ManUtd1999, wouldn't worry about loan guarantee. Airlines can and do use other banks. Virgin for example didn't go anywhere near BBVA, at least for their most recent entrants.

I know this is discussed in another thread but not really sure whats happening with BBVA at the moment, they are currently listed as an option for financing with OAA for the CityJet scheme which recently opened, so from that I'd hazard a guess they're still in the game for the time being anyway.


Pal of mine on the line at LGW with EZY and went the EZY/CTC MPL route. He's struggling for money with loan repayments of around £1,000 a month and renting around the LGW area - sunny Crawley; although now it's coming into the summer season he'll be doing better.

If EZY is to recruit 450 pilots, does that mean they will have to recruit modular students from other schools than the big 3 ?

Probably a mix of the big 3 and direct entry/ATPL or fATPL holders.

The announcement states that "At the beginning of June, the low-cost airline will be launching a recruitment drive for up to 450 new pilots in a campaign it calls ‘For the love of Flying’."
Do you have any idea whether "For the love of Flying" will be run as a separate program from the "Generation easyJet" or not? Could it just be a new way to call basically the same programme?
However, that "At the beginning of June" sounds a bit weird to me since CTC will stop accepting applications for the Generation easyJet exactly at the beginning of June (4 June)!!

I'd be doing exactly the same to be honest. In all honesty I don't think the BBVA loan would be an option so I'm torn between applying on the chance of a guarantee or waiting for Aer Lingus to reopen. I'd be interested to hear what you decide to do

I wouldn't get too worried about the name of the scheme.

I applied this time last year to the original easyJet MPL at CTC, and in between my two assessment dates, they launched the 'Generation easyJet' scheme. When I got accepted, I got accepted onto the Generation easyJet MPL.

easyJet are getting rid of flexicrew, so there is a chance that cadets will go straight onto permanent contracts in the UK, but that remains to be seen. That would explain the salary though, as well as the fact it was increased in roughly October 2016 I believe.

"Once they have completed as least 12 months, pilots then join easyJet as permanent employees at Second Officer rank for a further 12 months."

From Article: https://www.pilotcareernews.com/easy...uitment-drive/

I'm currently leaning towards waiting. There is quite a lot of uncertainty atm with the loans and contract on offer. Regardless, the Aer Lingus scheme is in a different league to this one, the downside being the chances of getting in are tiny.

Easyjet are not going to find 300+ cadets in this CTC application window. It might well re-open later this year or in early 2018. Then there's OAA which seems to be permanently open but I guess coudl be re-launched at some point. My current thinking is to wait, apply for EI and maybe Virgin, then look at Easyjet.

There are more chances out there than the ones mentioned, and costing a lot less.

I spent 3 years of my life solely focusing on CTC/OAA as though they were the only ones in existence and as if their cadet programmes are the only ones on the planet.

A friend of mine meanwhile applied to BAA and got in on the wizzair scheme (£52k + bonded TR) ... I applied and got smartlynx (£52k + £20k TR), There is the opportunity to spend £75k less if you get wizz and £50k less if you get smartlynx - in comparison to easyJet ... to fly the exact same aircraft.

Broaden your horizons, the world does not revolve around easyjet, ctc and oaa. And also, BAA have not acted with secrecy or treated me as though I am a nuisance to them, they are fully open about their process and are genuinely happy and ready to answer any queries at anytime - that is the polar opposite to the 'big 3'.

Good luck to you all - you will get there with the right determination.

Thanks for that, I didn't even know about the BAA options (funny how the well marketed schemes make you think they're the only ones out there). Couldn't agree more with your statements above. Did you take the Smartlynx option?

I certainly did, it is a bargain that I would have been very foolish to refuse. I've got my A320 at the end of it as motivation throughout it all, absolutely no additional benefits are present with the ludicrously priced 'generation easyJet' or whatever else they're calling it now.

Often times people say to forget integrated in the big schools and go the modular (self improver route) and save a tonne of cash. But from what I am gathering, one of the best things that can happen is that you go modular then are lucky enough to gain employment with Ryanair. So I've done some sums on this.

