Grass strip basher
27th Jun 2005, 18:47
After following all of the debates on integrated vs modular that rage on Pprune month after month I have finally decided to go down the modular route... many thanks to all those who have spent their time to post their opinions as to the merits of both routes I have found them very useful.
For those that are interested here are my reasons.... now my circumstances are unique to me and won't be relevant to many other people but hopefully will be of interest to others starting down this long road in similar cirumstances....
My view on integrated
Positives:
1) Great structure and some excellent schools (I have visited Oxford and met with those at FTE.... very very impressive and a top notch product)
2) I believe a much better chance of a jet job straight out of school with a new low houred FATPL... (yes yes questionable I know but I have chosen the modular route and I still believe this... going modular I will probably be slightly further down the pecking order... ho hum)
3) Time.... quiting work and going down this route would only take 15 months from start to finish... I ain't getting any younger
4) Probably a bit more fun... spending 15 months with a core group of 10-20 like minded people flying aeroplanes... you'd have to be an idiot not to have a good time :}
Disadvantages
1) Clearly cost... after 7-8 years hard work I have the cash saved up so that I wouldn't have to get into debt even if I went integrated.... but even so I believe that the cost of the course of c£60k + cost of living for a year of £10k (but I could blow a lot more than 10k in 12 months!!) giving a total of £70k is actually for someone in my position miss-leading.... given I am currently working I would also have to take into account the lost earnings of doing a full time integrated course vs modular where I could stay in work much much longer. Taking lost earnings into acocunt the total cost is well above £100k... thats before any Type rating... gulp... :uhoh:
2) I already have a PPL with over 100 hours... integrated courses don't give a lot of credit for this
My view on modular
Advantages:
1) Distance learning for the ATPL exams means I can stay in work much much longer.... another 6-12 months in work acutally pays for a large proportion of the course.
2) Given I already have over 100 hours the total cost for me will be c1/2 that of the integrated route... maybe even less than 1/3rd when I take into account lost earnings..... to put that in context that is probably £30-40k saved.... about 2 years post tax salary for a typical first officer (...thank you ppjn)
3) It offers much more flexibility to start and stop training as an when it suits me. I work in the city and I have to say many people here believe the outlook for the UK economy ain't exactly rosey... blowing all that money on an integrated course with the signs of a slowing UK economy already evident I find a scary prospect. All that cash and maybe no job 15-18 months down the line.... who knows what the market will look like in 1-2 years time... at least with modular I can put things on hold if the economy nose-dives.... oh and I'd still have my current job.
Disadvantages:
1) If I stay in work as long as possible it will take quite a bit longer than going down the integrated route to get by little blue book.
2) Work will still take their pound of flesh... balancing a full time job with studying isn't going to leave much time for friends and family... the ball and chain already complains she doesn't see me enough
3) Not being an integrated student probably rules out some airlines as potential "first jobs"
Well I think thats about it.... if anyone thinks I am bonkers and have missed a major issue off the list when making my decision please point it out to me..... I pay for my distance learning course in a weeks time.... then the fun begins!
Many thanks again to all those who have shared their views on the modular vs integrated debate on Pprune.... this website has been invaluable in helping chose the route best for me
GSB:)
For those that are interested here are my reasons.... now my circumstances are unique to me and won't be relevant to many other people but hopefully will be of interest to others starting down this long road in similar cirumstances....
My view on integrated
Positives:
1) Great structure and some excellent schools (I have visited Oxford and met with those at FTE.... very very impressive and a top notch product)
2) I believe a much better chance of a jet job straight out of school with a new low houred FATPL... (yes yes questionable I know but I have chosen the modular route and I still believe this... going modular I will probably be slightly further down the pecking order... ho hum)
3) Time.... quiting work and going down this route would only take 15 months from start to finish... I ain't getting any younger
4) Probably a bit more fun... spending 15 months with a core group of 10-20 like minded people flying aeroplanes... you'd have to be an idiot not to have a good time :}
Disadvantages
1) Clearly cost... after 7-8 years hard work I have the cash saved up so that I wouldn't have to get into debt even if I went integrated.... but even so I believe that the cost of the course of c£60k + cost of living for a year of £10k (but I could blow a lot more than 10k in 12 months!!) giving a total of £70k is actually for someone in my position miss-leading.... given I am currently working I would also have to take into account the lost earnings of doing a full time integrated course vs modular where I could stay in work much much longer. Taking lost earnings into acocunt the total cost is well above £100k... thats before any Type rating... gulp... :uhoh:
2) I already have a PPL with over 100 hours... integrated courses don't give a lot of credit for this
My view on modular
Advantages:
1) Distance learning for the ATPL exams means I can stay in work much much longer.... another 6-12 months in work acutally pays for a large proportion of the course.
2) Given I already have over 100 hours the total cost for me will be c1/2 that of the integrated route... maybe even less than 1/3rd when I take into account lost earnings..... to put that in context that is probably £30-40k saved.... about 2 years post tax salary for a typical first officer (...thank you ppjn)
3) It offers much more flexibility to start and stop training as an when it suits me. I work in the city and I have to say many people here believe the outlook for the UK economy ain't exactly rosey... blowing all that money on an integrated course with the signs of a slowing UK economy already evident I find a scary prospect. All that cash and maybe no job 15-18 months down the line.... who knows what the market will look like in 1-2 years time... at least with modular I can put things on hold if the economy nose-dives.... oh and I'd still have my current job.
Disadvantages:
1) If I stay in work as long as possible it will take quite a bit longer than going down the integrated route to get by little blue book.
2) Work will still take their pound of flesh... balancing a full time job with studying isn't going to leave much time for friends and family... the ball and chain already complains she doesn't see me enough
3) Not being an integrated student probably rules out some airlines as potential "first jobs"
Well I think thats about it.... if anyone thinks I am bonkers and have missed a major issue off the list when making my decision please point it out to me..... I pay for my distance learning course in a weeks time.... then the fun begins!
Many thanks again to all those who have shared their views on the modular vs integrated debate on Pprune.... this website has been invaluable in helping chose the route best for me
GSB:)