All cadet programmes

[craigbell]

Hi everyone,

I have been searching the net looking for cadet schemes. Many of them are only open to locals of the respective countries.

I am an Australian by birth and also hold a British passport so have been looking at Rex and Qantas and easyjet, all the other airlines don't seem to be doing any cadet scheme at the moment. Am I right?

Also if you know of any other airlines that take non-nationals as cadets pray do tell. I am looking for a way to enter the industry without indebting myself to the vast amounts to train. The problem is not that I wouldn't use the money to train if I could get it but that there is very very little chance of me being able to source the funds in the first place.:ugh:

Thanks

[abhi88]

Etihad airways has a global cadet pilot program.. Check this out ETIHAD Airways | News | Detail (http://careers.etihadairways.com/ehire/english/News/Description.aspx?NEWS_ID=24)

Goodluck:ok:

[Seamus733]

Sharp Airlines Pilot Cadetships (Australian Airline)

Pilot Cadetship, Airline Pilot Training, Advanced Diploma Aviation, Sharp Airlines (http://sharpairlines.com/airline_pilot_training/pilotcadetships.html)

[ford cortina]

To steal a line of a classic British Horror movie, You'll simply never understand the true nature of sacrifice.:ok:

[craigbell]

Yeah I tried to get on the Etihad one. I sent an email ages ago about going to Singapore, they wrote back and said "choose Frankfurt Joburg or Toronto" I wrote back and said Franfurt, they wrote back and said "Full, choose Toronto". I wrote back and said Toronto, they said "Full". Game over Etihad.

Can anyone shed some light on Rex? I hear the pay is appalling?

Any other airlines people, even if they are small and dodgy?:}

[BitMoreRightRudder]

I am looking for a way to enter the industry without indebting myself to the vast amounts to train

Most cadet schemes still require you to pay for your training.

[craigbell]

Let me not confuse anyone here. I do not mind being bonded in some form of another. What I can't afford to do is spend a bucket on doing it all privately. I mean if I have very little money to my name how else do I get the money?

If there was a bank that did loans for aspiring pilots, I would be front and centre at 9.00am.

[abhi88]

HSBC used to...:(

[Phileas Fogg]

Bonding only effectively works if both the individual and the airline are domicile in the same country.

Any subsequent international court case might seem reasonable on paper but might take years to get to court and cost tens of thousands to get it there. Airlines are, ultimately, in business to shift passengers from A to B, not to take individuals to court for breaking a bond or whatever.

[aileron buzz]

in most of these cadet pilot schemes they are looking for the
cream of the crop, say out of 5000 they will recruit a misery 200,
now do you feel lucky punk? but you have got nothing to loose
in trying the experience will be worthwhile that is if you pass the first
stage or you can be like the rest of us risk takers and pay yourself
through flight school and achieve your dream even though it is going
to take longer, whichever path you take i hope it takes you
you to your dreams,
good luck.

[Chilli Corneto]

Being a cadet going through any full time training scheme will cost you a lot more than doing it privately, aka the modular route anyway. So if you can't afford the private route now you're sure as hell not going to be able to afford a full time integrated route.

The only way you can fund it is if you have the money before hand. This can either be through rich parents, a lucky lottery ticket or very deep sofa! Or like many of us working damn hard for a while saving the money you get paid.

Banks did do loans in the past that covered the training bond and this was often under the agreement that nothing had to be repaid back until that cadet had secured a full time position with an airline. The cadet would be on a reduced pay and given the initial bond back to them in installments, allowing them to repay back their initial large loan they got from the bank.

This currently doens't happen now due to the economic climate.

AFAIK hardly any airlines take on the financial risk of training pilots up to ATPL standard anymore. They leave this to the FTO's whom can take the hit should that cadet not make the grade. One of the reasons why the selection is often very thorough and intensive and why there is so much competition. The cadets that do graduate generally have a chance to go to an airline with the airline safe in the knowledge that they meet a minimum standard.

Keep doing as much research as you can. Don't jump into anything head first without knowing exactly what is required of you. Look at doing something privately first. A PPL for example. You don't have to do it but research what it is you have to do. This will give you a rough idea of what going through the ATPLs is like as they're much more intensive.

If you can't even do that now as you don't have the cash then tackle one obstacle at a time. Work out how you will find a job to earn the money that will give you these opportunities. Look at a degree or apprenticeship that will give you a good 'back up' plan. You don't have to do these but you need to evaluate your life and look at every eventuality.

Being an airline Pilot is not just a job. It's a way of life and many of us have to make huge sacrifices to fulfill our dreams. Financially as well as personally.

Good luck. :ok:

Chilli.

