mallinderjb

Hi,

Thanks for the help.

I wasn't under the impression that I would complete in 10 hours, I was really just going off what was said to me at phase two. Is that the foundatio n course is there to get you up to 69 hours.

I was really just tryin to get a feel for how t would all work but I am now of the understanding that I will more than likely need to complete the whole foundation course.

Niagra1

Morning all,

Bjkeates, thanks for the post, its ok, i did not check my mails clearly enough on the CTC mail server.... (i can only access it from home, work wont allow that sort of thing!)

One less thing to worry about.....

Now insurance.....

Mallinder, i also have a PPL, around 52 hours, but mine was from Donkeys ago, and as far as i know it has lapsed, i am fully expecting to start from scratch (iron out any bad habits you may have picked up?)

Still, everyday i wake up, and no matter what kind of i get at work, i know that come November ill be doing something i love! I really cant wait!

Niagra

Virginlady

I'm off to New Zealand soon and really looking forward to the experience but i keep reading various messages saying how tough it is, even for pilots who have a fair amount of flying experience etc etc. i understand there is going to be alot of work, i wouldn't expect it to be an easy ride but i feel i'm getting more and more anxious rather than excited. is it really that bad?

Niagra1

Hmm if i said i was excited all the time i think i would be lying.... there are times when I get pretty nervous also.... but my view, and it is just my view, is that the selection process is there to make sure that CTC believe that you have what it takes to get through the course (i believe they said as much at the phase 2 selection?)

I am under no illusion that it is going to be easy going out there in NZ, a high standard is required (and i suppose this is why the airlines like CTC cadets?) and the ATPL's seem like a lot of work..... However the old adage that you get out what you put in applies here.

You put the work in, you pass, your down the pub every night, you fail....

Although seeing a few of the other course's blogs, there seems to be time for some relaxing along the way! And there will be 11 (or so) other cadets in your intake that will be in the same boat, so you all muck in and help where necesary.

I look forward to getting out there, and hopefully seeing you all relaxed and wondering "what all the fuss was about" (just make sure you have found a decent watering hole! )

Niagra1

Just my two pennies!

Barcelona cadet

thanks for your answer virgin lady.
how did you all prepare for stage 3 ( magazines, websites,....?)

RS999

Barcelona Cadet

For my interview I read through this entire thread then read everything I could possibly find on the internet. Also joined the Royal Aeronautical Society and researched the British Airline Pilots Association as well as Flight International magazine.

For the team exercises I did very little.....

Niagra1

agreed... and wikipedia is a good start......

Yeah group tests.... you could certainly (in my view) tell the people that had read Pprune and thought they knew the right moves, and those that were natural......

i think you are either good in a team or not....

Virginlady

airliners.net and airliner world magazine helped me a bit!

RS999

Didnt do much prep for the team working exercises as I work in a team environment in the Fire Service just now and have for ten years and I've been a Territorial Army Commissioned Officer for 6 years too. Team work comes pretty naturally. Would definately agree with Niagra1 tho.......either good in a team environment or not.

stefan

Hi guys

I am glad to say that I have passed phase 3 (8th of August)
I have the sim ride on the 6th of september!!
What the best way to prepare for it??

thanx

ozman777

The answer is Microsoft Flight Simulator.

There is another good point with FS :
If you play a lot to Flight Simulator and if it often locks up during landing after a 12 hour intercontinental flight, you have low chance to become angry in any further real life bad situations, and it helps you to increase your self-control ability

No, seriously, I think the best way to prepare for Phase 4 is to relax


P.S. Anyone going to Phase 3 on 15th August ?

Bye bye !

Ozman

greywind

Niagra mentioned wikipedia as a tool for research.
It is very good but remember that it isn't 100% authorative.

I noticed when studying that wikipedias list of fleets sometimes differed from the airlines published list for example.

That said there is still a lot to gain from reading the airlines wikipedia pages.

Niagra1

Agreed, there are a few things on Wiki that you need to check, but it is a good start...

As for the Stage 4, make sure you get a good nights sleep (easier said than done....) the night before, listen to the instructor, and do your best!