Going modular will at best cost around £50k (providing you mix and match schools and stick to some of the better known modular schools with established reputations like stapleford, bartolini etc).

Then the Ryanair TR is around 29,000 euro i believe (so £25k).

That is a total of £75k. Which is about £3k more than the smartlynx offer via BAA.

So in essence, it is integrated training, with the airline's backing (airline letter of engagement etc have been received) ... at a modular training price. There is also no stress of going modular and having to go to different schools, and the ever present question throughout the whole thing of "will this even be worth it?". Going through all that effort with nothing solid at the end of it just wasn't for me. Though I have the utmost respect for those who are doing it.

Best of luck to all !

To help clarify the matter on reapplying. I applied last year, got through to Stage 2. I passed the maths but failed PILAPT by 1 mark. I have since reapplied with the new application this year on the date the applications opened (didn't bother reading whether I could or not, I saw the apply now button and got excited) and I had to state that I had applied last year, and state my old application number. I got an email yesterday asking me to book to retake my PILAPT. So if someone has applied previously, just complete a new application and try again this year! Whats the worst that's going to happen - they tell you no and that you have to wait. The best? They offer you a date for the next stage.

But to be fair easyJet and Ryanair are huge scheduled airlines with a proven track record of hiring zero hours pilots and providing them with top training, and you know unless you royally screw things up you will pretty much have a job at the end at a secure company. Adding to that, one of these 2 on your cv will do you no harm in the long run, and I don't work for these airlines so I have zero bias.

Smartlynx is a acmi with 9 aircraft with no real bases, they work on behalf of other airlines, your entering the unknown so to speak with the program and the training,, you hardly can compare them to RYR and EZY on the stability of the job offer or the track record. Your the first ones, it could go brilliantly or be a damp squib.

Exactly, that's the truth and anyone interested in SmartLynx should be extra careful. From what I've heard, the salary is 100 per day + 50 euros, so circa 3000eur gross, if you're working full time. This is assuming that SmartLynx has enough demand from other airlines.

Another thing to consider (I'm not saying it's a good thing) is the reputation of the school. If you wish to move back to Europe, I'm pretty sure that many respectable airlines will look down on eastern european schools and would choose someone from CTC over someone from BAA all other things considered equal.

BAE 146 ... I see your point. With regards stability, it is hard to argue Ryanair and easyJet don't offer some of the most stable contracts around. However having said that, Smartlynx currently have 12 aircraft and another 3 soon to join the fleet. They have existed since 1992 (so older than easyJet actually) and seem to have negotiated every financial downturn in between then and now quite successfully. Further to this, they must be doing something right considering their clients are currently Monarch, Thomas Cook, easyJet, El Al, TUI Fly Belgium and they previously have done some flights for Ryanair too. These are not Mickey Mouse contracts. So there must be something about them. Having worked in the industry I know just how rigorous and stringent the audits are when it comes to trying to be awarded a wet lease contract. It is anything but easy, SmartLynx have a proven track record of managing to deliver to these top airlines every time though. I have no reason to believe they are any less "safe" or whatever other term people may use about them in comparison to say CityJet, who also operate mostly in the acmi business and who only 16 months ago were preparing for liquidation.

If you're still unsatisfied cos smartlynx aren't a big name, then how about wizz? I have coursemates doing their programme and they are spending even less than me :)

AA757 ... I'm not sure what you mean by when I "come back to Europe" ? Can you please clarify? Training takes place in Europe at an Easa approved school, flying for a European based airline who currently only fly for European airlines (except El Al).

Regarding applying to an airline and them taking issue with where you trained, for a starters BAA is not one of those schools, and besides I'm on a cadet programme so the job is there anyway. If you're referring to if I would like to leave smarlynx then I'd have issues, it's quite naive to think an airline would take issue with where you trained if you pass your sim assessment and have say 2000 A320 hrs under your belt. As for smartlynx, my research shows their ex pilots currently fly for Aer Lingus, Emirates and a number of other household names :)

As for salary concerns ... €30,000 is what I believe new Ryanair FOs expect so no concerns there with what I'll be on ... and hotels are provided for us by the company wherever we are based to be used on days on and off if we so wish, roster is 6 on 4 off so good chances of being able to commute if I get one of the UK or Belgium contracts :)

May I ask if you have any aviation related experience? Like have you ever actually worked in flight ops or where you may get a chance to see what airlines do or don't want? What you've said and I've quoted doesn't reflect that of an informed opinion.

