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View Full Version : A Chance To Take The Gapan Test And The ATPL Groundschool Course - FOR FREE!


InFinRetirement
14th May 2004, 11:36
ATPL DISTANCE LEARNING GROUNDSCHOOL COMPETITION


For some time I have been telling you of a competition for you to take advantage of 5 FREE ATPL distance learning groundschool courses, each worth £1900. These courses will be on offer to those who can demonstrate the strongest desires to take the first steps on the ladder to Professional flying. These 5 courses have been donated to the PPRuNe Fund by Bristol Groundschool for which we are truly grateful.

We are, therefore, very pleased to announce the commencement of a selection assessment process to choose FIVE candidates for these courses.

You will be required to show determination, motivation and dedication with an above average desire to get on the Professional Pilot ladder. You will also have to demonstrate that you are worthy.

There are a number of requirements you must meet to participate. Please take a careful look at these to satisfy yourself that you can fulfil each one. There are no shortcuts. You must prove your desire to be considered. You must prove some academic qualities. You will also have to demonstrate that you have the financial means to continue the FULL (F)ATPL course. In other words if you cannot afford to go all the way we will not waste a course on you. The GAPAN aptitude tests will tell you, and us, if you will make it. Together they will tell you if you have a future in the airlines.

1. As stated above the first five BGS courses are free. Subsequent courses will not be free. All monies spent by the Fund to the benefit of selected candidates will be the subject of a payback scheme that will include a special re-payment of £1500 at the rate of £100 per month interest free. This payment will be your contribution to the Fund to help other wannabes. For the subsequent courses the cost of the BGS course will be added and the repayment period extended pro rata. This arrangement will be contracted and will commence at the end of the first month after gaining full employment.

2. You must hold a valid PPL and have acquired a total time of not less than 30hrs and not more than 70hrs. Please note: Those with any form of professional licence are excluded from this competition.

3. You must have a Class ONE medical at the time of taking part in the selection process.

4. You must have been registered on PPRuNe for a minimum of 3 months.

5. You will be expected to write to us in not more than 230 words why YOU should be chosen for selection. Tell us about yourself and why it is you we should consider above anyone else. Do not try too hard, be yourself. Also tell us separately about a little of your background with your educational qualifications and achievements so far. You should send your entry by E-MAIL only to this e-mail address together with your PPRuNe Username and your real name: [email protected] putting on the subject line the following: BGS distance learning courses. Note: You must fill in the subject line or your entry will be void and will be considered SPAM and deleted.

From the entries PPRuNe Towers, Scroggs, PPRuNe Radar and myself will assess the entries and invite those we consider worthy to attend the interviews. We will then select 10 candidates, and the best FIVE will go forward on the first available GAPAN testing date to RAF Cranwell where a former BA Training Captain will take you through the test.

If selected to attend the GAPAN tests you must achieve a high or average assessment. The tests, the cost of which is £150, will be paid for by the PPRuNe Fund. If any one of the selected candidates fails the tests the next highest placed reserve will go forward to the tests until we have a FINAL five. Please note: The tests were designed for people with little or no flying experience. The validity of the test declines rapidly for those who have in excess of 150hrs of pilot flying. This is why the tests are restricted in the numbers of hours you have flown.

The selection of candidates will take place at the Holiday Inn Hotel, Langley Drive, Crawley, Sussex. We will select a number of candidates to attend the interviews purely from their short essays. Date and time will be notified to those who are selected for interview.

Please watch this thread only - for any further details. You may ask questions if you so wish but once we announce that the process is under way the thread will be closed.

We wish you the best of luck.

IFR

Tosh McCaber
20th May 2004, 22:10
I'm surprised that there's been no response to this thread yet- well done yet again Infin, and all at Pprune- more help to the hopeful! Keep up the good work.

Come on guys- get your fingers on the keyboard!

