VA APS MCC - Worth it?

[Lokki]

Hi
I'm just curious to how those who have attended the Virtual Aviation APS MCC scheme have found it? Did it provide any advantage? I appreciate at the moment the industry is lean. But those who have attended in the past, was the extra ££££ worth it?

[pug]

Only heard good things from mates who have already gone through there and ended up in jobs pretty swiftly (pre-Covid). Have looked at a number of APS training providers myself and they are looking like the frontrunner. Obviously it’s all academic if the industry doesn’t pick up quickly, but I have every confidence in being taught to a very high standard by this outfit.

[Contact Approach]

There's no jobs. If you need to complete multicrew training then just do whats required until such time the market picks up. Right now its just a total waste of time and money.

[pug]

I think the lead In time for many of these places is so long at the moment due to backlogs and pre booked spots being pushed back that it would probably be a fair amount of time before someone booking now would get a slot at the more popular places.

Agree with your sentiments though - hoping for a rapid bounce back if this isn’t dragged out for too long.

[portos8]

Contact Approach

Exactly. For what they charge you can do a FI course and then when the industry recovers a basic MCC elsewhere.

[uncle dickie]

One advantage of Virtual is that their standard B.737-800 MCC/APS courses now uses the Ryanair SOPs.

[portos8]

How is that an advantage if Wizzair is the one that is hiring at the moment (and Ryanair isn't)?

[BoeingLudo737]

Wizzair is bluffing

[rudestuff]

I would say no MCC of any kind is worth it at that moment. Save your money. To anyone with ATPL passes watching the clock ticking away: get a CPL and SEIR - it'll save those exams. There's a long list of highly experienced guys waiting for jobs right now, and they're going to get most of the jobs for the next few years - because as airlines recover and ramp up training they're going to want guys who can go online with minimum training (a cadet needs a full type rating course and a lot of line training)
But remember, pilots retire at 65 so there's a constantly moving conveyor. A lot of guys 60+ will throw in the towel now and in a few years there will be jobs for cadets again, especially as there will have been fewer guys training. That is the time to get your MEIR and MCC/JOC.

[pilot freak]

Rudestuff, very good point and I agree.

[SkyRocket10]

Take the advice of other posters and do the cheapest course possible. This will as a minimum enable you to speculatively apply for jobs. For reference BA are not anticipating any recruitment for 3+ years and even then they have 300 in their pilot retention pool to rehire first. Other airlines will be in similar positions, and even when they do recruit there will be hundreds, if not thousands of rated, experienced guys to fast track.
Save your money now & use the savings to pay for refresher sims and additional training. Do not pay a premium for these courses offering assistance and job placement which is non existent.