Your slightly missing my point. I was was referring to the facts they have no track record in a integrated scheme and putting them in successful employment like RYR or EZY, that is what you should be focused on. This is the first time they ran a scheme, and for one of a better word you guys are being trialed.

So instead of opting (or trying to opt if you pass) a tried and tested RYR or EZY scheme, this scheme with Smart lynx is not tried and tested.

Also to add this type of airlines (along with Avion and Small planet) regularly recruit on 6 month summer contracts only because there is not enough work to go round all throughout the year, while RYR and EZY is a 365 days a year operation.

It is good if it works out fine, but it can no way be compared to those airlines schemes at the moment with no track record to look back on.

To the best of my knowledge, Ryanair guys and easyJet are on much lower hours in winter months too. Receiving very little pay in numerous circumstances, there is not much of an additional benefit in that regard I'm afraid. My current airline are very well known and also in the acmi business, before Christmas I bumped into a pilot I know doing office work. Why? He hadn't been flying for 3 weeks because there was no work, he offered to help in the office. And I can guarantee you that you would recommend applying to a cadet scheme for this carrier.

I'm not aware of smartlynx running a 6 month contract with anyone yet but I will admit I don't know 100%. However if they did, we aren't on that. They would obviously reduce the temporary guys in winter and stick to permanent contract guys for the hours that are available.

And you keep speaking about a Ryanair scheme, they haven't got one as far as I'm aware. I simply used them to demonstrate how this integrated course leading to a job costs less than going modular and without all the hassle. They have a programme for people who already took the plunge and got their license self sponsored. If you're saying getting your license self sponsored on the hope of getting Ryanair is better than a cadetship with an airline who have proven themselves capable in the industry then we have very different ideas of what makes sense and what doesn't.

As for easyJet, they would have cost me £50,000 more. Do you realise I can get my license and open a business with those savings? Smartlynx may not be the most famous or have a track record (simply because they are new to this, nothing bad has been said about them by any pilot who flies for them that I managed to get in contact with, there is absolutely no reason to suggest we're all gonna be shot after the TR), but to suggest spending £50,000 more to fly an orange A320 over a white one is a bit remiss.

Current smartlynx guys are nearing the end of ground school at BAA. The airline have been engaged and supportive is what I'm hearing from the first group. Yes of course we won't know the full outcome until the end, but I think the tones here are nigh on scaremongering. Those reading this and not commenting will be smart enough to read and spot the truth in it all. My post was intended for them. There will of course always be a number who think easyJet will give them everything no one else can ... whilst they leave them £50,000 out of pocket for no perceived extra benefit.

I wish you all goodnight! :)

You're not spending 50k more just to fly an orange 320 instead of a white one; you're spending the extra money to join a FTSE 100 company with continued forecast growth, a potential command after 6 years and world wide recognised training. Not to mention bases in western Europe, pension, security etc

The six year command at EZY is no doubt one of the big selling points (if it is still the case), though I do hear a lot of dissatisfaction about the roster, which I believe is 5/4/5/2. I do shift work outside of aviation and I'm on a 4/3 which is better. Out of interest, what is the typical duty hours per week of someone at Easyjet? It's probably not too much of a worry for cadets but fast forward 10 years with the proverbial house, spouse and 2.2 kids I can see it becoming a sticking point.

Most of the airlines which offer better rosters don't take DECs as far as I know, so it presents an interesting dilemma between a large pay cut (from what is arguably a very good salary) and toughing it out. I know there's a reduced hours option but the pay and hours reduction aren't proportionate.

You are paying for your training, it's somewhat absurd to think you are paying towards the airline. By all means pay it, you clearly haven't worked for that £125,000 otherwise you would take exception to it and want to know where it is going. This is flight training, not a restaurant. Higher costs don't quite equate to better training in all circumstances. You get taught how to fly and once you go to a competent enough school there is no difference. Unless you want t to say you went to Oxford ... coming back to those who clearly do not know just what £125,000 is. You appear to be a victim of the hype they create. CTC and OAA charge more cos they know the likes of you will pay it. I hope they start charging £150k.

