To the future cadets who might be thinking of joining Alpha be warned that the fees for Alpha is not just DH 440,000 as told by the authorities to lure you into the programme. Four months after the commencement of training comes the contract which also states the additional charges
1 Theoretical ground school instruction Dh 2300 per week
2 Core flying skills Dh 800 per hour
3 Basic simulator flying instruction Dh 800 per hour
4 A32O Ground School Dh 200 per hour
5 Intermediate Simulator Flying instruction Dh 2200 per hour
6 Advanced Simulator Flying instruction Dh2200 per hour
7 Aircraft Base Training Dh 35,000
Be well prepared to foot the bill according to the whims and fancies of Alpha. They keep you in the dark initially

Thanks fernandeztv
 

On behalf of my Batchmates & I...we thank you for the Congs & Greetings :) really happy to see you around :) looking forward to see you in the Cockpit someday (or Night) :ok: The Line is filled with great experiences...

As for my forum-mates, guys, I hope the best for you (the successful & the unsuccessful), for those who are successful...I'd rather be focusing on my training & get out of such a mentality...although you belief that what you are doing is right... :)

Cheers ;)

lol marlim i have lost all hope on Alpha.

I am shortly leaving for AAPA. I just do not think that Alpha will help my if i do badly.

I still do not understand why past students got 120 hours in the cessna and cadets like adi got removed after only completing about 30 hours of flying!

I am scared ****less about what will happen in Aus!

honestpilot study hard stay focus on your flying.... dont waste time on this webiste.
If you need info ask your FI in AAPA, they are there to teach you to fly and become a good pilot.
STUDY STUDY STUDY !.no one said it gonna be easy..

happy landings :ok:

If you sign up for MBA course and not study .. or work hard ... and just hope for "good luck" .. you will not be a successful manager..

same goes for flying.... hard work makes a good pilot !..

honestpilot
 

Probably a better word than 'study' is "prepare"... don't go into the air unprepared to practice the skills that you will need to learn and demonstrate. Yes, read the books, but also sit in a chair or in the cockpit on the ground and "act out" what you will be doing, what your hands and feet will be doing. Flying is both a motor skill and a cognitive skill. Talk to an imaginary ATC so you get used to making standard callouts.

If you can arrange to have your pre-flight briefing the evening before your morning flight, I guarantee you will have dreams about the upcoming sortie. That's a good thing.

Chew gum if your instructor doesn't mind. It will settle your stomach, especially in the first few sorties, lessen any anxiety you may have, keep your mouth wet and help focus your mind. Even monkeys in stressful situations will do that chewing motion...it is a coping behavior that is hard-wired into us, too.

Your brain will be furiously consuming glucose during your time in the air. Drink a half can of Coke before you start your preflight check (then have a pee just before you get into the cockpit). The mild combination of caffeine and glucose will activate your higher learning centers and switch you ON for learning and doing. Drink the other half Coke after you land, it will help you recover. Make no mistake, flying a training aircraft puts tremendous stress on the body and mind, whether you are aware of it or not.

To all the cadets who wrote to me about what to eat the mornings that you fly - I cannot overemphasize the importance of having a low-fat protein/complex carbohydrate breakfast each morning. Eggs/wholemeal toast; beans/wholemeal toast; oatmeal with raisins and nuts; banana milkshake; peanut butter & banana sandwich on wholemeal...you get the idea. Pop Tarts, corn flakes or white rice won't work for you. Protein deficiency = learning deficiency. Eat lite, just enough to satisfy. You can always have a mid-morning snack later.

Since your sorties will be limited, make it a goal to do the best you can on each one. Some will be tough for reasons beyond your control (people usually start well, dip, and then recover in their human performance...don't get discouraged during this natural J-curve, just keep on movin', don't stop).

Aussies are a rough and tough kind of people. They are not what I would describe as thenthitive. But they have good hearts. They will help you get where you need to go--but they will not carry you there.

