Age 24
DA42 Twinstar - G-CTCH
2 Hours 10 Minutes - Bournemouth - Cardiff

Multi-Engine Commercial Pilot Licence
First Series Pass
20th January 2014
Age 24
DA42 Twinstar - G-CTCC
2 Hours 45 Minutes - Bournemouth - Radstock 
Screens up, Lifejacket on, must be an Instrument Sortie down to Alderney 
Checklists & Briefings, Supporting Knowledge, Standard Operating Procedures, Handling, Workload Management, Situational awareness, Decision Making and Capacity where all assessed and developed whilst flying to airfields including:
Alderney, Exeter, Cardiff, Shoreham, Bristol and Yeovil

CTC Frozen Airline Transport Pilot Licence completed - 20th January 2014
Graduating CTC with 56 hours of Multi-Engine Hours, and 49.5 hours of Simulator training, gave me a Total Time of

 229 Hours 57 Minutes

Including 81.8 hours In Command


Plus having the world's leading flight training name attached to my CV!


 Onwards to complete the rest of my hour building closer to home to enable me to apply to the CAA for my licence....
MERSEYFLIGHT

LIVERPOOL AIRPORT

Start: 27th January 2014

End: 4th April 2014, Age 24

Duration: 3 Months

Hours: 29.2 In Command
PA28-140 Cherokee, me taxiing out to runway 27, with my best friend - Liverpool Airport
Reviewing my logbook post training, I found to have logged 9.3 hours Pilot In Command when in actual fact they were classed as Pilot In Command Under Supervision (PICUS). This was mainly due to different legislation in the USA and the skills tests and revalidations I did in the past that were logged incorrectly. In result, this meant I had an extra 9.3 hours to build In Command taking my required hours to build up to 29.2 hours!
Somewhere over  the West Coast of Wales 
FATPL LICENCE REQUIREMENTS FULL-FILLED
259.2 - TOTAL TIME
100.8 - Pilot In Command Time
Age 24

 56 Hours Multi-Engine
203.2 Hours Single Engine

 5th June 2014 - Received EASA Flight Crew Licence from CAA


FNPT11 737 XJ used for Multi Crew and Jet Orientation at Simtech
SIMTECH AVIATION
DUBLIN, IRELAND

Multi-Crew
Jet Orientation
Crew Resource Management
Airline Interview Preperation

Start: 6th May 2014
End: 15th May 2014

Duration: 10 Days

Multi-Crew Co-Operation and Jet Orientation Course Outline 

Simulator: Fixed Base XJ FNPT2
3 Days Crew Resource Management 
5 Days Multi-Crew Training (20 hours)
2 Days Jet Orientation (8 hours)
This next chapter of training towards a career as an Airline Pilot, working in a Multi-Crew environment, is like any other, one of vital importance, however, the difference with this selection of training provider determines how prepared you will be for that first Airline Simulator Assessment, and in result, getting hired or not! 

MULTI-CREW & JET ORIENTATION COURSE COMPLETE

 15th May 2014
Age 24

 31 HOURS
FNPT11 737 XJ FIXED BASE


The biggest disadvantage of achieving all of these 'Ratings' is that they all have an expiry date. The licences, such as the Private Pilot Licence and the Commercial Licence does not expire under EASA however, to keep the licence valid, you therefore need to keep the Ratings valid on that licence to exercise the privileges

 My class 1 medical lasts for 1 year and is due to expire at the end of July 2015. The class 1 is mandatory for commercial operations, otherwise, you can use the privilages of a class 2 medical which lasts for 5 years

 My Single Engine Piston has a 2 year validity and will therefore expire towards the end of February 2015. I can not excercise the privilages of an Instrument Rating on a Single Engine as I conducted my test on a Multi Engine Aircraft and am only rated to fly in Instrument conditions on a Multi Engine, therefore, my Single Engine Rating limits me to PPL/CPL use in visual conditions which is not of much use for airline positions

 My Multi Engine Piston has a 1 year validity and will therefore expire at the end of January 2015. As I am airline focussed, a Multi Engine PISTON is not relevant and as my Instrument Rating is on a Multi-Engine, this rating is more appropriate

 My Multi-Engine Instrument Rating has a 1 year validity and was due to expire at the end of November 2014. I revalidated this a few days before on a FNPT11 Simulator, to remain valid for another year where next time around, the proficiency check has to be done on a Multi Engine Aircraft


FNPT11 BE76 Duchess at Multiflight

 MULTIFLIGHT

 LEEDS/BRADFORD AIRPORT

26th November 2014

 Age 25

 BE76 Duchess FNPT11 Simulator

 ME/IR Revalidation Proficiency check - 1.8 Hours



AND THE JOURNEY OF A THOUSAND MILES THAT STARTED WITH ONE SINGLE STEP HAS NOW REWARDED ME WITH MY DREAM CAREER....

737-300 G-CELV Vacating Runway 23R Manchester
JET2.COM PILOT APPRENTICE

SECOND OFFICER

9TH February 2015
Age 25

DREAM & MISSION - ACCOMPLISHED!

757-200 G-LSAE, Manchester, 1 of the 11 in the fleet
It is beyond belief that I am sat here writing a conclusion to this very challenging but at the same time, and without doubt, enjoyable journey, of fulfilling my aspiration to becoming a Commercial Airline Pilot!

I guess it is my 'Failure Is Not An Option' attitude, that has got me to this desired position. This may seem a destination but for those who know me...  

'My approach to my career never lets the journey reach its destination'


By PianoPilot





















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