@ Yannisfr
 

Most of the first batch are done with core flying finally (I'm one of them :O)...after 17 weeks in the Philippines, Now...we will be heading back to Sharjah to start the MCC Sim sometime around the end of the month...any news from your side :\ ...

malirm
 

Hello Malirm,

My name’s Hassan, I read all your comments in PPRuNe and really it’s very useful, I intend to join AAA but still to this moment I’m hesitant regarding the appointment after complete the course, so if you have any update please inform me, I wish to you a best luck :ok:.

@Malirm
 

From my side, i have gone through FTE Jerez tests and i got them, so i will start soon in Spain the classic integrated CPL programme. I did not felt really confident with AAA, so i decided to go for a renown FTO.

Did you came back from Philippines? Sim? What new about your school and Air Arabia?:hmm:

When are you expecting completing the programme?:ok:

Good luck my friend!:D

any update
 

Hi all

I'm new here .. but found this very useful .. i'm also thinking of joining AAA and waiting for Malirm's update .. desperately!!! ;)

Good Luck!!

Hi
 

Hi, everybody. I'm new here. Could anybody tell me if he get job with Air Arabia or any other company after the AAA course finish. It could be usefull because it in my my to join then. Anybody can help me ?
Thank you

hi Guys, Updates
 

Just got out from a meeting in Alpha Aviation Academy, it included the GM, HOT & Air Arabia's Training Manager...and other AAA staff.

As for the time being, The 3 CA MPL cadets were released from line training & are now Full FOs of Air Arabia, while the other 4 are still under the SO position (for the Line Training). ANY MPL cadet must do (initially) 80 sectors or 500 hours with Air Arabia before they get released to FO position (depending on Availability of Slots AND performance)...might be reduced (from 80 sectors) as soon as MPL becomes more popular & Air Arabia becomes 100% confident of the "product".

Also heard "Air Arabia & Alpha Aviation Academy are fully committed to MPL & to providing the training for MPL" + Alots of topics were covered on the A320 Sim training, TOs & Landings...etc. I can't really give out the info on that stuff until it is Finalised between AA & AAG...since the new GM has joined Alpha, I can say, alots of positive news are coming out & will be coming out...until this moment, I can say Air Arabia is considering MPL seriously & is putting plans for it, as usual...no promises of a Permanent contract, but at least news about Temporary contracts are now confirmed to be real...so, nothing to worry about...if you don't get absorbed into AA, you can go to other airlines...but don't think that AA would make you leave, they need pilots in the coming days :)

AAA contracts with JATS
 

Hi Malirm, thanks for the update .. btw does that mean that AAA students will undergo their simulator training in Jordan?? for how long? -it will be more cash to spend then :ugh: .. Last time i talked to the AAA staff, they said they are at the moment in a phase of building their own simulator for their student near the airport??!?! which should be done by the end of this year :rolleyes:

@ Sky81
 

It won't cost us any extra, we are paying the normal installments...its up to the Academy to make the Profit or not. Basically at the A320 phase, its up to the Partner Airline (in this case Air Arabia) to make profit or not :)

We are expected to complete the A320 Phase in 7 weeks, 2 weeks of A320 ground school/MFD stuff, then A320 Sim for 5 weeks...

As I pass by it every time I go to the Academy, The A320 Sim Building will be ready in a month or so & the Sim will be placed in it by Mid May...then GCAA will make an Audit & would have to Certify the Sim...etc. so July sounds like the Month of judgement ! As far as I got to know, the first few batches will do their A320 Phase in Jordan, including Air Arabia Crew...more updates to come soon ;)

Updates
 

Updates are coming soon by end of Next week :)

until that time, bang me with questions ;)

Hiiiii
 

Training seems taking more than 2 years right?
How many cadets are involved in the programme actually?
I heard that core flying will not be done in SHJ?
Once you will be finishing all the training, how car the sponsor airline integrate the cadets? They will not be able to take more than 10 per year, so it will take more than 5 years to integrate everybody.....
How many finally will get jobs with the airline?
Enough questions mate......:D

@ Yannisfr
 

Hi, here is a PART of the update

I think it seems that the 18 month programme turned to be a 26 month Program...no doubt, as MPL still has challenges on how to IMPLEMENT the written stuff & make them happen in reality satisfying the Airline & the Civil Aviation Authority as well...the delays apply to Batch 1 & 2, but don't think batch 3, 4, 5 & 6 so far.

There are 9 cadets in the First Batch, 14 in the Second (Core Flying now) & another 30 to 35 cadets in Ground school, some of them are graduating soon.

