Getting your ATPL - a novel approach!

[Anti Skid On]

Having all but giving up on getting the illusive licence in the UK, I have found an interesting way of getting it here in New Zealand. Thought I'd post it here as there MAY be a couple of folks who want to try the same.

Out here in NZ they have student loans, which are granted to anyone wanting to go to Uni. Basically you agree to repay your student loan (plus 7% interest) back to the government once you are employed. The loan can be for the full course fee's (so long as it is at a Uni/Polytech) and additional living fees (NZ%150 per week is quoted). So long as you can get 'Permanent residency' status (if you already have decent quals and the ability to get work you'll get that) you can apply for the loan (don't even think about trying on a student visa as course fees double!)

The reason for highlighting this is that the Uni's here offer frozen ATPL as a course click here for info (http://www.wintec.ac.nz/progregs/DipTechAvi.htm) - for around NZ$80K (that's £24K) you get a Uni diploma, PPL, CPL, Multi, IR and frozen ATL and 230 hours. Because the course is modular you can progress step by step (so if you hold a PPL already you can get exemptions). Likewise there are opportunities to hours build given the amount of gliding/free fall and tourist flights going on.

Getting residency takes about 6 months though and will set you back about £1000. The cost of living is cheap and there appear to be some turbo-prop jobs about here to allow for consolidation of experience. I presume an NZ ATPL is internationally recognised (the syllabus appears to be the same as Ozzie) and I can't comment on conversion charges.

The acadmic year in NZ starts in Feb, so realistically people thinking of coming from Europe would need to get things rolling ASAP.

[jdp181]

Anti Skid On

have you any idea if one of these visas would be ok?

New Zealand Working Holiday Visa

and how longs the course? if you 18 - 30 you can pick up one of these visa's without too much difficultly from the New Zealand high commission for a year?

some organisations help you get it as well...

http://www.bunac.org

cheers and have fun

[Anti Skid On]

Don't think so, the working holiday thing lasts a year, the course is 2 academic years (so summer off to hours build/work to get more cash). Unless you have citizenship or permanent residency they won't give u the student loan (don't know how they keep teack of people either once they have finished - don't quote me on that one!)

However the working holiday and a PPL could be a way of hours building, as I do know a couple of PPL's who did parachute work this summer.

[Aim High]

Nice to see people thinking laterally
It sounds like a great experience

Would you still need to convert to JAA though?

[niallcooney]

Guys,

Sounds ideal if you're looking to fly down-under on a semi permanent basis. However I would be 99% sure that the license, whether PPL or ATPL, would need be converted to JAA which would cost a job. So, a good option for the more adventurous, but doesn't help us home people. But I might give it a go anyway!

[redsnail]

To convert a non JAR licence to a JAR one is very expensive. If you don't have 500 hours in multi crew aircraft it will cost at least $A50,000 and you must do all the JAR ATPL exams.
In NZ you to get the ATPL you must be flying multi pilot a/c. In Australia you don't. BTW there is no such thing as a "frozen" ATPL in NZ or Aus. You have a CPL with an IR and you have the ATPL credits. No one will know what you are talking about if you say "frozen ATPL". Also, something to note, you can't log P1/US time from the RHS in either NZ or Australia even if it is "your leg". So you need to get the command time prior to getting a multi crew job.
Getting work in NZ is quite difficult. Like Australia there are many qualified pilots out there and too few jobs.
Many Kiwi's go to Australia to look for work. The NZ and Aus licences are interchangeable.

[kezza]

Hi anti skid
I'm a kiwi thinking of returning, could you tell me the process.
I was under the inpression that you could only get a loan of max $6500 per year and that it had to be for a full time course lasting more than a year.
How did you manage to borrow that amount of money?
Whats your impression on the job front? I'm not sure about returning to the UK so I want to gain workin NZ.

If you can please email me with some details which would be much appreciated.

Thanks:)

[Anti Skid On]

Kezza, I havn't got that far yet! However, the student loan website states 'If you're studying at a tertiary institution such as a university or polytechnic you can borrow as much as you need for your fees. '

This is why I got excited, as it seems a good way of get the funds (from the state and not a bank manager). The website here (http://www.winz.govt.nz/student/student_loan/student_loan_index.html) gives all the info (perhaps the $6500 you mention is the max you can get for living costs and additional fees (e.g. books)

Thanks for the corrections on 'frozen' status Redsnail. I've also posted on the Australasia forum asking about jobs, etc (yet to check that)

[Anti Skid On]

Quick update - the Southern Institute of Technology in Invercargill are offer completely free course fees (don't know if Invercargill is THAT bad a place) - the flight time costs NZ$57K for 200 hours including flight tests and instruction.

[Lil'KiwiPaddy]

Hi Guys

Just something I noticed yesterday on a form at Uni. If you are a permenant resident then you can get a student loan that covers all the costs (certainly applies here at Massey, sure it applies elsewhere too).

But as redsnail says if you are planning to convert an NZ CPL/IR to JAA then you may spend more converting the licence than getting it in the first place so not worth going beyond PPL and hour building (apart from experience).

I would thoroughly recommend coming down here though, place kicks A$$!!

LKP
:D