OAT vs FTE
 

Hi everyone,

Been looking into various training schools and have noticed that the main names that always pop up are Oxford, FTE and sometime CTC or Cabair. Also had a look on another forum where someone had written that OAT appears to be more expensive due to its good reputation, however, FTE is cheaper and has an equally good reputation, is this true?

What are your thoughts on it, and would be good to get any feedback from students past and present. Additionally, if anyone knows the breakdown of graduates who end up in top airlines that would be a good marker as well.

I leave it open to debate...

Cheers!

With current exchange rates I think FTE works out at about 72k.. and the baisc course price for OAA (just been re-named).. is 63k.. So the rest is however much you will need to live.

It all depends on your wants and needs. I am considering both but Oxford is my main option.

My 2ps worth.
PM me if you want my msn addy to have a chat!

New website for OAA.

http://www.oaa.com/index.asp

Also check out the Oxford forums http://ask.oxfordaviation.net/index.php

SpamFritters left out £4500 at OAA for CAA Exam Fees, so £67,500 plus accommodation and meals pushes it upwards of £75K. So it's a little more than FTE, as you said.

Both are great schools, so why not visit them and make your decision after seeing them in person.

I'm currently at Oxford, just about to finish the groundschool and for my 2p's worth I'm certain I made the right choice, after having fully investigated FTE, cabair etc. Those are both great schools, but Oxford just had the edge for me, in terms of both training and job prospects. I have a budget of £75k and will (hopefully!) meet that comfortably, to give you an idea.

Hope that helps!

DJFC,

I've seen the budget handout from an OAA seminar and their figures are nowhere near £85K. Was it a student or a staffer who told you £85K? I know their accommodation is pricey, but allowing a generous £4K for meals would total £71,500 leaving £13,500 for accommodation to get to your figure. Even OAA rooms are not that expensive, though £5-7K is still pricey!

Sorry if its my question is a bit inapproate for this thread, but how are most of you funding the costs of your training?

80k is what the oxford guys say to live comfortably.
After the 67k for the OAA base fees it is what you make it.

No point in under budgeting though.. or you will be in stick trouble.

And to the last poster.. yes quite a few people fund their own training.
Although could you try for one of the tagged schemes.

Also budget for a full IR retake and a couple of extra hours in the Seneca. Just to be on the extra safe side incase the worse happens. I would suggest you do that for any budget plan for every school :ok:

Yup.
And it is a bonus if you pass first time

No. It's beer money if you pass the first time! :)

And plenty of it - compared to the price of a CAA IR partial or resit that is!

Ex Oxford grad, went through all the same questions as you are rightly asking. FTE is a good school, Cabair also.

Is Oxford training better than those 2, not necessarily, but it's reputation is and when you leave with the same licence from all 3 schools, I promise you that having trained in Oxford will open many doors.

All of my course have good jobs.

When you finish, you will all have a licence but employers will look at where you got it and an Oxford education will get you interviews.

good luck to you, It is bloody hard work and I wouldn't want to do it all again, but it will be worth it in the long run and if you work hard and get good grades at Oxford I would put my 85K a year salary on you getting a job.

Basic Budget
 

Course Costs

Full integrated course

£63,000

CAA Test Fees/Charges

£4,500

Total

£67,500

Living Costs (optional)

Accommodation (UK) – Room Only (based on 43 weeks)

£ 4,945*

Meals Allowance
(allows £10.00 per day)

£ 4,410

Total

£9,355

Total Expenditure

£76,855

*Based on 43 weeks in Upper Heyford or Langford Hall West Wing at £115 per week room only. Langford Hall East Wing rate is £165 per week.

Obviously this doesn't take into account any extra hours/retakes/gambling sprees in Las Vegas etc

Hope it helps

wish2fly

Well the accomodation charge is a rip off. Only 2 on my course, all those years ago stayed in the accom. stay for the first couple of weeks then rent a house with course colleagues and save a packet.

Don't forget the interest if you are taking a loan. WISH2FLY figures: (Oat accomodation, 1st pass in IR): 76,855. Assume 8.5% for two years: 90,475 for your little blue book. If you are lucky/good you don't have to pay for your type, starting salary at Flybe: 23k...

Saccade,

Interest is currently 7.5%. About £3,000 accrues during the course and another £2,000 if you take the six month repayment holiday.

£76,855 + £5,000 = £81,855 not the £90,475 you state. If you meant the £90,475 as the total, then you are way under. If you take 11 years to repay, it will come to about £30K total interest.

The interest is not part of the price of the ATPL, it is the cost of the money that let's you do the ATPL now so you don't have to wait another 10 years while you save it up.

How much more could you earn working as a pilot for those 10 years instead of what you do now? You could be earning £100K with Ryanair as a Captain in 5-6 years.

I am not advocating taking foolish risks, but there are people who could make the £600 per month payment on what they earn today quite handily and they are doing the maths and deciding the risk is worth taking for the opportunity of an extra 10 years earning pilot wages.

Many are doing the maths and deciding Modular is a great way to get there for even less. It's horses for courses, but without the risk, there is no reward.

3 of my brainwashed friends did OAT and are still looking , 3 years after, they are still looking and in 3 years, they will be still looking with their 200h flight time.
Talked to a recruiter last year, he told me he got CV from arrogant Oxford applicants, their CV found their place ...in a trash can!

you won't get more chance because you have been trained in an integrated school, the entrance tests and psy tests are the same for all.

with the money you pay, you can buy 2 houses.
Don't forget to pay for MCC, type rating, and building time, if you want compete with modular students!!!.

Dartagnan,

Everyone who does an fATPL needs to have a plan for staying current and renewing their ratings if the job search goes long. Did your friends plan for this? Have they been flying 50 hours a year or so and renewing their ratings?

If not, they should not blame OAA for their difficulty or for their own poor contingency planning. I think one needs to budget about at least £5K per year for currency/renewals and that is if you get a share in a plane to keep the hourly rate down.

I don't think people should go in with blinders on, but those with a good backup plan will usually make it. This does not mean 100% will. PPRuNe is littered with those who didn't. Unfortunately, the unemployed have more time for posting here, so in my opinion, the doom and gloom viewpoint is over-represented. Most wannabes are smart enough to figure that out though and glean the good advice offered here.

Yes, that is the most positive scenario. But you could also be chopped halfway through the FR type, the risk is all yours. Or laid off as brookfielder because MOL had to sell some planes to get the load factors up. In general, I believe the training costs/earning potential is getting very critical. A great majority will be living on a minimum wage (after repayments) for many years. Open Skies makes it again very clear what the trend is. But as you said, the situation is different for everyone.