Medical Degree relating to the field as a whole. I have a degree in Biomedical Sciences. Tons of work experiences working in law firms and hospitals. I also have employment dating back to when I was 15 and have worked since then. Examples include, Olympics, Paintballing, Assistant Manager, Freelance Designer, Teaching Assistant in a year at a school with disabilities and another year at a school with no disabilities. I have a lot more experience... I read someone with a degree with a PPL and 99 hours was also rejected. Maybe they are selecting people who are fresh from A-levels and want the youngest they can get! I pretty much aced the questions (my friend is a pilot who also said they were very strong answers!)

Qualifications
 

I'm confused about the whole process. If they are rejecting people who have got high qualifications on what basis are they making their selection? Unless their computer system looks for key words in the essays? It is a shame that they do not tell you where you went wrong. It would be great to know this so that we can all make the changes that will strengthen our future applications.

To all those going next week I hope you get chance to ask why they chose you. If it where me I would be interested to know why I had stood out against the many thousands of applicants....it could be a good ego boost!!!

I guess it's the V Factor.

In the BA FPP they said some applications just gave off a certain je ne sais quoi that they were looking for. Plenty of people with experience and great qualifications got rejected and plenty got through. I presume it's the same this time.

It's a money making scheme

If they were truly interested in those with 'V factor' they surely would've been better off rewarding the loyalty of the numerous staff who already work at the company and have frozen ATPLs first. Then recruited fresh newbies after.

@AudiS4v8


I'm 31 mate and got through. So this theory of fresh A-level candidates couldn't be further from the reality. I read somewhere that some of the application is scanned for certain criteria by screening software, but the answers to the questions are read by a human who ultimately make the decision.

I'm pretty sure that Virgin are rejecting anybody with MORE than a PPL. A PPL equates to around 45 hours? I think people with 60-70 hours are automatically being rejected.

I'm 27 have GCSE's, A levels and also a degree in Aviation Tech and I was invited. I'm a glider pilot and very close to going solo.

I was invited to the interview stage. The essay questions do carry a lot of weight. I assume any grammatical errors AT ALL would rule an applicant out. CTC confirmed via their facebook page during a Q&A session that ALL applications are read by a real person and not a computer.

I hope this helps.

After tweaking my essay questions about 34269342 times, I finally threw caution to the wind and pressed submit today - I don't think I can cope with all the suspense!

Having spoke to CTC over the weekend, I can confirm that an automated system ONLY checks for simple things (i.e that you are at least 18 on April 31st 2015, you are within the height limits etc.). I assume that it automatically throws away applications with data outside of these parameters. The Essay questions are the main focus for deciding who get's put through based upon a scoring system that is applied by the member of the selection team reading your responses.

Many people being rejected seem to be saying "but wait... I exceed the criteria?!" It has been made really clear by both CTC and Virgin that this is a competition based selection, not criteria based. If it was simply criteria based (considering it only asks for GCSEs) then I could guarantee that pretty much 99% of those that have applied would need to be put through to the next phase. Instead, as long as you meet the most basic requirements, we are competing against each other based upon our ability to compose a passionate argument, our ability to express a competency story, and our ability to demonstrate why we're the "right stuff" for the job. A degree is not a 'free pass' into a job, simply because you have it. Heck, i've only got GCSEs and i'm able to see that this is the case.

Hope this helps at all - and good luck to all me fellow candidates! :)

My application status has been 'On Hold' for over a week now. Is anyone else in this position?

I'm just a bit concerned it might have slipped the net somehow!

My application status hasn't changed from, 'Your application has been submitted to the selection team.' Does anyone else have this same message or does yours say something different?

InformationAlpha,


I applied on the 1st November and am still in that stage.


I wouldn't worry too much. They've got a ton of applicants to get through. :-)


Whether they're processing them in date order, or another logic, i'm not sure.

Dibden
 

Anybody else heading to Dibden on the 24th of November? :ooh:

Ashb - I think you have looked at it from the wrong angle, people where trying to establish whether it was the case that applicants with better academic results had been selected over them. At least that is what I was trying to do.

