Firstly i would like to say hi to everyone as its my first post! Iam in my low 30s and luckly now find myself in a position to be able to chase my dream of being able to fly for a living! This weekend i visited the oxford open day as i was unsure of really knowing how to take the next step i.e modular or intergrated. Being honest i wasnt very impressed. After being told in no uncertain terms by one of the instructors "low 30s is to old for airline training and employment" the day wasnt going to well!
I have to be honest, although yes the facility looks great, i can honestly say i thought it was all a bit miss leading.
The md of oaa gave a talk on about how great the service/facility is and how "intergrated" is really the only way to get a job now for the newbie atpl holder etc etc. But then right at the end of the speach he went onto cost. over 86k plus a type rating that could well be over an additional 30k. The 86k was provided that a first time pass was achived on every phase! so if your "Normal" and not a robot you have got to budget for some extra training. I roughly added it all up to around £130k with some extra training, as did a few other people i got talking to on the day!
Then came the crunch for me. A airline training captain came along to obviously push the training that oaa provide, and make it clear that there were openings in 2011 and oaa intergrated students will be high up on the list to the airline But.... He stated that the students they offer jobs to would be paid by an hourly rate of £50p/h. But restricted to 500hrs maximum. Once they have completed the 500hrs they MIGHT be offered further employment.
I cant help but think is this a correct??, who would fork out towards 130k to see a return lets be honest of 20k (after taxes) tops and then be told "sorry mate ya out of a job!" and still at the end have a frozen licence.
I might have miss understood but i was not alone in thinking this on the day.
If i have got it wrong i will hold my hands up and say sorry but at the end of the day iam looking at spending alot of money with a training provider and from what i heard on Sat at this stage it wont be OAA.