Qatar Airways 2017 MPL
 

Looks like Qatar have just opened up a fully MENTORED training scheme up with L3 by the looks of it.

Doesn't appear to be any nationality restrictions but you have to be under 33 by the time you start training. For me this is just too late as I doubt that I will be able to start training in the next month :(

Edited to remove my misinterpretation of this being a fully sponsored scheme

The website is saying a MENTORED scheme with £109k paid over five instalments . That is purely for the training.
Additional costs down to you. As with all schemes, you must read the small print very carefully, and seek appropriate advice.

So issued with a Qatar MPL. In time, with 1500 hours, Qatar ATPL issued.

Question: how convertible to an EASA licence is this national licence when you wish to move on.......
Perhaps PACO will have the answer for us.

Looks like I misunderstood and to be honest, makes me feel a little less irritated by the age thing! (Will edit my op)

For TK, if it is an ICAO licence and you have the hours, self-certify for the exams.

I think they sit the UK CAA exams during the initial training at L3.

It would be somewhat harsh if 10 years down the line, they had to be sat again.

My friends who got into the Qatar MPL at STAA Singapore take the QCAA (Qatar) ATPL Exams not the CAAS (Singapore) one. Oh if you don't pass one of the exams like one of my friends did, you have to go to Doha to retake the exams at your own cost. So you really have to have A LOT of money.

Problem would be if you fail or they kick you in the middle , your mpl hours are useless

The flying (airborne) hours acquired during training still count. There would however be a shortfall for normal CPL/IR licence issue, and these remaining hours would need to be flown plus the skill tests for CPL -and IR.

The initial flying is common. So a wise decision is needed before the paths separate.

May I know where will the ground school training and flying be done at?

Groundschool is either Coventry / Southampton in the UK or out at the Hamilton training centre in NZ. The flight training component has historically been completed in Hamilton also.

Anyone want to lend me £109k? Or point me in the direction of a bank who'll give it to me unsecured... :ok:

Let me rephrase , your MPL license is useless if you get kicked out in the middle , yes perhaps 70 hours of core flying in a single engine Piston will count

What is the "middle"? Middle of training or middle of the 1500hrs to go in unfreezing it? If it is the latter then that is wrong, there are and have been many cases where people got the MPL license converted before reaching the 1500hrs. If you mean half way through training, well the ground school is the exact same at least so if anything happens during that you can still change, I know a person who changed even during his flying phase from MPL to ATPL.

This MPL license is made out to be a big bad evil license that traps people when the reality and facts from what is really happening out there show the opposite.

I am starting the Qatar MPL COURSE next year and have been told our group will do both ground school and flight training in Hamilton.

It is different for every course though, I guess it depends on the availability at the time. I know some people starting In November and they are doing ground school in Southampton.

pvfspnf

Let us get this clear, until you have completed the course and been issued with a licence, you operate on a students licence.
Remain under the ATO control until the type rating and the base training is complete. At present 12 take-off and landings, although there are moves a foot to reduce this to the normal six.
Once you have satisfied the base training, the MPL is applied for.

For the normal CPL/IR route once the course is completed, which is usually passing the IRST and course hours satisfied, you apply for licence issue.

Multi crew aspirations require the MCC certificate, followed by successful type rating issue.

The two routes are now at the same point, ready to start the line training.
Given the multi crew training etc already provided through the MPL route, then they have the clear advantage over the "normal route" with only the MCC experience (+any JOC). Probably different (subtle) SOPs as well to unlearn.

I am assuming two guys of equal competency. So there is catch up required, and in time, it should be difficult to spot the difference.

There are critics of the MPL route. I would speculate that if they actually spoke to someone who delivers the training, it would ease their mind considerably.

Burning holes in the sky to satisfy some historical rule of 100 hours P1 prior to CPL issue simply has no merit these days.

Thank you everyone for the detailed information. I am considering applying for the cadet pilot program offered by Qatar Airways and L3 Aviation Academy. Only issue is, of course, the 109,000 pounds.

