Exact fees differ depending on the route you take but we're talking thousands, in some cases hundreds of thousands of pounds. To give you a better idea, pilot training usually costs £70,000 to £130,000.

No, becoming a pilot in the UK is generally not free and is, in fact, one of the most expensive career paths a person can choose. A "Self-Funded" Integrated Flight Training course, which takes a student from zero experience to a "Frozen ATPL" (Airline Transport Pilot License), typically costs between £80,000 and £120,000. This does not include living expenses during the 18–24 months of full-time study. While the RAF (Royal Air Force) offers "free" training in exchange for a multi-year service commitment, these positions are extremely competitive. Recently, however, there has been a resurgence of "Airline Mentored" programs. Carriers like British Airways (with the Speedbird Self-Flyer and Speedbird Pilot Academy) and TUI have introduced schemes where the airline pays the upfront training costs or provides a loan that is repaid through salary deductions once employed. While these programs make the career more accessible, they are highly selective, meaning for the vast majority of aspiring aviators in the UK, the path to the flight deck requires significant personal financial investment or private loans.