Hi guys,
Just reading some of the posts on this forum and I thought I would add my own thoughts.
I went through the CTC scheme, and yes there are some downsides e.g. less paid into your pension, but I simply cannot complain. I am 26 and sitting in the right hand seat of a 757 with 500 hours and having a great time.
I agree over the 7 year period I may be £14000 down compared to a modular guy, but I choose the sponsored route for some good reasons.
1. At least through a decent selection scheme like CTC's you will be told whether or not you are good enough to make it as a commercial pilot.
2. There is a lot of hastle with arranging all your own training - and if you chose the wrong training provider your training maybe of a diminshed quality, and a prospective employer may frown on not using a reptible organisation.
3. Going along the modular route you have no guarantee of a job at the end of the training. I know guys who started training the same time as me (2 years ago) and whereas I am now happily flying they are still looking for jobs - with interest on their loans increasing all the time.
4.Coming from a self improver background - modular - you are more likely to get a turbo prop job than a jet job. Through CTC you are almost 99.9% guaranteed to get a jet job with an airline as long as you pass the training.
5. All the hastle of organising the training is taken away from you, and you are given a sense of security with a sponsored agreement as opposed to a feeling of very much being on your own through a modular training course. There is a great deal of support from a sponsoring training company.
6. Sponsored schemes are generally more accelerated. I.e. I was sitting in the right hand seat of the 757 after only 20 months of training - and as I went through the CTC scheme this inlcuded many more hours training than the minimum required by the CAA (which is generally what modular guys have at the end of their training).
I have to add that these are only some of the plus points and I could go on and on. So from where I am now sitting a £14000 difference over the 7 years is more than worth it. Trust me. If I had to do it all over again I wouldnt change a thing. The choice is obviously yours so dont let my experience sway your decision in anyway. But I thought I would counter some of the negative arguments already posted.
Safe flying guys and best of luck. I hope you all make it.
