For many going to flight school might be the first time you’re leaving home and this could certainly be an exciting time or a nervous one. It’s a big move that will see you chasing your dream and today we’re going to try to help you in being ready for that first move.
Firstly, it’s important to note that when you move out there will be many more responsibilities to take care of, and you won’t have your parents or usual support network around to help. You’ll have to make sure that you have your finances in order, you might have savings from your previous employment or you may have to ask for a loan from family members. Whatever your situation is, make sure you have a budget that will enable you to support yourself during your 18 months at flight school, as it’s highly unlikely you’ll have time to work during your intensive training.
Budgeting will be one of your best friends when it comes to flight school; luckily, we’ve got a section on our website specifically aimed at student budgets so make sure you check it out: fees & budgets
The first day of your training journey will be the time you meet your new course mates. You’ll be thrown in at the deep end and start living with people you’ve never met before, you’re quite likely to live with them for much of your training. This can be quite a nervous time as you may have your own habits and others have theirs but this is where you’ll have to be able to settle matters on your own. Eventually, living with your course mates will feel like second nature as you’ll study together, eat together and live together. Many of these friends will go on to be some of the closest you’ll ever make, and you’ll keep in contact with them for the rest of your life.
Cooking is an invaluable skill to have when you are living away from home, you’ll have to be able to provide a meal for yourself and you can’t rely on takeaways all week. There are lots of websites that show you, step by step, how to prepare some great dishes for quite modest budgets (An example is Mob Kitchen), plus they’re easy to follow so if you’re not the most confident in the kitchen, don’t worry! Luckily at Leading Edge all your crockery & utensils are provided for so there’s no need to worry about kitting out your kitchen, you can relax in knowing that all you need is some ingredients to store in your cupboards.
Next you have your bedroom, this is likely to be one of the places that you spend most of you time, so make sure you make it your own. It’s always nice to make it feel like home so maybe having some photos of friends and family pinned up on the board or bringing a favourite lamp or even fairy lights may do the trick for you. Your bed is another important feature, so make sure you bring your favourite pillow or a nice duvet and sheets, there’s nothing nicer than getting into a cosy bed at night.
Laundry is task that many don’t plan for. So not only will you have to ensure you have clean clothes every week, but you’ll also need to think about getting it all dry and ironing your uniform too – remember, you’re training to become a professional pilot, so your personal presentation, even in training is very important.
Exercise is a key activity in pilot training, you must make sure you stay healthy and fit not only for your physical health but for your mental health too. There are various gyms near to our accommodation in Oxford so make sure you do your research and find out which one works best for you. If you don’t want to join the gym there are plenty of sports fields and open spaces in the local area and other outdoor activities such as golf courses and a driving range, even punting on the river. Oxford has a lot of beautiful walks, you can either go into the city centre and follows its canals or you could go into the countryside and walk through the fields and woods we have nearby.
Lastly any student likes going out every once and a while, and Oxford offers a vast array of options, from a multitude of restaurants with different cuisines, to bars, pubs, and other great activities such as bowing or indoor crazy golf. It’s nice to go out with your course mates and have a relaxing evening to take your mind off your studies occasionally. However, don’t expect to be going out during your Ground School phase of training as you’ll be far too busy studying. And remember, when you move into flight training, you are still working towards a professional qualification so need to behave appropriately. Most importantly however, is to enjoy your training and the people that you meet!
So, what are you waiting for? Talk to one of our Training Advisors today, and they’ll talk you through your options to the reaching the flight deck.
