Parents have usually a lot of mis-concepts and misunderstanding when talking on letting the kids become a pilot or when talking about the aviation industry. And often because of these misunderstanding many parents consider their kids' dream of an airline pilot a big big joke which will never be realized:

Aviation is very dangerous and a lot of accidents happen. It is a heroic profession. It is by far, the safest industry in the world and its safety standards are almost more than redundant. To compare with car accident, US in 2009 had more than 5.5 million car accidents, nearly 31,000 were fatal, and more than 2 million people were injured. At the same time, there were 122 aviation accidents in the ENTIRE world and killed only 1,000 people in total. And logically, if we put everything on the table, the airline spend millions on the pilot training, millions on the plane; billions on training centre; Airline companies are under the spotlight of media and government carrying on each plane an average of 300 lives. To survive in the market and make a profit, they must be secure and safe.

My kid has bad academic performance, so he/she cannot pass the entrance exam. Actually, airline have little if any requirement on diploma or academic performance. And if you think a second time, it is actually obvious. The pilot will need to drive and manage a plane, how much is a good Chinese exam score related to that. A degree or diploma is needed, in any discipline, or a Form 7 equivalent with a pass in Math or Physics will do the fare. There is no preference for any discipline. What they do care, nevertheless, is the candidate's preparation of professional knowledge and personal development. But all these need expert assistance and professional training for sure.

My kid is short-sighted or far-sighted, so s/he cannot become a pilot. The current normative on pilots affirms that you can become a pilot if you suffer from visual defects that can be corrected by glasses or lenses. Astigmatism, Presbyopia and Myopia are not cause for pilot rejection. But pay attention though not to do a LASIK or laser operation, because this in most of the cases will stop your career forever.

My kid needs to go to Australia to get the CPL/ATPL license or go to a flying school in order to become a airline pilot: In fact, for those who want to enter the Airline Cadet Program (CX/KA/etc..), paying for the licenses is ABSOLUTELY USELESS, and it is even counterproductive in some cases. In 2006 ICAO, the international civil aviation organization, has introduced a new type of license called MPL. The MPL license can be ONLY taken with the airline training centers because it's tailor made for the specific airline.

Airline pilot life is short and has very limited career development opportunities; It cannot be a lifetime profession: In general, the retirement age for an airline pilot ( if enter as through a young cadet program), is 65 years old. And captain is absolutely not the end of the career pyramid. First Officer, Senior First Officer, Captain, and Senior Captain. Once reached Senior Captain, some will dedicate themselves to training; some will start a career as a manger inside the company. Most of the top management of an airline is composed by ex Captains.

Girls cannot become a pilot. The easiest way to clear this misunderstanding is come to our shop and we let one female pilot talk with you. Airlines do not discriminate between male and female. Driving a plane is a manual labor thus they don't need to have such discrimination. The reason we have more male pilot today, is only because there are more applicants. In fact, if we are to compare the admission rate between male and female candidates, we will find it is actually easier for female to get into the airline than the males.

Pilot is just a person that drives the plane like taxi driver. They take orders and have little decision-making power. This is true if now is 1951 instead of 2011... With the advancement of aviation technology; automation has replaced manual work in most routine operation. The pilot today is a manager that manages 5 to 20 cabin crew. Moreover, they will also need to manage the ground crew and communicate and coordinate with ATC in different countries. The taking off, flying and landing has been greatly substituted by automatic systems.

To conclude, airline pilot is a safe, attainable profession that needs long-term investment but also has very good return. For parents who expect their children to work as an airline pilot in the aviation industry, your expectation is very much achievable; for parents who have children that are interested in working as an airline pilot in the aviation industry, your children's ambition is very much realistic and should be encouraged.

To achieve this goal, nevertheless, you will need professional knowledge and correct guidance. And as parents, we have to say these are sometimes what we cannot give our kids. As we understood from talking to the parents, usually, the parents hope kids can learn aviation knowledge so they will have some advantages over other candidates in the cadet interview and in other aviation-related industries. Moreover, if this can stimulate the kids interest and improve their overall performance that will be a stunt double. But they also do not want to give the kids too much burden. With this objective, many parents take the approach to buy books and simulation games for their kids. We think this is a feasible way. The v aviation books and flight simulation games are very good assistants for the kids. But they also have to be aware of the three weaknesses of this approach:

The knowledge in normal children books are too easy comparing to what they will face in the cadet interview. But the professional books will be too difficult for the kids to read alone.