Command at 6 years? Not anymore from current easyjet pilots I have spoken to.

You're so focused on easyJet? No problem. Has it occurred to you that you can train for £50k less, get 500hrs and within the year join easyJet as direct entry? You would have saved a fortune and have the exact same job as those who were too blind to see that they were paying so much more just for a name.

Go and speak to any pilot in the business, I am fairly certain they will react with shock and horror when they hear £125,000. Then try and justify it to them with "but it's CTC, they give the best training so they charge a lot". They will tell you the rest.

But what is true that the offer was so bad you applied for them before and was rejected, not sour grapes surely!!

I wonder what you would say now if you was in your orange A320, my guess is a bit different.

I'm well aware of the situation at eJ having been here for 4 years! The fact is you are not just paying for training, you are paying a premium for a certain as you'll find a guarantee of a job with one of the most secure airlines in europe! I can assure you that 6 years is not unrealistic for command at the moment either.

Look, everyone makes different choices for different reasons, but the "my license is just the same as yours" or "my 320 is just the same as yours" is only valid to a certain extent. You pay a premium for these courses as you know wherever you start with ej, within 1-2 years if you so wish you can be based anywhere in western europe in a city of your choice and if you work hard have a command after 3500 hours. That's the bottom line.

If your aim is to be at ej in CDG/LGW or SXF etc then trying to save 50k and run the risk of having to apply as a DEFO seems a little silly...

Sorry but first, saying airlines are first gonna look at ctc after baa once you got hours is not knowing anything about this industry. What matters is hours that's it. You're just trying to convince yourself ctc is better than anything else in any case. Plus I don't know you guys but do you realise what it is 50k Pound???? For what job secured? Don't you think wizzair isn't secured with an order of 110 neo until 2024? Then are you ready to put that extra money to leave 20 miles from your mum? Open your eyes this is the real world, if you wanna be pilot you might leave somewhere else than your home. 50k is a huge amount of money years of hard work and dedication. I don't say go for baa just not considering it,in the general case (obviously personal cases can change everything) is a shame.
About smartlynx I can understand and hear what you say. Obviously it's less secured than easyJet, Ryanair is not comparable to easyJet in terms of stability, do self employment and come back telling me if that's really advantageous.
But that's the little risk is the price of the opportunity. If you go after the one who tried you ll pay more, have more competition and at the end lose the advantage you had at first. I can understand some of you aren't ready to take the risk, but that's part of the win. Plus at the moment the risk is pretty low honestly.
E
Smartlynx is growing, they signed lot's of contracts those last months, pilots fly a lot during the summer and less during the winter it's true but on average do around 700 750h per year.
I think people don't realize how hard it is to get into that industry, you have not the luxury of the choice, try everything you can.

You would need to try and justify it pretty hard to yourself is the fact of the matter, as I explained earlier this thread is viewed by a lot more than those commenting, people are watching, and those that know the true value of £50,000 are taking serious note. Many have PMd me asking for further details on the course and selection with WIZZ/Smartlynx and BAA. The funny thing is none of them are from the UK. And I think this has a lot to do with it, us UK folk have this impression that we are the best at everything we do, no one can deliver training like us, no one can run an airline like us, no one can dare beat good ol blighty at anything. Flight training in Europe? Preposterous! Eastern Europe? They have planes!? What would the family think!? ... get me into OAA even if it costs 150k! (from someone who probably only left school last year)

This is highlighted in the fact that many people here would pay 50k more to fly the exact same aircraft but stay next to mummy and aunty as Ben correctly said. You can quite easily move back when you get your hours anyway, ex smartlynx pilots are peppered all over the place in many large carriers with well established reputations. It isn't Bongo Bongo from the Congo who's ex pilots people want to avoid like the plague ... as the less informed on here want to tell themselves in order to justify their unjustified spending spree of their parent's hard earned cash.

