AIS Flight Academy Cadet Scheme [Archive]

Intrance

26th Aug 2016, 02:04

You can get all the details on their site or by contacting them. They have basically split the integrated course in two. If you pass all your ATPL exams with 'sufficient' scores (which are not specified) you can continue with the practical part, the actual flight training. At this point you also sign an 'employment-training contract' that guarantees you a job at their own airline.

The info says a type rating on 737 or Jetstream 32. They do have a 737 sim, but no actual aircraft yet (as far as I am aware that is, they are working on it). So not sure how they will offer you employment if they are not operating the type yet, but who knows what happens in the 22 months it will take you to complete the training.

The Jetstream 32, while being a good first plane to get some proper flying experience on, is a dead type. After your employment at AIS runs out, try finding another operator with the type that has more than one or two frames. It is also below 10.000kg and less than 20 seats, which can make it difficult to get past the first filters at a lot of airlines if you want to move on. So think twice about that one. There will be options, but in general they will come after your own hard work, not because of the type or the 500 hours multi-pilot you've gathered.

Price... €9.500 + €123.000 excluding living costs, transport, food and such for nearly two years... That's an easy >€150.000 overall. If you are going for the 737 rating and possible experience, I would think you can get the same end result for a lot less by picking a cheaper integrated course and getting your own type rating + 500 hours package somewhere. Remember that they will have to keep the flow of cadets going so after X amount of time or hours you will most likely be out. And joining the queue of rated 737 pilots without a job.

Hope this helps. It's not meant too sound really negative, but I was trying to look at it a bit realistically.