Originally Posted by
sergioo_lk
Hi everyone,
I'm considering starting my pilot training and have been researching various flight schools in Europe. One that stands out is
FTE Jerez in Spain, but I’m trying to determine if it’s the right choice for me and if I have what it takes to get in.
A few things I’m wondering about
:
- Reputation and Training Quality:
- I understand is one of the best fly schools, is it true?
- Does their training program truly prepare cadets for airline operations, or is it more theoretical? I believe you get less flying hours compared to other schools
- Job Prospects After Graduation:
- Are their graduates highly sought after in the industry?
- How strong are their airline connections (I know they train for BAW, Ryanair, etc.)?
- Admission Process:
- How tough is it to get into FTE Jerez?
- What is the selection process like? Is it similar to applying for an airline-sponsored program, with psychometric tests, interviews, and aptitude checks?
- Self-Funded vs Sponsored:
- For those who go the self-funded route, is the cost worth it considering the potential return on investment?
- Does FTE Jerez provide solid career support for self-funded students, or do they focus more on airline-sponsored cadets?
I’d love to hear from anyone who’s trained at FTE Jerez or has insights into their programs. Any advice on what to consider or questions to ask before committing to this path would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance for your help! 😊
1. It is definitely well known for being a flight school that is expensive and that delivers very well prepared pilots. It is not just theory, they definitely build you into a 'high quality' pilot. And from my experience there can be people that do not have success after FTE (with success i am refering to getting a job and maintaining it), but I can assure you these were only those who put in very little effort. You can have all the help and resources in the world to make you great but it is you who has to put in the work.
2. The FTE name is definitely a plus, they have a lot of agreements with different flight schools which you cannot get sponsored by or get a cadet job with unless it is through FTE. Even after COVID the school managed to provide some exclusive assessments for cadets, this is one of the reasons why I chose it and even through the crisis it provided, so in that aspect it is a big YES.
3. From what I remember it was tough specially the physics questions and everything took place on the same day. Also during the group interview make sure you demonstrate confidence and attentive listening to your team mates as well. I saw there is already a lot of information here about the phases so I will leave it at that.
4. As mentioned, while I was there COVID hit so my situation is not the most usual, as like me, most people ended up being self-sponsored, so we were all supported in same amounts. There were still some sponsored cadets and that I remember, they didn't have extra support from the school, but they did have regular contact with their airline if their results were low, so extra pressure I would say. In terms of carreer support, the self-sponsored ones were definitely helped more post-school since they did not have an airline contract as you can imagine, but it is a general service so even if you didn't lose your sponsorship you would still be entitled to the help.
Overall for me the costs were definitely worth it but this is subjective and there are plently of other cheaper schools were you can just as well get your license and become a great pilot, it all comes down to you.
Something else to consider may be the environment of the flight school and the people. In my opinion 10/10, there are probably a couple other schools were students are also brought together on the regular but at FTE it is part of its culture and you will always have someone to talk to about academics for support or anything at all, and as for the teachers there may be some disliked ones but all of them will help you out if asked. I find this important as you are meant to live there during your whole stay so the vibes are important. I hope you find what you are looking for my friend.