The simulator games are quite different from what we face in a real cockpit. For example, a real Boeing 737-800 has inside its cockpit 585 buttons, 8 computer screens and 273 lights, I would say no computer can possibly reach that level of simulation degree;

The kids that learn in this environment will learn individually without guidance and correction. In the environment, kids often form bad habits. And once they gained these habits, it is very difficult for them to correct. And this is also what airlines' concern.

Flight Experience proposes a 3-year young cadet program (YCP) that is tailored to the parents' and the kids' needs. The course is designed by Flight Experience and all the lecture materials are developed by our pilots. We take the information from the professional books and combine with more pictures and vivid demonstration to make the knowledge more easily seen and understood. The students also have a lot of opportunities to practice in our simulator with our pilots. To be specific, the five advantages of our young cadet program are:

All instructors are commercial pilots who have obtained the comprehensive knowledge in aviation;

All advanced lessons are carried out with a current FO/Captain of local airlines;

All lessons designed along the airline selection criteria*

Ample opportunities to practice in Real Flight Simulators used in cadet interview pilot interviews *

State of the art simulation under Real Environment and Procedures

Young cadet program (YCP) is divided into 3 years and the students will have 25 lessons in each year. During the whole course, the students will learn all the technical skills about aviation which will include: aircraft system, flight theory, navigation systems; advanced flight skills and airline procedures; key concepts of VFR and IFR navigation and handling of the key phases of the flight.

The course starts from teaching technical knowledge but is not just about it, instead, it lengthens the time used and integrates the teaching with simulator practices to better cultivate the kids soft skills and facilitate the kids' improvement in personal qualities, learning abilities and leadership skills. Our emphasis is on focused attention, problem solving under stress, multi-tasking and cooperation with the team and precise communication. These are the skills that a pilot needs everyday in his work, and these are the skills that we will teach your kids.

Pilot career is a prestigious profession for every youngster who has exceptional abilities and is willing to take the challenge. The Young Cadet Program (YCP) is designed for teenagers (10 to 17 years old) who are passionate about aviation and/or want to start an airline career, those who aim to achieve an edge among peers and perform better with the integration of theoretical knowledge and practice. It is also useful for those who want to work as air traffic controller (ATC), aircraft & maintenance engineers, pilot instructors, ground handling and etc.

Five main advantages you can't get from anywhere else:

All instructors are commercial pilots;

All advanced lessons are carried out with a current FO/Captain of local airlines;

All lessons designed along the current MPL airline selection criteria

Ample chances to practice in Real Flight Simulators used in cadet interview pilot interviews *

State of the art simulation under Real Environment and Procedures

For the ones who want to be a pilot in the future, the YCP allows an incredible set of skills that will constitute a significant advantage during Airline Selection Interviews. Moreover, we train situation awareness, stress management, problem solving under constraint, multi-tasking, teamwork and precise communication. These are the skills that a pilot needs everyday in his work, and these are the skills that make us successful in any other profession.

Even if you want just something for fun and personal development, I would say YCP is your best choice since:

Nowhere is Asia will you find some extracurricular activities with real pilots, simulators and so much practical opportunities;

We are a credible entity among schools and the schools know us well;

Pilot interview is among the most difficult interview you can find as a first job interview, if you pass our test, you're way better than other candidates in other jobs.

How to Become A Pilot

Airlines are gradually shifting to a new model of Pilot License called MPL. It started 5 years ago and 5 years later all the new pilots will be recruited under this schema. MPL is a new type of license that requires airlines and flight schools to work together, this means that when your son/daughter will reach the right age, the only way to become a pilot will be entering an airline sponsored program.

MPL is also shifting the way Pilots are selected. It's more oriented to performance measure under real situation and an increasing number of airlines are recruiting pilots using simulators like the one we use in Flight Experience. This means that YCP program will give your son/daughter an incredible edge compared to other candidates, because they will have spent 3 years in the same machines that will be used to select the people.

Intense Competition In Interview

Cadet interview has become the only channel through which you can enter an airline and start your pilot career. The competition, nevertheless, is extremely intense if not cruel. From our knowledge, the passing rate for pilot interviews is as low as 1% to 1.5%

What we don't know, nevertheless, is that the interviews are totally different from what we think a common interview is for most of the other professions. In the pilot interviews:

The candidates will be examined by on-duty captains;

The topics will contain extensive aviation and technical knowledge;

Practical abilities will be tested in simulators;

Obviously, to go into these interviews unprepared sounds naive. Moreover, professional who are knowledge in aviation and understand well the interview process is absolutely necessary. What is more indispensable, nevertheless, is the know-how from practicing on a real simulator which helps to integrate theory with practice.

