OAA v CTC
Its not an easy choice as there will be several factors on both sides.
From previous posts you might see that I am not in favour of CTC, as they have great hype but produce less than advertised these days.
Which could be said for all schools.
Now CTC type rate their students to suit their client requirements which is a definite plus but the negative side is that you only receive £1000 per month whilst working for the client airline, this lasts for 6 months which is the length of commitment that the airline has to you, after which you could well be back on the street, circa Easyjet and Monarch in 2008.
OAA offer help with job placement after completion of the course but there are no job guarantees, recent agreement with Jet2 and some other carriers will help once the market picks up.
As to standards of ground training, they are certainly on a par, but i consider the OAA product to have the edge as there is more availability of 1 to 1 training from the instructors, and there is less stress in the course as in CTC they can chop you for not reaching their level of performance, where as OAA are far more realistic in their approach.
Basic flying training is very much up to the student and their trainers, which is where the selection procedure weeds out the men from the boys.
You have to achieve the high standards of the JAA tests, and you can be taught the basics very well by either establishment, but in the end its up to you.
Instrument rating training, OAA has the edge on the type of flying (UK) and the overall experience of its instructors, some of whom have been teaching students for several years at OAA (Longer than CTC has been around)
Both establishments offer very good MCC and JOC courses with current and retired airline captains.
Now possibly a clincher is that OAA offer a skills net right up to the CPL skills test, where if you fail any phase and leave, you can receive back the cost of all monies paid out, with the exception of your room and food charges.
The selection from each company is conducted in phases but at OAA it is completed in 2 consecutive days and the result is given in the debrief on day two.
Yes CTC average 4-6% pass rate, where as OAA have a 37-45% first time pass rate at selection.
This is because of the difference in requiements :-
CTC base recruitment upon their client airline requirements currently very low.
OAA offer a product with no job guarantee at the end of the course, but have client airlines who will recruit from them when the market improves.
Current main recruiter of OAA students are Ryanair but you must also pay for your own type rating.
Finally the current market is at an all time low for student recruitment and neither CTC or OAA are placing the majority of their students.
It may be that after you finish your training the market will have changed in the 2-3 years from now.
The choice is yours