Are ATPL training prices coming down?

[midiman]

Hi I am 33 and am looking into zero to ATPL courses.

One of my concerns is the cost issue.

Oxford Aviation quote around £66k!!

Bournemouth quote about £49k

Multiflight.com quote about £49k

In the climate we are in surely FTOs should be looking to stay alive.

[redsnail]

They are, but they are not charities.

Fuel still costs.
Engineering still costs and woe be to any one who cuts that back.
Airway charges. Landing charges...

Rent, electricity, wages etc
:bored:

[chongololo]

I can't believe you guys are lining up to pay that kind of money to get into this crappy industry.
Sorry to be so negative, but that's just how I feel.
Good luck in whatever you do.

[DarkSoldier]

I can't believe you guys are lining up to pay that kind of money to get into this crappy industry

another reason why FTOs don't need to slash prices...there will always be plenty of people ready to spend whatever it takes to get to the RHS

[preduk]

I can't believe you guys are lining up to pay that kind of money to get into this crappy industry.
Sorry to be so negative, but that's just how I feel.Fair enough, I'll swap you job industry then. I can get your RHS and you can get my job dealing with consumers and their mobile phones... I bet you switch back within the week.

[Obs cop]

Good shout Preduk. lol

[Mikehotel152]

FTOs are being squeezed at both ends. At one end their maintenance costs are sky-high, particularly if they use the DA42, and fuel stills forms a fair percentage of their costs. At the other end, the credit-crunch is forcing them to consider lowering prices slightly.

But I wouldn't get too excited; as eluded to above, the FTOs benefit from relatively low numbers of quality FTOs providing the limited supply and huge numbers of wannabes providing the overwhelming demand. FTOs are businesses.

[chongololo]

I would swap you if I could but I don't have a RHS job to give you.
I don't work for an airline.
I didn't spend 66K(pounds) on my ratings.

My point is that there are alternatives.
I have a job in the LHS, non airline, I spent $25 000 total on all my training, no debt and I don't put my family into poverty just so I can "live my dream".

There are other ways to get there, think outside the box.

[r44flyer]

chongololo... how about you enlighten us as to where we're all going wrong? Pray tell, where I can I get all this done for £18k, start to finish?

Remember, the forces doesn't count.

[chongololo]

I don't claim to have the "magic answer" all I'm saying is that surely there must be another way to get the ratings without spending 66k and then getting poor wages at an airline.
Here is what I did:
I went to the US and I was fortunate to have a greencard allowing me to work there.
I worked construction and building jobs full-time while saving money to pay for flight training at a small FBO style school.
It was hard work with a full-time job and flying at nights and on the weekends. Obviously it took longer than a fast track program but it was another way to achieve the same result with less costs.
I did this all the way through my instructor ratings and started working at the same school I trained at.
Then 9/11 hit and you couldn't buy yourself a job even if you wanted to. I ended up instructing for 4 years, building time that I didn't pay for and collecting more ratings along the way with minimal cost due to an affiliation with flight schools.
I flew on demand charters in the Caribbean for a year earning a respectable wage and building valuable multi-engine PIC experience.
Now I fly air-ambulance in a piston twin, it's not a sexy jet, but it's another option to the airlines and it pays me almost $50 000 a year.

What I did and what you are planning on doing are not right or wrong ways of getting there, just different.
I will say it again, there are many ways to skin a cat, don't feel that the only option is to spend a chunk and get it done quick. Be creative and take your time.

Good luck, have fun and enjoy yourself along the way.

[r44flyer]

Totally agree, there are many ways to do it, and I don't think there is a 'magic answer'. Well done you for choosing an unconventional route, it's exactly what I'm looking to do.

I'm planning on CPL/FI before anything else, but (not including PPL) I won't get much change out of $35000 for this, inc. hour building, ground school etc. It's not cheap whichever way you do it, one big deciding factor is how quickly you want it all to happen, I guess.

[igarratt]

thats kinda refreshing, I though I was well past it being 35, have just done a year of ppl, imc, twin, night along with some atpl cd reading.

In two minds really, one based on age and also the market, but then I'd be happy flying any twin for minimum wage so less panicked on the market front.

figured most atpl heading pilots to be at least under the 30 belt ?

[chongololo]

Don't worry about the age issue, I was 27 when I started training, I'm 35 this year.
Most folks here won't understand this but the best choice I ever made in aviation was staying away from the airlines.
Figure out the best way for aviation to work for YOU.
Don't be a slave to it, it needs to earn you and your family a living and provide a quality of life that you require.
I like hands-on light twin flying, home every night, no student loan debts and I can cover my bills.
The message I want to get across to people here is that you don't always have to buy in to the marketing schemes of the fancy flight schools, think about other options and choose the best way for you.

[preduk]

Sorry, but I don't agree.

There aren't many ways at all to make money in the aviation business (in Europe anyway). The only ones I can think of are Seaplanes (not very popular and not very many of them), military, airline or cargo. Most of which all require you to complete the full course.

And before you start mentioning flying in the caribbean etc. it's not possible, I would rather stay in my home country than move away from my family.

Yes there are services such as Air Ambulance, but most of the air ambulance crews I know are experienced airline or exmil pilots.

[midiman]

Yes the money side of things is a huge issue for me.

Even if prices came down to £40K it would still be a lot.

I work in IT and it would be far easier for me to re-train as a Pilot.

But sadly it can't be done from a book. :*

And the way employers take the pis* out of Pilots and discriminate against age. The risk of handing over £60K to a FTO school is one that worrys me.

[G SXTY]

The risk of handing over £60K to a FTO school is one that worrys me.

Indeed it should. I went from zero hrs - CPL/IR + MCC for about £45k all in, and never handed over more than about £1500 at a time.