Medical The school won’t arrange this for you, you need to do it yourself. If you’re training with SFC then it’s the modular route, so you could start off with a class 2 medical, which will suffice for the PPL and hours building. The advantage is it’s quick and easy, and you could get it from the on-site AME. The disadvantage is that you’ll need a class 1 medical for the CPL in any case, so the class 2 would only be a stop-gap. As Reddo says, your best bet is to get the class 1 asap, and certainly before you commit serious funds to training. The initial can only be done by the CAA at Gatwick, and they’ll relieve you of several hundred pounds for the privilege.
Aptitude Test Putting your cynical hat on for a moment, even if the school (any school) gives you an aptitude test – bearing in mind you are about to spend £20, 30, 40k with them – how likely are they to advise you of your unsuitability for flying training? Not a dig at SFC, it’s a very good school, but I would expect
any training provider to tell me my career prospects were great, as long as I had two arms, two legs and a credit card.
For an
independent assessment of your prospects, check out the GAPAN website. I’m not sure what their aptitude testing sessions cost these days, but whatever it costs it’s money well spent. Loads of information on here, pm me if you need more detail.
Maths & Physics I failed A-level maths, got a ‘C’ in physics. It’s no big deal, ATPL theory is at GCSE maths and physics level. I found the greater depth of A level physics came in useful with some subjects, but it’s by no means essential.
If you can manage time/distance problems, rearrange equations and work out reciprocal headings, you’ll be OK.
CPL and ME/IR or ME/IR and CPL I haven’t done either yet so am not best qualified to answer, but the consensus is that the CPL is an easier step up from the PPL than the IR, and is itself good preparation for the IR. That’s one reason that most people do it this way (SFC included). Another reason is that jobwise, an IR isn’t much use on its own, whereas a CPL could be used to instruct without an IR. This would give you some flexibility if the job market or funds require you to delay your training.