The CTC Wings (Cadets) Thread - Part 2.
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Well, there are no guarantees of course... but if you failed on lack of life experience then I wouldn't imagine it would be hard to convince them to give you another go in 5 years time.
If that was your only reason for failing I'd imagine you'd be one of the ones they'd ask back after 6 or 12 months anyway.
Like I said, no guarantees but if you don't think Uni is for you I wouldn't go through it for the sake of another box ticked. Ultimately if you succeed at CTC (remember it's not just selection you have to pass... you have to actually make it through the course too
) I'd imagine the few thousand hours you rack up in the years you would have spent at uni would be of equal or indeed more value than a degree.
All in my humble opinion of course, take it as you will.
If that was your only reason for failing I'd imagine you'd be one of the ones they'd ask back after 6 or 12 months anyway.
Like I said, no guarantees but if you don't think Uni is for you I wouldn't go through it for the sake of another box ticked. Ultimately if you succeed at CTC (remember it's not just selection you have to pass... you have to actually make it through the course too
) I'd imagine the few thousand hours you rack up in the years you would have spent at uni would be of equal or indeed more value than a degree.All in my humble opinion of course, take it as you will.
Last edited by rusty_y2k2; 20th Jan 2007 at 22:17.
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Thanks for the replies.
As previously said, the worse that could happen is get rejected (I'm not intending to do so...). First I must pass stage 2, then will worry more on stage 3.
I'd prefer however to leave University as a second option, second only to CTC.
As previously said, the worse that could happen is get rejected (I'm not intending to do so...). First I must pass stage 2, then will worry more on stage 3.
I'd prefer however to leave University as a second option, second only to CTC.
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Very useful information here from what it seems, different people from different backgrounds.
As CU PA, I'm not from the UK. Here, the courses I can get to are basically Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy or BSc, which are all massive 5 year courses. After all the struggling (and my country is known for my university and how rigorous the system is), you get to work 60 hours a week (that's the current situation for doctors), or 40 the minimum, to get paid something between £600 - £1000 monthly, that is at the age of 24. Then family loans? House, etc etc....
I did not see it worth it.
I decided to give a try to CTC first, if that doesn't succeed then I'm off to University, then do all the licences after my degree on my own.
If I succeed at CTC, then, knowing that the Wings programme is very well recognised by airlines etc etc, you will be in safe hands, unless you lose your medical - but then, I'm sure you will find some kind of job provided you have good grades at A level, apart from the medical insurance the airline might give you if you're lucky.
I don't know how this may sound but that's how I'm looking at it. I do believe that stage 2, group exercises at stage 3, and stage 4 are really up to the individual, but all I'm worried about is how to convince them about my plans in the interview part of stage 3.
NB: Please do consider that I'm not from the UK (even though I have British descendants) and that the system here is different.
As CU PA, I'm not from the UK. Here, the courses I can get to are basically Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy or BSc, which are all massive 5 year courses. After all the struggling (and my country is known for my university and how rigorous the system is), you get to work 60 hours a week (that's the current situation for doctors), or 40 the minimum, to get paid something between £600 - £1000 monthly, that is at the age of 24. Then family loans? House, etc etc....
I did not see it worth it.
I decided to give a try to CTC first, if that doesn't succeed then I'm off to University, then do all the licences after my degree on my own.
If I succeed at CTC, then, knowing that the Wings programme is very well recognised by airlines etc etc, you will be in safe hands, unless you lose your medical - but then, I'm sure you will find some kind of job provided you have good grades at A level, apart from the medical insurance the airline might give you if you're lucky.
I don't know how this may sound but that's how I'm looking at it. I do believe that stage 2, group exercises at stage 3, and stage 4 are really up to the individual, but all I'm worried about is how to convince them about my plans in the interview part of stage 3.
NB: Please do consider that I'm not from the UK (even though I have British descendants) and that the system here is different.
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I think I am going to sound like a grumpy old man in this post, so please excuse me now.
The topic of whether to go to University or not has been covered extensively on Pprune - use the search function!!!.
Does having a degree help to get you on the CTC Wings scheme - which after all is the topic of conversation - then the answer is not necessarily.
It is true that the majority of CTC cadets have at least an undergraduate degree and the average age is over 20. Look at the CTC website and it clearly states what the academic qualifications required are, and a degree is not essential.