In order to put an end to the Core Flying Bottle Neck, the academy is doing the flying in Sharjah (with 2 C172s) & in Clark Aviation, Philippines (with 3 C172s), hopefully by Mid-Jun, 6 cadets will be ready for MCC, while the other 8 will finish before the end of June their core flying, thus opening the way for the another 16 or so cadets for core flying. There is some news that a Third Core Flying training location will be provided, but with Pipers (glass cockpit ones).

The Sponsor airline (Air Arabia), is ready to receive us at anytime, they've prepared TREs & TRIs & Line training Captains, we'll need approx. 4 months to finish the line training & become fully released FOs & as you know, Arabia is receiving 2 planes this year & they are already loosing pilots for Etihad & Emirates + other Big Airlines.

I belief that it can take up to a Year to absorb all 50 + cadets, don't forget, there are 40 A320s to be delivered by 2013 (2.5 more years !) I also belief that the current amount of cadets are not enough !

The 7 cadets from Clark Aviation got released to line as (FOs) beginning of this week...(that's 7 slots for us :) )

As for the first Batch, we are now ready for the A320 Training, expecting to leave for Jordan next week & come back for 12 TOs & LNDGs by end of Jul, you will be updated more in the coming few days...I will find the time ;)

Malirmmmmm
 

Thanks for the update, i hope you will be finishing your training before 2013... The A320 are to be received before end of 2016, and a part of them will be replacing the ones in leasing.

Realistically, AA will not be able in one year all the cadets, and i think that they will only take Max half of all the ones actually in training (7 batches). Am i right or wrong????:=

@ Yannisfr
 

I still have the Updates, but will need to Confirm them before I go to you guys...anyways, since its PPRuNe, I'll give you an outline ;) I was hoping to Confirm it yesterday...

Batch 1 will start the A320 Ground School + Exam next week, then SEP/Dangerous Goods...etc. courses will be provided, then, by end of Next week, we'll be off to Jordan for the ICAO English Proficiency Test, then the A320 Intermediate & Advanced Phase, with a total of 27 A320 FFS sessions which is going to end in less than 7 weeks (5 working days), i.e. 4 hour Session everyday :)

Hopefully by July 21st we'll go directly from Jordan to a Country (Confidential), for the 12 TAGs, then back to UAE to issue the Licenses, as you know, as it is New to Alpha, Air Arabia & the GCAA, everything is being monitored & supervised bit by bit...thats why we got the delays, everything must be upto the standards (if not more) I hope that the GCAA, Air Arabia & Alpha have settled it finally, as from what I hear & get to know, the MPL training standards here in the UAE, is a competent to the UK-JAR standards. This makes me proud :)

As for the A320s & Job Placements...etc. don't forget that neighboring airlines are growing really fast, Lots & lots of pilots (specially the Type Rated) are being SUCKED into the Big airlines because of their fast growth (although they have their own Cadet Pilot Program !) we all still have a great chance into Air Arabia...lots of FOs are becoming Captain also, while other Captains are becoming involved with the TRI/TRE positions...I guess we will have some space :)

More to Come once confirmed :ok:

Malirm
 

Thanks man, sounds good for you! I think you re in Jordan actually.
If batch 2 is in core flying, that means that all the other batches will come to core flying in the next months, and the other location with pipers sounds to be ideal to get in all the guys, otherwise you will struggle with your 2 cessnas in Sharjah and 3 in Philippines. But at least the last batches should experience delays with the core flying phase and the mcc one as well, as they will approximatively all finish the core at the same time, end of 2011, or Q1 2012, and FNPT2 will be overloaded. Then, i can't see how Air Arabia can enroll all the 35 or more cadets in line training at the same time. It is not realistic. The last batch will complete his training at Air Arabia best case end of 2013, but realistically 2014....or 2015

I agree, Emirates, Etihad, Flydubai will recruit in mass in the nearest future, but as your school continues to integrate cadets, there will be a breaking point where cadets will be left on the roadside, you have to be realistic, and Air Arabia planes are to be delivered from now till end of 2016

Yannisfr, I am currently a student in AAA and about to finish my ground school.
As you mentioned before, several students will be completing ground school and will thus require extra planes to complete our core flying stage. Well, AAA has already dealt with the problem. They have plans to send us to Australia for flying. Our flights, accommodation and food will be paid by Alpha. The contract between Alpha and the Australian flying school has been signed. All that is required now is the approval from the GCAA! If all goes well, which it should, I will be in Australia in the next 2 months! We all still need to complete our ground school and then pass our air law test!

