BA Cadet Programme
Join Date: Dec 2011
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I have no idea why prices for CTC are increasing at a rate which is significantly above the rate of inflation. In the past few years it has risen from just north of 80k to 115k, an increase in 35k over a period of about 3 years. This represents very roughly a 40% increase in costs which is just criminal.
I'm still unsure what underwriting loans actually cost BA. AFAIK no one has ever defaulted or needed BA to cough up. Happily corrected if I'm wrong here.
Another nail in the coffin - no wonder people are embarrassed who work there.
I'm still unsure what underwriting loans actually cost BA. AFAIK no one has ever defaulted or needed BA to cough up. Happily corrected if I'm wrong here.
Another nail in the coffin - no wonder people are embarrassed who work there.
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: UK
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Most of it will simply be profit and from what I can tell all of the "Big Three" have done the same. To the sort of people who are prepared to remortgage their home it probably won't make a huge difference. In 2006 when prices were about £60k, someone who left school, got a decent job and saved up could probably manage it to afford it by their late twenties.
Like most things, I think it will ultimately change, I think a big question is the timeframe within which that will be the case.
Like most things, I think it will ultimately change, I think a big question is the timeframe within which that will be the case.
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Scotland
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Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: UK
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I was talking with a BA crew just the other day about their Future Pilot Programme. The skipper was a product of it in the 90s, and he commented how it allowed anybody, from any background to have the same opportunity. The standard of applicant was sky-high, and only the absolute cream got through. It’s sad to see this end, and money be the deciding factor.
I remember my old instructor saying that he used to train the old fully-sponsored courses twenty years ago (BA, BMI, etc...), and that if the big schools had a selection as tough as they did back then, only one in ten applicants would get through. Absolutely top notch candidates from all backgrounds. Nowadays there’s the added prerequisite of £115K. That’s a good 50% of applicants out, if not more.
I have no doubt that the selection will be extremely competitive, even with the £115K price tag, so inevitably the most qualified, motivated and best-suited will still get through. It’s a cracking opportunity if you can afford it, so if you can, go for it 110%.
I can’t help but think that from a business perspective, it’s a win-win situation for BA and L3. It’s just the same as the Generation EasyJet scheme. L3 earns a fortune through “assessment fees” from the hordes of applicants there will undoubtedly be, and the fees from the handful of cadets that get selected, as well as the kudos of training BA’s pilots (another logo they can add to their website and brochures to entice more through the doors). BA get a flood of motivated young pilots without spending a penny on training. 19-year-old Little Johnny from Surrey get’s his RHS of an A320 and some ammo for his Instagram account. Everyone’s a winner! Not...
I remember my old instructor saying that he used to train the old fully-sponsored courses twenty years ago (BA, BMI, etc...), and that if the big schools had a selection as tough as they did back then, only one in ten applicants would get through. Absolutely top notch candidates from all backgrounds. Nowadays there’s the added prerequisite of £115K. That’s a good 50% of applicants out, if not more.
I have no doubt that the selection will be extremely competitive, even with the £115K price tag, so inevitably the most qualified, motivated and best-suited will still get through. It’s a cracking opportunity if you can afford it, so if you can, go for it 110%.
I can’t help but think that from a business perspective, it’s a win-win situation for BA and L3. It’s just the same as the Generation EasyJet scheme. L3 earns a fortune through “assessment fees” from the hordes of applicants there will undoubtedly be, and the fees from the handful of cadets that get selected, as well as the kudos of training BA’s pilots (another logo they can add to their website and brochures to entice more through the doors). BA get a flood of motivated young pilots without spending a penny on training. 19-year-old Little Johnny from Surrey get’s his RHS of an A320 and some ammo for his Instagram account. Everyone’s a winner! Not...
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: London
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Originally posted by planesandthings
this is not even FPP (hence the subtle programme name change to distance it).
this is not even FPP (hence the subtle programme name change to distance it).
The bottom line is, BA is a business, accountable to shareholders with a requirement for a technical workforce which L3 - also a business accountable to shareholders, makes a considerable profit from selecting and training, as it does for the other clients it serves. BA have learnt from and copied the Loco's business model in areas of it's own operation (e.g. short-haul). This is just another example in my view.
Join Date: Feb 2013
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I agree with all of this but I don't think that BA can any longer go around shouting about their diversity and equality credentials. If you want to talk the talk you have to walk the walk.
Join Date: Sep 2009
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Based on the premise that you pay more the closer to the front of the aircraft you sit, BA and L£ have simply turned the flightdeck into an enhanced premium product - on one side of the cockpit door loyalty is rewarded by Avios and Executive Club seniority and on the other a secure job, salary and benefits etc. Seriously though, I often see reference made to the old Sponsored Pilot Training Scheme and more recent FPP; both remnants of a once nationalised flag carrier and the latter created by those in the airline who were by and large products of selected and sponsored training in a market where that was acceptable and/or expected. They recognised the quality, professionalism, enthusiasm and loyalty borne out of those schemes over many years. Is this the world we live in today? I ask because if you look at how training is conducted for other EU and Western operators, it is almost without exception purely retail.
