Alex - I think you are quite correct in saying the current ground training syllabus under JAA is superior and more relevant than that which we enjoyed under the old CAA system - ahh, how could I get by without understanding DECCA Lane Slip... etc.
On the flying side though I think we have gone slightly backwards I am afraid.
Graduates now spend even less time in the air and more time in the Sim. The time they spend in the air is now nearly all dual. They can graduate without ever having flown a twin solo - that usually suprises people. There is now a total lack of 'beacon bashing' or hour building in either the Integrated or Modular route - virtually every hour is a prescribed exercise. I think this makes for a less flavoursome flying course and fewer opportunities to 'learn about flying from that'.
I also think it is undesireable to produce commercial pilots who have never been beyond 45 degrees of bank or 40 degrees of pitch. Similarly I wonder about the wisdom of removing spin training from the syllabus.
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Towers has identified a very clear trend in the world of flight training.
The basic flying syllabus to CPL and IR is the bread and butter and stiff competition means nobody makes much money out of it. The jam has become MCC courses and now Jet Intro Courses. As well as various Airline Preparation Paraphenalia.
These are the real money spinners and thats why schools are pushing them so hard.
And don't set GAPAN on some kind of pedestal either. Fine people involved and all that but they have an agenda as well. GAPAN sit between the FTO's and the airlines in many respects. They provide sponsorships to a few Wannabes, they provide kudos to some FTO's and they provide selection testing to some airlines.
Just because their marvelous survey finds that airlines want Wannabes to pay for more training doesn't really mean anything.
Airlines would like Wannabes to pay for type rating and then preferably work for free - one or two are even cheeky enough to attempt this recently.
But when the market picks up as it surely will then you will see all this fall away. Got a CPL? Got a Frzn ATPL? Got a current IR? Can you start next week? Right - thats all you need, now what size hat do you take?
The frills of MCC and certainly JIC are just that. If you have the cash comfortably then by all means spend the money. But don't think you *have* to because GAPAN and a few schools said you needed to.
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You'll need cash in reserve to pay for Class one and IR renewals each year. You'll need cash in hand to pay for attending interviews and paying for selection days. You'll need cash in hand for an Instructors rating. Blowing the lot in a tremendous bout of '5h1t or bust' to get that Jet F/O position with Big Airways is probably too risky a strategy.
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Oh how we'll all look back and laugh in 5yrs when the airlines can't find enough pilots and they're poaching each others and sending recruiters out to Little Piddlington In The Marsh airfield scouting for talent....
Good luck,
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