Nice to hear the good news gals! I am very enthousiastic about this programme. How did you guys handle with this all? I can't find any selection process stages at the site of AAA.

Will the MPL graduating pilots get a job at Air Arabia or is it still not guaranteed? Any info on that? In these times the money isn't really a big issue, the most of the banks will give a loan.

And the course costs, 440,000AED, is this including food, accomodation and things like that or not?

Thanks anyways!!

Do not worry about the selection process. It is not difficult at all. You will have a basic Maths and English test. There is no need to revise for it. After that you will have some compute based exams. Once again no need to practise for it as you will be guided before you do the exam for real. Not difficult. After that you will have an interview and you will be told the next day if u are successful or not.

The cost of 440k dhs does not include any food, housing or transport. AAA provides some housing some 1 min drive away but it costs about 1900 dhs per month. Not lived there but i have seen the flats and tbh it is good value for money.

Thank you very much newcadet to answer my questions! But what is now the average length of the training? I've read 20+ months and things like that. At the site I read (a minimum of 19 months).

The course place is Sharjah. Will the cadets fly the single engine aircrafts at Sharjah Airport (Base of Air Arabia)?

And does the MPL programme of AAA really don't include any real multi engine aircraft?

Yeah, I do not think it will take more than 20 months to finish the course.
Atm AAA is planning on shifting the single engine training to Australia. If this happens to you AAA will pay for everything apart from your own entertainment there.
They will pay for your flights, food and housing for the 10 weeks that you will be there for.
The course at AAA does include flying in a real A320. You will get to do 12 Take off and Landings. After that you will get to fly a few sectors (not sure of the number) with Air Arabia as a second officer. You will basically fly from say Sharjah to Delhi and then fly back with 2 other pilots guiding you.

If you perform well then you will be offered a contract as a first officer when they have a slot open. Atm Air Arabia is hiring throughout the year so we all should get a job considering we do well in the line training.

Thanks newcadet!

But you say, after the sectors you will get a contract or not. But I heard something else.

- 1st: Get the MPL License
- 2nd: Type Rating
- 3rd: 80 sectors of flying with Air Arabia
- 4th: 500hrs of line training
- 5th: Contract negotiating/Yes or no
- 6th: Air Arabia or sitting at home

I was told that it was something like that, but you say that the cadet will get the contract (or not) after the 3rd step right?

I was told that Air Arabia is in short of pilots, so they have started the MPL programme. If you do it well during the 80 sectors/500hrs of line training you will get the contract. You don't have to be a 'superb' pilot, is this right?

I have e-mailed the contactperson of AAA but didn't get any response (3 days now!).

As far as I know we get the contract after stage 3. Stage 4 is when your are earning a lower salary but you still hold the position of First Officer. You will earn 5,000 Dhs + free housing+ flying bonuses (about 2k dhs). After you have completed the 500 hours you will get the full salary of 28k dhs + flying bonuses. This is what i have been told but i could be wrongly informed.

Either way you are 99% guaranteed a job. You do not need to be a superb pilot. You just need to meet their minimum requirements. I have heard from a first officer in Air Arabia that the training he is receiving currently is the best in the world. He ha flown with Air France and Lufthansa and considers Air Arabia line training to be much better than them. Good news for us I guess!

Aha nice to hear! Very nice to hear haha!

Where do the cadets stay? Do they have own accomodation or do they stay at their parents? Are the most cadets nationals? Are their some foreigners on the course?

Is there been a cadet which isn't given a place at Air Arabia?

Suggest this position: a cadet which got his licences through this scheme and got accepted at Air Arabia. After flying some years and have a total of 3,000 total flight time, they are eligible for some major carriers, like Emirates. But Emirates only accepts (now) ATPL and not MPL. But after 1,500 of total flight time the cadet is eligible to transfer the MPL into a ATPL. After switching this the cadet flies some 1,500 hours more and the total flight time will be 3,000. Is the cadet then eligible for getting hired by Emirates or not? Do AA and EK have an agreement (like QR & EK) that the F/O's and Captains can't switch by the companies? Or can this be done?

The cadets usually stay at the flats provided by AA. It is some 2 mins drive from the sharjah airport. Atm only one person in AAA is a national. Rest are from Bahrain, Oman, India, Pakistan and UK.

Sadly, I cannot answer your remaining questions. At the moment no one from AAA has reached the stage that they can get a place in AA. They are atm in the A320 sim stage.

