PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - The CTC Wings (Cadets) Thread - Part 2.
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Old 10th May 2008, 22:05
  #1799 (permalink)  
greenfreddie
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: London
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Spouses in New Zealand

I'll admit to being over here with my wife - CTC have no objections to it at all (they seem to take the attitude that you can do whatever you feel will best assist you to keep your mind on the not insignificant task of learning to be an Airline Pilot).

There are, however, one or three things to bear in mind...

1. Work Visas - Not a snag if under 29 - you can get a backpackers type arrangement. If over 29 Look on the NZ immigration website at the skill shortage lists: if your wife has an appropriate skill, she'll be quids in; if not, it can be a lot trickier, though companies can sponsor people to meet a specific skills shortage (and even then Immigration do their utmost to get in the way).

2. Accommodation - You can share the provided accommodation (I think there is a charge of $70 per week at Clearways towards heat/light/power). Obviously being cooped up in a smallish room is not for everyone, but it is very helpful to stick with your CP for teambuilding / group learning reasons. Individuals have been known to arrange their own alternative accomodation at their own expense (don't know if there is any refund of course costs towards this though).

3. Training schedule - CTC runs a flying and groundschool programme all week, including weekends from Dawn (0630ish) to Night Flying, published the night before - don't expect to be able to plan jaunts around the countryside in advance. You can book leave, subject to approval, if you want to, though when the vagaries of the local weather are taken into consideration this can cause people to drop behind their course mates.

Personally, I've found that comng over here as a couple has worked out really well, but the warning of being bored in the absence of finding work is definitely a fair one - Hamilton is not the most happening of world destinations...
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