Is Cabair worth it?

[gaz88]

Hi there everyone, I am new to this site so please excuse me if I am going over something that has been covered in detail elsewhere. Basically I have been sivving through the threads on this website and I can't really find any truely clear answers.

Okay, here goes. I am 19 years old and ever since I can remember I have wanted to be a professional airline pilot, and I'm sure most of you guys know how it feels. I am currently in an apprenticeship, training to be an aircraft engineer. I will be finished my apprenticeship within a years time and I definatly want to train for an FATPL afterwards. However the massive worry that I have is that I have a 2 year old son and persuing such a dream, as I'm sure you are all aware, isn't cheap. Obviously i still want to be able to support my son, and having no money for over a year will be very hard. My partner is willing to support me through the training of the license, however she doesn't really want to move away from home. Therefore I have been looking at Cabair as this is just down the road from me and I would be able to drive there and back home everyday.

There have been so many different views of cabair that i have read and it seems to me that the chances of getting a career with an airline after training are very slim. I have already been for a seminar at cabair, and obviously they told us what we wanted to hear, that we would almost certainly get a job within a few months of finishing. So basically I would be very interested to hear from anybody who is currently at cabair, and also anybody who has finished at cabair, and how they got on with finding a job at the end.

There is so much to think about at the mo and it is so :ugh:, lol.

Thanks alot for any replys and any advice from anybody on the forum will be greatly appreciated. cheers:ok:

[skyhighbird]

I am in the same position as you, just applied for the Cabair/Flybe sponsorship and seriously thinking about it. From what I've found out here in PPrune, just remeber it is a rumour network. People will say good things and bad things about differet flight schools (CTC, Oxford, Cabair) etc.

At all seminars, they say what you want to hear. They tell you that becasue they are a good school, you're on the fast track to gaining a position at an airline. Blah Blah....

The point is nothing is guranteed. Doesn't matter whether you graduate at CTC, Oxford, Cabair - just read the posts on the forum and you'll find there are tonnes out there who aren't in a job.

But in all seriousness, it seems that the flight school you chose isn't the main problem - as I've said and hopefully a lot here will agree, they are all the same, have the same good points and low points and remember, there is no gurantee of a job.

It seems to me that there are other things you need to take care off. i.e your financial situation (having a kid at 17 must have been tough!) but it's good you have a supportive partner. Also, have a check on the min requirements-if you are doing an apprenticeship and you are 19, am I right that you haven't done A-levels? Just check that you're apprenticeship counts. And also start doing practice tests etc. I wish I had months to revise everything I learnt at Maths and Physics GCSE instead of 2 weeks when i saw the Flybe advertisement and now Ive got the selection test next week!!

Trust me, when you are looking at the big schools - CTC, Cabair, Oxford - then there is nothing between them. They all promise a job, and they will milk every penny from you. I've just sent off £100 quid cheque for next week's selection test....and there were these shoes that I really wanted to get!

PM me if you wanna chat more but as i'm in the same position as you, i don't know what else to say!

XXX

[r44flyer]

In my opinion you have a high chance of landing an airline job within 6 months of completing an integrated course at the likes of Cabair, Oxford etc. You just have to remember it's not guaranteed, unless you are on a mentored scheme of some sort, which even then is still not 100% guaranteed.

I am assuming you want to go integrated and not modular due to the timescales you mentioned. Which is better is another argument altogether and a search of this site will reveal endless threads on modular vs integrated. It's always a touchy subject but I believe integrated courses offer airlines more of what they are looking for, and with the possibility of tailoring these courses to include company SOPs (as in mentored courses) you get a pilot who is a ready as he or she will ever be for line training when they finish the course.

Modular is a hell of a lot cheaper though.

You pays your money and you makes your choice.

[Trevor0001]

IN my fair opinon CABAIR is a waste of time. you would be better off finding another school in your local area. also modular would be more cost effective if you are a bit tight for cash with your young son and all.
There are plenty of other quality schools in and around cranfield.
Just to let you know by going to a bigger school you dont have an advantage in finding work afterwards.

i hope this has helped.:)

[Piltdown Man]

Mate I feel for you. Let's do the bad bit first. You could end up doing the course, not being qualified and having a huge debt. Then how would you support your family? Think that one through. Now the good bit. The chances are that if you have the aptitude (most people do) and you interview OK (you will still be quite young when you come onto the market - you can get help on this), you will end up with a job soon after qualifying. Soon in an aeronautical context means within a year (providing nothing silly happens in the airline world). If you and you family can handle that (and the debt), go to Cabair. They are as good as the others and the quality of their graduates is excellent, like the rest.

