Harves
7th Apr 2001, 23:03
Well for those of you who like me have been pondering the difficult question of which one (particularly with reference to BAe or OATS), I have just got back from BAe.
As a lot of you will know, for the last thirteen years, I had been looking towards OATS. It had the reputation and seemed the obvious choice if you could afford it or were lucky enough to get sponsorship. Very recently, everything fell into place for me to get serious, and when doing my research, found that there were a number of questions raised about OATS. I am not going to go into those now, but suffice to say, enough questions were raised that I decided to look at the alternatives. This is where I discovered the all new BAe in Jerez. Now enough of the background, on to the facts.
BAe offer more or less the same course content as OATS but include food and accomodation for the same price. To be honest, it was going to have to be good, because I would be leaving behind my long long term girlfriend and my two cats. Of course, here was the first big plus. I was budgeting on aproximately £8000 for food and accomodation if I went to OATS, so here was a saving already. Was this going to reduce quality? Well now I genuinely believe not. They were well aware of there problems towards the end of their time at Prestwick and problems with Night flying and ground school in their early days at Jerez. For what it is worth, I have been satisfied that these problems no longer exist.
Well, what of the place that will be home for over a year. It was fantastic. The rooms were new, clean and spacious. Plenty of power points and a telephone (incoming only for now, but are currently working on it) and an en-suite toilet and shower. There is a new bar and there is also a snack room and lounge with wide screen TV and DVD player. The leisure facilities are first class with a fantastic swimming pool.
However, none of us are going for a holiday. Well again, I was not disappointed. There were about 20 Warriors on the ground that I saw and about 6 Senecas although I know that at least one was in use.
There are two modest single engine sims, 4 Jet instrument familiarisation rigs and the full motion jet sim. The remaining facilities are all in their own blocks from briefing rooms to ops and all looked of the highest standard. Classes were being held whilst I was there and all looked extremely intense but no more than 16 students were in 1 class.
My other niggle remained, the OATS airline connection. Well I received some interesting off the record info. Whilst I was there, BAe were having there official opening and had invited countless journalists from the main aviation mags. When I met up with them at the airport for the flight home, all seemed extremely impressed. The interesting info was the apparent presence of some major airline players assesing the facilities. I decided to pull the one string that I have to confirm this. I know through an ex colleague, a Senior Training Captain for a major UK opperator. He confirmed that a team were out there assessing the prospects of sending there suudents to BAe and that the feed back had been good. He also mentioned that the recruiteres are looking more favourably on the self sponsored students coming out of BAe because of the new testing requirements for a place at BAe.
I could talk for so long but I won't. if any of you guys have any specific questions, then drop me a mail.
By the way, if it wasn't obvious, I have finally signed on the dotted line, and I start my induction on the 18th of this month.
I hope that this may of helped some of you and for those of you finding this extremely hard because of leaving behind loved ones, then don't worry, you will not be alone. There are people out there who have left a wife and three kids behind.
Good luck anyway guys and girls.
May see some of you out there.
As a lot of you will know, for the last thirteen years, I had been looking towards OATS. It had the reputation and seemed the obvious choice if you could afford it or were lucky enough to get sponsorship. Very recently, everything fell into place for me to get serious, and when doing my research, found that there were a number of questions raised about OATS. I am not going to go into those now, but suffice to say, enough questions were raised that I decided to look at the alternatives. This is where I discovered the all new BAe in Jerez. Now enough of the background, on to the facts.
BAe offer more or less the same course content as OATS but include food and accomodation for the same price. To be honest, it was going to have to be good, because I would be leaving behind my long long term girlfriend and my two cats. Of course, here was the first big plus. I was budgeting on aproximately £8000 for food and accomodation if I went to OATS, so here was a saving already. Was this going to reduce quality? Well now I genuinely believe not. They were well aware of there problems towards the end of their time at Prestwick and problems with Night flying and ground school in their early days at Jerez. For what it is worth, I have been satisfied that these problems no longer exist.
Well, what of the place that will be home for over a year. It was fantastic. The rooms were new, clean and spacious. Plenty of power points and a telephone (incoming only for now, but are currently working on it) and an en-suite toilet and shower. There is a new bar and there is also a snack room and lounge with wide screen TV and DVD player. The leisure facilities are first class with a fantastic swimming pool.
However, none of us are going for a holiday. Well again, I was not disappointed. There were about 20 Warriors on the ground that I saw and about 6 Senecas although I know that at least one was in use.
There are two modest single engine sims, 4 Jet instrument familiarisation rigs and the full motion jet sim. The remaining facilities are all in their own blocks from briefing rooms to ops and all looked of the highest standard. Classes were being held whilst I was there and all looked extremely intense but no more than 16 students were in 1 class.
My other niggle remained, the OATS airline connection. Well I received some interesting off the record info. Whilst I was there, BAe were having there official opening and had invited countless journalists from the main aviation mags. When I met up with them at the airport for the flight home, all seemed extremely impressed. The interesting info was the apparent presence of some major airline players assesing the facilities. I decided to pull the one string that I have to confirm this. I know through an ex colleague, a Senior Training Captain for a major UK opperator. He confirmed that a team were out there assessing the prospects of sending there suudents to BAe and that the feed back had been good. He also mentioned that the recruiteres are looking more favourably on the self sponsored students coming out of BAe because of the new testing requirements for a place at BAe.
I could talk for so long but I won't. if any of you guys have any specific questions, then drop me a mail.
By the way, if it wasn't obvious, I have finally signed on the dotted line, and I start my induction on the 18th of this month.
I hope that this may of helped some of you and for those of you finding this extremely hard because of leaving behind loved ones, then don't worry, you will not be alone. There are people out there who have left a wife and three kids behind.
Good luck anyway guys and girls.
May see some of you out there.