Aptitude to be a pilot is important, regardless of whether you have a PhD in Nuclear Physics or left school with the lowest required A levels. Can you guess what CTC do? - yup - they test aptitude. This apparently is the stage with the highest rejection rate - so you can guarantee that quite a few graduate and non graduates have been told adios, thank you for applying but we will not be taking your application further.
So you have met the required aptitude level, so what are the important factors that CTC believe that an airline pilot should have. I very much doubt that the word degree is first on the list here.
So, have a think.... Team work is that important? Well CTC test you on it, it says so on the website. Motivation - says it is important on the website too. So what else could they ask me about in an interview?. Not really the hardest question to answer is it - Why do you want to be an airline pilot, a bit about general life experiences, knowledge of the airline industry, decision making etc etc, give an example of when you worked in a team - it says on the website that team work is important and so on.
If you didn't go to University, would you expect a question - Why didn't you want to go to University. If you did go to University perhaps - Did you enjoy University and what did you gain from the experience - blah de blah. Why do you want to be an airline pilot despite having a degree in Flower arranging?
One of the fascinating things about life is that everyone is different. Everyone has had different life experiences and has made different choices. Ultimately a selection team will decide yay or nay and you can bet that they have considerable experience in finding and knowing what they are looking for.
The topic of whether to go to University or not has been covered extensively on Pprune - use the search function!!!.
Does having a degree help to get you on the CTC Wings scheme - which after all is the topic of conversation - then the answer is not necessarily.
It is true that the majority of CTC cadets have at least an undergraduate degree and the average age is over 20. Look at the CTC website and it clearly states what the academic qualifications required are, and a degree is not essential.
Aptitude to be a pilot is important, regardless of whether you have a PhD in Nuclear Physics or left school with the lowest required A levels. Can you guess what CTC do? - yup - they test aptitude. This apparently is the stage with the highest rejection rate - so you can guarantee that quite a few graduate and non graduates have been told adios, thank you for applying but we will not be taking your application further.
So you have met the required aptitude level, so what are the important factors that CTC believe that an airline pilot should have. I very much doubt that the word degree is first on the list here.
So, have a think.... Team work is that important? Well CTC test you on it, it says so on the website. Motivation - says it is important on the website too. So what else could they ask me about in an interview?. Not really the hardest question to answer is it - Why do you want to be an airline pilot, a bit about general life experiences, knowledge of the airline industry, decision making etc etc, give an example of when you worked in a team - it says on the website that team work is important and so on.
If you didn't go to University, would you expect a question - Why didn't you want to go to University. If you did go to University perhaps - Did you enjoy University and what did you gain from the experience - blah de blah. Why do you want to be an airline pilot despite having a degree in Flower arranging?
One of the fascinating things about life is that everyone is different. Everyone has had different life experiences and has made different choices. Ultimately a selection team will decide yay or nay and you can bet that they have considerable experience in finding and knowing what they are looking for.
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The university discussion has been moved here.
I would remind you that this thread is specifically about applying for, attending interviews for, and information about the CTC Wings (Cadets) scheme. In the hope that this thread will continue to be useful to those considering CTC, please restrict yourselves to those constraints. Off-topic conversations dilute the thread and make it less likely that people will bother to use it to research their choices.
Scroggs
I would remind you that this thread is specifically about applying for, attending interviews for, and information about the CTC Wings (Cadets) scheme. In the hope that this thread will continue to be useful to those considering CTC, please restrict yourselves to those constraints. Off-topic conversations dilute the thread and make it less likely that people will bother to use it to research their choices.
Scroggs
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Sagey forgot to mention Leadership skills, they are very keen on that! No problems if you were cricket captain for 4 years,but if not then have as many examples ready as you can think of!
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On a completely different train of thought....
What does CTC actually stand for? I've been meaning to find this out for a while. Is it Crew Training Centre, or have I just made that up?
Thanks
GWidgery
What does CTC actually stand for? I've been meaning to find this out for a while. Is it Crew Training Centre, or have I just made that up?
Thanks
GWidgery
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stands for chief training captain.
They used to supply training captains to airlines that needed them on a consultancy basis before they started the wings programme.
The business in now mostly concerned with selling pilots (wings programme) and command courses, although they still do some consultancy and cabin crew training i think.
The name stayed the same.
