How to Justify Untagged/Whitetail Integrated Training These Days?
It's quite remarkable IMO how the low-hour recruitment market is moving towards modular training. Even just a couple of years ago an integrated course was seen as by far the easiest way to get an airline job. A certain "big 3" flight school refers to people following this route as whitetail cadets. Courses cost upwards of 100,000 when modular can be done for around half of that.
Simple question, why on earth would anybody choose this route at the moment and how can the major training organisations continue to justify such high prices? Focusing on the main UK airlines and how they currently recruit low-hour pilots:
BA - tag some L3/CTC cadets part way through training.
Virgin - only low-hour recruitment is via their MPL
EZY - rumours on here suggest they're not hiring as many from the hold pools like they used to. Sponsored type-rating scheme seemingly open to all schools.
Jet2 - pilot apprentice scheme open to all candidates
Ryanair - long history of recruting from all backgrounds and now offer bonded type ratings
Flybe / BA Cityflyer - both hire from a range of backgrounds including modular
TCX - hire cadets through IAGO which is open to both modular and integrated
Thomson - rarely hire cadets but recently opened applications for all backgrounds
Clearly, "whitetail" candidates are eligible to apply for most of the schemes. However, in the vast majority of cases, the airline they apply to would also consider a modular candidate.
The "big 3" flights schools have historically justified extortionate prices based on their favourable reputation amongst the airlines and ability to get cadets jobs soon after graduation. Increasingly the evidence just doesn't seem to support this. If you remove airline links from the equation, then the question boils down to "Are L3/FTE/OAA etc 2x better than modular judged on training quality/reputation alone". Personally I doubt this, whatever the marketing people might try and say.
Just to note, I'm not looking to start either untagged integrated or modular training at the moment so there's no ulterior motive here, just personal interest.