Damo29
16th Apr 2004, 16:59
Hi,
I've just got in from visiting the London flight show. I live in London so thought I'd put a day off to good use by going and chatting to some of the training establishments.
Needless to say no one offered to sponsor my training for me, but I did come away with a carrier bag full of glossy flight school brochures, and having spent most of last week trawling through threads about various flight schools, I found that I actually recognised the names on a lot off them.
Having lingered by the GAPAN stand for a while (I recently applied for their PPL scholarship) I was invited to sit their mini aptitude test. A Kindly X BA captain started by assuring me that if I failed it wasn't the end of the world, 'he had flown for 38 years and even he hadn't done very well', but I'm not sure that I believed him :)
In actuality I did ok, four tests in all, One where you have to fly a plane through hoops, one where you have to follow a lead plane, one where you have to change your baring and altitude as prompted (I'm sure that he would have done better than me!) and one where you have to look for specific shapes as they fly around the screen, pulling a trigger when you recognise them.
Having said good bye to my new friend (just realised I've never actually spoken to a real live captain before) I wandered off to find Cabair's stand.
In fact it wasn't to difficult to find as they have a large area dedicated to them and there were plenty of staff to talk to.
Now this is where my research stood me in good stead, as when asked if I needed any help, I confidently responded by stating that I was interested in talking to someone about undertaking the modular ATPL course :)
Iwas immediately directed to a lady called Liz Mace who kindly spent half an hour talking through the course with me with me. I must admit I was fairly nervous about making the approach but I'm really glad that I did now.
Liz introduced me to a couple of graduates, one of which had undertaken his PPL in America, whilst the other had completed his training in the UK.
Again having done some prior research I was at least able to show an understanding of the difference, and it was really useful to hear their points of view re each option.
I explained that I would be looking at enrolling next year as I am concerned about my level of numerecy and so intend to resit my GCSE Math's this year.
To my surprise both of the students and Liz viewed this as being unnecessary, suggesting that it may be sufficient just to attend their week long prep course before starting ground school.
One of the students said that he was in no way academic having left school with only a few qualifications, but that despite this he had managed to cope with the math's just fine. All agreed that having a will to succeed was what mattered.
I explained that as it's going to cost me 30,000 + I wasn't sure that a simple will was sufficient, but now I'm not really sure what to do. I had viewed the resit as a prerequisite to commencing training simply because my math's has always been weak, and I don't wont to go through training in fear of the next equation!
As importantly I want to be sure that if by some miracle I manage to pass the course, I am then able to pass the numeracy tests at later selection centers.
I'm definitely going to sit an eight week math's refresher course what ever happens, but am I making to big a deal of numerical abilities - are they as important as I thought?
Anyway I was really impressed with Cabair. Liz invited me to look around the school and said that she might even be able to get me a back seat ride. She was also happy to send me info re HSBC's finance package, and to give me the name of a contact their.
The bad news is that in her experience HSBC are now unwilling to fund training costs in full, preferring that that applicant makes a large contribution.
Oh well, won't stop me asking :)
Being a newbie a lot of the exhibits probably went straight over my head, but if you're going along have a great time
Kindest regards
Damo
P.S
Its £20's to get in so make the most of it :)
I've just got in from visiting the London flight show. I live in London so thought I'd put a day off to good use by going and chatting to some of the training establishments.
Needless to say no one offered to sponsor my training for me, but I did come away with a carrier bag full of glossy flight school brochures, and having spent most of last week trawling through threads about various flight schools, I found that I actually recognised the names on a lot off them.
Having lingered by the GAPAN stand for a while (I recently applied for their PPL scholarship) I was invited to sit their mini aptitude test. A Kindly X BA captain started by assuring me that if I failed it wasn't the end of the world, 'he had flown for 38 years and even he hadn't done very well', but I'm not sure that I believed him :)
In actuality I did ok, four tests in all, One where you have to fly a plane through hoops, one where you have to follow a lead plane, one where you have to change your baring and altitude as prompted (I'm sure that he would have done better than me!) and one where you have to look for specific shapes as they fly around the screen, pulling a trigger when you recognise them.
Having said good bye to my new friend (just realised I've never actually spoken to a real live captain before) I wandered off to find Cabair's stand.
In fact it wasn't to difficult to find as they have a large area dedicated to them and there were plenty of staff to talk to.
Now this is where my research stood me in good stead, as when asked if I needed any help, I confidently responded by stating that I was interested in talking to someone about undertaking the modular ATPL course :)
Iwas immediately directed to a lady called Liz Mace who kindly spent half an hour talking through the course with me with me. I must admit I was fairly nervous about making the approach but I'm really glad that I did now.
Liz introduced me to a couple of graduates, one of which had undertaken his PPL in America, whilst the other had completed his training in the UK.
Again having done some prior research I was at least able to show an understanding of the difference, and it was really useful to hear their points of view re each option.
I explained that I would be looking at enrolling next year as I am concerned about my level of numerecy and so intend to resit my GCSE Math's this year.
To my surprise both of the students and Liz viewed this as being unnecessary, suggesting that it may be sufficient just to attend their week long prep course before starting ground school.
One of the students said that he was in no way academic having left school with only a few qualifications, but that despite this he had managed to cope with the math's just fine. All agreed that having a will to succeed was what mattered.
I explained that as it's going to cost me 30,000 + I wasn't sure that a simple will was sufficient, but now I'm not really sure what to do. I had viewed the resit as a prerequisite to commencing training simply because my math's has always been weak, and I don't wont to go through training in fear of the next equation!
As importantly I want to be sure that if by some miracle I manage to pass the course, I am then able to pass the numeracy tests at later selection centers.
I'm definitely going to sit an eight week math's refresher course what ever happens, but am I making to big a deal of numerical abilities - are they as important as I thought?
Anyway I was really impressed with Cabair. Liz invited me to look around the school and said that she might even be able to get me a back seat ride. She was also happy to send me info re HSBC's finance package, and to give me the name of a contact their.
The bad news is that in her experience HSBC are now unwilling to fund training costs in full, preferring that that applicant makes a large contribution.
Oh well, won't stop me asking :)
Being a newbie a lot of the exhibits probably went straight over my head, but if you're going along have a great time
Kindest regards
Damo
P.S
Its £20's to get in so make the most of it :)