Wee Weasley Welshman

I know that many people are unaware that until the credit crunch HSBC was doling out £80,000 loans to CTC cadets secured against nothing. Add in student loans and a bit on a credit card or car loan and I've met plenty you owe 6 figures secured against nothing more than their Class One medical...

Its a hell of a hole to clamber out of to finally be worse nothing again.


Then you start saving for a house..


WWW

davepearsall

WOW!

I didn't realise HSBC we dishing out that much with or without security!

Immoral doesn't do it justice!

Cirrus_Clouds

And it's this type of action of the past that has caused the problems we have now!!

The horse has bolted, escaped and action is being taken after the event rather than protecting things to start off with - well this will limit pilot training in the future, only being available to those who can afford it.

Zippy Monster

And therein lies the problem. The profession will be accessible only to those who have access to money, rather than those with talent. Flight schools, who once were able to select according to ability, may have to shift their criteria in favour of those with the money in order to stay in business. Is that what we want?

Cirrus_Clouds

I have a gut feeling that in the long run, the changes which are taking place in the banks, will reassure the banks that people can actually afford things with minimal risk, will result in more sponsorships coming about - but that will be once companies become healthy in themselves again and also a demand.

I think that this is heading towards having both money and ability (but hasn't this always been the case; just harder to get now). Only having one won't get you too far.

Ollie23

Oh please, I'd hardly say you ever had to be "talented" to pass flying school selection tests (well I can only speak for CTC & Oxford). Their only real functon is to give naive wannbes the impression that they are in some way special and as such should hand over their cash without delay.

One9iner

Ollie23
Based on 2007 figures, CTC received over 4000 applications to the Wings programme.

147 places were granted.

hollingworthp

Why let facts get in the way of an opinion?

Ollie23

Indeed. I don't doubt it clears out the complete clowns (and there are many many of them based on people i've come accoss at various selection days) although somehow I don't think this is the primary purpose....

Wing_Bound_Vortex

one9iner,

In the main they only take that number because that's all they can squeeze on the course in any one year with the infrastructure they have. And yes it gets rid of the clowns, of course it does, but anyone who puts the work in on the studying front and has reasonable hand/eye co-ordination shouldn't have too many issues with selection.

WBV

Wee Weasley Welshman

147 in 2007?

What about 2008 and now 2009? Hamilton has been expanded since 2007 so they've got more capacity to generate a return on.

How many's in the hold pool today and how many new swimmers will there be by next April when there may be some summer work experience available? Whose going to get the work experience? The new boys or the ones who got it this year again?

Lots of questions someone should ask at a recruitment day perhaps.



WWW

One9iner

At present they're taking 24 cadets every 2 months.

Nov CP79
Jan CP80
Mar CP81
etc...

That doesn't seem to be a huge (if at all) increase to 07.

sharpclassic

and how many people who started in '07 are in full time jobs?

akindofmagic

Are all of these people taking out secured loans? Astonishing if that's the case.

Air_One

Dont forget CTC also offer places on their ICP course to unsuccesful wings candidates. So I dont think it as hard to get accepted on a course as they make out.

I failed selection for the wings course in early 2008 - but was then offered an ICP place (which, in retrospect, I luckily turned down). Though I get the feeling most unsuccesful Wings candidates are offered ICP places ?

The ICP option is (in their words) self funded and you dont do a type rating at end of it. CTC also dont help with finding you a job after the course, no matter how well you do in the exams.

CTC Flight Training Selection & Assessment

socloss

OK to answer some of your Qs: Take it from me these figures are REAL as I am one of them:

Those who started January 2007 - April 2007 all but 1 got Easyjet summer contracts. Most have finished their 6 months now and have been offered Flexicrew for the winter with a probable contract next summer. Maybe this will go permanent, who knows?

This leaves 13 courses that have now finished training or are literally about to. Average per course is at least 12 but let's be optimistic and say 13 x 12 = 156 cadets in the hold pool. It should also be noted that there are around 8 ATP TR'd guys waiting placement ahead of cadets. This is as we speak so next year, of course the figures will be vastly larger........

socloss

corporate_pilot

The only way the iCP cadets get a job via CTC is if they are lucky enough to make it through to the ATP scheme at the end of it...and even at the end of that they will always be 2nd choice to a long list of existing wing cadets, which makes me wonder why anybody would want to go through that route in the first intance. Paying 70-75k just for a CPL/IR.

sharpclassic

socloss,

Summer contracts/flexiwings is b*llocks. It's not a proper job. You can't plan your life on a temp contract. You can't get a mortgage on a temp contract. Don't be fooled into thinking that a temp summer contract is a good thing.

What counts are full time employment contracts.

So, once, again, how many cadets who started in 2007 are on full time contracts?

socloss

If we are talking full time permanent contracts the answer would be sweet FA from 2007. Last course to be offered that is the guys who started in December 2006 and thats only 4 of them I believe with Thomas Cook.

Bankruptcy is def an option.......

socloss

One9iner

sharpclassic.... Exactly when did socloss claim the situation was ideal?