But it seems a better deal than most cadetship that accepts international students, as it includes accommodation. Fingers crossed.

It is clearly a departure as historically only nationals, or those closely associated with Qatar could apply.
Clearly market forces are driving the situation, and Qatar recognise the need to produce pilots from the grass roots.

Perhaps in time they will recognise the merits of the funding deal offered to trainees with Aer Lingus

rustydusty is there still a substantial gap between acceptance onto the MPL scheme and commencing training? You mentioned 2018 for yourself.

Speedbird148,

There's a substantial amount of trainees coming through this place right now and any delays are not only attributed to start dates, but other phases in addition to type ratings. As an example, Whitetail cadets coming out the end and securing jobs at easyJet are being told to expect Type Ratings in the Spring. Demand, which we know is high, and associated capacity for the deliverance aren't totally marrying at the moment. L3 has brick and mortar expansion plans both in Hamilton and back in the UK over the next 12 months so that may well go a way to reducing the initial wait. For example, the new type rating centre in London.

MPL delays however could be attributed to an airline spacing out the dates trainees would eventually be line ready.

Type ratings in the spring? I presume a lot of the cadets will have to go back and live with their parents until their TR training starts, unless of course Easyjet or whoever offer them a temp gig somewhere else in the company. 6 months (possibly longer) is a long time for currency to lapse.

At my place (outside of aviation), we had some people wait for three months to get an instructor after completing theoretical training. They were sent to shadow some fully qualified folks and grossed over £7k during those three months, most of them were bored out of their minds by the end of it but £7k for doing very little is decent enough if you ask me.

You'd think their airline employer-to-be could at least stick them on a jumpseat for a few months to get them used to the SOPs and the nature of random-ish shift work, pay them subsistence and give them a couple of days of GA flying per month to keep current. At least if they want good pilots anyway...

Parkfell

Always amazes me when people talk without having a clue.

Once you are done with a CPL you can technically gain employment anywhere

After the issue of your MPL license you need to be partnered with your sponsor airline and if Qatar gets rid of you , you have wasted your money

You clearly don't know Qatar and the sandbox look at what's happening with alpha and Aby

Burning holes in the sky ?

Lol go get some flight time

For me personally It has been a slow process. From the date I applied to the date I will start it will be around 18 months but I did have to resit PILAPT. I do think I am on one of the last courses for people who have already passed so it could be an indication that people who get accepted this time round might not have to wait that long.

Again all really depends on availability, if you pass selection first time etc.

Thanks for clarifying.

Thanks for insight. Take your point re demand outstripping capacity until new facilities in place. But do you also think it's in part a case of whitetails being prioritised behind tagged cadets ?

Parkfell
It made me laugh so thanks for that I mean flying experience is vastly over rated compared with classroom and sim training
Really ?

I just applied for it and I hope it will be at Hamilton.

Did you attend all your interviews in UK?

@Speedbird148

That's another point entirely, but yes. Airlines supposedly impose "financial penalties" on companies that fail to deliver MPL cadets on time. In that sense it can sometimes feel as though MPL cadets take priority. With this said, the capacity thing is by no means related to solely L3. Something many fail to realise is L3's Hamilton base trains cadets for airlines in the Asia/Pacific market too and things are pretty busy here as a result. I'd rather a school be busy though than struggling financially.

In my time here three additional 172s have joined the fleet to accommodate for flights / courses which do not require EFIS equipped aircraft. From what I've heard there are plans in the works for expansion to the ground school facilities as well as construction of additional accommodation at Clearways to house these newer courses. In addition - i'm not 100% on this one as it was a rumour - there's the potential for L3 simulators to be installed here for IndiGo type ratings thus removing the need for said trainees to make use of L3's UK facilities. From all of this it's clear lots of changes are to come although it's likely I'll be out the other end before they come into play.

Just with any takeover and subsequent growth there are changes to be expected. I just hope it doesn't impact the overall product longer term. There's then the subsequent integration of AeroSim into the wider business. Who knows how that'll fair. With all of this said, would I change my choice of school? - Certainly not. I simply can't fault the quality of the instructors here!

