The truth about Oxford Aviation Training
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 603
Likes: 0
From: UK
BigAir, I guess Oxford kissed your little ass all day long as the guinea pig for their new scheme. You still got 20k sitting around for a type rating? Or are you going to be one of the 24, of course all from Oxford, going to BA?
I was on the whole very happy with Oxford as I have stated previously. I never expected to have them help me. I just found Mike Taylor's emails patronising and darn right offensive to us as 'ex-students'
I then see an APP scheme set up to rival CTC's McAlpine scheme as it was then (Now the Wings scheme) and they didn't have any customers but were still asking you to pay the same price. In my view, they were treating you like mugs.
I also passed first time, and now have a job on a 737 getting an A319 rating next June, all thanks to CTC not Oxford but then I never expected them to help me or anyone else which is why I got off my arse and tried CTC. Sure there are some real whingers at Oxford. Couple of guys who went through at the same time as me couldn't be bothered to fill out the application for for CTC. Guess what they are still unemployed. Maybe they blame Oxford I dont know.
Oh and as for people flying twice a day, fat chance mate. The only people who did that when I was there were APP guys who pinched aircraft of other Integrated courses and the modular because they were quote 'Higher Priority'. But hey, you know the industry now mate 'Thats aviation you say' thanks to your 'First Officer Fundementals week' and got your Cub Scout 2 stripes you can fly twice a day to catch up, as you are a real pilot. I would expect that kind treatment if I paid that much, which obviously you did. Well done Oxford, well done you.
Believe me, once you start a type rating, line training and line flying. you'll realise how insignificant where you did your initial training is in the grand scheme of things and how Oxford's self proposed importance in the training world is complete rubbish, considering they are not even a TRTO for the price BBA paid for them. They have massive fixed costs compared to other schools, Anthony will be the first to admit that. Guess who pays those costs...
I was on the whole very happy with Oxford as I have stated previously. I never expected to have them help me. I just found Mike Taylor's emails patronising and darn right offensive to us as 'ex-students'
I then see an APP scheme set up to rival CTC's McAlpine scheme as it was then (Now the Wings scheme) and they didn't have any customers but were still asking you to pay the same price. In my view, they were treating you like mugs.
I also passed first time, and now have a job on a 737 getting an A319 rating next June, all thanks to CTC not Oxford but then I never expected them to help me or anyone else which is why I got off my arse and tried CTC. Sure there are some real whingers at Oxford. Couple of guys who went through at the same time as me couldn't be bothered to fill out the application for for CTC. Guess what they are still unemployed. Maybe they blame Oxford I dont know.
Oh and as for people flying twice a day, fat chance mate. The only people who did that when I was there were APP guys who pinched aircraft of other Integrated courses and the modular because they were quote 'Higher Priority'. But hey, you know the industry now mate 'Thats aviation you say' thanks to your 'First Officer Fundementals week' and got your Cub Scout 2 stripes you can fly twice a day to catch up, as you are a real pilot. I would expect that kind treatment if I paid that much, which obviously you did. Well done Oxford, well done you.
Believe me, once you start a type rating, line training and line flying. you'll realise how insignificant where you did your initial training is in the grand scheme of things and how Oxford's self proposed importance in the training world is complete rubbish, considering they are not even a TRTO for the price BBA paid for them. They have massive fixed costs compared to other schools, Anthony will be the first to admit that. Guess who pays those costs...
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 94
Likes: 0
From: UK
hello people, i am 15 years old and considering where to do my flight training. i have looked into 'integrated courses' such as oxford, however i dont understand what you lot mean when you say 'type ratings'? could you explain this to me, and also would you say 'modular' training is better than integrated?
Joined: Jan 1999
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
From: England
Congratulations on the job Tron, I guess on the 737 and going to Airbus soon you must be in with the big easy and I am sure Oxford have you included in their 108 for this year despite you sorting yourself. Seems strange however how you got bumped for APP guys coming through and you got on and through the CTC scheme, type rated on the 737 only to probably not even finish your line training before doing an airbus course... or maybe you finished at OXford a bit earlier than you are leading on to??? If not then 2 type ratings in 6 months is good going mate - well done you. That said there were rumours about APP students stealing ac when the first APP course was still in groundschool, made me chuckle that one.
Seniority system on the senecas - when I IR'd I was about number 30 and never had the benefits of it at all, got bumped once by someone doing their 170 the following day only to get another ac 5 minutes later. I think a lot depends on your instructor going for a sensible programme... as I say we had no trouble, but then we didn't set out to be airbourne at 8am everyday with the majority.
FOF training - well if you haven't done it you can't comment, but trust me knowledge of the industry did not come from that, but it was a useful 2 weeks.
No I haven't got 20k sitting around for a type rating, never intended to, don't plan on working for anyone who wants me to chuck in that kind of money upfront... and yes I do have a job, mainly through my own contacts but with a bit of help from Oxford so no complaints from me.
BigAir
Seniority system on the senecas - when I IR'd I was about number 30 and never had the benefits of it at all, got bumped once by someone doing their 170 the following day only to get another ac 5 minutes later. I think a lot depends on your instructor going for a sensible programme... as I say we had no trouble, but then we didn't set out to be airbourne at 8am everyday with the majority.
FOF training - well if you haven't done it you can't comment, but trust me knowledge of the industry did not come from that, but it was a useful 2 weeks.
No I haven't got 20k sitting around for a type rating, never intended to, don't plan on working for anyone who wants me to chuck in that kind of money upfront... and yes I do have a job, mainly through my own contacts but with a bit of help from Oxford so no complaints from me.
BigAir
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I love the post from zorrotfb about the price of beer and fags. To be honest I do laugh and the bitterness that goes on here. In any other professional forum you donīt get so many sour grapes.
Last edited by lscajp; 20th January 2005 at 06:21.