As for MPL, I think Emirates will in the future accept MPL student without converting to ATPL.

Aha thank you very much for answering my questions newcadet. I think wait and see what happens with the first cadets would the best idea. But it sounds really good! We'll see! Keep us updated homie!

Cadets?
 

Hi Newcadet23, what is the breakdown of the batches? I know that there is 9 cadets in Batch 1, but what about the others?

Txs,

Yannis

Not sure about the earlier batches. What I know for sure is that there are now 7 batches at AAA. Batch 5 and 6 have 10 students each. Batch 7 has 12.

Over all I think we have some 60 students.

@ Yannisfr
 

I can say, Batch 1 is 9, 2 is 8, 3 is 6, don't know about 4 (as some joined 5 & 6 or so) then 5 is 10, 6 is 10, 7 is 12 so a total of roughly 55 to 60 :)

Guys, heads up, first batch will be graduating in August...best of luck to the following batches...any help, please let me know ;) & as they always say, "knowledge is useless unless you share it"

A new update for anybody who wants to join AAG, Any batch joining (starting from August 2011), they will be finishing their training in a Max of 14 Months...EVERYTHING is settled & no delays afterall :D (I must get a commission for this Paragraph) !

Txs Malirm & Newcadet23
 

Let's see how the first batches will be integrated by the airline. For Batch 1,2 & 3 it shouldn't be difficult, but for the latest ones (5,6 & 7) that will be tricky... and they might be left on the side of the road after completion of the program:ouch:

Lets take the last batch (7 or 8): if they are already in ground school, they should be finishing by end of the year.
Then CF, 3 months (till end of march 2012), FNPT2 3 months (end of june 2012), A320 SIM 3 months (end of sept 2012).

That means that they will be ready for air arabia by oct 2012. That means as well that all the previous batches (50 cadets) are already done with line training and are working with AA.

Seriously, How can it be possible ???

Why not? Air Arabia are recruiting on a constant basis. There are vacancies every month. Air Arabia are also on the process of buying new planes. Lets hope that we do get a job as soon as we are done with the MPL

I hope you are right but lets be realistic: how can air arabia train 50 cadets in 12 months???? They do not have enough TRI/TRE to take over this mass. It took more than 6 months for the first 7 cadets from clark. so that means max 15 a year, so more than 3.5 years to get in the 50 cadets, if all the seat are booked for them, and that is another game...

The 40 remaining planes on order are spread from now to 2016, 5.5 years from now, 4 in 2011, and 7 per year till 2016.

A part of them will replace the actual ones in leasing, final forecasted fleet in 2016: 50.

Agreed. But when they were recruiting those 7 students from clarke they were also recruiting from different sources. Very soon AA will only take students from Alpha.

So in this way they should be able to take alteast 30 students a year.

I agree, but they were not training the others, or from far away less....

Cross my fingers for you guys!

@ Mr. Yannisfr
 

With all of my respect :), I want to clarify one thing, in MPL, there is no guaranteed JOB, you have a guaranteed line training, Getting a Job will depend upon your performance, NOT who joined first. The Clark MPLers (7) took all that time as they converted their MPL to GCAA MPL, then, Air Arabia had to provide a MPL Line training Syllabus to get it Certified by the GCAA, thats about 2.5 months at least...then they joined the Line Training with the other CPL/IR trainees...etc.

Air Arabia Currently has 18 TRI/Es & I heard that they are upgrading more Captains, the nice thing in MPL is that, you'll need less line training sectors online than a normal CPL/IR cadet...thus giving way to others, you can ask some of the Air Arabia Junior FOs how much it took them to finish the line training...non of them will have the same number of sectors or hours...it is strictly a Performance related process...if you are good enough, you are released with the Minimum required Sectors, if not & you have the Potential, you'll need more sectors...etc.One thing I have to mention here...not all the guys who get the SO position make it through to the FO position...so, you must have an extra Buffer for Failures too !

The GCAA requires Line training for the MPL cadets from the Partner Airline & by law, its a MPLers right to have the Line Training, NOT a JOB...unless you are a risk to Civil Aviation Safety, e.g. you just FREEZE on EVERY go-around !

Malirm
 

A lot of airlines are recruiting in India, any indian students? Is there any agreement between Alpha aviation and any indian airline?

Sorry for the late reply. Yes there are a lot of indian student at alpha. The answer to ur question is No. The agreement is only with Air Arabia

To all the students at AAS (Alpha Aviation Sharjah)
 

Just to collate all the questions & to clarify for myself & hopefully others can the students at Alpha answer the following:

//1// Is the line training (80 sectors) guaranteed in the AED 440,000 fees? Is it in the contract?

