Help on choosing training school

[AidanIngham]

Good evening all,

I've been reading a lot on the forums about how to go about becoming an airline pilot and there are mixed opinions which I've taken into serious consideration.

From what I've been reading it really seems that as long as you get the required licenses and ratings etc. that's what airlines are looking for, along with flying hours and showing you're a good candidate for their airline, please correct if I'm wrong?

I was previously working towards my PPL but now looking on here I kind of feel a bit stupid stopping it because SHOCK! I feel that I've fallen into the marketing traps of the likes of OAA and CTC and maybe I should take my PPL back up again?

If this decision of mine that I'm contemplating is a good one could someone give me a little bit more guidance as to where are good/ highly recommended training schools to be looking at. I have seen this school in Shoreham:

Pilot Flight Training School UK - Flying Time Aviation (http://flyingtime.co.uk/en/Flying_Time_Aviation_Pilot_Flight_Training_School)

But again any advice anyone could give me would be greatly appreciated :)

[taxistaxing]

The integrated versus modular debate is never ending, and is available to read in excruciating detail on this forum!

Whatever you end up deciding to do, doing the PPL to start with is an excellent idea. It will give you exposure to the aviation environment and a feel for your aptitude. It also won't stop you applying for tagged airline schemes with the integrated schools if that's what you chose to do!

Best of luck with it.

[flyboyweeksy]

I went to flying time after the demise of cabair, wish I had found flying time in the first place. Got me through the atpls, great little school on the grow. Am going back to do CPL/ir next month. Good rates, friendly and a good recommendation from me, but I'm sure others may feel different, but every school will have its positives and negatives from everyone

[AidanIngham]

Thanks for your input guys. It'll help me towards making my final decisions on my career as an airline pilot :)

[kalwells]

I am currently a student on the Integrated fATPL Course at Flying Time and I have nothing but positives to report. The aircraft are top grade, clean, new and fully loaded (Garmin Glass Cockpits).

The Instructors are experienced, patient, approachable and supportive, I could not have asked for better. I have gained significant benefit and by its very definition confidence by flying in the mixed UK weather, cloud, drizzle, rain, cold temperatures... this is in my own opinion better than going to the USA or New Zealand and having clear, hot sunny days where you just bust out hours in the sun.....

When you add this combined with a price tag of £30,000 less than OAA and CTC I am totally happy where my money has gone to. You can pay monthly to the school at no extra cost, see if OAA and CTC offer you this!!!!

The Groundschool program is exceptional, the trainers are highly experienced RAF and Commercial Instructors with 1000's and 1000's of hours behind them, and the school has a very high pass rate for the ATPL's

The School building is of a good size, modern kit, and everything you need to be able to be given the best start in a the career choice of a commercial pilot.

One thing I will say, is that FTA do not promise you a job with an airline, they will however give you the best training suited to you, will help you all the way to gain your licence and whats more its done with a passion not a profit margin at the forefront of their minds.

Other schools may promise you a place in the "holding pool" for some budget airlines, but you have no way of knowing how many fish are in the pool after you have spent your £100,000 and then of course another £30,000 for your Type Rating!!!

FTA - Circa £60,000 for the course leaves you £30,000 for your own type rating, and your still saving money!!!

The best thing about the school is that I have made so many friends, from all walks of life and of all ages, your all there for the same thing, there is no competition to see who will fly solo first, everyone supports each other and that in itself if priceless.....

Just my two pence worth.....

[flyboyweeksy]

@kalwells - couldn't put it better after my comment! May catch you about as am back at FTA for CPL on the 12th Nov, looking forward to flying back in the UK. :ok:

[AidanIngham]

Thank you very much for that kalwells! My aunt has been helping me out so much in making sure I make the right decision in where to go to get the best training for me. I know they don't have a tie in with airlines but I was thinking that it would just be better really to go and apply to the airlines myself straight away after I've finished training, instead of waiting around in one of either CTC or OAA's pools.

I will admit I've been uming and arhing about both CTC and OAA because of the vast amount of mixed opinions on them. Hearing what you've both said now about FTA I'm now thinking it's a serious contender for me to go to. Again many thanks for your posts :)

[119.35]

Draw up a list of airlines that have taken on new, low hour modular trained pilots in the past and come up with a plan of who to target when you have completed your training.

As you obviously know, not many airlines have been recruiting of late, so your list won't be very large. I am not advocating either route as training is very much down to the individual's set of circumstances and resources.

The point I would make is have some sort of idea and plan as to what you will do with your new cpl/ir? Sending out unsolicited CVs to all and sundry rarely works and how many airlines have opened up recruiting with online applications in the past 6 months?

Hopefully things will be a lot better in 2 years time, but make sure you embark on your journey with your eyes wide open. Good luck.

[pudoc]

I know a couple of people who stopped their IR halfway through it at Flying Time and went else where. I can't remember their exact reasons for switching but the general gist was that the training is good until you get to the CPL.

[Sovi3tskiy]

Im also in a situation which is puzzling me completely, I have a PPL and on my ATPL's now at bristol gs, but have no idea where to go after, im planning to finish ATPL's by the end of winter... After that would like a very swift move onto doing hour building and ME/IR/CPL/MCC to do it as quick as possible and not hang around. By which I mean I have friends in a school (dont want to name and shame) that has a great environment but are so slow at getting you finished it that it takes the p**s...

While other schools seem to go under all the time. Im having a great difficulty making up my mind, Flying time seem to have a great little school but until I came here I never heard of them, and CPL/ME/IR pack for £19k seems like good value, the hour building on the other hand doesnt, unless I do it in a 152 and have to relearn the DA's they use.... Another associate of mine has done a course in Cork, AFTA he said it was great but here guys dont say much, and I dont want to take just one opinion on it... So would really be great full for some help, if you're kind enought guys, what schools are good, or just advise???

Thanks! :ok:

[bagurxvi]

During this economical downturn, the advantage of a modular course in relation to an integrated one is mainly that if the flight school goes bankrupt it is a bit easier to carry on if you are in a modular. In an integrated is a bit more painful because you may have paid a great amount of the flight course when you experience this trouble. If you are in a modular is a bit easier to move on since you pay piece by piece. At the end both courses are good to get pilot jobs (http://pilotwork.net/?p=29) but with a modular you may find that you lost a bit less money if your flight school is suddenly shut down.