Jordie1983

Hi all.

I have done a few searches on the above topic, ie taking your family to NZ with you, and found a couple of useful comments about sorting out your own accommodation etc etc, however some other info was PM'd to people so I dont know any specific details.

If anyone has any experience with taking family with them or how CTC view it, also if it would hinder me in an interview etc I would be most grateful.

Thanks Jordan,

Oh PS, When filling in the online form there is nowhere to put sporting clubs, interests etc. Is it simply that they are only interested in the minimum requirements and will get the other info off you in an interview scenario?

poss

Unfortunately I don't know anything more than what you have read about the family going to NZ also.
When it comes to the online application they get a lot of them a week... at this stage they don't care about sporting groups and interests as you guessed all they want to see is the basic requirements and then if you pass phase 2 they will want to get to know you there.

Supersport

I too would appreciate it if anyone could advise on whether or not this is feesible. In exactly the same boat as you Jordie1983. 14 months is a long time when you have a child.

99jolegg

Can I just check something...

Whilst out in NZ for 12-14 months, do you still come back twice for a few days leave and complete half of the ATPL exams? I know I've read that's what they do somewhere along the line. The website isn't too clear, they say:

Your Commercial Pilot Licence and Instrument Rating (CPL/IR) training will take about 14 months. The first 12 months are completed in New Zealand at our Crew Training Centre at Hamilton International Airport, returning to the UK to sit your Airline Transport Pilot licence (ATPL) theoretical knowledge exams and to enjoy some well-deserved leave.

If so, are we talking about 4 months in NZ at a time?

Thanks,

The African Dude

It's about 6.5 months at first, then return for 2 weeks of brush up, a week of exams and about a week's leave. Then you're back in Hamilton for about another 4.5 months until the final exams back in the UK. At least that's what it looks like on my schedule, anyway!

CapCon

Hey African Dude,

How long did it take you to receive the 'What happens next pack' after finding out you passed selection? Does it come by post or email? I'm feeling so impatient, just want to crack on with the preparation

Cheers,

CapCon

99jolegg

Ah right. So, once you're back to do the final exams, are you back for good? Do you finish the final exams in Bristol and then head over to Bournemouth for the next part?

bjkeates

In a word, yes!

The African Dude

Hey CapCon, it comes by post. The date on mine is about 4 days after successful selection although yours may differ. Add postage time and bingo. I know what you mean about impatience - but I can assure you that once you get the pack, there will be plenty to keep you busy! Enjoy

poss

Lol African Dude, I think we've all read the stories of how much paper work there is in it to read and sign just by reading this forum.
Still would be nice to be able to get on with it and sort everything.

CapCon

Thanks African Dude. Hopefully that means it's going to arrive in the next couple of days! Can't wait to find out exactly how much needs to be done before heading out

aemowens

Hey All,

On my schedule it appears I am out in NZ from May to start Dec, then back to UK until sometime in Jan - 2 weeks revision, 1 week leave, 1 week exams (or something like that) then back out to NZ, for about 2.5months then back for another 2 weeks revision, exams and a bit more leave then its down to bournemouth. No more time in NZ after that.

Ann

Pilot RatBoy

You can expect to be in NZ for 7 months initially, then you fly back to the UK for 5 weeks. These5 weeks are broken down into 1 week leave then 2 weeks revision at bristol then 1 week of exams at bristol followed by another week of leave then is back to NZ. The second phase of NZ is approximately 4 months long, after which you return to the UK and the first 5 weeks back are as before. Once the exams/leave is over you then go to bournemouth to finish your IR.

With regards to family in NZ, CTC are not fantastic fans of having partners accompanying cadets and I am unaware of their position regarding kids. If you take children then it is likely that you will have to fund your own accomodation as us cadets only live in single accomodation. They can occasionally squeeze a double in, but almost certainly will not get 3 people to a room. Obviously you would need to seek more detailed/personalised advice from someone at CTC before deciding on anything.

Hope this helps, if not then send me a pm and i'll try to help.

Ps Jordie

Yes it may hinder you in your interview, as they may question your commitment to the cause. For example if you fly long haul then you could spend quite alot of time away from home. It sounds really harsh, but flexibility is one area that you are assessed on throughout assessment. I had to convince them that I was prepared to leave my girlfriend for my training period!

fat_albert

My Wife and two year old daughter are out with me here in NZ. The accommodation CTC provides is not suitable for kids so I am renting a place 5 minutes from the training centre. CTC have been very supportive with my family being here and I haven't had any problems living away from the other cadets.

Yes, you have to remain focussed, but there are plenty of times to relax and enjoy being with your family. Coming home to see my daughter's smiling face after 6 hours of ATPL Law lectures definitely helps!

PAJ

I guess it's pretty tough for those without a family to envisage how much you will miss them and how much this in itself might affect your concentration and ability to focus attention where it is required. My personal thoughts are that you are better being out here on your own if you can be.

The schedule at CTC is quite a changable thing at the best of times (any cadet out here will be far too farmiliar with this fact!!) and this makes planning any down time very difficult. There is more time in the first phase to be away from the training centre than in the second NZ stint. It is quite normal in the second stint to do 5-6 10 hour days oper week when the flying is going smoothly and the lectures are in full swing. In fact we all just recieved an email today to tell us that we are to have 'standby' days when we are not booked in to fly where we must be contactable and available to fly at fairly short notice to make the most of available aircraft slots! Flexibility is not an ideal, it is a pre-requisite to coming out here (and no doubt for a great deal of the career path ahead) and you will need to demonstrate you are able to be flexible and focused throughout. When the family are around, it would probably make it much easier to turn down that extra flight or mass brief after a long day (although I am sure there are a number of cadets who feel the same way about the crate of beer sitting in the veg compartment of their fridge back at Clearways!).

It's all down to the individual. It will definitely be about 7 months out here in the first stint with a very busy and stressful 4 out of 5 weeks when back in the UK followed by about 3-4 months in the second stint and this may be too much time to be away from your children. Having them back in the UK waiting for you to return might just provide the motivation to push you through the course. Either way, you will need to think about your own accommodation at your own expense if you do choose to bring them out here.

geturwingover

Hi potential CTCers

Just found someone has started a thread for ex CTC cadets to give you some feedback on how they found everything..... its only just starting but definately a place to ask questions and get VERY honest answers... you might be quite surprised at some of them ;-)

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=311871

Gar

Would someone who has completed Phase 3 be willing to assist me a little with interview preparation? My main concern is overloading myself with technical information. MSN would probably be the best option. TIA

Gar

Thanks for the response, that has certainly put my mind at rest as I have been studying a lot of those areas so far.

With regards to fleet - how much detail should we be going in to here? Passenger capacities? Engine types and performance figures? How many rivets used in construction?

poss

Basically you need to know what the partners fly and typical destinations they would fly to. Perhaps be good to know about the differences between boeing and airbus jets... also some information on new aircraft that are in production or soon to come out.

Exhibitz

Sounds a bit risky DJ, people have been caught out knowing "a little about alot" , they prefer to pick areas and drain you of all you know on it. If you decide to research about something, you better know it well, they keep pushing you. Whereas if you just say I have never really looked into that topic, it will probably work best in the long run, if you can just learn the lot!