I personally don't think anyone with a degree see it as a "free pass" in to any career, especially not if it is in a totally unrelated field.
I don't have a degree but when I do I would never adopt that mentality, those who do I think are sadly mistaken. In life you get where you do by hard work and merit not arrogance like that.

Thank you for clarifying that it is not my academic achievements which lost me the opportunity and confirming the area of weakness on which I have to work. I did try to phone CTC to see if this was the case but it kept going to a voicemail system - the person listening on the other end must be sick of hearing my name and number by know.

To all successful applicants you should be proud you have gotten this far!!! Good luck with stage 2 and 3, I wish you all the best.

Let us know the outcome either way as it would be great to hear of some fellow forum members getting this opportunity.

Application time
 

Hi all

I out my application in on wednesday 5th and I'm still waiting for a reply, seems that most people are getting replies within a week to 10 days. Curious to see if anyone else has been waiting as long or longer than I have for a reply.

I applied on the 3rd and am still awaiting selection. I would imagine that 2-3 weeks would be a reasonable wait limit. Having to narrow down circa 10k applicants isn't easy in the short space they have. Don't envy them at all. On the plus side, if you've got to this date, your application has passed initial screening and is awaiting a human to read the essay questions.

Good luck, fingers crossed for us both eh!

I applied on Monday 3rd and I've still heard nothing. I wouldn’t worry, 7000 applicants apparently.

Urge Caution...
 

I put in my application as soon as the server went live and heard back within a few days that I had made it through.

Fabulous! I thought, a solid chance to chase that awesome dream.

To give you context, I am not your average applicant. I have 'ok' grades and no degree. I do, however have a serious wealth of leadership, critical incident and conflict resolution experience. The one thing I was really bad at in my student years was - money. Through silly life choices I put myself into a veritable black hole of finance taking me over a decade to fight my way out of. So now, I want to know exactly what I am letting myself in for first.

This is where I urge caution. This recruitment campaign is not as rosey as it sounds. You must bear in mind both Virgin & CTC are Businesses...the purpose of their existence is to make profit for shareholders and owners.

I did a fair bit of digging around - looking into the fine print. Like many of you (I presume) I don't have a spare £119k rocking around in spare change behind the sofa. I do however, own my own home on a mortgage, I have a family, overheads and financial commitments. So the funding was a very VERY important part of this decision for me.

Here is the 'recommended' BBVA finance package;

Application fees £1900 (Non returnable of course).

Security Bond £109,000.

Subsistence allowance for 2 years £10,000.

Total Loan Amount = £119,000

Interest total is 4.1% VARIABLE over 10 YEARS.

Total Cost of Finance Approx. £26,257.70 - not too bad, I can live with that.

Now add 2 years of no income (Not a problem if you're not employed anyway, but for me a big deal)

So - by these numbers - you will exit training school with a deficit of at LEAST £145,257.70. (IF you exit training school successfully - if not you are in serious financial doo doo, because hey...life sometimes chucks big stinking lemons at you)

Virgin will NOT pay any interest accumulated - only the security bond over the next 7 years.

Now the Critical bit - the red letters. The small print says "3% over Bank of England base rate" and in very little letters says "Variable".

Now that bit scares me. Why? We have seen a historically low interest rate over the last few years, great for people with loans and mortgages - bad for savers.

That won't stay like that, and with the change in economic climate, and the BoE indicating that rates WILL go up in the near future - that 'Variable' element makes a HUGE difference. The clincher is, they have 10 Years of your finance agreement to creep that rate up.

For arguments sake, lets presume the worst and wack up that rate...remember it was only a couple of generations ago that it hit around 16%...

Just a 5% difference changes your overall cost from £26,270 to £60,666 - an apt number (Of course it depends when and how much you have left to pay).

You can't even pay it off early without penalties being imposed.

I am in no way saying don't do it - I am saying make sure that the numbers work out for you - that you are seriously comfortable to take that huge financial commitment on, and ultimately risking either your, or your parents home in the process.

Hey, if you don't get VAA - there's always the CTC Wings programme! :eek:

SkyStreaker could you just clarify what you mean by the Application fees? Also, from what i've read I think they do let you pay your loan off early without being penalised.

@SkyStreaker - thanks for such an excellent and informative post.

One quick question - do your interest calculations account for the fact that the loan will be repaid at c. £15k per annum from year 3?

