ATPL ab-initio..

[italianpilot]

Hello to everyone!
I've tried to look in the past posts to find maybe the some subject, but i would appreciate some more suggestions!!
the problem is: I've just passed the APP selections at the OAT, but i'm not still sure this is the best school for me, I'm afraid that even if the ground school at OAT seems pretty well done, the APP is too expensive respect at what it gives you. 62,000£ is a lot of money!!
I so thought that maybe i could do the frozen ATPL where i live, in Rome Italy, in about 1 year and 1/2 and than go in the US for the building hours..
What do you think about that? The other problem is also that i am 28 years, not too old but i don't want to waste to much time.
I'm open to everyone's suggestion,
thank you!

[no sponsor]

There is a general consensus here on Wannabes that the APP is too much money for what you get. For the same amount of money you could have a considerable number of hours under your belt, or a type rating, while doing the same syllabus and course at the same level of quality.

Distance learning doing your ATPLs is a good idea, given the state of the current market. These include:

- Bristol Gorundschool
- OATS
- BCFT
- Cranfield Aviation

There are others which you can find out about through the search facility. Distance learning for the ATPLs will be about 2500£'s, including the exam costs.

Of course, it is best to do these after you have aquired a PPL.

I would expect to take 9-12 months to do distance learning. You will have to attend a 4 weeks in the UK at the schools to do the required full-time element.

Of course, you could do a full-time ATPL, which will take 6 months. The above organisations, with the exception of Bristol also offer that facility. ATA at coventry could be added to that list, plus Cabair, London Guildhall etc.

Based on my own research, you could complete the entire courses, including CPL/IR/ATPLs and MCC for around £35-40K

You're not too old. 50 is too old, not 28!

[mad_jock]

28 to old my butt.

I was 29 when i got my PPL in sept 2000 and now i am sitting on 1200hrs and about to move on from Instructing.

I managed to do the lot including FI rating for 35K.

I was working abroad when i started doing my ATPL ground school. So actually the main reason for choosing Oxford was the transport links to oxford from major airports. And as I discovered there notes and brush up courses did the job and got me through.

One to watch though is that oxford block book the Intergrated students at the beginning of there courses so I makes it nearly impossible to get your exams at oxford. I found flying into gatwick the best idea and doing them there.

And as a note i was talking to one of my old instructors there and he said that they are nearly full on the ground school side of things. All intergrated course full with 24 students. So if i remember right that there is 6 streams thats nearly 150 pilots graduating in the next 18 months. And when I finished 18 months ago I think they had 500 distance learners on the books.

Which brings me to the slightly uneasy conclusion that there must be somewhere in the region of 400 virgin CPL holders coming on the market next year.

MJ

How about this for a cunning plan.

1. ppl in the UK, and get class 1 medical

2. Start ground studys, bit of flying to keep hand in.

3. Sit mod 1 exams

4. Straight after exams fly off for 2 weeks hour building.

5. Start Ground mod 2 , bit of flying to keep hand in.

6. While at brush up course have a few lessons to make sure no bad habits have surfaced. Then sit exams

7. Another 2 weeks hour build.

You should now have 150 hours and all the exams. If you have missed any of the exams this is amjor spanner in the works because it takes 2 months to resit any of them.

Then this is the big one.

Choose the school that you are going to do the flying with.
Don't get people to post what they think of certain schools on the board the ****e ones have very good lawyers and will get the thread pulled.

The ones i haven't heard many complaints about in the north

Leeds Flying School
MultiFlight
Tayflight
Tayside for CPL only

you will have to wait for the southern woofters to give the schools down there.

[number]

Take definitely your frozen ATPL somewhere in Italy! It has come to my ears that some flight schools give the questions of the exam in advance to all their students.
Don't miss the chance!

[Send Clowns]

number

As I have put forward on this forum before that is all very well until the airlines her about it. Then they may start looking where you completed your training.

[italianpilot]

thank you all very much for your replays...is what i wanted to know!!
Number, i really do not think that is the best way to train my self, i really do want to learn flying, not only to get employed (that of course is still important).. but thank you the same!!;)

I will probably do like this:1) take my PPl in Rome or in UK (depends how much it costs in UK),2) than have the ground school in Oxford (distance learning or just going there for 6/7 months),3)i will have the exams for the theory ATPL in UK (do you think it's possible have the theory exams with only the 50 hours of the PPL??)4) than go in USA for building hours and 5) than go back to UK for the IR/MCC and all the missing things (night etc..).
If i had correctly understood your suggestions,and my point of view this should be the best way do to things...
I also really think the APP is a lot of bull****..maybe the only think is that they will probably sponsor you at the companies after the course..and THAT IS NOT TO BAD..but its worth 62,000£???
thank you again guys, also for the new suggestions..

[Red Ice]

italian pilot

In response to a comment you made about Oxfords APP course.

I have been on the program now for several months and i'm very impressed not only with the professionalism of the oxford staff and their attitude towards the APP but also the way the course is shaping up.

With the addition of extra simulator hrs both before the IR and on the MCC, my colleagues and i think that oxford have got it right. These change are in response to airline demands!

i have heard future APP courses are all filling up with 20+ people per course. Something must have changed unless we are all suckas.

I did my research, i'm happy and i'm no sucka

R I

[leafy]

Dear All,
Just thought i would reply to some of the comments, especially italian pilot, after reading your replies on whether or not to go to Oxford after passing the APP selection course.

I was also not sure whether or not to commit to the APP after finishing selection.....it is a huge commitment and one that cannot be taken lightly!!. The main reason I decided on this course, was exactly that, it is a huge commitment, and I only want to go through this once.

If BA or BMI were currently offering sponsorship schemes, then lets face it we would all be trying to get on them, and none of this would be necessary. The hard truth is that at the moment, the only way to get a frozen ATPL is by self sponsoring. I looked at all the options (there are many!) and the only one that comes close to offering the level of training that used to be available is the APP.

I don't know whether you are aware italian pilot, but the school has just invested in a suite of new computer based simulators that we can use whenever we want, and also that the new FNPT2 sims are up and running!!! In addition, the extra 15 hours that i am getting in the 737 sim is the icing on the cake!!

I know that there are lots of other schools offering different packages, and not one course will suit everyone, but if you want a course that is structured as closely as possible to what the airlines want, then i think the APP has to be the best choice.

Hope this has been useful to you,

leafy