Training Schedule - Integrated & MOdular
In reply to the person who posted the specimen Training Schedule, I believe it is necessary to advise would-be cadets of some of the harsh realities of the CTC Schedule.
Not a single Integrated CP has met the training schedule that has been recently posted here. There are multiple reasons for this as follows:
1) Katana failures and groundings reduced the single-engine fleet and caused flying backlogs that affected a lot of CPs.
2) Alpha production was very slow to deliver all 11/12 aircraft, and they went bust around April without delivering the whole lot. Cessnas were rented to cover this and there was a reasonable sized single engine fleet with alpha and c-172s.
3) The requirements of the Integrated course have presented a number of constraints and bottlenecks that have only been dealt with when they hit e.g. scheduling conflicts between groundschool attendance and flying.
4) Twinstar reliability and the liquidation of Thielert resulted in a big reduction of Twinstars and the roping in of the Seminole for VFR Twin training to CPL for some cadets, including earlier modular guys who returned to NZ for a third time to do CPL on the Sems.
5) Bottle-necking on the Twins for integrated courses resulting from insufficient numbers of JAA approved VFR/IR instructors and the relatively long lead times involved in getting instructors through JAA standards to meet JAA Integrated training requirements, along with Tech and weather issues.
6) The wettest winter on recent record has hit everyone and reduced the number of flying days by a huge amount.
7) The magical black box of scheduling/priority that we all know and love.
There are other factors/reasons as well, but to be clear at worst there are people on the integrated scheme who have been here for 18 months. Others are averaging about 15-16 months. This is compared to the 11 - 12 months we were advised it would take to complete NZ. Another guy will have been here for more than 18 months.
Also, the 18-monthers have not completed the NZ syllabus and will have to complete those flights in the UK i.e. despite being here for 50% longer they still haven't finished the 12 month syllabus.
This is also the likely case for CP51 and perhaps CP52.
Phase 1 exam dates are pretty much fixed and everyone goes to Bristol pretty much as planned due to flying progress being irrelevant to those dates.
Phase 2 Bristol dates have been moved around a lot for various courses because of the slow progress made by many CPs. Some people are doing all of Bournemouth then their exams at the end. Others are leaving NZ, travelling home only to have to do Bristol 36 hours after arriving in the UK.
I don't think any integrated cadet has gone through the system on dates, except two guys who have managed to get forward-coursed.
People have been allowed to choose modular or integrated, and at least one course has been made to go modular.
In hindsight, going modular at CTC is probably the best option because you get through the flying quicker, you have access to more instructors, and you seem to spend the least amount of time in NZ. Plus CTC have been doing modular longer than integrated and you don't need to attend groundschool. Be clear too that going modular makes zero difference to your chances of airline placement with CTC. The only reason they went to Integrated was to satisfy BA, but even they have now officially said that they will (, have and are) taking modular cadets. Apparently one day they will only accept integrated but not yet. Everyone knows that a CTC modular course is delivered as though it were integrated. When cadets arrive out here they don't know enough about the system and people end up believing that integrated is "best". It's not it's just got different challenges to delivery. At least with modular you get a PPL, you can take your mates flying on your solos, and you could in theory rent the Twinstar on your own. Integrated people can't do anything except the syllabus flights. Integrated guys don't get any licenses until right at the end once your exams and IR test is done. Modular guys can enjoy PPL privileges in NZ and do wet hires of Alphas and Cessnas from Waikato aeroclub for $180ish per air hour. It's therefore perfectly possible to book some time off, hire a plane between four of you then sod off to the south island and it really won't cost you that much.
Be smart and expect to be here for 18 months and budget accordingly. You won't therefore run out of cash and be disappointed when your dates slide back. Do the maths and realise that you will spend a significant amount of time on the ground here. The contract and the visa expressly prevent you from working out here, and possibly for the entire duration of the course. Don't be afraid to take a bit of time off and make sure you enjoy NZ. There are people here who will tell you you shouldn't take time off and that flying must come first etc etc etc. These people are wrong. Worklife balance applies everywhere and if you're going to be sat on your arse for a week, you might as well get to enjoy it rather than spending it on the Pilot Farm all the time.
The quality of the training is good. Instructors here are good. CTC cadets have as good a chance as anyone, according to what we hear, of getting a jet job and that's what we're all paying for. It's the bits in between the flying that are the most challenging in some respects.