Originally Posted by
Sullysark
Welcome to the debate Mr CTC or L3 Airline Training Academy. Great blog.
In the context of this subject I'm not even sure how I'm supposed to take that. Genuine, or sarcasm?
In any case, I will not deny the change to L3 is creating complexities - some inherited might I add - but I'll certainly not be libellous for the benefit of the odd few. I've been nothing but honest about my own personal experiences throughout my online presence - which to put right the odd false claim is not done through financial reward by the academy in the slightest. My previous statement on the scheme you choose thus remain valid.
Sullysark, you may well be aware of these points but I'll post them here anyway to satisfy curiosities of those not so much in the know.
We’ve had meetings about it the hiccups with operations in Arizona. It's your standard stuff really, aircraft, climate and recently -- as being experienced everywhere -- airlines offering roles to experienced instructors. It would appear as though the DA40s don't achieve the performance otherwise claimed by manuals given the very hot summer which caused delays; many of which now rectified with amendments to SOPs for the fleet! In any case, the partnership behind the very operation in Arizona is to cease in 2018. Florida, i'm told, is currently undergoing approval for EASA and will replace it as the US base given L3 own it. The DA40 fleet is to be split between other sites. Single engine at Bournemouth is new, but at the aforementioned meeting we were told a future plan of CTC Aviation anyway. As far as the New Zealand operation is concerned I can't fault it it's the schools flagship. A second airfield is to become operational here in the next few months - as is public knowledge given L3's recruitment drive for instructors and staff, see L3cts.com - using some relocated DA20s or the incoming DA40s which is yet to be made clear. The delays this year on the NZ front, at least that i've experienced, are related to the very wet spring. For example, this September has been one of the worst for rainfall and convective activity for quite some time and as such there is only one course in the advanced phase of training. VFR has been practically impossible, but it's an annual thing this time of year according to instructors and now we're heading into October flying is picking up again. To be honest, it's not dissimilar to UK weather at times as far as flying would go and I feel it a better location given our eventual flying environment by comparison to Arizona.
Now I appreciate this was hugely off-topic but PPRune seldom provides the wider picture, especially to aspiring pilots. Back to the main point though, regardless of which FTO you enter from (as I know people from OAA and L3 in this position) it would appear the placement delays are linked to type-rating start dates. While you might land a job with the carrier today you might not start your TR until the spring. This is how I remember it being back when I started university. Cyclical.