[craigbell]

HSBC used to...http://static.pprune.org/images/smilies/sowee.gifBanks did do loans in the past that covered the training bond and this was often under the agreement that nothing had to be repaid back until that cadet had secured a full time position with an airline.OK I didn't know that they did do loans like this. Was this in cahoots with the flight training school/airlines or could any wanabee walk in and try to get a loan? Does anyone know if they would start this up again in a year or more once the economic downturn has played it's game?

[I like planes & stuf]

Well BBVA for one still offer such a loan to train at Oxford but you will need an enormous amount of equity in a house to secure it against along with balls of steel to actually risk losing your (or possibly more likely, your parents) house if you don't secure a job in time &/or cannot afford to make the repayments.

From memory, any current mortgage PLUS the huge cost of training (70k or thereabouts - not including food or UK accommodation) PLUS any potential SSTR for Ryanair (25k or thereabouts) still needs to add up to less than 60% of the market value of that property.

Might be better to sit tight and ride it out until jobs actually start to appear again rather than have to factor in keeping your license current and going to interviews with pilots with 5-10k hours sitting next to you in the waiting room?

[Chilli Corneto]

could any wanabee walk in and try to get a loan? Does anyone know if they would start this up again in a year or more once the economic downturn has played it's game?Any wanabee could have done in the past. This is half the reason that the economy is in such a sorry state! Not because of Flying loans but because of banks and credit companies giving any old sap in a council house and with hardly any income credit to buy things like a £30k car and fleeting their house out with 50" plasmas and a new Kitchen. :ugh:

DON'T buy things unless you can afford it! DON'T rely on credit or a loan if you can't afford to pay it back.

FTO's and bank partnerships may start funding schemes when the economy picks up in 2-3 years (earliest) but I'm pretty sure this will only ever be on a secured basis. I.e. against your assets. Parents house most of the time.

Craig without sounding condenscending but it appears you still have quite a lot to research before you commit to anything. Please don't rush into anything. If cash truely is the one thing that is stopping you doing any training then sort that problem out first. Don't rely on a loan to cover the whole of the training costs however attractive they may seem. :=

Sit tight, work damn hard over the next 2-3 years saving every penny and you might be in a great position to start your training then.

Good luck. :ok:

Chilli.

[aileron buzz]

i agree with chilli work hard to save money dont rely on loans
plus make sure you get yourself a class one medical certificate
issued by a designated aviation medical examiner while doing
that just to be sure you are physically fit to fly a plane commercially
before getting seriously committed.
All the best.

[EYXW]

Really based on your post I would say one option could be to wait and see if the Etihad scheme opens up again. You are bonded for 5 years to the airline and in that time they will recoup the training costs but your wage will still be good and there are no up front costs (even your living expenses are accounted for). So far as I am aware this is the only scheme of it's type available to all nationalities around the world.

But as said above - this round of assessments are fully booked and competition is extrememly fierce.

[corsair]

If a cadet scheme is open to the whole world, you can expect the competition to be fierce.

You should apply for the Aussie schemes. If you don't get them. You have a choice, give up or find your own way to become a pilot. If you really want it you'll find a way of raising the money. I'd say the overwhelming majority of pilots had to pay their own way, whether by loan or saving.

It's the first test of your real desire to be a pilot. Raising the cash.

If you rely on a cadet scheme to come along, you might find yourself waiting forever.

[craigbell]

it appears you still have quite a lot to research before you commit to anything. Please don't rush into anything. If cash truely is the one thing that is stopping you doing any training then sort that problem out first. Don't rely on a loan to cover the whole of the training costs however attractive they may seem. :=In regards to doing enough research before commiting, I agree with you. What I would like you to tell me is what (in your opinion) is the reasons not to rely on loans, aside from the interest payments? Just to let you know I am the type of person that has a standing order to repay the full amount I spend on my credit card every month, I am not in debt and don't have plasma tv's coming out every orifice:eek:

DON'T buy things unless you can afford it! DON'T rely on credit or a loan if you can't afford to pay it back. You say don't buy things that you can't afford to pay back and I agree with you in some way. But who says that once you are gainfully employed you won't be able to pay it back. Same thing goes for University fees.

My situation is as follows: Where I live there are very very few (one) flying school. Their rates are high and I am currently on a pretty miserable salary. I can afford to go flying for 1-2 hrs every two months. This to me is a snails pace. The way I see it (if I was lucky enough) if I could get financing I would be in a much better position to get things rolling at a faster pace and get into the industry I want too sooner. This might all be pie in the sky with rose tinted glasses and I may be naiive but would like to hear all your comments.:ok:

[Chilli Corneto]

Craig not trying to dissuade you from doing the training and by all means follow your dreams. Never give up and the rewards will come.

I'm just trying to encourage you to be a little pragmatic in the current economic climate. There are many reasons why the economy is in such a bad state and one of the reasons has been becuase of irresponsible lending.

