Originally Posted by
rhysgittoes
Hi all,
I've fortunately built a decent amount of savings and have just completed my PPL and hoping to start my distance groundschool in the next week or so, sitting around 20 hrs PIC.
I've had mixed converstations from people, with finding emplyoment after obtaining an fATPL. From my understanding there's no disadvantage going modular, as long as you ace the theory atpl's and go to a reasonbly good school for the professional training.
Despite this someone who is currently instructing told me since he didn't go integrated he's been in the BA hold pool for 3 years while direct entry pilots from integrated courses have been getting first jobs there.
As you can probably imagine this worreid me, as if it's an extra 10k - 15k to go integrated, although its "Wasted" money, staying in a hold pool with 3 years less potential pay is also wasting money.
I'm very much in the dark on how the post trianing enviroment is - Has anyone got advice on this? Will sparing this money and using it for a type rating help with employability?
Thanks very much for the help!
BA wise once you are in the hold pool your training route matters not one single jot, you have made the grade - there are different hold pools depending on what route you ended up there, the NQP is where guys and gals from non tagged (i.e. FPP) courses end up - it was maybe last open back in 2018? At the moment NQP is closed as is DEP; that is for pilots with multi crew/airline experience. Whichever hold pool you are in, what matters above all else is WHEN you got into it. Seniority is king at BA.
Training route matters a lot less than being a professional and keen person, taking the time to network and possibly even find a job in aviation outside of flying - I am always staggered how many young people don’t see the advantage of working in ops or similar; if nothing else you build contacts and you may even find yourself in a job before it is even advertised. You’re investing a huge amount of money into your training, investing some time into the practicalities of getting into the industry rather than “the dream” is a very very worthwhile pursuit.
At the moment in the UK there is as far as I am aware only RYR and maybe EZY who expect you to pay for your own type rating; DHL, BA, West Atlantic, Cityflyer, Eastern, Logan, Aurigny, Blue Islands… all do either bonded or other schemes where you do not pay for the TR, including for wet CPLs. That’s before we even get into the likes of RVL, Skybus and FCS. Paying for a TR shouldn’t really be an option.
Edit - even Wizz offer some sort of bonded TR I am now told by someone younger and more up to date than I am on such things.
Edit 2 - PM box is open if you want.
There are a lot more airlines out there than BA and Ryanair.