Good flight school?

[Commander1]

Hey all,

I have been saving for my professional airline pilots license for about 2 years now (4 more to go and i'll have enough and with alot of help from my parents)

Im not so sure what school is the best in Europe or North America for pilot training, i had a look at flight training europe (Jerez) and it was in my price budget and seemed pretty good. I know theres other places in America that offer the FAA that is about £30,000, why is it so cheap? I take it you cant automatically go straight into an airline job like here?

Anyhow, i'd rather spend my hard saved money on a good school that i'd be in for a chance for employment at the end of it.

What are the entry exams like? I read a page about revision and the stuff they mentioned i've never done before :{

[zoom-to-the-skies]

Hey,

This is my first post on forums..So please don't flame me! :}

When you say "I take it you cant automatically go straight into an airline job like here?" What exactly do you mean?

I was almost 100% sure that this was something that isn't gaurenteed anywhere in europe?
Please enlighten!

Kind Regards,

ZTTS

[Commander1]

Well compared to America where your an instructor for about 3-5 years you cant automatically go straight into airline jobs like here. I know alot of guys who prefer working here as pilots.

[asuweb]

One reason an FAA training is so cheap, is the cost of fuel and tax on aviation in the US compared to Europe.

Unless you're american, I highly doubt that you'd be eligable to work for a US airline.

[Commander1]

Well it helps that my partner is American and will probably end up getting married within 3 years so it is an option i have the best of both worlds but im not sure which route to go down. I've heard American training is rushed and disorganised and after graduation you have to work as an instructor for years unlike in Europe.

[asuweb]

In that case, it may be an option. The american system, as you rightly say, is far different than that of europe. You do indeed have to work your way up from the bottom in the states. The american guys who trained me in the states were all slowly working their way up, some had been instructing for a number of years. I'm happy to say that many of them have recently secured their first airline job.

All the best

[Commander1]

Hmm, i can save enough to do my pilot training in Europe (Jerez) in about 5 years and with alot of help from my parents just now sure if its alot harder to convert to the FAA license if i did want to convert or whether i'd be better off going to the states? Would you say i'd be better to train here?

I've also heard that the pay is absolutely crap over there compared to a FO wage.

[zero2hero]

Hi guys,

Just flicking through the forums and stumbled across this thread.
I expect not to reveal anything revolutionary but here i go;

It may be wise to consider taking advantage of flight training in the USA, there are lots of schools offering JAA approved courses and if you delve a little deeper you will find that even a few well known UK flight schools send their students out west to reduce costs/increase profits.

I recently calculated that with a mixture of US/UK training you could bring down Ab-initio modular training to under £26000(including JAA ATPL theory & JAA CPL/IR conversions). oh and that price includes an MCC course here in the UK!

You end up with exactly the same licences and ratings as everybody else but save an absolute fortune!

I totally believe we should be supporting UK flight training but until things get a little easier for us self funded pilots, training abroad is/has to be a valid option.

:hmm:

[Commander1]

Isn't it twice as much work with converting etc?

£26,000 sounds great.

[ChiefTonkTraps]

Hi everyone, Im due to start training at Jerez in October! I too looked at US training option but after speaking to various people within the industry, it became clear that training in the USA would hinder my prospects of getting a job as an FO at a UK airline. If you follow the integrated route at either Oxford or Jerez (or even Cabair), European airlines know exactly what kind of training the student has been subjected to, not to mention the strong relationships that some of these schools have with airlines.

This is only true if you would be looking for a first job in UK/EU. I am not familiar with how US airlines recruit low hour pilots. Make sure you have an idea of where you will be looking for your first job because if you undertake training in the US and then look for a job in the UK/EU, you may find that a £70k investment at one of the flight schools mentioned wouldve been more beneficial!

Good luck :ok:

[asuweb]

It should be noted that OAT do their VFR and basic instrument training in the states, using mainly american instructors.

[davey147]

Go to the USA to train, its cheaper and quicker due to the weather. The pilots that I know in the industry have all trained in the States and the airlines have had no problems with employing them.

Also look in to New Zealand, Australia or South Africa, these are alternatives that offer training cheaper, but the airspace is similar to ours, so it wont be as hard to convert when you return.

Can't remember where I read it, think it was Flight International, it said 70% of all UK pilots have completed some or the majority of the training in the USA, if thats true it cant be bad training over there.

Just make sure you get quality training when your there, dont go for the cheapest, there are many bad schools there, just the same as there are many bad schools in the UK.

I know of one airline that turns their noses up at IR's gained in Spain, so i'd try to do the full or the conversion IR in the UK or Ireland.

[jonjam]

Please enlighten me! I have been looking for some time now at various approved JAA schools in the states and haven't found anything for less than £35k..

Im guessing you must distance learn for the ATP exams?

Regards jon

[matt85]

Yes.

If you're sitting them in the UK you can add c~£1k in exam fees onto that as well.