Five main advantages you can't get from anywhere else:

All instructors are commercial pilots;

All advanced lessons are carried out with a current FO/Captain of local airlines;

All lessons designed along the current MPL airline selection criteria

Ample chances to practice in Real Flight Simulators used in cadet interview pilot interviews *

State of the art simulation under Real Environment and Procedures

For the ones who want to become a pilot in the future, the YCP allows an incredible set of skills that will constitute a significant advantage during Airline Selection Interviews.

And we are not studying this JUST to become a pilot.

YCP program let you take away more than you expected.

What?

YCP will teach your child fundamental skills that can be used in many other professions and in real life: Focused attention, situation awareness, problem solving under stress, multi-tasking, teamwork and precise communication. These are the skills that a pilot needs everyday in his work, and these are the skills that we will teach your son/daughter.

How?

The simulator experience is designed to be as close as possible to a real flight situation, both the kid and instructor are placed in a closed environment in which they are exposed to abnormal situations that may happen in real flights. The kids are required to drive the simulator, take off, and follow the route and land with all instruments and controls. For example:

Multitasking: You will be required to fly the simulator, while talking with the Air Traffic Control, while reading the maps and checking the instruments and at the same time following the checklist for take/off or landing. This is Multitasking the advanced way, you will learn how to share your "brain time" among the different tasks without losing attention or efficiency

Situation Awarness: The cockpit environment is complex. 585 buttons, 300 lights and indicators, 6 computer screens, the scenery outside. A lot of information to process. You will learn to get the right data at the right time and to act on it. This is a skill that can be used in life anywhere.

Precise Communication: Pilots and Air Traffic Control cannot afford any misunderstanding. They need to communicate clearly between themselves and the other people on the ground. Talking clearly and in a concise manner is a skill to learn. You will get the fundamentals of this during the lessons and you can use it with your friends, future co-worker and in any other case where communicating the right thing is key.

But I Don't Think My Kids Will be Interested to Learn All These.

Well... 'm Sure They Will.

Why?

Because We Do It in A Cool Way!

The machines we use are simulator devices modeled on the Boeing 737-800 which offer the kids the opportunity to "fly" a flight simulator that is about as close as it gets to the real thing. In Asia, we are the ONLY Company you can find that offer you such service. It is the best available in the world for kids with:

All the instrument and controls in the simulator are identical as those in a real Boeing 737-800;

Full functioning avionics and computers - FMCs, autopilots and auto-throttles

180degree external visuals that accurately represent the terrain to photo realistic quality

The experience we offer is a complete simulation of the flight. Sitting in the simulator, you brain will perceive the movements and the vibrations and noises like when the wheel touches the runway or strong winds. In other words, you experience the same as the pilots will in a real plane.

The materials we use contain substantial knowledge in aviation field. But we constructed them into a way in which all lessons are revolved around a central topic. Students will learn the theoretical knowledge with the instructor and they apply what they have learnt in the simulator. The integration of knowledge and practice make what written in the books and told by the teacher 100 times more interesting.

The instructors, who by themselves are passionate and interesting people, will also challenge the kids with some simulated "unusual situations" in which the kids have to solve by themselves. In this way, we are able to change the passive learning they get from other courses into an active one.

The kids are encouraged to challenge the instructors as well, in lecture and in the simulator. They are the leader of the course. Our instructors are just facilitators and sometimes even students. And we are pleased to see they taking the lead as this will further stimulate the learning process.

What Are Your Concern For Letting Your Kids Join This Program?

However, we all agree that the kids nowadays are tied up in numerous commitments. We have to be very careful when making such decisions so our choice will not put a lot of pressure on their already-busy schedule.

Your concerns are:

The program will occupy too much time or even affect their existing study life;

The intensity of lessons will be too frequent and thus leave the students no time to digest the knowledge;

The materials taught in the lessons will be too difficult to understand so they cannot take away much;

We Share The Same Concerns As You, Thus, We Tailor The Program To Be:

An incredible flexible time schedule - You can book your own time;

A step-by-step process of 3 years to develop the competitive advantage required by an airline;

Attention to individual: 1 to 1 - No Group lessons, our instructor is totally focused on the students' improvement

An exam will be given upon booking. Our pilot will use the exam results to evaluate your kids' talents so you can make a good decision if the program is best for him/her.

Students also need to pass exams after each section finish. And there will be preview and review questions in each lesson.