The Holy Grail of Training -> First Job

[scameron77]

Hi,

I recently attained my FAA CPL/IR and am now in the process of converting to JAA. I've read extensively through the threads and would welcome some advice.

The question is, for my next stage of training (ATPL's & CPL/IR conversion) is there any organisations that I should look at and possibly pay a little through the nose for the course but accept its a necessary evil to maybe get me put forward to a carrier?

I am aware that some organisations do this on a selective nature (i.e. grades attained and money spent with them).

You can't help noticing that Oxford get a lot of press for their links to the airlines, its either true to a degree or their marketing team are excellent at spin.

If anyone has been there could advise if doing the ATPL's and CPL/IR (JAA) there would be sufficient to get career assistance?

Can anyone advise of any other options/avenues/companies where links between them and that elusive first job are greased?

Either that or I'll have to go out, buy some porn and work on my BJ technique :)

Stephen

[scameron77]

217 views and no replies, I'm cut deep :)

Just had a brainwave, if I win the lottery and choose to get my own type rating (I can hear some guys out there sharpening their knives already) does anyone know which suppliers/companies certain carriers use?

I'm just thinking that maybe if I'm lucky to be up infront of an interview panel at one point saying:

'I see here you have an A340 TR, tell me about it?'

'I got my TR training at XYZ Type Rating Training Inc.'

'Oh really, under Chuck Yaeger?'

'For a bit, he went of annual leave then Neil Armstrong took over to finish it'

'Oh thats interesting, that's who we use. So no problems there with you being up to speed'

See where I'm coming from?

[Funkie]

Stephen,

Good to hear that all went to plan in LAX.

Paying through the nose is not going to be too difficult if you go to Oxford, assuming that they would take you.

If you need to complete the ATPL’s, it’s simple - use Bristol Ground School. As for the flying side of it, don’t ACF have a link with Tayflite?

To be honest, I feel the employment market is far better than when you went to the States. If you look at the likes of Flybe, Scotair or Loganair I’m sure you would get a start. Cut your teeth with a TP operator for a year or two, then move on.

Cheers for now!

[scroggs]

Hoping that Oxford (or whoever) can get you into Virgin without jumping all the hoops, Stephen? ;)

[conor_mc]

Either that or I'll have to go out, buy some porn and work on my BJ technique

All that time in LA.... and you wasted it getting CPL/IR's and such.... :D

[scameron77]

I'll answer the questions in order, firstly Funkie,

How do sir? I trust you are keeping well, for all those reading this who don't know, I got chatting to Funkie through here, we chatted on the phone and he invited to to come along to sit in the back while he was being checked out for a Cherokee. The bug was placed during those three traffic patterns and I thank him for his help, advice and assistance.

Yes ACF have got links with Tayflight mainly because the owner did his CPL/IR with them while he lived in Edinburgh. Its not written in stone so I have to determine the when converting I need to pick somewhere that not only provides good training but also greases the job interview pole too. Hence the post.

Scroggs:

Not at all, I'm aware from what I've read/researched that I am a good 3/4 years away from even applying to Virgin, that is unless they drop their standards, but I can't really see them doing that, they certainly have a product in a sellers market. It bodes well that so many people aspire to work for them.

However to get there I need to get a job that's hours can be counted as being useful further down the line. No offence to anyone doing it, but island hopping in the Caribbean or flying in the African bush, enhancing my piloting skill no end, yes, but having hours they award merit too, negatron. From reading the website, a BAe146 is the smallest aircraft they appear to award merit to.

Its just if I know what my eventual goal is I would prefer to do as much to get there as quickly and cost effectively as possible.

That's why I need to find a organisation with good links to that first start. However if you know of any shortcuts Scroggs or have any incriminating photos of Branson, a midget, a rubber chicken, a unicycle and a tub of philidelphia please feel free to PM them to me in JPEG format.

Conor:

As for the BJ technique, I have no family in the business (that's piloting for those with filthy minds), no mates, so consequently a lack of networking. So unholster your violins.

I know that first foot in the door is going to be as easy as it was to Gulliver in Lilliput. Lets just say I've been up to the San Fernando Valley a couple of times and hopefully I've improved my technique to what I hope a Training Captain would appreciate.

Did I just write that, I think I'm going to throw up now, I'm holding back the gagging feeling :yuk:

So in summation, if anyone reading this can offer any advice to links between training establishments and employers, if they wer ein my position what they would do next, etc. I would and I'm sure the rest of the wannabes out there would value the advice.

[scameron77]

Good to see not one of the silver spoon brigade felt the desire to post any useful info on here.

I'm cut deep.

[VC10 Rib22]

scameron77,

Sorry to burst your stereotypical bubble but I never had the silver spoon, only the baseball bat with rusty 6 inch nails through it. Answering your question, why don't you communicate with people whose job it is to recruit for the airlines and listen to what they have to say? If you research enough you'll realise that there are many, many paths to that airline job, all of which have been followed by members of pprune.

I decided to go to Oxford because I believe it presented the best option to get me where I want to go (monitoring the success of APP graduates I have not regretted doing so). For others that meant CTC or Jerez. Some chose to go modularly. The fact is there is no ideal way. You could go to one school and not get a job, when going to another you would have. This is what is called the lottery of life. For sure, wherever you do train, they will all try to get you a job, but ultimately it depends on the effort you put in during training, how competent a pilot you are and whether you have a suitable personality to fit in to a particular airline's profile.

Why don't you visit all the schools you have in mind, get a feel for what training would be like there, and ask all the important questions - what's the groundschool success rate, how many students have gained airline jobs (or any flying jobs for that matter), can you speak to any former students, etc, etc ?

Remember, don't place so much emphasise on the school getting you a job - you are going to get yourself that job. NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK.

Good Luck!

VC10 Rib22

[Funkie]

Hi – sorry I never wrote back sooner.

All is well thanks. Mod 1 exams done but failed Met. Never mind, I’ll get it next time. Busy building hours buzzing about the Highlands and studying Mod 2 subjects.

I believe Loganair, and I use the term believe loosely, did at one point use Tayflite’s FNPT2 as part of their selection process. Not sure if that still happens, you could always ask I suppose.

Stick a few letters out to Chief Pilots or HR departments of the companies you are interested. I did and you would be surprised by the answers which you get, not always PFO!

One school which springs to mind is AFT, which is part of the Air Atlantique group. I would very much doubt they would guarantee you a job, but if you’re in the place at the correct time, who knows what could happen.

Cheers!