Has anyone's application been "ON HOLD" for a while and then got a positive reply?

I applied on the 2nd and still haven't heard anything!! I've been checking my junk mail for the past 2 weeks as well! Lets hope I have not been forgotten!

Hi there Rupert369 - in short, No it does not take into account year 3 earnings. They reflect the amount of deficit you carry on leaving training school and begin line training. If it really is c. £15k that makes things a little more bearable but still unsustainable for someone like me as technically being on zero pay for 2 years means I will be a further £120k down overall (taking into account pay, pension perks, mortgage and financial commitments...I'm not trying to brag - just trying to add context!)

Which brings me nicely into my second answer.

Ashb - you are right, I checked again and it states quite clearly there are no early termination fees - I shall eat humble pie, although if you find a spare £100k to pay off that loan amount tell me how the heck you did it please! There are a number of fees associated with arranging the finance agreement amounting to £1900 - here is the link to the BBVA page detailing the generic terms.

United Kingdom - Personal Banking - Pilot training loans

Also, there is a really odd line at the bottom in bold letters saying

"CHANGES IN THE EXCHANGE RATE MAY INCREASE THE STERLING EQUIVALENT OF YOUR DEBT."

This will need clarification if anyone has any take on this.

Next, you will have to contend with the fact that they will only lend to 60% LTV...putting the minimum house value to secure this loan at over £198,000 (and out of the reach of most 18-25 year olds...and plenty of those who are older...) So best you buy some nice crimbo pressies for whomever you are going to be buttering up.

It's a nice chunk of revenue for CTC though isn't it? Over 7000 applicants paying £245 each pass or fail for 12 places (£1.71 million :eek:) Those poor unfortunates who fail the VAA selection at stage 3 will be offered a non-sponsorship course...let me just have a think about that one.

So in short - best of luck to anyone going for this - until a more fair and less elitist method of entry comes about, this is SkyStreaker, Out. :*

Rupert369 - I think I read your question slightly wrong there.

If you mean did that interest calculation include the fact that it is being repaid at £15k per annum, then yes it does.

Anyone else still have 'awaiting selection' ? Suspense is killing me !!!

Skystreaker

Surely not all 7000 applicants have been put though to 2nd stage where you have to pay £245 - so CTC wont be making the 1.7m.

How many realistically go to stage 2, anybody know?

I read somewhere that in the order of 200-300 will be invited to stage 2. No where near the 1 million quoted, but still not a bad little earner for CTC. Most if not all other industries pay expenses when they invite you to an interview and wouldn't dream of charging you for the experience, but then again, this is aviation :ugh:

Aviation industry is like marmite. "you love it or you hate it"

Been trying for a long time for my breakthrough.:hmm:

You certainly ain't alone reeko !!

Who on earth said 1 million were involved in the VAA selection ? I know PPRuNe isn't the most reliable source of info but this takes the cake !

We'll just keep trying i guess Officer Kite.

I think SkyStreaker was estimating that 7000 applicants will pay around the £250 mark for assessment in Dibden, which I guess is where the figure 1 million came about.

I hope it's 7000 because then I have a chance again :O but highly unlikely.

My apologies then, I read MANUTD1999's post wrong.

Best of luck to you and all the others involved in the VAA selection.

I'm not even 'on hold' yet!

Mine entered the Hold stage this afternoon around 15 days post application. It will be put 'on hold' in time I'm sure :-)

Successful Application
 

Has anyone here been invited to Dibden for Stage 2 yet? If so, what date are you attending?

Virgin Atlantic FFP
 

Can someone tell me what "essay/competency" questions they asked (Virgin Atlantic FFP)? Just the question NOT the answer.

Thanks.

And we're on hold! Any dates confirmed for the future?

'InformationAlpha' when did you send your application off? I'm still 'Awaiting Selection'. Fair enough they do have thousands to look through.

Got the "thanks but no thanks" email, good luck to those still in the game! Now time to focus on FPP.

Anyone else on the 01/12 selection date?

Got some good news today! So happy!! Look forward to meeting you guys at Dibden in the coming weeks!

Does anyone know how to log back onto the application portal?

tonybhoy96:

Virgin Application Form