Professional Pilot Training (includes ground studies)A forum for those on the steep path to that coveted professional licence. Whether studying for the written exams, training for the flight tests or building experience here's where you can hang out.
Hard decision whether to choose CTC wings or not, however it would be interesting to know weather if they are any CTC wings students (on PPRuNe) who are still unemployed (meaning by that waiting over a year for a job).
Not seen Oxford or FTE yet, as I'm wondering which one of these 2 are better than CTC for their training and employment at the end, any ideas?
Since I started this thread in January 2010 and as its had over 104,300 views until now, I thought I would add where My flight training got me:
Since completing my modular cpl/ir in 2009, I sent out my cv and applications to all the airlines and charter companies I could find across the world. I heard back from 4 in total, had missed a telephone interview with a UK based lo cost airline and was not given another chance to arrange a telephone interview, two others airlines were based in Africa however I did not have the experience on the aircraft type and finally had an interview with a European airline.
I received a job offer and put myself in to greater debt by having to find extra finance for the type rating.
I have been flying for them for almost a year now and have met many guys from both integrated and the modular route along the way.
All I will tell you is that we have the same job and when I tell some of them how much my training cost, you could hear a pin drop in the room. My debts are a lot less and should be paid off within 2.5years.
Guys it's a no brainer, don't fool for the shiny brochures and kind words given to you at the integrated open days. Instead, ask them why it costs so much more than the modular route even when they send you to America to do part of the training (where it is meant to be a lot cheaper than in the UK). Their costs per student are much lower and should actually make the whole course a lot cheaper than modular.
Enjoy the flight training, go for the job but don't just spend your money or anyone else's on expensive training. There are some great modular schools out there offering a professional and personal service.
Excellent - thanks for the inspirational post. Many congratulations and all credit to you for the achievement. Great to have an antidote to the doom and gloom - especially in the midst of ATPL exams.
Hi everyone, i finally made the decision to quit my current education plan and go modular to hopefully end up as a hired pilot anywhere. Even if i fail Iam sure I would feel better to have tryed my best in terms of aviation, rather then done nothing at all.
Now to my quastion: I have managed to get hold of a job which salary able´s me to save 1000 euros every month. Iam aware of that this might not seem much, and that it will take me several years to complete this little project of mine, but would you guys who went modular, advise me to save up to a respectfully sum of cash (e.g the sum of the whole PPL) before actually beginnning the training?
(or perhaps save up even more?)
In doing this I would gain the advantage of always beeing one step ahead of my education regarding its financing I guess, although I want to start flying as soon as possible.
You guys who went modular, how did you finance the project? and beyond all, any other advises to a beginner?
I'd do a PPL reasonably quickly first so that you're not on too flat a learning curve. To do that, you need the funds to startwith. But buy the groundschool books now and whilst you are building up the money to do your PPL flying, learn the material you'll need for the ground exams. Navigation will be a struggle, because it's hard to understand until you've done some actual cross-country flying, but the rest you can certainly do before any flying.
Then, slowly but post PPL, you can build up funds towards the CPL course whilst doing the relatively inexpensive distance learning groundschool (assuming you do it that way) and some steady hourbuilding knowing enough about yourself and flying to know if you really want to carry on that way.
Doing a flying course slowly is the expensive way in the long run. I made that mistake on my CPL and probably added 10 hours doing so, which is a lot of cash!
I am in a similar scenario, and have read these boards with interest and taken advice from those with experience.
For what it is worth, the best advice I have received seems to be that the PPL, distance learning for the ATPL, hour building and even the CPL at a push can all be done part time whilst working.
However, the instrument rating is by far the toughest part and should absolutely be done in one hit if possible. This will mean taking 8-12 weeks out of work, but I have been told certainly worth it.
Best of luck, and hopefully in a few years when we have all the licences there will be some jobs around that aren't ring fenced for integrated cadets or those that have gone through p2f!
Hi everyone, i finally made the decision to quit my current education plan and go modular to hopefully end up as a hired pilot anywhere. Even if i fail Iam sure I would feel better to have tryed my best in terms of aviation, rather then done nothing at all.
As others have said many times on other threads, it's probably worth doing a few hours of flying before you make any big decisions re. commercial training. You never know you may find you hate it! I would say do the PPL first and then, if you still want to go for it at that point, start on the ATPL DL and hour building.
I totally agree you should do the PPL in as short a time as possible. I spread mine over several years and it added £000s to the overall cost.
That said, do go for the odd flight while you're studying for the ground exams as it gives you motivation! I'm combining hour building with ATPL theory for this reason.
Thank you guys, It is very comforting to read about other who find themselves in the same situation, and the information have been very appriciated. I will work to save up money for the PPL, while reading the theory, and then start the whole thing. Iam very excited! The first thing I will do is a medical check
Sorry i forgot to ask if you guys think that beeing away from the academic
world for that long, will effect my possibilities to get through the test's that airlines, if i understod it correctly, requires you to pass in order to even think about getting hired? What i mean is that My math skills, not to talk about my physics skills probably is going to be a bit rusty after working day and night in order to finance the modular CPL, or is it mainly flying skills that are tested combined with IQ test?
Best Regards!
Last edited by FoJohansson; 14th Sep 2012 at 16:07.
Reason: New quastion
I left school in 08 and wanted to go Int however; at the time I was naive and stupid and believed Cabair would get me a job at the end. Lucikly we didnt have 70k to do it so I decided to spend the next 2years working and manged to save best part of 15k alongside getting a PPL and some hours.
During that time my desire to do this all grew and through doing various jobs I realised this is what I really want to do and I would never know where the dream would go unless I gave it a shot. Through looking up at planes on my lunchbreak wishing I was up there is the fuel for the fire to push you through all the turmoil and trouble that you will experience during flight training and that first job.
However last year I finished my job and started the road from PPL to Fatpl Armed with my cash and a loan and family help.
Now about to start my MCC do i regreat going modular? No Would I change it? No, because I have met some fantastic people along the way and only have a 13k loan at the end of all this rather than 80k. So I can continue my life and aspiration to become a pilot in a sustainable manner.
For me 80k and the next ten years of my life paying it off is too much of a risk to take. As there are fine lines between dreams/nightmares.
Im considering taking the modular route; first gain my PPL, onto Oxford's Waypoint programme and worked it out to be around £47k, then there is the hour building which is estimated to be around another £14 - £15k, this course with oxford includes; ATPL (A) theory, MEP, IR , CPL, and JOC if needed.
What do some of you gents think about this option?
hello, did you know any cheap flight school for IR/MEP with good background in europe? i was looking some schools and the cost is approximate 15k euro i'f got the jaa cpl+atp theory and i need to finish the training but until the time i don't have so many k. Thank you
I intend to go that path myself.....Im working a normal job and have 3 kids + the missus and a motorbike so I will be getting a loan and saving then another loan + the money I have saved etc.
Luckily a family friend has a King Air which I will be Co-Pilot from Ireland to France a few times a year.
and all credit to you for the achievement. Great to have an antidote to the doom and gloom - especially in the midst of ATPL exams.
so I will be getting a loan and saving then another loan + the money I have saved etc. 