Core flying should be fun! Enjoy it.

thanks for the great advice taras B

btw Left. Wing u really think that considering all students in our batches study and work hard and get the license will get a job?!

Hell no. I work hard but i still doubt that I will get a place in AA unless they really need pilots.

Left Wing you are insulting the hard working cadet who got only 35 hours of flying in Australia. According to reports sent by Alpha he was a hard working cadet. He payed Dh 150,000 for 80 hours of flying but got only 35 while Alpha pocketed rest of the money. This is day light robbery. In desperation he contacted GCAA. Left Wing I would like to know what you have to say to this?

Goodluck
 

Best of luck to the rest of the MPL cadets in their training stages :ok: I'm sure that it became clearer & clearer for AAGs UAE MPL training path (training wise...not contract wise ;) )

As far as I got to know, ABY will be receiving 4 to 6 A320s (as per our last meeting with the Management)...this year...then Sharklets next year :ok: + approx 20 destinations :oh:

As for you honest pilot...be positive, it'll for sure come back to you. As for training...ask the previous batches who were there for tips & what to expect...etc. I was lucky enough to meet the MPLers from the Philippines before I left to Clark...let me know if you can't find them or don't know whom to talk to & we'll try to arrange something with one of them :)

Keep Up the good work AND...think positively (I did & it came back to me :O )

While attending the graduation ceremony, Captain Mohammed Ahmed, Director Operations at Air Arabia and Mustafa Yusuf, Vice-President, (MENA) AAG UAE said “ ” Newly graduated MPL pilots will now join Air Arabia as First Officers and will fly the carrier’s Airbus A-320 state-of-the-art airplanes.

Wall Photos | Facebook

:D:D:ok::ok::)

what?! how much experience do they have? I for one would not be comfortable with that posistion! We are supposed to become a second officer first and then a first officer after we have experience.

Although flying in a sim in experience flying in real life is just not the same!

This is looking very very fishy!

Alpha is changing its entry selection process from 01st of March...

lol and how?

I have seen the person who is involved with the testing helping out the students by giving the answers to them!

He does not care who gets in since he gets money for every student that joins Alpha!

Thus Alpha agrees that the entrance assessments to Alpha uptill now had intentionally been made easy to maximise the intake to Alpha. GCAA after receiving complains from cadets must have asked Alpha to make their selection process more stringent. So no credit goes to Alpha. What the honest pilot has just stated is true that the admin staff who is involved with the testing process gives out the answers to the cadets undergoing the testing because he gets a commission on each cadet who joins Alpha

if you have proof of such activitiies then pls go in person and infrom the new Head Of Training.. take action and get it fixed..

how can i get this proof? It is what i saw. I have no video evidence!

no one is asking you for video or finger prints mate... just go and talk if you feel something is wrong... no point you moaning on this website and doing nothing..:=

Well I too have seen it with my own eyes. It is the authority and resposibility of the head of the ground school to question the person concerned and sort it out if he is really interested and not of an ordinary cadet who does not know his own future.

@ Honest Pilot
 

Exactly...the same as I did, I went & spoke with some people at AAG (although I'm not an AAG cadet anymore) about some other stuff that got dealt with on the spot & some other that took time...don't wait until GCAA or ABY to come & find out...it'll just affect your/our training (delays), but to AAG, its another day :ok:

If you are afraid to do so (if you think AAG will just screw with your training :confused: because of that), let me know on this thread or by PMing me...I'm out of the AAG system & I can help as an X-cadet...I still know some people here & there as you know :ugh:

Taras B...waiting for the continuation of the story...I hope that it has a Happy Ending ;)

so when did u complain?
Maybe a year back. You joined some 2 years back from what I know. If u complained about the problems say 1 year back then Alpha has not done anything.

This is why i cannot be bothered. I know that Alpha will not do anything.

If they wanted to improve they would not have had 3 prop strikes. All the 3 accidents were exactly the same reason. They would not have made their instructors fly more than they can by law. Any idiot can follow that rule. Well anyone apart from Alpha.