//2// Are the 12 TO & landings part of the course & will they be carried out on a live Air Arabia aircraft? Being a LCC can they afford to give their aircraft for such empty flights?

//3// When the first batch will graduate, do you mean, they will just get the MPL with the required minimums, or do you mean all the line training included?

//4// Once they graduate, will they be employed as SO(s) with Air Arabia (obviously based on performance & vacancies) or do they have to just wait around to find out if Air Arabia will take them if ever?

@ Risk
 

Hi Risk, despite the fact that I highly recommend you to Contact Alpha Aviation Academy & get your questions answered, I will try to answer your questions with what I have experienced & Know, don't take my reply as a Bible, its what I know :):

As for the line Training, the 440,000 AED is paid to Alpha & will get you to the License part (Secures a License for you), while the 80 Sectors (maybe more) are purely provided by Air Arabia (It must be provided for you by law, as the MPL will be restricted to Air Arabia's A320s, unless you finish the line training), the cost will be deducted from your Salary when you are released as a FO, if you were not good enough (Personality factors or Skills), you will be asked to pay for the Line training & probably leave (about 60,000AED)

As for the 12 TOs & landings, they are on REAL/LIVE airplanes (probably leased from a third Party), after some time, as far as I know, it starts with 12 then decreases to 6 then to ZERO (for the next few batches), as it has been proven that doing the 12 TOs & Landings in a Sim (Level D, nowadays it can be soooo real, trust me) would be much more practical, Safe & can simulate all kinds of landings (Tail Wind/Cross Wind/Head Wind/Calm...etc.)

When First Batch Graduate, they mean getting the MPL, the line training is AFTER the MPL, but a part that must be fulfilled by law, by the partner Airline.

When we graduate, we will be employed as SOs with Air Arabia & then, after completing the 80 or more sectors, we will be (if did it well) released as FOs & will be offered by another Contract (the FO contract), thus, we will pay them back for the line training.

I Highly recommend that you go to the Source (Alpha Aviation Academy) & get these questions answered Clearly by Mr. Yorrick Peters :ok:

@Marlim
 

Thanks Marlim,

I have spoken to Mr. Peter at AAA, but you know how it is when you really want to sell a product. Therefore, I asked the questions here. Once again, thanks for the answers. I reckon your input on this thread has been the most valuable.

Just to give you an brief overview; I currently am in the aviation world with a job that pays much more than a FO, but like with all 'wannabe' pilots, I aspire of being behind those PFD(s) & ND(s) rather than this computer screen.

So my dilemma is, should I at this age (close to 30) with such a ‘comfy & well paying’ job & a million responsibilities, give everything up & sign my life up to AAA or not. You see, I can’t make a wrong decision here as it will mean the end of me. With the current world situation, getting my current job back is IMPOSSIBLE in case flying didn’t work out.

Nonetheless, I will watch how the first batch fares & decide thereafter. For now, I have two more questions if you possibly can answer:

//1// Is the line training in the contract? I see you mentioned it is per law, but with the way ‘law’ changes in this country I would rather have it in my contract than on a legislative paper.

//2// When do you reckon will the first batch complete its line training? This is to know how long before I know I can make a decision of my life.

Thanks Marlim & Godspeed!

@ Risk
 

Hi Risk, I know its a tough decision, I had a bright future with the same airline you are in now ;) but decided to go on with the Flying Part, given the risks, advantages & Disadvantages, I just compared my choices & here I am, although a year and a Half late from graduating, I still didn't give up or thought that I took the wrong decision.

I can say, the line Training is not mentioned in the Contract, but Air Arabia is always present around us, we are training at the same place their Second Officers are being trained & staying in the same Hotel aswell !

We have meetings with Air Arabia's Training Dept. Captains twice or more per month up here & where we discuss our training & give them some feedback about us (from a Trainees View), as far as I can say, Air Arabia is serious about us ;) and are working side-by-side with Alpha & the GCAA to make it one of the most successful Programs...don't forget the fact that Air Arabia owns 51% of the academy (which means if they don't employ us, they are loosing from the other pocket).

For your second Question, we have raised it to the HOT, he told us clearly that it might take from 4 to 6 months for us & the Coming Batches, and would start decreasing as the number of Airplanes & line training Captains increase (looking at about 10 extra Captains by Sept alone) we will be graduating sometime around Sept (just after Eid)

Thanks for the Thumbs Up & Blessings :ok: