thanks for the info, at the min CAE is the front runner for me right now.
I have moved to the interview stage, the delay rumours at L3 I found off putting.... second choice to CAE would be FTA Shoreham at the min which I might well pop down and have a chat with them next year also.
It seems to me they all have there issues, but I agree, they do seem unpopular by a fair few across these boards.
Originally Posted by
KSINGH
So this thread is full of plenty of truth but there also seems to be plenty of half truths (fuelled by jealousy?) going about too with little basis in reality.
As a current L3 cadet I can’t speak of CAE but have heard similar stories from them
1. L3 DO have serious serious capacity issues that they still are failing to address-some courses are getting 6-8 month delays, some are getting sent home after having started flight training and some still don’t have confirmed timelines with later stages of training not even made aware to them- all in all a real sh!t show.
L3 can (fairly) say this is not all of their own doing as they’ve been let down by aircraft trainer OEMs and airlines have been sucking up their instructors faster than they can train them ( let this pour cold water on those here spreading fear of current state of the airline industry). But L3 have been far too slow to address this issue- they didn’t slow down intake fast enough and only now have they started offering airline salaries to their FIs.
2. training standards ARE very high in L3, they want you to pass everything first time and to get a very high mark. I’ve heard of many modular students on their 3rd/4th sitting for GS exams or averaging high 70% pass rates. In L3 this is almost unheard of- average pas rate is easily 85% across the 14 and almost everyone gets this with first time passes.
It’s fair to say that the L3 selection process (which is identical to Virgin, BA and EasyJet MPLs) is also responsible for that. Almost all cadets are very bright with high aptitude.
it should be noted that L3 have recently tightened their hold pool policy also so that less well performing cadets are not eligible for the hold pool.
As for flight training the instructors in NZ are very capable on the whole. It is hit and miss to a degree- I know some got some less than helpful instructors but the vast vast majority are exceptional at what they do and what the L3 brass tell you down there about having the highest standards in the industry is correct. They are from day one trying to get you prepared for the RHS of a jet and they train with this in mind.
(I’ve only just passed CPL so cant speak of the quality ar BOR where you do advanced ME/IR but I’m told standards there are very high too)
3. in terms of placement this is a rather shady subject with L3. Internally the information we are told now is quite different to what we are told at selection. Placement rates ARE very high (>95%) and that too within 1-3 months of completing training
if you can afford it these schools are a good place to go for ab-Intio training but remember that once you’ve signed the contract and handed over your money you’re at the mercy of L3 and they are utterly utterly pathetic with their communication and ability to give truth to their cadets. Don’t believe everything you hear though about L3 from people that have never been trained by/at L3 establishments. There is a LOT of animosity towards CTC/L3 for reasons that are best left to your imaginations, plenty seem to want to justify their own decisions and think they need to put down CTC/L3 to do this.