If they cannot follow a simple law laid out by ICAO and GCAA do u really think that they will listen to me?

And marlim there is no need to be sarcastic to Taras!

honestpilot.. pls go and approach the new HOT, he will listen to you... and offer advise as well.


:D:ok:



Air Arabia Graduation ceremony | Facebook

Well RP-C000 you can introduce the new Hot to this very thread to do the needful.
As for Malirm it will be more benificial for you to concentrate on your flying as it is beyond you to understand what TarasB wants to convey through his well written posts

Well, guys, I just posted this on the Clark Aviation thread (the 2nd link is of more interest to the people in AAG UAE):


"Is this article accurate or are there...... inaccuracies?

Alpha Aviation Group (AAG) to invest aggressively in Philippine aviation industry « Aviator Aero / Newswire


On the other hand, I would like to congratulate AAG for the prestigeous "2007 Frost & Sullivan Award for Strategy and Innovation" in commercial aviation training in Asia Pacific as mentioned in this article.:ok:

Press Releases (29 June 2010)

The problem is that, other than this article from Mechtronix, I cannot find any other reference to such award when I do a Google Search.:hmm: Anybody can help me?

2007 must have been an "outstanding year" for AAG..... I wonder what happened to cause the colapse?"

is AAg UAE 1st batch at AAPA not necessarily to graduate first? or ..
 

According to (below) these guys are the 1st batch of AAG UAE to graduate at AAPA, where are they now?

AAG UAE's First Batch of Graduates at AAPA | Facebook

I don't see any of them being one of the 7's first batch to graduate?? :sad:

Air Arabia Graduation ceremony | Facebook

Correct me if i'm wrong! :confused:

70 hrs flying completed in Aussi and back to UAE for grd school and simulator training

Air Arabia base training complete and the proud holders of first GCAA MPL :D

even before the big guys like Emirates & Qatar can have MPL pilots... Air Arabia and AAG has done it..

RP-COOO. Air Arabia and AAG has done it..
 

..They have done something RP. The GCAA has placed a ban on the intake of all new cadets until such time as a they address the corruption allegations regarding back dating of contracts (with new conditions) forced upon cadets who were 4 months into the program and already paid their tuition fees, the numerous allegations of allowed cheating during ground school exams and the non existence of a proper and thourough pre-entrance pilot aptitude testing regime.

Its been all about getting the tuition fees off parents, then AAG couldnt care less if it turns out some just arent suitable for flying.

These issues just wont go away until they are settled with the long suffering cadets and parents. Cheering the first batch going to AA (after taking more than 3 years to do an 18 month course) RP is adolescent, almost childlike in its naiveity.

These people need to be compensated.

To all who complain & those waiting for a decision to make
 

To the moaners:

I reckon it is prudent that any wrongdoing of any sort, even if it is something trivial, should be reported to the person/entity responsible & as well to the authorities. Regardless of whether they react or not to it and/or fix it is secondary. The most important thing ‘FIRST’ is to report it, i.e. do your ‘due diligence’ part. Obviously so, the repercussions are very important & that is when you use forums like these to rally support. So whether you were a student, are one, or planning to be one, please go and report it first.

To the ones who are waiting for a decision to make about joining or not:

Personally me, I am close to an age where if I start flying I ‘might’ not get a job, I have an EXCELLENT paying job in my own field that I do like…but I do not have the cash to invest in flying… oh and by the way I would have to lose my job if I were to join AAG….BUT… I have a bug up my backside (that does not seem to die with any amount of insecticide) that keeps me awake at night ‘day dreaming’ about me being a pilot….
So I have decided to be patient (even though my age hasn’t paused)… I believe it is best to let the dust settle. Let’s observe what happens to the first batch AFTER their contracts with AA expire & until then what kind of contracts do the latter batches get. During this time AAG might start changing ‘stuff’. At the end of the day they are a business and would like to stay as such, therefore they WILL HAVE TO adjust themselves to avoid closure.
Air Asia is also contemplating opening an LCC here in Knoteetingham… so there will be job openings & Air Asia already has MPL grads…

