Flybe MPL
 

Rumour has it that Flybe/FTE are about to advertise for the first UK MPL soon. Watch this space :ok:

Well if you visit the FTE website, it's officially written that they will be recruiting this month for a Flybe MPL part sponsorship...so I guess it's just a tinny bit more than a rumor...

Indeed it is!
It must be a definate rumour :ok:

SIX candidates good luck guys and gals..... That said FTE have said if the MPL comes crashing down they will convert you tp a fATPL.:cool:

Out of interest, once you have a MPL and you're flying on line with an airline - can you train outside of work to convert to a ATPL (CPL+IR)?

I was also wondering this?

Is there much to do to convert MPL to ATPL? And will MPL become the norm one day?

An ATPL is not a CPL/IR! Current modular and intergrated schemes train you to CPL flying standards with IR and ATPL ground subjects (frozen ATPL). In the old days you would complete a CPL flying course, an IR flying course and then sit the CPL ground subjects. When you reached the minimum flying hours/experience requirements for the ATPL you would sit the ATPL ground exams. Later the CAA decided that you could sit the ATPL ground subjects before having the required hours for the ATPL and the FROZEN ATPL was born.

The MPL will be the equivalent of a CPL/IR with ATPL ground subjects i.e. a Frozen ATPL. Once you reach the minimum Flying experience standards you will be able to apply for the full ATPL in just the same way that you would have done if you were unfreezing your frozen ATPL on the old schemes.The only difference being that once you complete an MPL course you will only be allowed to fly the type of commercial aircraft you were trained on but as you will complete this kind of course with a reasonable chance of a job with the company that 'sponsors' you. Once you are issued with your ATPL the world is your oyster!:ok:

PS The requirements for unfreezing are approz 1500 hours experience, so no outside training would help, that said it is an experience requirement mostly so some single piston flying etc would help, check the Lasors/CAA website for full requirements.

What is the lead time for training on these MPL's? In the current climate, you might be waiting around for a while before you get on the line once qualified. Am I right in understanding that FTE have guys currently waiting to go? No new hiring from Flybe at the moment apparently.

The final half of the training is done with the airline or its trainer in the simulator, so once completed you are ready to fly the aircraft, there will more than likely be no leadtime. Jerex do have dacets ready trained and Flybe take them as they need them. Whilst Flybe are not actively recruiting publicaly there are still the odd few Jerez cadets on the courses running now and in the future.
If I was looking to be a Pilot and hadn't yet started my training I would try and get on an MPL scheme or failing that, wait a good 6 months and save like mad before starting any commercial pilot course. Pretty soon the only 'airline' (and I use that term very loosely!) recruiting will be Ryanair and lets face it, they are soon going to be relying on their type rating courses and selection costs for their profits. So unless you fancy working for that kind of outfit, wait and save!:=

I'll send some hate mail to Brussels if it's gonna be easy-cheesie to convert a MPL to a JAA CPL ME IR (aka fATPL), considering you have to go through hell to convert a FAA CPL ME IR to oh-so-high JAA standards :mad:

Good luck though to whoever gets this working, seems like the back-up may be a wee bit better than those Sterling guys had.

Thankyou, this has cleared alot up.

One question; you say you cannot fly any other type of aircraft other than that which you were trained on (in the flybe case the q400)- is this not the same as with a fATPL or ATPL where type rating is required?

Also presumably you can still fly a whole host of GA planes?

Are FTE and Flybe running this scheme simply to save money?

As far as I know, holders of the MPL (Multi-Pilot Licence) are only allowed to fly in a Multi-Crew Environment (hence the name). Therefore they will not be licenced to fly any single pilot aircraft (including most of the GA fleet), without the necessary conversions to the standard CPL.

It will be a JAA MPL ie the 14 written examinations are exactly the same for the fATPL and an MPL. It is the flying/sim time that is different (assuming that it the part you were referring to when talking about converting from an FAA CPL).

thanks. so, how many hours flight time does it take for your MPL to effectivly become a fATPL?

cant really see the MPL catching on...

There arent many airlines showing much interest at the moment apart from Flybe...

But then again, as HVE stated once you have the APTL the world is your oyster... all remains to be seen how it goes....

Malta Flyer,

An MPL holder could get a JAA PPL quite easily. They'd probably just need to do a few hours training and take a check ride. They could then take a standard 25 hour JAA CPL course and test flight, to obtain a CPL. They could hire GA aircraft for solo flying with the PPL. They could get paid to fly GA aircraft as a single pilot with the CPL. They could add an ME with a standard 6 hour course.

MPL is not hugely different than fATPL. It spends little time focusing on building competence for single pilot GA aircraft and instead focuses earlier on building competency in multi-pilot ops on turbine engine types. The main concern is therefore, the smaller number of hours an MPL student gets in the air and as PIC, since the multi-pilot training is done in sims where two students can sit front seat. The second concern is the amount of sim time will result in less air sense and air experience. I would think that by 1500 hours, MPL pilots will have all of this, but they will be leaps and bounds ahead of fATPL holders on a Type Rating course.

