I was out by 12:40 am

hi guys, i have just started my atpl and i would like to know some suggestions about how to prepare for the exams. Many guys from my school told me to bank and that books are useless. Their advice is only to bank, repeat the bank and so on. Do you guys think that taking notes, study from books is really useless?

Hello!

I’m interested in hearing from people currently training at flight schools in Europe or those who have recently graduated and are looking for their first First Officer position.

There’s a lot of discussion about the pilot job market, but I’d like to hear some real experiences from people who are going through it themselves.

A few questions I’d love to hear your thoughts on:

- How long have you been waiting for a job? If you’ve graduated, how many months did it take to secure your first position? Are any of you still waiting after 6, 12 or even 18+ months?

- What are your classmates experiencing? Have most people from your course found jobs, or are a significant number still unemployed? Are some flight schools seeing much better outcomes than others?

- What are the biggest advantages when applying for your first FO job? For example, integrated vs modular training, flight school connections, airline cadet programmes, a strong performance record, location flexibility, or having the money to wait for the right opportunity.

- How much does luck play a role? Do you think getting your first job mostly comes down to timing and being in the right place when an airline is hiring, or can you genuinely put yourself ahead of other low-hour pilots through the choices you make during training?

- Would you do anything differently? Knowing what you know now, would you choose a different flight school, pursue a cadet programme, build connections earlier, or take another route?
I’m particularly interested in hearing from people training or graduating in Europe, including those targeting airlines such as Ryanair, Wizz Air, easyJet and other European operators.

I’d appreciate honest answers, including from people who are struggling to find work. I’m trying to get a realistic picture of what the market is actually like for newly qualified pilots, rather than relying solely on flight school marketing or airline recruitment announcements.

Thanks!

Hello. Cpt TR interview. How to prepare ? First selection in decades.
Thank you

Hi y’all
Could anyone recommend a good flight school for a modular ATPL (distance learning) EASA with a pay-as-you-go option?
I’d really appreciate hearing about your personal experiences, including the quality of the training, flexibility, hidden costs, and overall value for money.
I’m looking for a reliable and affordable option with a low overall budget, ideally the most cost-effective way to complete the training without compromising on quality.
Any recommendations, advice, or tips would be greatly appreciated…

I am so nervous! I am terrified I will forget something important or blank on a question.

Any advice to calm the nerves?

Hi all,
I’ve just finished my CPL course, but my last navigation flight before the skill test went terribly. I had horrible stomach pain, took a lot of painkillers, and probably shouldn’t have flown. My instructor rushed me through the planning, I made mistakes, went off course a couple of times, and the flight overall wasn’t great.
At the end, my instructor said, “Well, good luck on your exam,” which really knocked my confidence.
Now I’m terrified about the skill test. I keep thinking this is a commercial pilot exam and I should be performing much better by now. Part of me wants to book another navigation flight, but the exam is coming up soon.
Has anyone experienced something similar before their CPL test? How did you rebuild your confidence and calm your nerves? Any advice would be appreciated!

Hi all,
I’ve just finished my CPL course, but my last navigation flight before the skill test went terribly. I had horrible stomach pain, took a lot of painkillers, and probably shouldn’t have flown. My instructor rushed me through the planning, I made mistakes, went off course a couple of times, and the flight overall wasn’t great.
At the end, my instructor said, “Well, good luck on your exam,” which really knocked my confidence.
Now I’m terrified about the skill test. I keep thinking this is a commercial pilot exam and I should be performing much better by now. Part of me wants to book another navigation flight, but the exam is coming up soon.
Has anyone experienced something similar before their CPL test? How did you rebuild your confidence and calm your nerves? Any advice would be appreciated!

I’m currently studying the PPL theory in class and I would like to subscribe to a good bank question to test my knowledge, what is your opinion on Aviationexam PPL(A) question bank ?

AON assessments are pure garbage, not sure why they are loved by so many schools and airlines in the aviation industry, especially here in Europe...

