ATPL preparation options with less than 2000 hours.

[abbotyobs]

Hello,

I am a FJ chap due to leave in aprox 4 years and I have around 700 hours to go until the 2000hr point, the point at which I gain exemptions and have to do only 4 ATPL exams plus IR etc with the military bridging package. I can wait until that point and do the above last minute whilst I look for a job etc, or I would prefer to do the 4 exams now, get them over with, and then apply for IR, ATPL when I have the requisite hours in 4 years time. Anybody know if I can do this.
The alternative of course is do all 11 exams now which involves 6 weeks of crammer courses etc etc.
Thanks in advance.

[BEagle]

The aim of the D3.3 Accreditation Scheme was to act as a recruiting and retention measure for experienced QSPs, rather than just to facilitate an easier route to the airlines.

Remember that the exams only have a validity period of 36 months before licence application. Do them now and they will have lapsed before you reach your 2000 TT target.... Remember those are 2000 military hours as recorded in a military log book; any civil puddlejumper time does not count towards that particular target.

My advice would be to plot your 700/4 line on a graph and ensure that you stay above the line. Then, if you're absolutely certain that you're going to crack the 2000TT, take the 4 exams in a year or two's time. But not until then - and get some up-to-date information from someone like AlexWhittingham who can steer you in the right direction.

The other option is to do all 14 ATPL theoretical knowledge exams and go via the 'traditional' route.....

[abbotyobs]

cool thanks for the info.
Sounds like the best thing to do is wait a couple of years before exit before doing the 4, providing I stay above the line.
Cheers

[TruBlu351]

You're going to love it!! :}

Get some home study correspondence into ya!

[sarmonkey]

I was in a similar position to you, and when I sat down and did the hours v time to serve calculation, I realised that all it would take is a few weeks off flying (due to fleet grounding/bone breaking/deployment to non-flying job) to leave me high and dry. If this happened close to my departure date, I'd be shafted with having to do all the exams in my own time and at my expense. You've got 4 years - do the whole lot. It's not that much work, the RAF pays for most of it with your Enhanced Learning Credits; and if you do it in your last 2 years, they even pay for the hotel while you do the crammer, it doesn't come off your leave entitlement and they 1771 your petrol! Interestingly, a VC10 mate on my crammer told me that several of the airlines are insisting on having the full set of exams whatever your hours. PM me if you fancy a chat.

[BEagle]

The only airlines who required stated examination results were a couple of foreign airlines based in Hong Kong. According to PLD, at least one of those has now been put right over that issue.

As far as UK airlines are concerned, a licence is a licence and they value experience commensurate with age far more than theoretical examination scores.

[abbotyobs]

Sarmonkey,
Check pms
Thanks

[charliegolf]

Serious question:

What's the thinking that provides expensive assets- pilots, with an easier (and much less costly for them) route to an airline job?

Pilots having to shell out a ton of dosh to get an ATPL would seem to be a better inducement to stay in. Or not?

CG

[abbotyobs]

I guess it is a retention incentive to encourage individuals to stay until their 16 yr point by which time they should have the requisite 2000 hours and so qualify for the exemptions, rather than leave at their 8/12 year point. The extra 8/4 yrs the RAF gets out of them is when they are at their most useful, ie 2/3 rd tourist/ Flt Cdr and the carrot for the aircrew is having an easier and cheaper route to ATPL. The ATPL however with the exemptions still costs a fair bit of money even with Enhanced Learning Credits etc.

Incidently anyone know how easy it is to get an airline job once you reach the dreaded 40?

[BEagle]

CharlieGolf, the reason for the MoD/CAA working group choosing the 2000TT/1000PIC/500PICUS ('D3.3'*)figures was to ensure that due recognition for experience and skill was given under JAR-FCL (a national obligation) for military experience - but also that a reasonable return on investment should be expected from military pilots before the full level of accreditation could be earned.

It was both a recruiting and retention incentive! Join the RAF, stay in until you've amassed the D3.3 figure and you will have earned sufficient accreditation to make a second career transition reasonably affordable if that's your choice.

It is not a freebie to an early escape to the airlines, it is a way of trying to persuade people to stay in for longer. Of course they can still have some credit for lesser experience if they wish to punch out earlier - but the difference is that they will have to take 14 exams rather than (in the case of ME pilots) only 1. Plus pay out for a MEP Class Rating and IR - instead of just having a CAA Eaxminer watch a routine IR.

It was thought when first mooted that a ME pilot doing an OCU, co-pilot's tour, captain's tour, CFS tour and then another captain's tour would probably have reached the relevant totals in his/her early to mid 30s. Not a bad return on investment - and not too late to start a second career either.

But people are now doing the full exam route because they just want out. Sorry, but if they haven't achieved D3.3 experience, it will cost them.

Although I didn't need to sit Air Law as I had an exemption through holding an exisiting UK commercial licence, when I applied for my ATPL it cost me less than £1000 for the Class 1 medical (at the RMC with a CAA-qulaified RAF AME), IR and licence issue. The hardest part was filling out the application form. Others had most of their costs covered by 'Link Up'....

*Refers to CAA LASORS 2006 Section D3.3

[charliegolf]

Fair points- I guess I overestimated the annual hours (and therefore the number of years to 2000) a pilot might get.

CG

[Mostly NBIW]

It was thought when first mooted that a ME pilot doing an OCU, co-pilot's tour, captain's tour, CFS tour and then another captain's tour would probably have reached the relevant totals in his/her early to mid 30s.

My hours graph predicts that I'll have the multi-engine captain hours by 28. I then have 3 options:

- PVR and go for the airlines with 2500+ hrs and get a decent pay rise, stop going to the desert to live in a tent, settle down and have a happy family and reduce the risk of a divorce by being out of the mob.

- I could wait an extra couple of years, get Flt Lt Level 9, and then sit around with out pay rises for 6 years, being posted anywhere every 3 years, until I ask for PA spine and get pay rises again. (Obviously, not getting any retention bonuses as we’re overborne with ME pilots??!)

- Go for promotion; get a small pay rise, mostly flying a desk with the odd day trip, all for little thanks.

Tough choice don’t ya think?