Just be aware that £60-£80k is a lot of money to pay back when you have no job. :sad: And even harder to swallow when the bank is repossesing your mum and dads house. :{

You're better off raising as much as you can before hand so that it isn't money you owe. That way any money you do borrow would be of a much lesser value and in return the interest payments and re-payments would be much lower too. You'd rather pay £100 interest on a £20,000 loan rather than £280 interest on a £67,000 loan! And that's just the interest payments! Now work out how much those values are over 60 months and you'll start to get an idea of how much of your monthly wage will be going back to the bank. Of course when you are finally employed you would like to think that you will be paid enough to be able to afford the loan repayments. My point is if you have the money before hand, the less money you need to pay back when you're earning.

When I talk about not buying things untill you can afford it I'm not talking specifically talking about training costs. I'm more talking about TV's, Cars and store credit. It's funny how many people rely on credit and then get a big shock when they work out how much they have to pay back. :uhoh:

My best advice is have a go at these cadet schemes, and do your best. There's no harm in trying. They're good experience as well. Having to find the finance to fund the training is a good problem to have. It's a better problem than having someone tell you that you don't have what it takes to be a Pilot.

Don't worry that you're only doing 1-2 hours a month. It may seem like a snails pace but it's the hours and experience that will count. Airlines will be endeared to you when you tell them that you kept at it and kept current by doing a few hours a month simply because you wanted to do as much as you could afford. It shows determination, commitment and a desire to get to where you want to go. Pretty good traits for the job. :ok:

Good luck.

And keep those purse strings tight! ;)

[flyboy55]

I've had a look at the rex one. It appear's very competative. I read in their inflight magazine out of over 1000 applicants only 40 of them were accepted into the cadetship. Good luck

[craigbell]

Thanks for your thoughts Chilli.

I feel this thread has gotten slightly off topic, so aside from Etihad, Rex, and Atlantic for those with a PPL, are there any other cadet schemes that I should look into?

Flyboy: What's your story, are you applying to cadet schemes too? experience?

[airfoil]

When is the closing date for the REX Cadet Pilot program? :confused:

[Csacsa]

Hello guys out there!

I think, I am in similar situation as Craig and other wannabes. Already as a child I wanna be a pilot, but unfortunately the feeling wasn't strong enough. Some years have passed and last year I got back to my childhood's dream: to be an airline pilot. So I started to gather information (cadet programmes, flying schools, pilot forums, etc), when I found Lufthansa's cadet programme. Unfortunately I am too old to qualify, but maybe you can try it.

Good luck!:)

[craigbell]

Csacsa:

Thanks for the heads up, unfortunately I cannot speak German though which is one of their requirements.:(

[zwarriorz]

I've had a look at the rex one. It appear's very competative. I read in their inflight magazine out of over 1000 applicants only 40 of them were accepted into the cadetship. Good luck

The Etihad one is alot more competitive, out of thousands of people who took the first assessment, only 19 people were invited to Abu Dhabi for second assessment, and I think only 6 people were selected at the end.

Good luck!

[craigbell]

I think without a doubt it could be said that any cadet scheme will be competitive. They subsidise or pay for your training, offer you a job at the end. That's some pretty good incentives, especially in todays climate. I wonder how many people who actually apply really want the position.

I bet, and this is a pure guestimate that at least 25% of applicants are doing it for the hell of it.


When is the closing date for the REX Cadet Pilot program? http://static.pprune.org/images/smilies/confused.gif Not sure, doesn't seem to mention a closing date. I guess it may be a rolling application where it doesn't expire.

PS anyone got details of REX salaries? Do they still have pilot shortages?

[Carambar]

Craigbell,

I think you will find the REX Cadetship has gone a bit quiet, in that F/O's are being laid off as we speak. Although it does appear to be an attractive scheme, not all applicants are eligible for the full scholarship. Meaning, the majority of cadets still need to fork out $20K or so.

If the idea of being committed to REX for 7 years in order to gain a free ride to CPL and little progression within the airline appeals to you. Go for it! But as you mentionned, the pay is below standards and T&C's are questionnable to say the least.

Aside from REX, you would have also found that QF has gone into a recruitment freeze. The 2009 Cadetship has been postponed until further notice, however, I would keep checking their website as news regarding the 2010 program will become available fairly soon. It might be worth a shot!

Some would argue that the QF scheme has become more of glorified training course - In that, the cadet may access FEE-HELP ($80K max.) to offset the costs of training. However the course costs being approximated at around $100K, the cadets are responsible for extra $20K. Furthermore, once the course has been successfully completed (aswell as Industry Placement) they undergo further screening/assessment to determine whether or not they will be offered positions as second officers.

In short, every cadet scheme has its pros and cons - In the long run you might be better off taking out a loan and working your way up, as the majority of people do. But in the current climate I wouldn't be betting on a cadet scheme anytime soon and would consider other options.

Best of luck with it all :ok:
Carambar