OK, let me once again add further clarity to my argument. Which job pays more? The A320 or HS748 - if you really want to argue that the HS748 pays more - great go ahead - i'll just watch you commit social suicide. So, my point which I spelled out in as many words is that the choice of school is nothing to with ability, your skill - it is a political choice.
Look, main pax airlines in this country (sched and charter) are risk aversive, and cost conscious - They want someone who is the lowest risk - I'm not interested in what historically that stats are for OAT - the point is this new APP programme is under consideration - and if that is what the airlines want chances are that is where the airlines will look first for pilots.
Personally, I'll fly a duck with a seat - but with a potential bank loan to consider, the option of I'll fly anything does not feature - the attitude of - this is gonna cost me £60k and I need to pay it back (and to have a life would be nice) so, i'm gonna choose the course which gives me the greatest chance of success - I'm not saying it is the best - never have, i'm not saying that someone else from somewhere else will not get the job I want, what i am saying is, - play the game - give the airlines what they want. You can harp on all you like about my qualification is the same as Fred Smiths - that is the niave attitude. This goes back to my original analogy with the universities - the APP scheme is based on ability - yes, BAe also ask you to do a test - but the APP selection scheme is a carbon copy of the airlines sponsorship selection process - I notice someone complaining about it - I would complain if it wasn't! So Oxford recruit the best and are perceived from the person who dishes out the employment contracts point of view as being one of the best schools.
The JOC element - maybe you do repeat it when you start training with the airline - but at least the airlines will know if your likely to pass it if you've already done the basics - lowers their risk.
I'm not working on behalf of Oxford, I'm not championing their corner, I am not dissing any other school or route. What I am saying is - look logically at the situation. The APP scheme is the same cost as BAe (maybe slightly more) but accommodation is extra. BAe is £57-£60k depending on exchange rate, OAT APP is £60k. OK, you also need accommodation but that's it - the accommodation comes as cheap as you want to make it. So, OAT may end up around £65-£70k.
Modular - rarely costs as low £40k, nearly always creeps up to around £60k - based on what everyone I have spoken to has told me.
Anyway, I've harped on enough and no doubt bored you all to tears (for which I am sorry - but this was a nice distraction to what I was doing before). So, good luck everyone, we'll all get that Shorts SD360 job one day, and my won't we be proud of it!
GJK