Which 737-500 & 800 type rating trainer?

[welliewanger]

Hi everyone!
My new employer wants me to get type rated on the 737-500 and 800 (WOOHOO!) They're leaving it up to me to organize this, so can someone recommend a TRTO? I have no idea which is best.

Many thanks.

[Callsign Kilo]

Gecat or Alteon in the UK. A lot of airlines use these TRTOs, so they are up to scratch. Find it hard to beleive your new employer hasn't pointed you in the direction of someone. Usually airlines are particular about certain TRTOs. By the way, the 737 Cockpit Companion is a useful tool. Worth purchasing for the TR and your future career on the 73. Goodluck, it's a nice machine!

[Brainstorm]

Are they paying for this?

And if you are paying for it yourself, are they assuring you a job?

I can tell you were NOT to go. I did my TR at FSB in Berlin, I strongly suggest you avoid them.

[welliewanger]

Thanks guys,
It's a new company, so I've been tasked to find where they will send future newbies like myself. That's why they haven't specified where I should go.

They are bonding me for the cost of the TR. If they go bust, I walk away with a free TR. If I leave before 5 years, I pay them.

Yesterday morning I emailed:
CAE
Scandinavian Aviation Academy
CTC
Alteon
Oxford (GCAT)
Alpha Aviation Group

I'm still waiting for responses from all but one. Don't they want my money?:confused:

[Allioth]

Hi there, I suggest you SAS... Even though you have to go to Sweden, they'll kick any other training facility... They prepare you in the best way, compared, let's say, to CAE...

[das_mase_man]

The 500 and 800 are different schools, if you want to train on the NG series concentrate on the 6,7,8,9 airplanes....cheers:ok:

[p0815]

I can just recommend FSB. Good trainers, and nearly instantly a job afterwards...

However, maybe you could tell us about your experienced there?

[Brainstorm]

It was a few years ago now, but I found the school very disorganised, they messed me about alot. Schedules changed all the time. The few ground school sessions we had were typically reduced from 4 hours to perhaps 20 minutes.

The sim check was a horrible experince. The examiner was agressive and made it clear from the onset that he did not like us. I found him unprofessional. He was aparently having a bad day and took it our on us. As a result the check was way way way excessive for a couple of guys with only 32 hours of sim training. I have never had (or even heard of) a sim check like that since.

And then the 100 hours of line training (although I'm not sure if they offer that anymore). Basically, they would tell propective students to expect 100 hours of line training if they were train with FSB. Those hours were not in the contract, but were still used to get students to FSB. That is, off course, how they got so many students. I have kept in touch with some of my mates from the training, none of them got those hours. Essentially the old '99% chance' trick!

My conclusion: Better find a proper school, pay proper money and get proper training. Avoid FSB.

[No RYR for me]

fsctraining.nl (http://www.fsctraining.nl/) is a great place :ok:

[Day_Dreamer]

Before you take a final decision could you answer the following questions.

1, Where will you be based (Country)
2, Under which authority will you be working (FAA / JAA Local)
3, What version of B.737 will you be flying (3-4-5 or 6-7-8-9)

This will make a difference to the recommendation on training establishment.