Emirates Flight Training Academy (EFTA)

[hamzii786]

Hi all,

First time on this forum - hope this is the right place for my questions.

I am a British national and about two years ago I registered my interest for EFTA. A few days ago, I received an email from them inviting me to the four-day assessment in Dubai.

I am really eager to take the opportunity and go ahead with the assessment, but I've been trying to get in contact with them to clarify a few questions, but to no avail.

I read on another thread on PPRuNe that Emirates do not offer a job to international students once they graduate from their Flight Training Academy. Can someone please confirm this?

Also, I believe the cost is $250k, so I'm not entirely sure if this is worth it, considering there's no job offer at the end. You could join the L3 Airline Academy Integrated ATPL course, which is £90k, and still be in the same position with the Emirates programme.

What is everyone's thoughts on this? Any advice would be highly appreciated.

[SOPS]

There is no job offer with Emirates at the end.

[SID PLATE]

First time on the forum ?

Please have a look through the other threads / posts before considering an integrated course, or parting with any money.

[prince_monaco]

Be aware to join L3 Harris!..take a look "L3 Harris, the final shafting" tread .

[parkfell]

$250k is roughly £200k. If you have money to burn then go for it, in the full knowledge that C-19 has caused a massive implosion of black hole proportions in aviation. The prospect of employment is non existent for the short to medium term.

I find it remarkable that you are contemplating spending $250k in the first place for licence issue.

[hamzii786]

There is no job offer with Emirates at the end.

Thought as much, thanks!

First time on the forum ?

Please have a look through the other threads / posts before considering an integrated course, or parting with any money.

i have been reading other threads.

Be aware to join L3 Harris!..take a look "L3 Harris, the final shafting" tread .

yes, I’ve come across this and have been reading everything.

$250k is roughly £200k. If you have money to burn then go for it, in the full knowledge that C-19 has caused a massive implosion of black hole proportions in aviation. The prospect of employment is non existent for the short to medium term.

I find it remarkable that you are contemplating spending $250k in the first place for licence issue.

I understand the COVID issue and I know $250k is a lot, especially with no job guarantee at the end. Hence why I was considering L3 (to which I have applied a few years ago but wasn’t successful) and now I’m trying again. Although, I’ve read the horror stories from L3.

Now, with COVID too, I’m really confused as to whether it’s the right time to even pursue pilot training.

[wiggy]

I’m really confused as to whether it’s the right time to even pursue pilot training.

Just my ten cents worth but I'd suggest it is highly highly probable that now really really is not the right time to be chucking six figure sums on a full time course that's going to see you on the market with a new, highly perishable licence at the back end of 2021 or in early 2022.

If you insist on commencing training now then protect your current income stream and above all look for ways of making that training, and most importantly the end date as flexible as possible...i.e. Modular or other options...

I'd have a long hard look at lots of the threads on this section of pprune, and not just the last few pages of those threads..look back at comments from a few months back..there's a lot of good info hidden away.

[Cantbebothered]

hamzii786

It's throwing money in water at this stage. There will be no pilot jobs in Middle East for a few years. They have waiting lists of 1000's of redundant pilots willing to be reinstated if an opportunity comes along.

[parkfell]

You would be entirely correct to give serious thought as to whether this is the time to commence training.
What exactly is causing “your confusion”?

This time around L3 would welcome you with open arms (you have already passed before answering the first question) take your money, irrespective as to your aptitude testing scores, notwithstanding that previously you were assessed as an unacceptable training risk.

[Field Required]

For 250K why dont you just buy your own plane and enjoy yourself?

[andy148]

Hamzii, have you considered the total cost of the training with EFTA? Outside of the cost of the course, there's the living expenses covering day to day essentials. Dubai is not a cheap place to live, I sit in bewilderment at people looking to conduct flight training here, for the cost of the course (inc a daily living allowance) you could could probably buy your own plane including your PPL. Save your money and listen to the sage advice of those with many years in the industry.... remember a fool and their money are soon parted. Don't be that fool.

[BillieBob]

For 250K why dont you just buy your own plane and enjoy yourself? Why stop there? Given the current state and trajectory of the industry, 250K will soon buy you an airline

[jez d]

Without weighing in on the argument of when will be the right time to start commercial pilot training, if you are considering training with a UK ATO then you would be wise to consider what licence you want to graduate with. From 01 January 2021 the CAA will only be able to issue UK Licences, not Part-FCL licences (EU licences). If you wish to gain employment with an EU airline you will therefore need to convert a UK-issued licence to a Part-FCL equivalent. In theory the conversion process shouldn't require any additional training/examinations, but this is all dependent on successful bilateral agreements being reached between the UK and the EU. UK schools will likely choose to hold UK CAA approval and separately EASA approval through registration with an EU Member State (if they haven't already done so), and so should be able to deliver training towards the grant of both UK and Part-FCL licences, but you need to confirm this with your school and make a decision about which licence you want to graduate with.

