Best way forward?

[1pudding1]

Here's my virgin post!

Im currently in my final year of a PhD in Aeronautical Engineering, which I should finish next september. I intend on becoming an airline pilot (dont we all!), but am totally unsure of the best way to proceed. Ive only just discovered this forum, and it looks like its gonna be a very good source of infomation. I have extremely little actual flying experience.

I therefore think an integrated course would suit me best. I am leaning towards the Cabair course as my home is near there and would therefore reduce costs.

If anyone could help me in the right direction that would be great. Would an integrated course be best for a newbie like me? Am i right in being tempted to Cabair solely to reduce costs - are OAT, Bae and cabair on a similiar level?

Any help and guidance would be very much appreciated! :D

Ryan.

[FlyingForFun]

Ryan,

Welcome to PPRuNe,

I have no personal experience of any of the integrated schools, so I can't advise you on whether Cabair are better or worse than any of the others you mention.

However, you suggest that keeping costs down is an issue.

If you were to do a modular course, you would finish with exactly the same license, in a similar timescale, with more flying hours, and - potentially - a large cost saving. I won't go into all the advantages/disadvantes here, because it has been discussed many many times before - do a search and you will find plenty of information comparing the two types of course. Not that there's anything wrong with the integrated course - but don't tie yourself down to it at this early stage.

Also, before you get too involved, have a trial lesson if you haven't done so already, just to confirm that you really do enjoy controlling an aeroplane. And, most important, get down to Gatwick and have a Class 1 medical, because if you can't get the medical then everything else is a waste of time and money.

FFF
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[1pudding1]

Could you briefly outline what a modular course consists of? I have a vague understanding and am looking at it now. I understand so far that I need to obtain my PPL, then build up 150hours flight time, whilst taking the 14 ATPL? exams from a distance learning school. Then I would need to take a commercial pilot licence course, which requires 35hrs flying? Where would this course be undertaken? And does anyone have any rough ideas how much this would cost and hence save over the integrated school fees?

Sorry if this is extremely annoying and simple for you, im looking for myself now but any quick and helpful replies would be much appreciated.

Ryan.

[Blinkz]

As has been said the 1st thing you need to do is go get your medical, don't bother with looking at prices of different courses etc If you can't get a medical then thats it.

I myself and slightly colourblind and so cannot get a class 1 medical in europe, I'm going to have to hope that I can get one in the US or Austrailia if I'm going to have a hope of having a professional flying career.

[Watchoutbelow]

Hi Blinkz

Hate to be the one to tell you but any time I have gone for an FAA Class 1 or even class 2 I have had the colour blindness test.

[1pudding1]

How long is the medical valid for? Its 1 year is it not? If so then it would be near expiration by the time I would like to commence a course, in October/November next year, so would it not be slightly premature to get the medical this early?

If anyone else can tell me if my understanding of the modular course is right then thanks! :D

Ryan.

[FlyingForFun]

Could you briefly outline what a modular course consists of?Certainly.

You are correct in that you need to get a PPL first, then build up to 150 hours, and pass 14 exams, before starting a CPL course. The exams don't need to be done by distance learning, there are plenty of schools that offer full-time groundschool courses where you attend classes each day, and in fact that's the route that I'd recommend for most people. After the CPL, you then need to do an IR, and it's generally recommended to do a multi-crew course too. At the end of that, you can expect to have a minimum of around 250 hours of flight time in your log book.

I deliberately haven't given you a detailed breakdown of the hours requirements because it's quite complex and there are different ways of doing things. For example, the hours required for a CPL will depend on whether you have a night qualification or not. You should probably get this qualification as part of your hour-building, but if you don't the CPL is a few hours longer. Also, some people choose to do the IR before the CPL, which changes some of the hours requirements (I haven't done the IR yet, but those who have generally seem to think that it would be very difficult for someone with less than 200 hours, which is why it's usually done after the CPL). All the details of the requirements are in LASORS.

There are several schools out there who can offer you a complete modular course, where you will stay with one school from beginning to end, doing one module after another. Or you can pick a different school for each module, which obviously takes more effort, and looses some continuity in your training, but gives you a wider range of experience. Costs generally work out at around £30,000, and if you search this forum there are a few threads where this is broken down in far more details than I can do off the top of my head.

Hope that helps, and feel free to ask more questions - that's what PPRuNe is for!

FFF
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[1pudding1]

Thanks FFF, thats what I pretty much had in my head after a few hours of looking around, thats great.

Ta.

[Mobieus1]

Hi Ryan,

Fying for Fun seems to have outlined it quite nicely. You do a night rating before you commence a CPL course. I'm doing mine soon!

I take it you are doing your PHD at Cranfield?? If so why not get yourself along to one of Cabair Seminars that they run on a Saturday?? Just use it as a fact finding mission- thats what I did.

[1pudding1]

No afraid not, im doing my PhD in Bristol. Are the cabair seminars run every saturday? If not then I'll probabaly try and get to the one at the beginning of December, thanks.

[Blinkz]

true it will be nearing expiry, but then you will just have to renew it (like you'll have to do every year) the point is that if you can't pass it then there is no point even thinking about courses, as you can't fly commerically.

Watchoutbelow - I know the FAA have colourvision tests, every CAA has them! The point is that the US and australia are much more relaxed in there regulations, in the US if you fail the offical tests you can get a SODA if you can demonstrate that it won't affect your flying, this usually consists of you going to an FAA approved airfield and showing that you can see the red,green and white lights from the control tower.

I will be a pilot :suspect: :D

[1pudding1]

Do you have to pay for renewal? Any details on the medical, the CAA website? I go have a search.

Ryan.

[Send Clowns]

The renewal is annual, and costs around £80-90.

Doing a PhD at Bristol it may be worth popping over the Bristol Groundschool to see Alex Wittingham. They only do distance learning, but he will know the various routes and I would trust him to be as impartial as anyone can be in his position. Alternatively I am happy to chat over a beer in Bristol if you like as I am often there (my girlfriend is also doing a PhD at Bristol). I work for Bournemouth Commercial Flight Training but of course a lot of the advice I can give would apply to any school.

Visit a variety of schools (there are 4 down here if you visit Bournemouth!) and discuss different routes before you decide. Assuming you choose modular then I suggest you do not commit yourself to more than one module at a time - once you have started groundschool for example you may be in a better position to judge CPL flight schools, especially if your groundschool offers flying.

[Mobieus1]

If you visit bristols ground web site www.bristol.gs and click on the links page there is load of web sites there on schools that ofter commerial training. Pay a visit to a couple and interrogate them :D