Small Schools Verses Large Schools?

[blueskywalker]

Having just given up my full time job and arranged a fairly large loan, I am about to embark upon the training (full time) for what i hope will be the first steps toward a long and enjoyable career in the airlines.

I have decided to go the modular route and I am now faced with the daunting prospect of choosing where to do my training. I am keen to do it all in the same place (ATPLs' may well have to be distance learning) so as to keep some continuity to my flying (this I hope will include PPL too). I dont want to go abroad as I intend to fly in the UK.

My question is if I do my training at a smaller school, for example one of the schools at Exeter (Flightpass, AFT, Aviation South West, all of whom seem to be very professional), with no controlled airspace, will this affect my employment prospects at the other end compared to if I had trained at a larger airfield with controlled airspace? Do the airlines look at this? In fact any thing I can do to make my CV look better, I will.

Basically, I will have a substantial loan to service after my training and I'm damn sure I dont want to revert to my previous career whilst waiting for that first flying job if I can help it! All and any advice much appreciated. Thanks.

BSW

[hingey]

bsw,

Cant really speak for larger schools as I am relatively inexperienced. I recently did my PPL with one of the schools you mentioned in Exeter, and imho Exeter provides a good balance.

Its not too busy on a normal day for you to get a radio call in, but not so silent you think your radios bust! You get enough commercial and GA traffic to keep you on your toes, particularly in the circuit on a busy day. Only problem I had with Exeter is fuel is f*cking expensive and as the runway is so long it took me a while to really get the hang of short field as I became used to 2km of runway outsretched in front of me!

Your instructors will take you through and hurl you into controlled airspace, tiny grass strips, no man's land and elsewhere, so no worries on missing out on any experience in training. To my knowledge you cant do ATPL in Exeter, have to go to Bristol or Coventry (I think, correct me if I'm wrong somebody!).

There are pros and cons to doing a modular, likewise for an intergrated as you will see if you browse these forums. Whatever you do, you will thoroughly enjoy every minute you spend flying. The two years I spent at my flight school were the best of my (so far short) life, and I wish you the same enjoyment and best of luck in you career.

h

[blueskywalker]

Hingey,

Thanks for that, its all useful stuff. Any chance of a PM with a bit more info on where you did the PPL and your impressions of it all?

BSW

[Nice flaps]

Short answer: no the airlines don't give a :mad: at which 'airfield' you have trained at. How much scheduled airline traffic do you think Oxford Kiddlington gets? Doesn't seem to have too serious an impact on the well being of a little flight school there though.

The best thing that you can do for your CV is to find a school where you feel comfortable and work your socks off during your training.

Exeter has an ATZ and is situated directly beneath an airway. The fact that it does not have a slab of Class D around it like Bristol etc is really no bad thing when you are training, believe me. During my IR I used Bristol, Cardiff, Bournemouth and the Channel Islands for away approaches, so fear not- you will get plenty of exposure to controlled airspace. Exeter also has a full range of Nav Aids and provides a full radar service so officialdom is very much there if you desire it, just without the restrictions that go with a zone.

If you go and look around these places, ask them these sorts of questions. At Flightpass see if you can speak to Jerry, he is a real mine of information.

It certainly did not affect my employment prospects and think you will find many others who trained at Exeter who will testify to its merits as a training airfield.
All the best,

NF

[blueskywalker]

Thanks NF,

I have spoken to Jerry, I spent yesterday morning there looking around. It seems like a good set up, very friendly and as you quite rightly said, Jerry was extremely helpful and informative. :ok:

[Nice flaps]

Indeed, they are a good bunch. All the best for your training, sounds like you have a good attitude so will do well.
NF