[African_TrouserSnake]

hamzii786

For 250k you could get a quality modular EASA fATPL, 737 type+500h, aerobatic rating, TMG rating, sailplane rating, tailwheel endorsement warbird/L39/MIG/whatever type+some hours.

but yeah, just spend it on a basic icao fatpl sandpit course :D

[Basharbarbarawi]

Hello everyone is there any updates on EFTA and there willing to let there students work in Emirates ?

[allert]

As been mentioned before, the EK cadet program is only for the locals (UAE nationals).

[Savelii]

hello guys who knows where I can borrow money for EFTA if am a Ukrainian citizen ??

[Warlock1]

hello guys who knows where I can borrow money for EFTA if am a Ukrainian citizen ??
Man do yourself a favour:
Borrow 1/4th of that money, go somewhere else and get the same license!

[Citium]

$250k is a crazy amount for something that doesn’t give you what you want. Seneca said ‘It is the quality rather than the quantity that matters.’ I think this quote is very relevant in this situation.

[P827]

Hey I know a lot of ppl who go to EFTA local and foreign and tbh a lot of ppl don’t know what they are talking about.
1 it’s not 200k it’s 140gbp with the current conversion rate
2 yes it says a job is not guaranteed this is because it’s a separate company to emirates so they have to say that for legal reasons. If you pass all exams why wouldn’t they hire u?
if you have any more questions please ask

[wtsmg]

2 yes it says a job is not guaranteed this is because it’s a separate company to emirates so they have to say that for legal reasons. If you pass all exams why wouldn’t they hire u?


Because their advertised F/O absolute minimums are 2000 hrs on MTOW > 20 tons and typed on airbus/boeing?

[cryptoknight]

They won't hire you, you have to go back to your country and build hours

[SOPS]

Hey I know a lot of ppl who go to EFTA local and foreign and tbh a lot of ppl don’t know what they are talking about.
1 it’s not 200k it’s 140gbp with the current conversion rate
2 yes it says a job is not guaranteed this is because it’s a separate company to emirates so they have to say that for legal reasons. If you pass all exams why wouldn’t they hire u?
if you have any more questions please ask If you think going to EFTA will get you a job at EK, think again. It won’t happen.

[worpe]

Hey I know a lot of ppl who go to EFTA local and foreign and tbh a lot of ppl don’t know what they are talking about.
1 it’s not 200k it’s 140gbp with the current conversion rate
2 yes it says a job is not guaranteed this is because it’s a separate company to emirates so they have to say that for legal reasons. If you pass all exams why wouldn’t they hire u?
if you have any more questions please ask

Hey, I have my assessments scheduled soon and I was curious about a few things.
1. Is there a discussion forum anywhere regarding the assessments, results, travel or general experience with the program? I can't find any on PPRuNe or anywhere else I've looked.
2. I can't find any statistical record of the cadets and the percentage getting the FO with Emirates. Are there any records of foreign cadets being accepted as FO after the cadet program? Where can I find them?

And adding on the a few points that seem to be prevalent in the thread, the program is no longer $250k, its ~$181,650. Most other programs that I've found advertise with a lower cost but don't include necessities like accomodations, visas, meals, and the like, adding all of which imo will lead you to a similar estimate. And they don't seem to be guaranteeing a job either. If anyone could point me to some program that shows otherwise, I'll gladly give it a look. (I am from India, for context). So my only doubt is on the stats of number of cadets placed as FO.

3. What are the alternate routes available to those who finish the training but are not placed as an FO? Can they apply as an instructor at EFTA and continue building their hours?

[allert]

Hey, I have my assessments scheduled soon and I was curious about a few things.
1. Is there a discussion forum anywhere regarding the assessments, results, travel or general experience with the program? I can't find any on PPRuNe or anywhere else I've looked.
2. I can't find any statistical record of the cadets and the percentage getting the FO with Emirates. Are there any records of foreign cadets being accepted as FO after the cadet program? Where can I find them?

And adding on the a few points that seem to be prevalent in the thread, the program is no longer $250k, its ~$181,650. Most other programs that I've found advertise with a lower cost but don't include necessities like accomodations, visas, meals, and the like, adding all of which imo will lead you to a similar estimate. And they don't seem to be guaranteeing a job either. If anyone could point me to some program that shows otherwise, I'll gladly give it a look. (I am from India, for context). So my only doubt is on the stats of number of cadets placed as FO.

3. What are the alternate routes available to those who finish the training but are not placed as an FO? Can they apply as an instructor at EFTA and continue building their hours?

Can’t tell you about 1 and 2, but I’ve heard they don’t hire instructors fresh from their own school. They mostly look for ex-airline instructors who can share the airline discipline and experience with the local cadets because of the steep learning curve going from flight school straight onto the triple seven.