At the Air League Stand.
This weekend I volunteered with the Air League at Pilot Careers Live at the Sofitel Hotel at Heathrow Airport. It was a great experience and a reminder of how many people are working towards the same goal of getting into aviation.
Throughout the day I spoke to lots of aspiring pilots. Some were still in school, some were at university, and others were considering a complete career change. A lot of people came over unsure whether aviation was realistic for them, especially because of the cost. Being able to talk about the Air League and the scholarships and opportunities they offer was probably the most rewarding part of the day.
Highlights and lessons.
One of the highlights of the event was listening to some of the talks from airline pilots and training organisations. A few themes kept coming up. One was that there isn’t just one path into aviation — everyone’s journey looks slightly different. Some pilots trained through integrated courses, others modular, and some came from completely different careers before starting flight training.
Another point that stood out was how important resilience is in this industry. Several speakers spoke honestly about setbacks, whether that was struggling with exams, delays in training, or the challenge of finding that first flying job. The message was clear: persistence matters just as much as ability.