So overall do the RIGHT thing, complain if you feel something is violating the laws, be it ethical or governmental. Also, if you feel something is wrong (for those who are waiting)… wait a bit more & see what happens, but yes, don’t wait too long, at the end of it all you have to risk something…

Lastly, I believe we are all grownups & its forums like these that provides us a platform to debate amongst us about everything, good, bad, truth or lies… so kudos to all of you, be you a supporter of AAG or otherwise & to you too, the silent observer …

Hopefully all our bickering here shall bear fruit one day & the next generation of hopeful cadets (which hopefully shall include me) will have a clearer path to tread.

Over and out.

In the first batch of cadets gone to Australia for their core flying there were 6 cadets. What has happened to the other two? What is your success ratio? Have the other 2 been removed while Alpha has pocketed their money?

Just like to offer my congratulations to the graduating cadets. So pleasing to see so many from the first/second batch with their wings!

Well done for your tenacity and best of luck with your careers.

Mick B ex CGI

bohdank
 

Probationary PPRuNer bohdank,

Wonder which Mental Academy are you from?

That is a welcome news that GCAA orders that the ground school cannot recruit any more students for the time being. Well GCAA will act if cadets go to them with genuine grievances. How do they explain sending cadets back from Australia only after 32 hours of flying when they have paid Dh 150,000 for 80 hours of flight. No refund is made to them yet.

@ Zone 2 Alt
 

Thank You Very much Captain Mick, You are in no doubt one of the best Ground instructors who handled our ground school training & examinations quiet to a high standard, you were there when we needed you & in no doubt MPL ground school wouldn't have been that rich if you were not there.

ThankYou for beleiving in us & training us :ok:

Guys, keep posting, the last thing I want to be is "Sarcastic", my flying is going on great (with full concentration) the same with my colleagues, what about yours? :)

@ bohd, calm down...don't post stuff until you are 100% sure of the GCAAs actions, AAG hasn't reached that far, & of course when you say freeze/stopping the training, this would include the whole training phases ;) but, pushing it all the way to Air Arabia & Line training sounds like...to be honest...Doubtful & in this case, I guess this applies to the rest of your post...Good RUMOUR though :ok:

marlim according to u anything that is said against Alpha is classified as a rumour? Is it a rumour that AAG has been stopped from holding any flying classes!

It is f**king embarrassing for a flight school to be banned from flying! And insteading me being honest and trying to solve the problem I have AAG officials saying that it was AAG's decision to send us to Australia! They are hiding the fact that GCAA has banned them from flying!

@ honest pilot
 

My dear, Everything against Alpha/Air Arabia/GCAA/me is a RUMOUR to me until proven Real/True/otherwise...give me evidence ;) I love PPRuNe

I know, as a matter of fact that, ever since the number of cadets has increased in 2011 & more core flying is required + the unsatisfactory performance of flight line (including the accidents/incidents) & the rate that the cadets were flying + costs...etc., AAGs plan was initially to transfer the training...FYI eversince I was in Clark (in 2010)...they were talking about it (the AAPA)...so, transferring the core flying out of the UAE & Philippines was the best idea/move being done & I personally envy the guys who were sent to AUS to fly (not only flying...this includes the Facilities & instructional Specs)...the transfer was going to happen ANYWAYS :)

I'm sorry to learn that the flight line has been Ordered to close down in UAE by the GCAA the last month(s)...to be honest...it was coming anyways, whether with accidents/incidents (GCAA) or even due to the demand (AAG)...So now...get me a flight school in the region that can compete with the AUS option :yuk:

Thanks for being honest, see you in March :ugh:

If what ua re saying is true then AAG has been lying to me from the VERY start. During the interview they promised to me that the flying would take place in Shj. I made sure of it since I wanted to train in Shj. This gives me an advantage that I will be with my parents who can help me with stuff when needed so that I can concentrate on my flying. If I wanted to fly in Aus I would have joined AAPA from the very beginning.

