UK pilot training options, job opportunities for 737/A320

[plusblade]

My current situation -

BA, TUI MPL - failed remote interviews •

EZY MPL at CAE - Failed stage 3 which is the final stage Likelihood of getting an interview very soon with CAE integrated is very high

Have not applied yet to Skybourne, LE or L3 integrated ATPL

Researching other options is giving me a real heartache right now, my dream is to become a 737 or A320 pilot

Looking at modular, my plan would be to do everything at Flight training London Elstree, remote ATPL theory with CATS then A320 APS MCC with VA Training

was hoping of getting an MPL course because I'm getting severe anxiety/worries about not being able to find a job after completing my training as MPL would have started with easy Jet.. that was the plan

I just don't know if it's worth the risk with modular or Integrated ATPL, might be better to just wait for an MPL to open up im not sure What is the employability like for modular students in the UK?

[VariablePitchP]

My current situation -

BA, TUI MPL - failed remote interviews •EZY MPL at CAE - Failed stage 3 which is the final stage Likelihood of getting an interview very soon with CAE integrated is very high Have not applied yet to Skybourne, LE or L3 integrated ATPL Researching other options is giving me a real heartache right now, my dream is to become a 737 or A320 pilot Looking at modular, my plan would be to do everything at Flight training London Elstree, remote ATPL theory with CATS then A320 APS MCC with VA Training was hoping of getting an MPL course because I'm getting severe anxiety/worries about not being able to find a job after completing my training as MPL would have started with easy Jet.. that was the plan ljust don't know if it's worth the risk with modular or Integrated ATPL, might be better to just wait for an MPL to open up im not sure What is the employability like for modular students in the UK?

You will get an offer from Oxford, L3, etc. The application process is simply being able to generate £100K of cash. They don’t care if you fail, you haven’t got an airline expecting you to pass.

Modular vs integrated. You’ll finish quicker, spend far less, and be treated like someone who isn’t 6 years old if you go Modular. You get the same bit of paper, cannot understand why anyone would even contemplate self funding integrated without being tagged.

[plusblade]

You will get an offer from Oxford, L3, etc. The application process is simply being able to generate £100K of cash. They don’t care if you fail, you haven’t got an airline expecting you to pass.

Modular vs integrated. You’ll finish quicker, spend far less, and be treated like someone who isn’t 6 years old if you go Modular. You get the same bit of paper, cannot understand why anyone would even contemplate self funding integrated without being tagged.

What does tagged mean, not heard of it so I'm guessing there's no tagged courses in the UK? I know BA are tagging L3 students but that's after the course starts, so it's not really that great or as "guaranteed" as an MPL, I used the word guaranteed lightly to explain my point

[Speed_Trim_Fail]

Go modular, network, maybe even look at an ops job whilst you train.

Also, you may want to fly a shiny jet (as someone who has flown both the aircraft you mention, the 737 will teach you a very solid jet pilot skillset but on a busy 3 or 4 sector day it is the bus every single time for me!) but there is nothing wrong with a solid turboprop job - it will make you a very good pilot indeed. If what you are interested in in aviation, then ANY flying job should be your aim. If you want to “live the dream” that social media sells then you are in for a bit of a shock.

At the moment DEPs at BA for example are from a huge wealth of different backgrounds; some from EZY etc for sure but also people from Blue Islands, Aurigny, Loganair, West Atlantic, Titan, Corporate aviation…. modular and integrated are both represented. Someone who joins BA mainline with a few thousand ATR hours after spending 64k on modular training and having their type rating paid for by the likes of BI will be better off than someone who splurges 100k on an integrated course and then 30k to a blue and yellow airline…. No matter what instagram or TikTok say.

Tagged simply means you are on an integrated course but have a conditional offer from someone like EZY at the end. Generally self sponsored.

[bombaydude]

Are you (op) from the UK?

[plusblade]

Are you (op) from the UK?
Yeah I live in South London

[plusblade]

Go modular, network, maybe even look at an ops job whilst you train.

Also, you may want to fly a shiny jet (as someone who has flown both the aircraft you mention, the 737 will teach you a very solid jet pilot skillset but on a busy 3 or 4 sector day it is the bus every single time for me!) but there is nothing wrong with a solid turboprop job - it will make you a very good pilot indeed. If what you are interested in in aviation, then ANY flying job should be your aim. If you want to “live the dream” that social media sells then you are in for a bit of a shock.

At the moment DEPs at BA for example are from a huge wealth of different backgrounds; some from EZY etc for sure but also people from Blue Islands, Aurigny, Loganair, West Atlantic, Titan, Corporate aviation…. modular and integrated are both represented. Someone who joins BA mainline with a few thousand ATR hours after spending 64k on modular training and having their type rating paid for by the likes of BI will be better off than someone who splurges 100k on an integrated course and then 30k to a blue and yellow airline…. No matter what instagram or TikTok say.

Tagged simply means you are on an integrated course but have a conditional offer from someone like EZY at the end. Generally self sponsored.

So at what stage do you get tagged of the entire integrated process? And what do you do if you don't get tagged? Just all a big risk. So could EZY potentially tag me at CAE or BA At L3 although seems way to risky and expensive, I'd rather not

[rudestuff]

Want a guaranteed job? Good luck finding one, however if you're financially challenged i would suggest the following:

Pick an airline that employs cadet pilots. Get a job with the airline, preferably an office job and make sure you shine at that job. This will give you a staff number and a visible profile - by that I mean you'll know the chief pilot, head of HR etc. Now get your modular fATPL part time and make sure the CP finds out that you're doing it. Wait it out. Ask for a copy of Part A and B. Study them and ask the occasional question, maybe spot an error. The rest will take care of itself and you'll make a nice success story for the company magazine. They lap that sh1t up.

[RichardH]

plusblade - The whole pilot training game is a risk, some will get there quickly, others over time & some never. The key is mitigating those risks by not taking on £100k of debt hence those of us on here like myself, rudestuff, Speed_Trim_Fail & others ALL advise against both integrated & MPL (unless the airline is fully sponsoring the course) & go the modular route. As I & others have said before no such thing as guaranteed job even if you are lucky to land a full sponsorship, EZY MPL cancelled due Covid, BA & Aer Lingus cancelled due to 9/11. I notice that you have failed 3 MPL interviews but so have lots of others who have succeeded in the end. Though people talk about resilience & trying again I suspect you will be wasting your time, better to take control of your own path & go modular fATPL.

Students who are 'tagged' have usually started on an self-sponsored integrated course but as they proceed along they are talent spotted by the flight school and are then recommended to potential airlines (if they are looking). These students will have exceptional standards, attendance, ground school results (85% first time passes), good flying standards then they MIGHT get tagged & hopefully it will work out but NO GUARANTEES - that's only death & taxes.