Hi Justin,
I'm a relatively new addition to Jerez. Hopefully about to knock phase 1 on the head next week.
Bodie is absolutely on the money regarding the MCC and simulator used. Both Oxford and WMU make a big thing about their 737 sim but in reality the MCC has very little to do with actually handling the jet used. The MCC really is regarded as a very small part and dare I say insignificant part of the fATPL.
Airline recognition wise, BAe appears to be in as good a position as the other large FTO's. Good number of airlines have used the college.
Age wise you are well inside the envelope. There is a lot of late 20's to early 30's blokes here from the UK and Ireland. And one or two early 40's too.
I think you'll find the CAA list the 4 FTO's as the only suppliers of the ab-initio integrated course. Good few others should be listed
as supplying modular too.
Weather wise it's been excellent so far apart from the fact it's absolutely cacked it down for most of November. But I suppose it has to rain sometime even in Spain. Otherwise odd spot of morning fog screws things up occassionally but it seems to work out OK in the end as people do appear to graduate on schedule.