Jack Kane – BSc Aviation Management with Pilot Studies

Hello everyone, my name is Jack Kane and I am currently in my second year of the BSc in Aviation
Management. Aviation is an exciting, fast-paced environment and one that provides fulfilling careers
in a myriad of potential roles. The BSc in Aviation Management is the perfect course for those
seeking a career in aviation, be that as a manager, airline pilot or air traffic controller.
One of the great benefits of choosing this course is the variety of specialisation options available to
students in their final year. Students can opt to complete their final year in DCU, completing further
specialist modules in management and aviation, or decide to complete their commercial pilot
training at a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Approved Training Organisation (ATO) or
apply to become an air traffic controller with the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA). Students opting to
pursue the pilot training or air traffic controller stream graduate with a BSc in Aviation Management
and a commercial pilot’s license or air traffic controller license.

Like many of my peers on the course, I have been fascinated by aviation for as long as I can
remember, and it has always been my goal to one day become an airline pilot. It is a job that covers
many interests of mine, ranging from the busy environment of the flight deck, focus on teamwork,
the technical aspect of actually flying the aircraft or just travelling the world. From flying lessons I
have completed in my own time, I can only express how exhilarating an experience it is to be in
control of an aircraft, and I know for sure that this is what I want my future career to be. Commercial
pilot training requires a significant commitment from the prospective student; ‘integrated’ training
programmes (courses that bring you from little to no flying experience to airline ready in the space of
14-18 months) involve costs upwards of €80,000 – €100,000, and also intense study for both the
theoretical and practical elements of programmes. Alternatives do exist, such as cadetships (both
civil and military) or airline mentored programmes, but are fiercely competing for a few coveted
places. The prevalence of these should increase as aviation and airlines recover from the pandemic.
DCU also recently announced a partnership with the National Flight Centre based at Weston Airport,
which will allow students to spread their training over the third and final year. Many students opt to
complete their final year in DCU and pursue flight training at a later stage, with the greater financial
ability and perhaps, maturity, under their belt. I would reinforce the message of “if there is a will,
there is a way”; students who are genuinely passionate about a career as an airline pilot and possess
the necessary skills and personality will eventually make it.

As a final note, I would urge prospective students not to be dissuaded by the effect of the pandemic
on aviation. Aviation has been particularly troubled by Covid, but with restrictions disappearing and
routes returning, the recovery of the industry is well underway. The recent reopening of transatlantic
travel will also aid the industry’s recovery. And while a return to 2019 levels of traffic may only
materialise in 2024 according to industry experts, prospective students starting in 2022 or later will
graduate after this, into a jobs market seeking young, fresh thinkers with relevant industry
experience and a passion for aviation. I would not hesitate in recommending this course to anyone
passionate about aviation or those seeking to work in one of the world’s most interesting and
globally important sectors.