Personally I think it's a pity but sadly, airline CEO's tend to consider their pilot workforce as nothing more than a resource and as long as ATO's are able to 'sell' them a solution to maintain this resource, a solution that profits all parties (and it will as believe me, there will be no shortage of young entitled and wealthy (or with access to finance) applicants for this enterprise who will feel they have achieved 'instastatus' in a BA uniform sitting in the right hand seat of an A320), there will be no return to costly financial assistance or incentivisation in favour of the most suitable candidates.
Personally I think it's a pity but sadly, airline CEO's tend to consider their pilot workforce as nothing more than a resource and as long as ATO's are able to 'sell' them a solution to maintain this resource, a solution that profits all parties (and it will as believe me, there will be no shortage of young entitled and wealthy (or with access to finance) applicants for this enterprise who will feel they have achieved 'instastatus' in a BA uniform sitting in the right hand seat of an A320), there will be no return to costly financial assistance or incentivisation in favour of the most suitable candidates.
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Sydney
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Notice period - do you have a current job that requires you work a number of weeks or months after you resign? If so put that.
Salary - put something reasonable, if it doesn’t specify monthly or annual then I would put annual.
Speaking of salary, does anyone know what pay would be for BA and EasyJet? Just gotta consider it all as part of the mighty debt repayments that I may be fortunate to take on!
Salary - put something reasonable, if it doesn’t specify monthly or annual then I would put annual.
Speaking of salary, does anyone know what pay would be for BA and EasyJet? Just gotta consider it all as part of the mighty debt repayments that I may be fortunate to take on!
Anyone else in the my same situation?
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Somewhere over the ocean
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Is it an automatic that you get the tests? I.e. did you submit and then get the links straight away?
Just trying to think when it would be best to submit so I can make sure I have time for the tests
Just trying to think when it would be best to submit so I can make sure I have time for the tests
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Wales
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For anyone wondering, once your application is handed to L3 and you're asked to go to their website, you will have to agree to put any other application with L3 on hold in order to proceed.
Yes, it is automatic.
Yes, it is automatic.
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Wandsworth
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Wouldn't suprise me despite many still trying to work out how to fund it, applications getting close to tens of thousands like before...L3 have a lot to earn in assessment days!
Did you meet the set down criteria? Considering how keen L3 are to sell whitetail if you fail selection in a tagged scheme generally, you might want to consider at where you went wrong so quickly on the initial test.
Did you meet the set down criteria? Considering how keen L3 are to sell whitetail if you fail selection in a tagged scheme generally, you might want to consider at where you went wrong so quickly on the initial test.
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: United Kingdom
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To be honest planesandthings, i meet the criteria. I think I screwed up on one of the tests. I wont be going to l3 on a non tagged course, l3 is going down hill. Their marketing cannot cover their cracks forever.
Join Date: Aug 2017
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The evidence suggests otherwise. L3's 2017 Q3 results shows a 6% increase in net sales to more than $2.6 billion. Remember, there's much more to L3 than just a flight school. In fact, the flight school aspect (in terms of their CTC acquisition) is relatively new and only a small part of the company. Personally, I'd feel more confident putting my money on the line with L3 than I would have ever done with CTC.
When I did my Type Rating with CTC I saw both CTC and L3's facilities, and L3 was substantially more impressive. In fact, just a short walk across the sim hall was a nearly-completed full motion Dreamliner sim that they had just finished building and which was due to be shipped off to an airline.
When I did my Type Rating with CTC I saw both CTC and L3's facilities, and L3 was substantially more impressive. In fact, just a short walk across the sim hall was a nearly-completed full motion Dreamliner sim that they had just finished building and which was due to be shipped off to an airline.
Join Date: Dec 2015
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Holding pools filling up, quality of fair weather is terrible, class sizes are huge, hidden costs are large at l3 cts, ridiculously high assessment fees and etc
Also profits of l3 mean nothing,
On a side note guys thats all i will say on this topic, lets keep it about the BA cadet program for those guys applying
Also profits of l3 mean nothing,
On a side note guys thats all i will say on this topic, lets keep it about the BA cadet program for those guys applying
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: lurgan
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Wouldn't suprise me despite many still trying to work out how to fund it, applications getting close to tens of thousands like before...L3 have a lot to earn in assessment days!
Did you meet the set down criteria? Considering how keen L3 are to sell whitetail if you fail selection in a tagged scheme generally, you might want to consider at where you went wrong so quickly on the initial test.
Did you meet the set down criteria? Considering how keen L3 are to sell whitetail if you fail selection in a tagged scheme generally, you might want to consider at where you went wrong so quickly on the initial test.
Thanks.