My son has been offered a place on the CTC Qatar Wing scheme with the aim of achieving MPL. I am given to understand that the MPL is merely a route to co-pilot. Others claim that it can become a full ATPL after 1500 hours with no additional training costs.
This link to an IATA document from a couple of years ago might help to provide a little background to the subject of MPL's. Also this (albeit promotional)
might provide a little more visual background. The MPL is a structured programme that is designed to lead directly into an airline operation. The programme should be tied to an airline partner as an integral part of the training programme. It is indeed intended to be "a route to co-pilot" however the word "merely" suggests that you may think this is as far it goes? It does become a full ATPL after 1500 hours, subject to the same criteria as a CPL/IR (fATPL) does at the same point. It is not designed as a PPL (Private pilots license) or an unrestricted CPL (Commercial pilots licence) and as such it will not bestow those "privileges" if that is being sort. It is one of the
fast track career programmes, and is intended to be a transition directly from
ab-initio flight training into airline operations. Although not new, it is still a licensing regime that is in an industrial infancy. As more companies emerge from recession, so it is now starting to expand as more countries and large airlines within those countries introduce MPL based cadet programmes.
Is "a frozen ATPL the only sensible route to go" sound advice?
No! This route has always been the traditional route for cadets and pilot aspirants. However the transition from
ab-inito training into airline flying has never been an easy one. The traditional programmes usually go through the step up licencing stages. Those are PPL, CPL/IR, and eventually ATPL. Some of the
fast track courses offered by specific schools who may have affiliations with airline partners, have fATPL courses that also skip the PPL stage. The argument in favour of the traditional programmes, is that there is a more flexible license to be obtained. However if the goal is a
fast track programme into an airline, then the reality is that there needs to be a realistic chance of making that post
ab-initio transition through a tied programme or through a programme that those airlines use for the induction of cadet pilots.
Both methods are currently in use, and different airlines will gear their cadet programmes to one or other or both of them. If there is a conditional offer from any of them, then the method is of less importance than the goal. Obviously this is to be considered with all the usual risk warnings and health and wealth caveats.
What is the reputation of CTC as compared with OAA and FTE?
They are one of what I term "the big three," in respect of UK based integrated training providers for most of the larger airlines that offer cadet programmes. My company has used them for 15 years or so now, and we have generally been pleased with the end product. We continue to source our cadets here, and now do so as both an MPL cadet scheme and an integrated graduate cadet scheme. For all practical purposes there is no difference for the cadet, other than they are tied to the airline for the advanced portion of their training.
All three of these schools have an established reputation. All three of them (and only these three) have been selected by British airways for the last couple of years for their Future Pilot Programme (cadet scheme.) BA currently utilize the traditional integrated fATPL training regime, although in my opinion it is likely they will also transition towards MPL in the future.
Those would be my answers to the questions you have posed. As an observation, I would suggest that the Qatar cadet scheme is a serious player, and likely to be a very good springboard for most of the successful applicants. However the culture and realities of life in some of these countries can throw up their own unique frustrations. For example, there may be long delays in moving to the airline and actually starting the flight training. There are many things to consider, and plenty of resources to help you with your research.