If they ever do find themselves seeking a second job before they get to 1500 hours, they will have to take more training, probably to get the PPL and then CPL (they'll have an IR and probably a turbine ME already). This would give them an fATPL, but due to their high multi-crew sim time and type rating, they will be extremely competent in an airline sim assessment.

Are fte just selecting 6 candiates from people who have already applied to fte or will a special application system specifically for the flybe scheme be set up ?

Special assesment. It has not been launched yet

It has just been launched.

You can apply here:
FTE::

Good luck!
(2 A Levels required)

Excellent. And, thank god, a FTO who will let you apply on predicted grades!



grrrr CTC

That is not quite correct.

The last phase of the MPL course is a full type rating conducted by a TRTO (in this case Flybe) as part of an approved MPL scheme. Once the type rating has been completed, including LST landings, an MPL licence will be issued by the authority. There is no requirement for an individual to fly with the TRTO beyond that point, other than that they will no doubt have been bonded for the type rating. An MPL licence is just that - restricted to flying in a multi crew environment. Should an individual wish to do another type rating, after licence issue, they may do so. They just need to complete another type rating course. What they cannot do is a type/class rating on an aircraft certified for operation with a single crew member. The majority of airline pilots do not keep either single or multi piston land ratings current and are therefore operating using an MPL. The only difference is that, should they wish/need to do so, they could revert to single crew operations or fly a light aircraft for leisure.

As in a fATPL, at 1500 hours the MPL becomes an ATPL, with the same multi crew restriction.

Contrary to opinions stated earlier, I think it will be a no brainer for the airlines, who will be pleased to have a hand in the initial training.

Just out of curiosity, is this open to 17 year old's?
I cant seem to find anything on the age front for entry requirements...
If so Ill be applying!

just 2 A-levels required,,,

there is goin to be hundreds of applications for this scheme then if that is all is required... not much!!!!

:eek:
I think I'll be sitting this one out I'm afraid :sad:. Good luck to the guys and gals applying.

So then... who's applied??

Sent my questions back this evening, ID number: 9 hundred and something - I hope that doesnt mean over 900 people had already applied 4 days after it opened! :eek:

I expect it does! I got 800 and something!

Did you get a conformation email when you sent your answers back? I did'nt. hope they got it!

Yeah, I am 96 something.

I sent my answers in last night, and not had a confirmation.

I guess the confirmation will be yes you are through, or no you aren't.

Hope to meet you guys in Exeter. :ok:

Replies...
 

Hi guys,

Think I am number 974 so quite a few of us!

I was wondering if anyone had had a reply after sending the questions back? Will everyone get a response saying yay or nay?

I sent mine last Friday so I wonder how long it will take them to sift through the large amount of applications.

Best of luck,

M.M

NO I still haven't heard anything back, I do keep checking my e-mails every few hours. This thread has died, so I assume everyone is just awaiting the outcome of their e-mails?

I guess, at least I hope so!

Hey guys,

The closing date was Sunday night, people that applied then would have Monday Tuesday Wednesday to do the questions, so they wouldnt have even started looking at the answers until yesterday. Suspect sometime back end of next week for a response. Fingers crossed. As for the application number, this could possibly include all FTE applications so far in 2009... so dont get too worried thinking your against 1000 other candidates!

Good luck lads

Flybe's going to select 6 out of approx. 950 applicants!! :eek: odds are similar to etihad. Good luck to all.

PS: Was I the only one who received 9 questions?

Has anyone received a reply then? I'm through to phase 3 :)

Well done F/O UFO :ok:. Since no-one else seems to have commented... it looks like you may be the only one going for it (joke). Time to ensure you know all your answers backwards for the interview and have got a good understanding of Flybe and what they do. Best of luck and hopefully you'll be at stage 4 in a couple of weeks :). BM

Still no answer....Im thinking this may not be a great sign.....:\

Well shall wait and see.

M.M

I'm also through to stage 3, yey :-)

Thanks BusinessMan, The sent a fairly substantial Maths and Physics guide by FTE. As you said, time to learn the company backwards.

I'll be there too! :) I'm there April 1st at 9am, gonna have to drive down Tuesday night. I was quite suprised at the maths and physics guidence notes as well!

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Good to see a few more are through to Stage 3, Well done! :). I'm glad they're sending some notice of the maths & physics as when I went I was simply lucky that I'd already prepared as a result of trying for OAA too beforehand. Definitely worth getting basic maths & GCSE Physics squared away in advance. As well as being able to talk to any of your Qn answers in depth at interview.

Best of luck guys and let us know how it goes. It's great to see someone being given their shot at the dream in these bad times:D. Cheers, BM

What a completely boring way to learn to fly!