Ben Phillips, 34, spent the first 13 years of his professional life chasing a dream he had since childhood: being a police officer.
Joining the Met Police at just 18, he imagined a career of service and impact in London.
But after over a decade navigating bureaucracy, politics, and the daily grind of life-and-death situations, Ben realized something had to change.
“I found over time the rules got harder, and there was more politics,” he tells the Daily Mail.
“I didn’t feel like I was making a difference all the time.”
On top of that, the emotional toll of witnessing almost 13 years of human struggles became exhausting, and the looming changes to the police pension age made balancing work with family life increasingly tricky.
Discovering a New Dream in the Sky
While still serving as a police officer, Ben began exploring a long-held fascination: flying.
From 2019, he juggled police duties with pilot training—a passion that started when someone gifted him a trial flight.
“I always liked planes, but never thought I’d do that job because it’s very expensive to train,” Ben reflects.
That single flight sparked a dream, eventually leading him to apply to Wizz Air’s Pilot Academy.
Progressing through each stage of the rigorous selection, Ben recalls thinking, “Wow, this could be a reality.”
The final step required funding his training, a daunting prospect for most aspiring pilots.
Financing a Sky-High Ambition
UK pilot training is notoriously expensive, ranging from £70,000 to £130,000 depending on the program.
Ben’s journey came in at just under £100,000.
To cover the cost, he took loans and even remortgaged his family home, demonstrating the kind of determination that fueled his career shift.
He completed his initial training through Wizz Air in partnership with CTC Aviation (now Acron Aviation), earning his commercial license.
“I paid £98,000,” he says.
“Then I did a degree alongside it, because the student loan helped fund part of the license.
I hadn’t gone to university before, so that was my way of getting a degree too.”
The Path to Pilot Certification
Becoming a commercial pilot involves multiple stages.
Trainees must be over 18, able to swim 50 meters without aid, have a high school diploma, be fluent in English, and understand math and physics.
After earning a license, pilots must be “rated on an aircraft” to operate specific planes.
Ben notes that while Wizz Air covered his rating, other airlines may charge £25,000–£30,000, often bonding pilots to the airline for a period.
Two-and-a-half years of intensive training, exams, and flying tests culminated in his first passenger flight—a moment Ben describes as “amazing.”
“It’s a load of exams and flying exams, it’s just constant.
Then to finally fly the plane for real was incredible, and the perfect landing made it even better.”
Life Above the Clouds
Since switching careers, Ben has experienced extraordinary perks, like witnessing the Northern Lights from 30,000 feet over Norway more than ten times.
Tromso has become his favorite route, thanks to its spectacular aerial views.
“When you see them at that altitude, it’s all around you and breathtaking,” he says.
Even over Poland last year, he marveled at the unusual red-and-green auroras created by high solar activity.
Beyond the scenery, Ben enjoys a much-improved work-life balance.
As a Wizz Air pilot and trainer, he appreciates the flexible schedule, alternating between five days on and four off, or blocks of 14 days on and 14 off.
“While my kids are young, this is perfect,” he says of juggling life with three children.
Considering a Return to Policing, from the Sky
Ben hasn’t entirely closed the door on his past life.
While he doesn’t see himself returning as a regular police officer, he would consider joining the National Police Air Service (NPAS) as a pilot.
“It would be an end-of-career move when I’m close to retiring, maybe around 60,” he explains.
“Airline flying is great, but the public sector isn’t quite the same.”
For now, Ben is focused on enjoying his family, his flying, and the view from above—a perspective he never imagined while patrolling London streets.
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