As it has already been said, there are a vast number of opinions on this site and it can make things more confusing. You need to pick the FTO which just feels right for you, visiting anywhere you're going to apply to is essential!
I've visited both OAA and Cabair and have made up my mind. What I've written below is purely
fact based on my experience of visiting both schools....however I'll probably manage to step on a few toes
and be bombarded with comments of how I've been "sucked in" by all the marketing.
Ground School - ATPL
The course structure at Cabair does have an advantage with regards to splitting the exams up into 4 sittings. It means you have a better chance of getting to grips with the subjects and have fewer exams to take in each sitting, obviously reducing stress for you. However, you sit your last 2 exams the week before you fly out to Spain and don't get the results before you go. This means that when you're in Spain doing your initial flight training you might be told you failed one of your exams and need to sit it when you get back to the UK. So you return to the UK having spent a number of weeks flying and have to get back down to revise for a subject which you haven't done for some time.
At OAA they split it into 2 sittings with 7 in each, although this is greater pressure it seems to work and they get very good results with a 95% average. They don't let you go to Arizona for the 5 months flight training until you have passed all your exams. I’ve read some people saying the course information for OAA is very limited; this is a full breakdown of the course:
http://www.oxfordaviation.net/air_appfo.htm
There have also been a number of comments about Cabair offering degree courses alongside flight training. At OAA a foundation degree is part of the course.
Flying
The DA40 and DA42 are very nice aircraft and I can see why Cabair have gone for glass cockpits as this is what a majority of graduates will be flying once they complete the course. The IR pass rates are said to be, if not close to, the best in the country in terms of those completed as part of an integrated course. As Adios said I expect OAA will move onto something like this. I do think though that it's essential to get experience of flying with older instruments and not to rely on the features of the glass cockpit.
With regards to the MCC/JOC Cabair complete it on the Alsim 200MCC which is a fixed based simulator. It can be configured to different aircraft through the use the LCD screens. OAA complete the MCC/JOC in a full motion simulator, based on the 737-400. Although some may question the relevance of this I think it's hugely important. One of reasons for Cabair using glass cockpit aircraft is that it will help to familiarise students with modern day airliners. Well having a 737 configured simulator over one which can be configured for a Cessna Citation business jet is far more valuable, it provides students with a real opportunity to realistically practice and get to grips with flying an aircraft they could be sitting in several months later.
Employment Statistics
Both have good statistics but the facts show that OAAs are better.
The current statistics on the Cabair website are the same as those we were shown at the seminar in February (I wrote them down) and were last updated on March 14th. When you compare these statistics to those at Oxford it's a different story. You'll also notice that 83 Cabair students are said to have graduated in 2007, when asked by someone at the seminar where the other students were they were not able to provide a clear answer and said that those students may have fallen behind...
We were also told at Cabair that if you're training record is not "up to scratch" and you're unable to find employment with an airline then they'll offer sponsorship to complete your Flying Instructors course with them. In some ways this can be seen as beneficial as it's another option for you in case you're not able to find employment. At OAA, if you're not up to the desired standard for employment with an airline then they will take you off the course and if this happens before the ME CPL they'll refund a large percentage of the training fees. After the ME CPL they feel you should be quite capable of passing the IR and finding employment.
Facilities
The facilities at Cabair are not very impressive with regards to the classrooms and crew room, they were dirty and didn’t feel comfortable in anyway. I don’t know if this was because the tour was fairly limited but there didn’t appear to be any facilities such as a bar, restaurant or shop. Also we didn’t see anywhere for students to work (not in classrooms). At OAA there is a computer suite with “synthetic training devices” where students can practice using instruments, I’m not aware of such a facility at Cabair.
At OAA the facilities are very impressive. The rooms are far more comfortable and I would say a much nicer working environment. There are two restaurants on the campus along with a bar and a small shop for the essentials.
Conclusion
I think it's fairly obvious what I think about each school and if choosing purely between these two where I'd like to train. Like I said, what I've written is purely based on fact and what I saw/heard when I visited each of the schools. I stand to be corrected on some of the points I have made, perhaps we had a bad day or were told incorrect information.
Personally I didn't think Cabair was worth the money. OAA would appear to know what the airlines want and this is definitely reflected in the course, the facilities and the employment statistics.