Thomas Cook Cadet Programme
 

For those wanting to start their pilot-training:

http://tobeapilot.co.uk/thomas-cook-announce-new-cadet-programme-scholarship-for-female-pilots/

Ridiculous.

All for attracting more females to consider a career as a commercial pilot. But, with regards to fairness i don't really understand why financial aid is being targeted at female applicants only. The financial side is a barrier to all of us.

It's one scholarship of £30,000 each year. Not much to get hot under the collar about.

I read it as a normal cadet scheme to be opened for all and a seperate scholarship for female applicants.

I personally don't get any negative or ridiculous ideas out of it. An other airline has started a cadet scheme, a self-funded one, but still a step into the right direction.

The positive discrimination in favour of females is just getting ridiculous.

I struggle to see the positive discrimination here, the candidates are still going to be of the same standard as any male applicant just with the possibility for female candidates to also receive help with funding.
The profession does have a HUGE disparity between the number of male and female pilots. The issue is no doubt a complex one but anything that encourages more women to get involved can only be a positive thing no?
I can understand your frustrations if a female candidate was offered a place without reaching the same standards that a male candidate may have to, but that would be against EU law and hence I am extremely doubtful this is the case here.

As a short term measure I can see why it's done and imagine it's probably pretty effective in increasing the number of female pilots (which is not a bad thing). But for me it's just about fairness and ideally the best regardless of gender should be offered the financial aid.

Time to become gender fluid? :ugh:

You don't see the discrimination? The cash aid is FOR females.
Men are entitled to 0.

Maybe some of you should read up about the name on the scholarship and see its relevance.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymonde_de_Laroche

Funny how you don't read many complaints about the scholarships awarded by the British Women Pilots Association!

BWPA?s New Female Pilot Training Scholarship | British Women Pilots' Association

I don't see the relevance of the BWPA in modern aviation to be honest, to me it's a little like the Black Police Association and various others similar groups, all of which seem to support the notion that discrimination is fine so long as it is in one direction only.

In my opinion, only private members' clubs which are restricted to invitation only (or similar) should have the right to be single gender.

Flight crew roles in the UK have been open to both men and women for well over thirty years' now in most cases, so the reason for the gender disparity is very much one of choice.

Does anyone has any information about the course ? On whether the price is the same as a normal course at FTE, or lower, as it is a cadet program ?

Would like to know this too. Would it be 115k euros like the typical integrated FTE course?

It depends on whether you have a V or a P between the legs.
If its a P, expect to pay full price... However, if you happen to have a V, you pay less... Thomas Cook long you long time

Would a sex change be cheaper than the flight training? :D

More information should be available today as it is opening for applications as well.

No, no, no!

Gender equality should mean the best candidate for the job gets the job!

FML! And all because some sleazy old head of training wants to touch up a female FO. I’m sure they’ll be dead impressed. Well, it wouldn’t be the first time...

Danke...

All details on FTE Jerez website now. Course price EUR 117,000!!!

Good Luck

Thomas cook scholarship FTE
 

Hi guys, an aspiring female pilot here. I am currently applying to their female scholarship programme,as I have never actually applied to any school/programme before I would like some advice.
The questions are along the lines of give us an example of teamwork... what do you know about TC... and just wondering is there anything specific I should e putting in there? Or how do I linke it to aviation when i have no experience in that field?
Many thanks!

Just remember that they are recruiting Future captains, not just Pilots, so highlight any leadership experience, dealing with difficult situations and people and stepping out of your comfort zone.

I would suggest you go and apply for as many flying scholarships as you can, if nothing else it gives you great experience of filling in application forms and attending interviews. it also makes you question and articulate your motivation

If you can get a scholarship that brings your cost of training below 70K then go for it, if not then don't go for the expensive, big schools because at the end of the course you'll have the same license as anyone else. Try to keep the cost of training as low as possible. The school you do your training doesn't really matter anymore, there are lots of jobs out there at the moment. Nobody knows how long this is going to last, so hurry if you want to catch this train. Also you have an advantage for being female, there is a lot of positive discrimination towards female pilots in Europe and you'll get interviews for sure. If you are a decent pilot you'll get the job too. Good luck.

In common with all aspiring pilots, you will need to convince seasoned aviators that you have the passion and determination to succeed.

What aviation activities have you done so far, and from what age, which will convince someone that you are a genuine recruit. What do you offer which others do not?

Thinks of this as a vocation, and not just a job. Very early starts, late finishes, weekend working and a total disruption to your social/family life.

Forget the glamour bit, just hours of sitting up front watching the machine fly itself. So hand flying the take-off with AP engaged within a minute or so, and on the average day the machine flying it until a couple of minutes prior to touchdown. You are a glorified systems operator.

Are your 100% happy with that for the next ......years until retirement?

Is anyone going to the assessments next week?

I am. What day are you on?

I'm on the Thursday - only found out today though as I was on the reserve list. Not much time to prepare!

I am on the Wednesday. Week to go!

This might be worth a read What it's like to fly for Thomas Cook as a Pilot

My son is an FO with TCX based at Manchester on the A321 but has also bid for MFF on the A330. He's been with them for just over a year now and he rates them very very highly. The training, he says, is second to none and they treat their people, flight deck/cabin crew very well. He's very happy with them.
One of their training captains was recently a finalist on MasterChef

In fact they treat them so well that last year the pilots went on strike - so not that well then!

Not all of the pilots at all of the bases went on strike including legacy and non-legacy groups

Recent assessments
 

Has anyone been to a TCX assessment recently? Can you please PM with any details? Many thanks!