In my opinion the fact that AAG has been banned from flying is embarrassing. Give me one flying school NOT owned by AAG that has been banned flying holding flying classes in their own home base. They have been closed down in clarke as well. Is this not all bad? Or is it only good because you have managed to finish off the course and no longer care what happens to the future of AAG.

The fact that GCAA has closed down the flying and entrance exams is NOT good. No matter how u try to defend it. I really wonder what AAPA must truly think of us!

Btw the photos a few posts above is from the second batch that went to Aus. Not first!

The photos of "Air Arabia Graduation ceremony" is the one of the First Batch, the second one (AAG UAE's First Batch of Graduates at AAPA) is the Picture of the SECOND I confirm :ok:

Let me see you when Air Arabia or any other Airline asks you to go to ABY Maroc or ABY Egypt or any other hub for Pilot Shortage...or for any other reason & you say "NO" or talk about promises :sad:, ever since I entered the Aviation Industry at the age of 16, I learned that...in this field...EVERYTHING is Flexible & unexpected, it is RISKY whether with AAG, AAPA or Any other Institution or Airline...any old Aviation guy will say that...including my Family...:ugh:

It is embarrassing I know (The Closure of Flight Line)...but just nagging on that part & forgetting the fact of the AAPA alternative...would just sound strange :confused:

I care about the future of the CADETS & thus AAG, I have friends & Brothers in that Academy, I have instructors who teached me & made me the Man I wanted to be...I wanted to be here to tell you & all the others around...Don't be Pessimistic...stay Optimistic & if you are treated Badly or haven't received the training you paid for, let the GCAA know & the HOT know, Air Arabia won't accept a quality alteration...let them know too, they are approachable & reachable, after all, you will be helping...I have experienced it & it works great...just Pick the right words, timing & PLACE (The Magic will work) :cool:

Off to my Flight guys...this is a Tough week for the MPLers as we are the Pilots Flying all the way Outbound & Inbound :}

The fact remains that GCAA closed down their ground school in Dec and Nov 2010 while cadets sat athome. There have been in the past cadets at ground school who were removed and not allowed to sit their third attempt. Two cadets have been sent back from Australia without cmpleting their 70 hours of flying. Cadets have been going to GCAA and complaing is a confirmed news. If Alpha wanted to voluntarily close their flightline then the cadets should have been informed at the time of joining.I was not. Now one cadet who has only two hours of flying left has to travel all the way to Australia to start flying all over again.

Photos of Alpha Aviation Group | Facebook

if ther so many issues as you guys claim why would an airline like AirPhil Express co-brand their booth with AAG Ph...

Ask the guys in AAPA are they not better off to be flying and learning Australia compared to Sharjaha.. airlines make changes to the training plans, Airbus and Boeing issue updates on training requirments.

Change is the only constant in aviation either adapt or be left out !

The guys who think that AAG decided to close their flying school out of their own accord should be shot!

Do any of u ave any common sense? I for one doubt it!

There were 4 students in the flight training in Shj as far as i know. 2 of them were just about to finish their flying! they only had 2 hours left. Now my friends have to go all the way to Australia to fly! Which school will do that? If they wanted to close thier flying school they would have done it after these students had finished their hours not done it when they had 2 hours left! AAG is LOSING money by sending these students to Aus. No business wants to lose money unless they have been forced to!

Please face these facts and not deny it because u do not want to admit that the school we have chosen sucks!

should be shot! :=:ugh::mad: so is this how future professional pilots talk ? and expect to pass an interview with HR dept of the airline :ugh::=:yuk:

The same point I am trying to put across that why will any school close their flight line in the middle of their training when cadets have only 2 hours left. To gain reputation of a good academy you have to earn the good will of the cadets and not get their management and staff fill the prune with fase information.