My response was a generic comment to MPL, not at Qatar internal matters.
Anyone can be terminated during line training , or at any other point due to lack of progress, be it through the normal route, or MPL.

There are cases five years ago or so, where the initial sponsor did not take on MPL students due to their financial circumstances.
This does make the situation more difficult, but that is the nature of the beast where employment is lined up if it all goes as advertised. Potential certainty, as oppose to "whitetail" uncertainty.

If you are "got rid off" due to performance, you are probably stuffed anyway irrespective of what route you initially followed ?

The "classroom" and exams is identical irrespective of what route you take. You do have a point about the value of flying experience and giving yourself more than one fright to concentrate the mind.
I suggest you look at a syllabus for the MPL sim phase, before you pontificate about what a level D simulator can achieve, and what is expected of the students.
I have taught both routes, and therefore speak with some actual knowledge of what both have to offer.

As for flying experience, I started flying powered ac aged 17 in 1971. I have sufficient time aloft thank you, both instruction for CPL/IR, and airline flying.

As a QFI at PIK during the 1990's with CAP509 training followed by Hydrid JAR, and then JAR training in 1999, the more competent had a substantial amount of SE flying to burn off post IRT ( IRST) to complete the syllabus with BAeFC.
Burning holes in the sky.........

So 100 hours burning holes in the sky is of no merit? Well, it's flying and whilst doing it, gaining valuable experience of handling an aeroplane. I don't know where there is no merit in that!

L3 have confirmed the license at the end is a QCCA MPL.

Due to the blockade and Qatar being in a volatile region at the moment. Do you think this will affect securing positions in the future?

I'm thinking more in the future, say, 5 years from now. Potential for Qatar to downsize? made redundant?

Profits are being hit with the 'superconnectors' Emirates, Etihad and Qatar.

Hi, rusty dusty.
hope you're doing well.
I've actually applied for Qatar MPL Sep 2017.
But I also waited over a year for the applications to open and meanwhile have been practising for my selection process and I wanted you to share your experience and how you got through. If there is anyway I can contact personally let me know.
thank you.

parkfell I highly doubt you are an airline pilot

no you are not just fired because you fail in line training due to performance , mind you in any airline you can be fired at anytime becuase they dont like your face. and in the case of being a cadet mpl you will have no where to go afterwards.

Is it possible for you to get in touch with me as I am due to start soon and I have no idea yet who would be on my course, cheers

I honestly feel it is a good program, but 109k pounds, though cheaper than most self-sponsored programs, it still a large sum. Sigh..

Pfvspnf

Tell me, how can you be approved to teach MPL without the multi crew experience gained in airlines? Minimum 1500 hours required.

I wonder whether your 8 Sept post refers to someone closer the home.
Perhaps we should be told......

PA28 160 (5 Sept)

The burning off refers to the flying once the flying tests have been completed. At least SPIC has improved matters. You need to explore the MPL route. It is specific training for a specific function, viz RHS, and only that. No use if you want GA flying ( apart from PPL recreation flying) as FI or anything else. You don't have the necessary light ac flying.

Yup, all assessments/Interviews are done in the UK.

Feel free to PM me, but general advice is practice, practice, practice for both PILAPT and possible interview questions.

I found SkyTest to be the best for practicing PILAPT and Latest Pilot Jobs for the maths test.

Hey guys i got info from ctc, its written;

We would suggest at this time that the training with Qatar Airways would not begin until towards the end of 2018.

That means we have to wait more than a year or so?

Hi, its not so much as having to wait until the end of 2018. The slection process will take most of the time between now and then, there are four stages to selection the first being the online application. After this you can book a selection day that is within a couple of weeks and after this you will have a few months of paperwork, medical and a few other bits before the final interview with a couple Qatar Training captains. Once this is done the last step is security steps and sorting course dates ect. So the actual wait (if you are first to book the slection day) is not that long. Spaces on courses are allocated based on when the selection day is booked from what I was told so the sooner you book onto that the sooner you will be offered a start date.