Possible Modular Route?

[garywoodrow]

Hey, just asking for your views and advice on this modular route through training and if its possible.

I will be earning roughly £10k per annum when im 18 whilst still at college doing 2 A-levels and planning on taking a loan.

JAR Class 1 Med - £450 (inc. travel)

Phase 1
Ormand Beach Aviation (http://www.flyoba.com)
PPL & Night Rating - £3695
Flights - £400
Living Costs 4 Weeks - £500

Total = £4595
_________________________________________________

Phase 2
USA
100 Hours PiC - £3500
Flights - £400
Living Costs 4 weeks - £1200

Total = £5100
_________________________________________________

Phase 3
Bristol GS (http://www.flyoba.com/)
ATPL Course - £2100
Exam Fees - £900

Total = £3000
_________________________________________________

Phase 4
Ormand Beach Aviation (http://www.flyoba.com/)
CPL / ME - £4100
Living Costs 4 Weeks - £500
Flight - £400

Total = £5000
_________________________________________________

Phase 5
Ravenair (http://www.ravenair.co.uk)
Flight Instructor Course - £5400

Total = £5400
_________________________________________________

TOTAL= £23,545
+ Expenses = £27,000
_________________________________________________
Would this be a realistic route to gaining a Flight Instructors Job or would i need to budjet more than £27,000?

I am planning on doing an IR whilst working as a Flight Instructor later on and don't want to worry about it until after I get a job as a Flight Instructor.

Any advice is appreciated.

Regards,

Gary

[garywoodrow]

thanks airbus, i didnt realise i only had 3 years :bored:. I may have to consider saving up for a few years and going through the structed modular course at OBA. then doing my FI after that.

Gary

[camel toe]

If you haven't already been here

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=279070

Basically saying to add lots more on top, sound advice :ok:

[garywoodrow]

thanks for the advice, still looking for a bit more on this route also as it differs quite a bit from that thread posted above. Also, anybody know if a flight instructor course will be eligable for a careers development loan?

Thanks,

Gary

[Felix Saddler]

Hi a few things to consider with hour building. Will you actually be able to fly 100hrs in 4 weeks? Equates to 3.57hours a day? Also what about equipment and visas?

I just set up the same thing but made more room for these things, it still seams its not enough!!

FS

[garywoodrow]

i should be able to get it done in 4weeks, i will be staying with a friend too so may be able to stay longer if needed

[IDENTING]

I'm affraid i dont think you've factored quite enough for expenses or poss re-takes or going over minimum hrs. I did a very similar route except got my MEIR and CPL and FIC in the UK because thats where I wanted to teach. How you going to teach someone how to fly in the UK if you've never flown in the UK?
If your like me your going to make a lot of friends which means a lot of going out with your mates down the bar. I probably spent around £2000 just on food and drink just in the states over the 3 months or so I was there.
Visas for 2 visits inc tube fares to the US emabassy and all the bum flufferies= £200-£300.
Accom and food, drink and travel during ATPL ground school brush up courses and examinations= around £700-800
Travel insurance for 2 trips= £250
License issue= £300
The quotes are probably for minimum hrs i.e. PPL = 45hrs. the average pass rate in any country is around 50-55hrs so budget for that.
Any ATPL retakes are aound £60 each and skill test retakes any thing from £200-£600.
Factor a couple extra weeks accom for weather too. The cost of changing flights over the pond is around $100
If you get a loan you may have to make repayments during training e.g. a £25,000 loan is around £380 pm so add that on. Your training provider should be able to sort you out with the Barclays career development loan which is £8000.
If you want to train in the states then I would SERIOUSLY consider going to RIVERSIDE FLIGHT CENTRE (spelt center on their web address) in tulsa oklahoma. The terrain is much more like the UK than miles upon miles of everglades as found in florida, the school is british run with well looked after aircraft and the english accent is still rare enough out there that the girls will fall at your feet!
I wish I was doing the whole lot again because I had the time of my life, I'm dead jealous of you, you'll love it!!:ok:

[garywoodrow]

just a another question im unsure of, does the bristol gs course cost include accomodation for the classroom phases or is it additional?

[Jez_G]

Pretty sure it's additional, unless they didn't mention it was included to me.

[Rosie Jane]

Hi Gary

Nice to someone else from Widnes. I am doing some training with EFT next week, then BGS/BCFT for the rest. There is a valid case to get some UK flight time in if you are going to FI. Oklahoma is an option as well.

I assume the issue is with cost, (like wise for all), hence your idea for training in the US, mix and match it to get the best results, not only for you but for any students you may evenutally teach.

Good Luck

Rosie

One life...live it

[pilotmike]

No accommodation is included in Bristol GS price - just the (excellent) course, including the two week-long brush-up courses.

So you'll need to budget for at least 4 weeks accommodation for the two courses and two sets of exams, and the 4 return trips for these, probably another £1,000 all told. Also, I think the exams cost more than the £900 you allowed.

And of course you're hoping that you'll pass everything first time. Any re-sits will pump up the bill. Also, all the flight times for licences are absolute MINIMUMS, even exceptional students seldom achieve these minimum times. The other thread gave a recommendation of factoring the costs by some 15 - 20%. This is wise, and quite realistic.

[pilotmike]

A38

You're right, the 14 exams cost £868 if you pass all 14 first time. But then there's the test fee for each flying exam, some £700 if I remember correctly.

I'm not sure a caravan would be conducive to hard work and studying through to 2am each morning, but my hat off to you for doing so! I mentioned the costs of travelling to the various vanues - towing a caravan will not help mpg at all! Any significant distance, and the caravan would gobble up any savings made from not using the convenient local B&B. Also, I wonder where the nearest caravan site to the CAA at Gatwick is for the exams?

Most people would expect to spend around £30 a night minimum, when ALL costs are taken into account. And then there's the travel, as I already mentioned.

I'd be delighted for garywoodrow to come back on this forum in 18 months time to let us know that he achieved his instructor rating from ab initio for just £27,000, but I'm not holding my breath. The reality is that it always costs more than we plan at the outset, with our rose tinted specs on. I thought he should have some realistic input on his 'bare basics' figures, which are optimistic, and probably unrealistic.

However I approve of your encouragement; I was in no way trying to put a downer on his plans and provisional budget.

PM

[garywoodrow]

thanks for the replies, its no damper on my plan mike, i would rather be told i need to budget more than 12month down the line have no money left to finish the course :}. Ill probably do my PPL at Ravenair in the UK after reading your posts also.

Again thanks,

Gary