Pilot Blog

At the present time there seems to be some uncertainty as to the future of the aviation market in Europe with several of the British and German charter carriers going through consolidations and mergers. This can also be seen by easyJet’s purchase of GB Airways in late 2007.

A question that seems to crop up on a frequent basis among potential pilots is:

During a down period should I train to be a pilot? Well, that’s an interesting question, and in my own opinion, that answer is a resounding yes. I trained during a down period and as the market picks up you are in a position to get on the ladder and climb it during the up phase, hopefully getting yourself into a comfortable position ready to weather the down period.

One of the interesting facets of aviation is it’s cyclical nature. It is incredibly cyclical and has high peaks and very low dips. These are starting to become evened out as the industry matures but it is a consideration to take into account.

There is always a risk in any venture, especially training to be a pilot due to the significantly high cost and you need to make a decision whether or not the risk is something you are willing to bear. During a down time particularly as always, never pay large sums of cash up front to a flight training organisation. I personally know people who lost thousands to flight schools going bust. Keep your transfers small and use the cash, then pay a little more. This way you can keep any potential losses to a minimum.

Having said that, many people train all over the world with more than satisfactory results and don’t lose any money. It is simply another consideration to consider.

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