I am at odds as to whether a flight sim helps or not, i thought it was nothing like Microsoft Flight Simulator (it was a million times better!)

At the end of the day, they are not looking to fail you (the same can be said for all stages) they are looking for a natural ability to fly/follow instructions and learn!

relax and enjoy!

RS999

Got to agree with Wikipedia being slightly inaccurate (although it was me who suggested it in the first place lol) but I found that it is updated far more often than the airline's fleet lists on their own websites. Most of the info on Wiki is dated i.e. they quote "As of May 2007" for example.

I'm not too sure where their info comes from though.............

Stage 4 advice - Like Niagra1 says, get a good nights sleep beforehand, (try to) relax as much as possible, listen to what you're being asked to do in the cockpit and get confirmation if you're not sure what you're being asked to do.

Something I did on my Stage 4 was.....when I was told to (for example) "Turn left to heading 090 degrees using a 45 degree bank angle, maintain 4000 feet" I confirmed this by saying "Turning left to 090, 45 degree bank, maintain 4000 feet" to confirm to the instructor that I understood what I was being asked to do prior to doing it. It can be very easy to make a complete of something if you don't understand what is being asked of you.

If you need a few seconds to think about something prior to doing it or you're doing something and get asked another question but want to concentrate on what you're doing first say something like "Standby" to let the instructor know you have heard what he/she have said but want to concentrate on what you're doing without saying 'hold on a second...I'm busy'

Ultimately enjoy the assessment as it is very enjoyable, especially if you've never been in a real Flight Sim before.

EZYramper

Did anyone else find that the visuals weren't that great in the sim? Towards the end of the flight they were fine for approach but for most of it I felt like I was flying purely with reference to the instruments, I couldn't even really make out an horizon.

Niagra1

Agree with RS, i repeated back what i was being asked to do, mainly so i knew i had it in my head, but it shows you can think and concentrate at the same time....

As for the graphics, i looked out the window once at takeoff (the instructor took control here) but as we were flying out of heathrow at night, i did not look up from the instruments throughout the whole excercise, i looked up on final approach to see the runway, but that was it.

Having never done an ILS approach, i was pretty nervous when he said "right, now for an ILS approach" but he explained in detail what to do (basically keeping things lined up with each other) and if there is anything you do not understand or want clarification on just ask, in fact my ILS approach was pretty good untill i looked out the window for the final part!

Had a mare of a landing, got it on the tarmac ok, but then skidded it all the way down (the instructor got involved to try to help rescue it!)

Was extremely enjoyable, and i cant wait to get another go!

RS999

EZY...remember that most of the time in a Commercial Jet it goes too fast to accurately use visual references. This is what I was told on my Stage 4 which is why we have to use instruments so much.

On my Stage 4 I didn't look out the windows at all except over the glare shield to make sure I was lined up with the LGW 26L about 4 miles out on approach.

Gingerbread Man

Is CTC the only training scheme out of FTE and OAT that give you a type rating? The others only seem to go up to CPL/IR MCC but then they have partner airlines too, so you must get a type rating somewhere in there. I can't believe I screwed up CTC this time round - just looking at the other schemes just makes me realise what i'm missing out on. I've no doubt they're very professional too, but it's the little things that put me off. Take the aircraft for one; FTE and OAT use tatty looking Warriors and Senecas, CTC use brand spanking DA-42s. Not that you'll be better trained in a Twinstar or anything, i'd just rather have a nice neat aircraft when i've paid £60k to train, rather than a 70's relic made with bits of old caravan. Anyway, nice work to everyone who's got on the course. If i'm lucky I might be doing the same in 11 months time.

PPL152

Hey everyone

I have my application currently on hold, and would like to ask, should one get accepted for the CTC Wings Cadet programme, how long can he postpone the course start date from the date he was accepted?

Thanks!

Barcelona cadet

Hi , I was just wondering about 2 things:

1.- How many applicant pass stage 1, 2, 3 and 4 ( I've read and answer in this same forum but it's from 2006

2.- How many people that pass all phases and go to NZ don't finish the course

Thanks