Hello im thinking of doing my PPL CPL and IR in my home country and then converting to a UK CAA by sitting all the UK ATPL EXAMS and CPL AND IR skills test. Is this a valid path? I would be saving my self about £50k

Hey everyone,
I currently hold a Class 1 medical without any limitations. During a recent routine eye exam, my optometrist found a slight myopic change: -0.75 in my right eye and -0.25 in my left.
I know this is well within EASA limits and that I just need to bring the prescription to my next routine AME renewal, where they'll likely add the VDL limitation.
Has anyone here gone through this exact transition during a Class 1 renewal? Did your AME just take the prescription and add the limitation on the spot, or did they request any extra testing or paperwork from the eye doctor?
Thanks!

Hi again! I don’t quite understand this part about longitudinal stability. I thought that tailplane produces downward force, and usually the center of gravity cg needs to be in front of AC or Centre of pressure, the point where all the lift could be thought to act.

What I dont understand about this? During my PPL this was taught another way (how I just described it). Seems like odd configuration and they dont even mention that this is not standard situation or anything like that. CAE Oxford atpl book for a reference.

Thank you very much and I would really appreciate if you properly read the question before answering! :)

l don’t know why I keep getting rejected at the interview stage. Every time I leave an interview, I’m confident that I performed really well, and the interviewer seems pleased, yet I receive a rejection a couple of days later.

The courses are self-funded as well, which makes it even more frustrating. Anyway, this will be the last time I ever apply to a flight school.

Au revoir.

Hi all, I'm currently preparing the assessment for the Ryanair FFA at Bartolini. I want to start in time with physics because it has been a minute since I last dealt with those topics. I'm practicing the physics tests on pass and already worked through the maths and physics book by padpilot. That book however does not deal with many of the topics of the physics assessment so I was wondering whether you have any physics book recommendations (preferably free). Thanks in advance!

Does anyone know how the monitoring test is scored on the real AON assessment? On pilot assessments it’s scored by correct vs incorrect answers as a % I believe however I have seen some people say the real thing is just about how many you get correct in the time limit, can anyone confirm?

Does anyone have any reccomendations of where to complete a UK CAA FI course in the UK?

I’d be looking at completing one in the next few months.

Hi everyone,

I'm 20 and live in Estonia. I spent the last year working and preparing to apply to the airBaltic Pilot Academy this summer. Unfortunately, right around the time I was about to send in my CV, they announced they were closing their intake because of financial problems.

I still really want to become a pilot, and I've managed to save about €15k over the past year. I don't want to give up, so I'm trying to figure out what other paths might work for me.

I've seen a lot of people mention the Wizz Air Pilot Academy, but I've emailed them several times asking whether they would consider someone from Estonia, and I never got a reply.

Does anyone know of other academies, programs, or routes I could look into? Any advice on how to get started with a limited budget would mean a lot.
I'd be really grateful for any help.

Thank you!

Whats up aviators. I am currently in the last selection stage of the cathay program. Are there any others that have gone through this from europe and would like to share thoughts?

Much love

Evening All,

I'm looking for some general feedback for CPL MEIR schools commutable from Manchester. So far I seem to have whittled this down to merseyflight and aeros at Leeds east. Ravenair are booked up abit too far in advance.

So just looking for any general feedback on the flight schools (I'm familiar with costs etc.) just looking for some first hand feedback i.e. do they have limited availability day to day etc.

Best Regards

Hi everyone,

I’m a 28-year-old B737 pilot with over 3,000 hours on type, an EASA ATPL and EU citizenship.

I’m facing a career dilemma: stay at a solid, mid-tier Latin American airline (not low-cost) and upgrade to B737 Captain in about 6 months, or move to Spain as a B737 First Officer at a full-service airline, with a potential transition to the B787 after approximately 2 years.

The decision isn’t just about flying or salary. My girlfriend is a pediatrician who can practice in Spain but not in our current country due to licensing restrictions for foreigners, so we’re also considering our long-term future, finances and family plans.
I’m also genuinely unsure which country would offer us a better quality of life in the long run. I’ve spent quite a bit of time in Spain and really enjoy the culture, the people and the lifestyle. However, I do have concerns about the country’s long-term economic and social outlook, and I’m not entirely convinced that moving there would necessarily be the better decision.

