Life as an Airline Pilot

James WelchSenior First Officer

Virgin Atlantic AirwaysAirbus A340 300 & 600

A bit about me

Left school with no career plan. Left University after a year and got an office job with British Airways.

Realised my friends were leaving University with a career ahead - I had a job.

Decided to pursue a lifelong ambition to be a Pilot.

Life as an Airline Pilot

How to become a pilot? My day at work. Life as a pilot. Questions?

Pilots unions in the US estimate a demand for 19,000 new pilots

worldwide every year for the next 20 years to cope with expansion!

Source: British Airline Pilots Association “Log” August / September 2008

How to become a Pilot

What qualification do I require?

Airline Transport Pilots Licence (ATPL)(Commercial Pilots Licence with “Frozen” ATPL)

Which country should my licence be issued in?

Depends on where you want to work, USA (FAA) or Europe (EU OPS).

Both widely accepted worldwide, but only FAA in the US, and EU OPS in Europe.

Training Routes

IntegratedFull time, residential course.

12 to 18 months.Fully structured course combining ground school classroom based study

with intensive flight training.

DownsideCost: (£70,000 approx)

Modular

Part time course, with distance learning options available. One stage at a time as time and money allow. Not tied to one training establishment.

Downside

Takes longer

Your first aircraft

Integrated Course Summary

Ground school – 27 WeeksExams in 14 subjects, sat in two groups of 7

Basic flight training – 20 WeeksSingle-engine aircraft (120 hours)

Advanced flight training – 12 WeeksMulti-engine aircraft + simulator (30 + 30 hours)

Extra’sMulti pilot jet training (simulator), Interview and CV preparation

Some training establishments allow the integrated course to form part of a Degree in Air Transport Management.

Advanced Trainer

First Job!

Did you know!

Did you know that the world's shortest commercial flight is considered to be Logan Air's flight between the islands of Westray and Papa Westray in the Orkneys? The distance is one and a half miles, lasting 1 minute 14 seconds.

Shorthaul

My Day at Work

Short Haul 3:30am Wake up 5:00am Report at the airport. Pre flight planning. 6:00am Depart on first sector 6:00am to mid afternoon. Fly up to four flights around Europe. Each

flight 45mins to 2 hours long. 40 minutes between arriving and departing.

Mid afternoon. Hotel or home. Eat and sleep. Next Day….Same again! Roster pattern…Five to six days on, two or three days off. Working day 8 to 10 hours. Flying time 4 to 5 hours.

My Day at Work!

Pre Flight (Crew Room)90 minutes before Departure (12:30pm)

Check Weather and Information Notices (NOTAMS) for the route, destination and alternates. Check Flight Plan.

Plan Fuel Load. More fuel – More time More fuel – More Cost Check Cargo Information Decide workload. Pilot Flying, Pilot Not Flying, Relief (3+ crew) Meet Cabin Crew Check aircraft state. Call engineers and ground handlers. Drink Coffee! Go out to the aircraft 1 hour before departure.

My Day at Work

Aircraft (Ground)50 Minutes before Departure

Security check Set up flight deck Programme Nav computers Do external walk around Obtain final weight and decide final fuel Calculate take off speeds Obtain ATC clearance Receive and check load sheet Drink Tea and go!

My Office

My Day at Work Airborne

PF Flies the aircraft, with and without autopilot. Updates Nav Computers. Wind Info, route changes. Monitors Aircraft systems. Decides best altitude. Manages fuel balance. Plans approach and landing.

PNF Operates Radio. Carries out abnormal procedures. Updates flight plan and calculates fuel figures. Updates Weather Info Communicates with company

Both: Drink tea, eat, read the paper, chat

Arriving!

• 10am Arrive Shanghai – 48 hours free time

• Two days later return flight home

• Three of four days off before next trip – Average of four trips per month

Life as a Pilot

Good Big Boys Toys Paid to travel See interesting places Cannot take work home with you Good pay Good time off Travel perks Live where you want (Longhaul) Sociable Job

Bad Life ruled by a roster Constant training and checking (Simulator, 2 days every six

months) Work through the night or start work early / finish late. (50

nights a year) A lot of time away in hotels Don’t work with the same people regularly

Days Off!

Flying jobs

Helicopter Pilot Corporate Pilot Survey Pilot Flying Instructor Engineering Cabin Crew Military Pilots Air Traffic Control

My Dream Job!

Airbus A340 Facts

The Airbus A340-600 is 4 meters longer than a Boeing 747-400

Maximum Fuel Capacity 152,500kg Maximum range approximately 7500 nautical miles, 16

hours flying time The wing tips flex by over 4 meters on take-off It uses about 95,000kg of fuel to fly from London to

Shanghai Maximum take-off weight 368,000kg Maximum landing weight 259,000kg Take off speed approx 160kts / 180mph / 300kph

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Questions?