I've spent hundreds of hours researching every major airline cadet programme in the world. Here's what nobody tells you:

1. Most programmes don't advertise openly. The big ones (BA Speedbird, easyJet, Wizz) post once and fill spots fast. If you're checking their careers page once a month, you're already too late.

2. Your aptitude test scores matter more than your degree. Airlines care about PILAPT, COMPASS, and CUT-E scores. A first-class degree won't save a bad aptitude result.

3. The cheapest flight school isn't the best value. Factor in completion rates, job placement, and whether the school has airline partnerships. A £10k cheaper school with a 40% completion rate is a terrible deal.

4. Scholarships exist — but they're buried. The Air League, GAPAN, Honourable Company of Air Pilots, and dozens of smaller trusts give out tens of thousands in bursaries every year. Most applicants don't even know they exist.

5. Timing is everything. Most cadet programme windows open Sept-Jan. If you start preparing in December, you've already lost a cycle.

I built AviatorVault to solve this exact problem — one database with every cadet programme, flight school, internship, and scholarship, updated monthly so you're never behind.