Krusty
I totally agree, if done properly like the old QANTAS cadetship and in relative numbers there is nothing wrong with them. We do not need them!
The cadetships as we see them today were 'sold' to the australian airlines by Petteford of Oxford Aviation Academy given the serious funding problems in the UK that seriously threatens his business model.
Oxford have some serious safety issues (cultural and operational) and significant experienced instructor shortages at the moment. Certainly not the type of organization portrayed by their smooth talking and glossy brochures. They have a serious backlog on IFR training, 6-8 months I heard and Pettedord is still trying to drum up business. Iraqi Airways are the latest client being taught the JAR syllabus by imported instructors.
If you see someone from Oxford ask them about the recent incident involving a foreign cadet where the CFI was pressured by senior management in the UK to send him solo despite the advice from one of her grade 1 instructors who had flown with this cadet on a pre solo check 3 times and said he wasn't ready. What happened on the first solo was an accident in the making although it ended without incident thanks to the intervention of a GMH instructor that talked him down.
CFI's should not be caving into management on such issues. The CASA / ATSB report should make interesting reading if it is reported.
More to Follow
the Kelpie
Edit: just learned that the Grade 1 has left on his own volition given that he had an offer from link that was quashed after an Oxford manager of German origin had a word with Qlink and told them that if this Grade 1 left that it would cause major operational problems. His plan didn't work cause the G1 left anyway and Oxford still have operational problems....,and no sufficiently experiences king air instructors other than the CFI ( who doesn't want to instruct on it!!)
Note to instructors: working for Oxford can seriously damage and hinder your career!!
Last edited by The Kelpie; 20th Mar 2011 at 00:46.