So, a type rating. Whats the norm for a newly qualified fATPL holder?
A320, 737? Does anyone start on anything bigger?
Do people start on anything
smaller? Why yes they do.
Without going on ad nauseum, the nice people at ANY flying school want you part with your hard earned (or otherwise) cash. Their JOB is to persuade you to fly with their school. So ask yourself which promises can be kept and which cannot. Is what you are paying for value for money. It's not just working out your Return on Investment in the best case scenario, what is the percentage chance of the best case scenario occuring? What's your back-up plan if it doesn't?
Regardless of which flying school you go to, you will walk out with roughly the same number of hours and with the same licence/rating as every other CPL/IR graduate. Not all will have spent the same amount and not all will have the same personality. Not everyone pays for their first type rating.
"Having Oxford on your CV" (I remember them using it as an advertising line) helps some of their graduates, no doubt. But all of them? Former graduates suggest not.
Try and speak to as many people in the area of aviation (Long-haul, Short-haul, LoCo, Exec, Private, Ag, Firebombing, etc.....) that you want to be in as you possibly can. Ask their advice. And don't worry, within two years (if not less) of landing your first job, you'll probably want something better
Good luck with the decision.
Chips