JoeCo
29th May 2004, 09:41
Nice work fellas!! A opportunity for the up-and-comers to get a head start with a career in aviation. Congratulations to PPRune and to the 5 winners of the scholarship.

InFinRetirement
30th May 2004, 19:07
Hi Tosh, me too! This is great opportunity and I am very surprised at the negative response. I have had a couple of queries but nothing suggesting that an essay is on its way. The way things are going we will have a problem getting 5 people who are interested!

Ah well, its in the hands of those that wish hard enough. We can do no more.

IFR

la-knet
31st May 2004, 06:46
Does it mean that the test and the course will be delayed??
I am trying to reach the required hours and to pass my PPL as fast as I can. Hope i will be in time to apply.


la-knet.

jimbols6
5th Jun 2004, 18:47
if there arnt enough applicants will it be opened up to people half way through their ppl's???

AH64 APACHE
6th Jun 2004, 22:55
IFR
Congrats - a great idea finally put into practice thanks to the hard work of you and the others at Pprune.

However, I am not that suprised that not that many people have jumped on the bandwagon as it seems to me that the entry requirements might well have dumped a lot of people straight away as 50-70 hours is a tight time bracket.

Is that a final hourage? ( I ask for others as I am already way past that luckily!)

I am sure it will have something to do with the GAPAN tests and the number of hours needed for that but just wondering why else there are such restrictions.

Well done whatever.

Penguina
12th Jun 2004, 11:19
Would have lept at the chance, as I'm at exactly that stage, but unfortunately, I have far too many hours on top of my PPL. Perfectly understand that you have to narrow the field somehow, though. Good luck to those who are eligible.

Gyr
6th Jul 2004, 08:45
PS. What a brilliant idea PPRUNE and good luck to those participating.

El Desperado
13th Jul 2004, 01:50
My suggestions:

Lose the arrogant bit (319 sim... geez) , get off the soapbox and get that ATPL. I don't see anything in this scheme, for example, that precludes you from applying.

To use your words, let's put it bluntly. No carrier is going to hire a 160 hour F/O these days on a 757/321 or similar. Turboprop operators, however, have been known to favour the more mature candidate as (you have correctly identified), they are less likely to jump ship at the first whiff of a RHS on a 737-200.

You're definitely going nowhere towards your goal without an ATPL. Forget the sim crap (and it is crap - there is far more to handling an emergency than some unlikely combination of primary flight controls) and start doing something about it.

When you can pass an LPC or OPC on a 757 sim, then it might be worth talking about. Until then... forget it. Seven hours of fun, and, honestly, that's all it was, proves very little.

This Pprune scheme seems like the start you're looking for, if you're serious.....

positive_stability
16th Nov 2004, 00:47
I'd like to know what the outcome was to the offer!

I am new to PPRuNe and excited by the fact that somebody is helping out new starters with a leg-lift like the offer of ATPL GT here.

Is the process still taking place? Will the selection be run again?

I am about two weeks off taking my GFT for my PPL and am over the moon that these ideas have been put into practice, even hope that a shot at the tiltle could be in the future...

Thanks for listening, and if there are winners already - good luck guys

brgds

PoS

cessna l plate
30th Nov 2004, 17:50
I too am part way through the ppl, and have run out of money. This takes away a burning desire I have had since I was 6 years old. So, is this likely to be opened in the future to low hours students??? (This is maybe my last chance saloon)
Thanks

InFinRetirement
11th Jan 2005, 06:56
What an exciting week!

In addition to the lucky 4 who will be selected for B757 training with Astraeus, we have now selected 8 students who will be interviewed on the 19th January as the final part of the process to allocate the BGS courses we are offering to those who want to step on the ladder towards an ATPL.

The response for these places was disappointing, with only 13 applying, but we managed to select some worthy students who will hopefully go forth into the ranks of the professional pilots.

The 8 being interviewed include reserves should any of the top five fail the GAPAN tests.

This will conclude the first offer. We will then lay plans to get another selection under way in the near future.

Good luck.


IFR