Jerry Lee
In response to your query reference doing the JOC/ MCC with OAA, I was invited to EMA for the RYR assessment late 2008, I was a modular student and had done my MCC in a TP sim so I had been nowhere near a 737 sim (or any other jet sim). The phone call inviting me to the assessment came late afternoon three days before the assessment, I tried frantically to book a couple of hours in a 737 sim before the assessment but it was too late, the sims were all fully booked.
When I arrived for the assessment there were eight people nervously waiting which was myself and seven OAA grads. The OAA guys were pretty angry that they had spent lots of money at OAA and were now looking at spending another large sum for an RYR rating and most did not know where the money was going to come from.
However all the OAA guys had completed JOC and MCC in the OAA 737 sim (about 40hrs experience I think) and they all said that their instructors hammered them with RYR assessment profiles and interview questions. When the sim profiles were handed out all the RYR guys recognised them from their MCC/ JOC days and they were all told to report back to OAA what sim profile they were given and what questions they were asked in the interview so by now OAA must have a very comprehensive data base of RYR assessment sim profiles and interview questions.
Needless to say that my sim flying was sub standard compared to the OAA grad that I was paired with and now while I keep the MEIR and medical in date I am working as a consultant engineer to keep money flowing in and provide for my family.
My advice to you would definitely do the MCC with OAA and if you can afford it do the JOC with them as well (I think you can get a better price if you book them both together) and while you’re at OAA let the instructors know that you will be applying to RYR and hammer them for assessment information, although you are not an integrated student you are a customer and you should get all that you can from OAA. If I had my time again this is definitely what I would do.
Whatever you choose to do I wish you all the very best and good luck with the job hunting.