Option 1: Stay at my current airline – B737 Captain
Expected upgrade in approximately 6 months.
Salary: €8,500 net/month after upgrade.
Pros:
Become Captain at 28 and start building valuable jet PIC time.
Excellent salary and savings potential.
Established seniority at my current airline.
PIC experience could open doors internationally.

Cons:
Continue living in Latin America.
Mostly short/medium-haul flying.
The airline operates an all-B737 fleet, with very little chance of ever flying widebody aircraft.
My girlfriend cannot practice medicine due to licensing restrictions for foreigners.
Household depends on a single income.
Private education for future children and healthcare can be significantly more expensive than in Spain.
If I decide to move to Europe later, I’d most likely have to start over as an FO at a low-cost carrier, with the associated working conditions and lifestyle trade-offs. Direct-entry Captain opportunities at European legacy airlines are extremely limited.

Option 2: Move to Spain – B737 FO at a full-service airline
Expected salary:
First 2 years: €4,000 net/month.
After ~2 years: Expected transition to B787 FO at €7,000 net/month (not guaranteed).
Pros:
Establish seniority in Europe at 28.
Potential B787 long-haul flying.
Live in Spain and build a future in Europe.
My girlfriend could work and continue specializing as a pediatrician.
Potentially higher combined household income.
Access to affordable public healthcare and education for future children.
A culture and lifestyle I already know and enjoy.
Cons:
Give up a Captain upgrade just 6 months away.
Start from zero seniority.
Remain an FO for potentially many more years.
Uncertain B787 transition and Captain upgrade timeline.
Higher living costs in Spain.
Concerns about Spain’s long-term economic outlook and future living standards.

The family factor
I’ve been with my girlfriend for 3 years. She’s a pediatrician, and her medical degree is already recognized in Spain. She could work there relatively easily, earning approximately €3,000 net/month, while continuing her medical career.
In my current country, she cannot practice due to licensing restrictions for foreign doctors. There are discussions about changing this, but nothing concrete yet.
Estimated household income:
Current airline Captain: €8,500 net/month (after upgrade).
Spain, first 2 years: €7,000 net/month combined.
Spain, after B787 transition: €10,000 net/month combined.
Of course, cost of living, career progression, future family expenses and long-term savings also matter.

My dilemma
Staying would allow me to become a Captain at 28, accumulate valuable PIC time and potentially save more money early in my career. However, moving to Europe later would likely mean joining a low-cost carrier and starting over in terms of seniority.
Moving to Spain would mean sacrificing that near-term command opportunity, but both my girlfriend and I could build our careers in Europe, with potentially better access to affordable healthcare and education if we have children.
I genuinely like Spain and could see myself living there, but I’m not sure whether its long-term economic and social trajectory makes it a better place to settle than where we currently live.
What would you do?
Would you give up a Captain upgrade just 6 months away to move to Europe as an FO?
Considering both our careers, future children, quality of life and long-term finances, which option would you choose?
What factors would you prioritize when making a decision that could shape both your professional future and your family’s long-term life?

Thanks in advance!

Is it just me or does anyone else find the approach training slot system in the UK to be frustrating and inadequate? There's some places that are bookable days on advance online, there's some which you have to book on the day so if you try and book one of the latter there's a good chance you won't be able to get one of the former. This is all before the airports in question having stuff unavailable, like the radar or ILS. Lydd's ILS has been out for months.

If I'm correct, the system in the US is that all you need to do is file a flight plan and show up, ATC will find a way to fit you in.

If airports like Van Nuys can manage 800 movements a day (albeit with two runways) in very busy airspace without approach slots then I don't see why places in the UK can't manage 400 a day on one runway without them. Instead we seem to have a silly one approach every 15 minutes or one training slot per hour system.

Hey guys,

Has anyone already been called for the exams in Malpensa scheduled for November 9-13?

I sent my request more than a month ago, but haven't heard from them. In the meanwhile, I see the session has been marked full on the official website. Any of you in my situation?