And uberpilot, do tell me why no one else in Europe would touch someone with an EASA ATPL (frozen or not) with an A320 rating from an EASA approved ATO and AOC holder? This is either arrogance or ignorance, but considering your claims to be an easyJet pilot for 4 years I think neither are really good. You should know better. Are you aware your own employers currently use Smartlynx? If they are so substandard then why are your employers jeopardising passenger safety? This is not the first year they have used smartlynx either. And no, I'd pay save 50k and then apply to whoever I wanted to and end up where I may want to be ... to suggest spending 50k to be in western europe in your first year or two is somewhat parallel to logic.

I didn't say it wasn't a good operator, I was just pointing out that you are in no way guaranteed to be able to move around amongst companies as you chose. EJ DEFO is pretty competitive - if that's the aim then surely you'd be better off just starting here in the first place?

Anyway, the only reason I chipped in was because I disagree with the "same license" and "same job" philosophy. It's actually quite hard to move around companies even once qualified and experienced. In fact You're only really in demand and marketable once you have command and a thousand hours. I urge people to consider this when choosing their various paths...

I have revived an email stating that they are now accepting re-applications.

Hours are hours no doubt once you have them, the question here is what is the most PROVEN scheme, value for money only comes into it down the road once you have the hours and you know what the overall experience was. But to say value for money/saving this or that without even a foot in the door in a completely new un tried and tested scheme doesn't make sense.

Maybe they will re-open route 4 as well :)

Who knows baa enough here to say the training isn't as good as ctc? Probably not that many, the reputation is something but the quality is something else. I'm sure ctc is a great school as the top 3 but doesn't mean there is just those one.
I can talk myself about baa and I can assure you it's more than serious and no factory. About the other I can't. About hours, the upgrade to captain come after 4 years with wizz and quite fast for smartlynx too so if that's the valuable hours you got them pretty fast

I imagine part of the EZY appeal is the lack of a language barrier, if you're going to be doing your training in the UK/NZ/US and working in the UK afterwards then you don't have to think about learning a new language and the associated national culture before/during training.

If you're going to be working in Eastern Europe, then you'll need to learn a language and whilst many people would be capable of doing so, we Brits, being on an island and speaking one of the most spoken languages in the world, aren't always too good at that. I'm certainly not and neither are a lot of people I know, of course I'd like to learn sometime though. I imagine the uncertainties of Brexit apply too.

Of course, the Smartlynx programme appears to be better value than EZY, not that it is necessarily cheap or easily affordable by any standards. I do reckon though that you'd need to up for a bit of adventure to go for it.

I think pretty much everywhere you go nowadays people know even basic English, but anyway, where is the guarantee that easyJet are gonna base you in an English speaking country?

The chances of smartlynx basing us in Eastern Europe are very slim as a matter of fact, by far most of their contracts are actually in Western Europe and have been for the last number of years, and U.K. bases/contracts to be specific.
You're right about the adventure part, there is always the chance of them pulling you off standby to go fly ad hoc last minute, as happened recently when Vueling got Smartlynx to operate their Barcelona - Dublin rotation at the last minute. I don't know about others but I personally don't mind this really.

We get it. You're paying less than everyone else. Bravo. Really pleased for you.

So how come you're obsessed with posting in the EZY thread if you're so happy with your 'airline'??

Application sent off :O


Hoping for the loan to be underwritten by EZY. Unfortunately I've no assets to secure a loan against myself, but here's hoping! Last selection with CTC in the last 6 months which I passed and was offered whitetail, although I'm not holding my breath on having to fork out for another assessment if my applications accepted


I need to break into this industry at some point, all these 18 year olds making me feel old

Best of luck!

I thought there was an OAA/EZY thread floating around, could be wrong though! Try here, there's some mention of OAA: http://www.pprune.org/interviews-job...et-2016-a.html

I don't see why OAA shouldn't be included so I've added something about it in the first post.

Hi everyone,

I am writing to you to ask when and where I can apply for this campaign "for the love of Flying".

Best regards ;)

Hello, currently you can apply on either CTC aviation or CAE Oxford. Simply google generation easyJet with either of the training schools name. Both slightly offer different terms so make sure to read each of them well.