As far as leadership skills, uni requirements, an "what CTC look for" go... I dont think CTC are of the box ticking persuasion. Yes leadership experience is a good quality, and university can be an important life experience. Yet there are plenty here without degrees and when asked what leadership experience i had in my intreview, i replied "none". They still let me in. Like sagey grumpy chops said, firstly they test aptitude. If the aptitude is up to standard they go on to look at the whole person. If the sum of all the qualities that person posseses makes for a promising proffesional you should have no worries. People have different qualities learned though different life experiences. I would hesistate to say CTC want a, b and, c. I found them more open minded than that. The only solid prerequisite is good aptitude and the ability to do some quick mental arithmatic.
They used to supply training captains to airlines that needed them on a consultancy basis before they started the wings programme.
The business in now mostly concerned with selling pilots (wings programme) and command courses, although they still do some consultancy and cabin crew training i think.
The name stayed the same.
As far as leadership skills, uni requirements, an "what CTC look for" go... I dont think CTC are of the box ticking persuasion. Yes leadership experience is a good quality, and university can be an important life experience. Yet there are plenty here without degrees and when asked what leadership experience i had in my intreview, i replied "none". They still let me in. Like sagey grumpy chops said, firstly they test aptitude. If the aptitude is up to standard they go on to look at the whole person. If the sum of all the qualities that person posseses makes for a promising proffesional you should have no worries. People have different qualities learned though different life experiences. I would hesistate to say CTC want a, b and, c. I found them more open minded than that. The only solid prerequisite is good aptitude and the ability to do some quick mental arithmatic.
Last edited by dragonfly6; 23rd Jan 2007 at 04:22.
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It is a jolly good job that you don't have to be able to spell professional as well!!.
However, Dragonfly is correct in saying there is no set formula, so be yourself and don't fall into the trap of trying to be what you think they want and what you are not.
I found the CTC interview to be the fairest interview that I have ever had. It was an enjoyable experience not one to be dreaded.
Sagey - aka "grumpy chops"
However, Dragonfly is correct in saying there is no set formula, so be yourself and don't fall into the trap of trying to be what you think they want and what you are not.
I found the CTC interview to be the fairest interview that I have ever had. It was an enjoyable experience not one to be dreaded.
Sagey - aka "grumpy chops"
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This topic has been discussed many a time.
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Airgus, maths test is just a matter of know how to convert currencies, units and simple mental square roots... normally you have enough time to finish everything and to have a look at it at the end. I recommend you to read carefully the questions.
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roaches,
I suggest you actually read the CTC site before applying.
http://www.ctcaviation.com/wings/040203.html
M330
I suggest you actually read the CTC site before applying.
http://www.ctcaviation.com/wings/040203.html
M330
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Monarch, from your link
"If you do not have access to the money required for this bond, an arrangement with a high street bank is available to lend you up to the full amount required (unsecured) at a competitive interest rate"
That means, YES, I can....
"If you do not have access to the money required for this bond, an arrangement with a high street bank is available to lend you up to the full amount required (unsecured) at a competitive interest rate"
That means, YES, I can....
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Hate to kick off the selection babble again, but can anyone compare the Pilapt/Psychometrics for CTC with, say, those at OASC for RAF/RN? Plus, who knows when the next selection process gets underway?
Cheers, FNSA
Cheers, FNSA
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Finance -a problem!
Hi guys, I'm still worried and not convinced, so sorry to bother anyone with the questions!
I'm currently deciding whether to attend stage 2 or not as I have the following options
1) Go to university (last priority - not interested and 5 yr course to become a dentist or doctor is way too much)
2) Go to CTC
Now, I WANT to go to CTC if selected, BUT, there's a financial problem. I don't have much money saved up (used in PPL, travel etc) - very little.
A) If I get selected, what are the criteria needed for the loan, as I asked before, would I still get a loan if I have nothing saved up?
B) How much do the insurances cost all in all?
The info on the website doesn't specify exactly, so any additional info from present / past students or anyone would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for the help.
I'm currently deciding whether to attend stage 2 or not as I have the following options
1) Go to university (last priority - not interested and 5 yr course to become a dentist or doctor is way too much)
2) Go to CTC
Now, I WANT to go to CTC if selected, BUT, there's a financial problem. I don't have much money saved up (used in PPL, travel etc) - very little.
A) If I get selected, what are the criteria needed for the loan, as I asked before, would I still get a loan if I have nothing saved up?
B) How much do the insurances cost all in all?
The info on the website doesn't specify exactly, so any additional info from present / past students or anyone would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for the help.