PM

[gaz88]

Thanks for your replys people, some mixed opinions although i have taken all on board. Obviously i would complete my apprenticeship first so therefore if the worst happend and i couldn't get a job at the end of training, i could go back to my original career.

Trevor0001 are there any reasons why you say that cabair are a waste of time as i would be interested to find out why. You say they are rubbish but i have heard they give very good training. Also you say there are alot of other training schools near cranfield, could you give me some links or contacts to them. cheers mate

[skyhighbird]

Why is cabair rubbish?

see what i mean gaz, people have these opinions and just say something like try others in your area! lol- how many airports are there in milton keynes?

XXX

[expedite08]

Give them a wide berth!! BCFT is the place to go! If your around Bournemouth that is, even if your not, they are outstanding!

[r44flyer]

Despite the fact that there are other training providers, your best chance of a job asap after training is on a mentored course like that offered by Cabair/Flybe, because there is little uncertainty right from the start.

You have every chance of getting a job by other means, but it's less of a guarantee.

All we're saying is that there is still an element of risk, so it's a bit of a gamble. Don't take any decisions lightly considering your circumstances.

[Tootles the Taxi]

AND YES WE HAVE A CONNECTION WITH AN AIRLINE.

Advertising....per chance?

[Alex Whittingham]

Is this the 'cross-wind' that just opened a new FTO in Bournemouth? Shame on you.
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?p=3046710#post3046710
Try 'Search for more posts by 'cross-wind''
P.S. Cross-wind, don't post after a few glasses of Pinot Grigio, you let the CAT out of the bag

[edited to add] cross-wind seems to have deleted all relevant posts and also a couple of threads he started. For the record the FTO he seems to have represented is PFT at Bournemouth, not to be confused with PAT at the same location.

[Piltdown Man]

Thanks Alex, I did. It looks like cross-wind's pupil got through otherwise it would be a 100% failure rate. And if we are going to damn anybody, it would have to be the one who dumps on all the rest. Also the one with dreadful spelling and the one who hides behind a pseudonym whilst trying to promote an operation to which they are connected. Gaz, get your apprenticeship sorted out and then look again and see who is left standing amongst the FTO's. Anybody care to start the list?

PM

[CaptCharlie]

hey was just reading your post if you need any help with anything give me a email i have been and done all the training you will find the guys that dont have jobs are bad pilots with low ATPL scores :)

[sketchy]

I don't necessarily agree with your view that all qualified pilots who don't have jobs are "bad"? Where did that come from? :confused: .


This dude sounds a little too much like JustJoshing for my liking!!

[AlphaMale]

This dude sounds a little too much like JustJoshing for my liking!!

With the type of comment and grammar I'd say it might just be :E


I'm not sure you could say they are bad pilots though. Maybe their face doesn't fit, maybe they are not willing or don't have the means to pay for a TR, maybe they expect a Jet job to fall in their lap like so many young fATPL holders do.

There could be a hundred reasons why they are not employed.

[XL319]

Is CABAIR worth it???

IMO NO!!! They do not include their VAT, landing fee's or any extra's.....so you can expect to pay approx £30 extra per hour for your flying.

You can find a lot of schools/clubs who include it all :)

[matt_hooks]

Erm, XL, where did you get THAT little gem from?

The integrated course includes all landing fees, VAT etc. The only things that aren't in the course fees (due to the fact that they change so regularly) are the CAA exam fees, so 14 ATPL exam fees at about £60 a pop and you IR test fee.

I do wish people would get their facts straight before posting!

So, is Cabair "worth it"

I'd say personal preference.

The ground school at Cranfield is excellent. The CGI is great and has a good team around him.

The flying instructors are generally very good too.

There are issues occasionally with aircraft availability due to tech issues, but that will be the same with ANY flying school!

So is CCAT better than Oxford? Well, it's certainly a lot cheaper, and if it means you get to see a bit of your family then it seems to tick the boxes for you.

Before anyone flames me, I'm not saying it's the right place for EVERYONE!

But Gaz, if you can afford the outlay for the course, be it modular or integrated then I'd say go for it!

[XL319]

That little gem was downloaded off their website under their tarrifs and prices :O

Arrrh yes i see you said the "intergrated course"...hmm I have to add I was looking at the Modular course price list, which dosen't include everything:mad:

[matt_hooks]

Ahhhh that explains it, sorry, slight misunderstanding!

I know a few peeps on the modular course, they seem fairly happy with it. Of course, as it tells you what's not included you can just factor it in to your calculations. :D

[mightymouse111]

NO; Go elsewhere!

[AlphaMale]

NO; Go elsewhere!


Cabair fan I take it? ;)