degree or CTC
 

Could anyone advice on if it would be better for my son to do a degree with bucks new university including frozen ATPL or is it more prudent to go straight to a FTC such as CTC in Southampton or FTE in Florida Its a lot of money in either case for a 19 yr old to commit too

Some airlines think the MPL guys are more prepared to fly an A320 than the ATPL guys (straight from the flight school I mean). Actually those airlines seem to find huge benefits in the MPL training (it being cheaper is not one of them, as it is actually more expensive). The different airlines and the CAA are, however, still checking the "quality" of the guys that have already finished training with an MPL (not many), and depending on these results the MPL programes are expected to increase massively in the coming years, especially in flight schools such as CTC, Oxford and FTE. One of these schools (I don't know about the others) is expecting the 50% of its training to be MPL next year already.

Why 50% if it's better? Well, the MPL has an important disadvantage for the airlines: they would need to plan 18 months in advance what their cadets requirements would be in the near future. As you know, it's really difficult for an airline to predict what's going to happen in 6 months time, even harder 18. The "traditional" cadet route (and the well-known hold pool) has this advantage: the airlines can take cadets from there and the cadets can be flying the line in as little as 2-3 months, so the risk is less.

Expect many more MPL courses in the future, even conducted by airlines that did not like it at the beginning. It seems to work well.

I hope this is helpful Anotherwannabe

That new bucks degree is a waste of time and money.

There are a lot of threads if you do a search about these aviation degrees.

They aren't really worth the money to be honest.

The ATP database is now around 90 guys/girls and still expanding by a small trickle of CTC Takeoff students.

Not sure why CTC would do this :confused: it's not like any ATP guys/girls are being placed with a partner airline.

So no outward movement in for ATP pool in 2013 so far?

Just looking at the history of the ATP process I'm wondering when it might reopen, or indeed ever for general entry now that Take Off graduates go into it.

It closed in c.Oct 2006
Opened in c.Jan 2008

However it was only open for a about a month then closed again in Feb 2008

Then opened in April 2009
Closed in May 2012...

Could current swimmers perhaps have some good news late this year early 2014 and if so could it reopen for applications?

Just thinking out loud really if anyone cares to comment...:O

ContactTower,

The ATP Pool has been closed since May 2012, you are correct. I was one of the last individuals to be accepted around a month prior and joined the pool in October 2012.

Unfortunately it has been quiet, but previously (March 2012) as has been mentioned before, there has been 'sudden' movement due to a lull in the number of pilots coming from the normal Wings route. Anticipating some movement in late 2013 or early 2014, as is the same with the rest of the industry, but unfortunately have no tangible evidence or advice to offer.

I have also completed the FD Degree in Air Transport Management, and believe the Bucks New Uni degree, if you have no prior Uni degree is certainly beneficial. It has taught me a vast array of information that I wouldn't have had before, and has prompted to me to complete the BA in this area - which I am currently undertaking at the moment.

In short, if you'd like to learn more about the aviation industry in which we currently work in, it is advised. No doubt I'll be shot down by keyboard warrior Mad Jock, but anyone can feel free to PM me about the degree. Currently writing an essay about Environmental Sustainability and associated Management Programs in Aviation.

Interesting...do you know where in the queue you are?

I sure do, about two thirds of the way in. It has slowed, if not, completely stopped now for Summer as far as I am aware. Should restart in September/October.

This thread seems to be rather dead...

I'm just wondering having heard a few rumours of the Wings pool being relatively low in numbers at the moment if there has been any movement on the ATP pool front?

CTC Wings ATP Scheme (Merged)
 

No movement for well over a year now. Unless I've missed it

My guess is that the recruitment for experienced guys at eJ is the end to any folks from the ATP pool ever getting hired unless CTC manage to partner up again with flybe (which I hear a lot of the eJ pilots will come from) however I understood that FTE had their feet well under the table there.

Do not forget that earlier this year the ATPers were told that they should find their own employment as CTC do not envisage having anything for them so you make your own mind up.

One thing though...things can and do change fast in this industry so who knows?

I am new to the forum, even though i have been reading since the day i started my training (summer 2012).
Just wanted to add information on this thread.
I am a ctc takeoff graduate (modular) and i successfully finished the AQC recently and found that it was a very good and well structured course.
But more importantly, i know that at least one modular guy who finished the aqc last september got an interview with easyjet and got the job. So, there has been some movement in the ATP pool.
I do not know how and why this guy was selected but it seems to me that the ATP pool does not work in a ''first come first served'' policy.
Keep in mind that CTC reads PPRuNe.

Your friend does not have a job yet, he passed the interview and has now joined the Easyjet pool. However cadets will still be placed in front of him the same as the ATP pool.

Well, I wish I hadn't used my real name on here, because I'd love to tell them to kiss my :mad:

:ooh:

It would be nice to see them (and the industry in general) taking the modular side of things more seriously.

AQC, the Advanced Queuing Course - you queue while others fly. :)

Let us know if you get an interview....

I would say that was very disappointing news indeed for the other guys/girls that are still swimming in the pool that have been there for the last 2 years or so. I hope they see this info and take this up with CTC although I suspect it will do them no good.

Just a heads up, the CTC Pools are now managed by another company within CTC Aviation's umbrella of companies.

As of Dec 2013:

46 Wings Cadets
92 ATP Cadets

EasyJet have recently taken vast numbers of 'white tails' from OAA, but overall the situation looks to be ramping up quite quickly.

da42
 

do CTC have any DA42 in the UK or are these all in NZ?
I have DA42 and avidyne PA44 for lease to flying clubs in Europe.

Yes, I believe they have Da-40 and Da-42 in NZ.
The also own 5 Da-42 (4 working and 1 in maintenance usually) in Bournemouth and they sometimes lease another one.

Any new info regarding the ATP pool?

In February, with immediate effect, there were some major changes for ATP pilots. They were as follows:

Anyone who enters the database going forward, he/she will be allowed to remain in the database for a maximum of 2 years.

Anyone up until now who has remained in the database for more than 1 year, will be given 1 more year and provided an exit interview. CTC did make it very clear that an exit interview does not mean an automatic removal from the database. Each case would be individually assessed and the pilots who had not been offered placements or assessment due to their low seniority would not be automatically removed.

There is now also a 2 strike rule. Anyone who declines or fails an assessment will be given 1 strike. After the second strike, the person involved will be given an exit interview and removed from the database. Anyone who has either failed or declined any assessments or placement opportunities in the past prior to these new rules, will be automatically given 1 strike. The reason for these changes were to make the opportunities fair for everyone within the database and avoid giving longer seniority to those who were declining or failing assessments.

There are currently around 90 ATP pilots in the database and 60 wings cadets in the integrated holding pool.