Will it make any major difference to me if i went down the cheaper route of doing the exams from a less prestigious school
You have a few options for the ATPL GS,
CATS are pretty cheap at £1k and people seem to get job afterwards,
Bristol GS have quite a following too and will be my personal choice.
and fly from an american school who train using the JAA syllabus?
Many pilots have had training at US flight schools and done well in getting a job in Europe. But many people will agree that if you're going to fly or work in the UK then you're better off in learning in UK air space with UK weather.
When i mean difference, im refering to my job chances, assuming all the major british airlines are recruiting in 2 years time.
Who told you they are taking on in 2 years time? Might be worth asking WWW if they are taking on in 2 years time, many think he's Mr Doom and gloom but what he says does make sense and I'd take his advise (but make up your own mind).
As for job chances ... there are many many pilots out of work, ex-airline pilots with maybe 3,000hrs of 737/A320/757 time and no job. There are hundreds of instructors with hundreds if not thousands of hours in their log book waiting their turn.
And then there is Mr Richie Rich who has spent £90k on fATPL training and still has another £35k burning a hole in his wallet who is happy to spend that on a TR.
Because OAA claim to have the backdoor to the HR departments at all the major airlines in the UK.
Glad you said 'claim'.
Do people who have attending less prestigious schools got jobs in the last year or so?
"less prestigious" being
CTC? ... OAA are not the top school, I know a pilot that went to
FTE and started work with an airline straight away albeit 3 or 4 years ago.
It's only my opinion
but use the search button and read the
Sticky, you'll find all the answers there.
Good luck.