'The real cost of going modular'

[window-seat]

Having recently looked into the overall cost of going for a 'continuous modular' frozen ATPL course in the UK, it looks to me that by the time you have added all the extras such as:- accommodation, transport, food....oh yeh and of course Beer!, not to mention the several thousand pounds required by the CAA for the tests, medicals etc, you are realistically looking at paying the same (if not more) than an 'all inclusive' Integrated course (509) in a certain sunny part of europe....(run by a british company)???

Your comments please! :confused:

[scroggs]

That sounds eminently logical to me! The point of the modular course is to offer a route to the ATPL for those who can't raise the cash or the time for an integrated course, not to save money. If you go the modular route in an integrated timescale, away from home, it's the same product - so it will cost the same!
In view of the preference of airlines for the integrated course graduate (at least at low hours), why would you want to do a modular course in the same timescale?

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Window Seat - kind of correct.

If you do the modules at the cheapest schools around you can get the costs down to a bare minimum of £34,000 but to be honest you are realistically looking at £38,000 when you make proper allowances for accom and travelling expenses which are significant. Not to mention re-sits...

WWW

[Send Clowns]

Umm, actually if you look at some of the modular courses they include all but the accomodation costs (though I think the US accomodation and food is still included in some SFT packages) and licence issue, including exam fees. If you look around for self-catering accomodation, say house-sharing with course-mates (car sharing too then) you can still make massive savings.

I calculated my saving at around £9 000 over the cheapest integrated I could find at the time I started.

[Tarmach]

Thats right. If you look at multiflight who offer a seemless modular course at 30k and add accomodation and food to that, say another 5k, you end up with a course costing 35k. Compared to BAe's intergrated course which works out to be 50k plus food and beer, you make a saving of at least 15k, which is almost half of another ATPL!!

[bruce88]

I think the real savings occur if you have like many people, already have a PPL, (you get little off the cost of an intergrated course for this), a house to keep and a job.
If you've got a job you have to include in the cost of the course and the loss of earnings for a whole year which is a lot of money (depending on how much you earn obviously). So if you can keep your job as long as possible, (money will still be going out), then get the rest of the training done as quickly a possible, you 'll effectively be saving money.
Not surprisingly this is my position. I recon if I do my hour building, IMC, twin rating, etc in the USA before jacking the job in , spend the next 6 months or so in free digs at home doing a distance learning package, (efectively full time) , then do my CPL and I/R, I recon I'll save my self 20 grand or so. Compared to spending what will be the fat end of 50 grand on a an intergrated course and having no income for a whole year ,with bills on top.
I recon a modular course in my position will be nearly half the price of an intergrated.
So I can spend less money in order to become unemployed for the next 4years. :D