Oxford (OAT) 'Skills Assessment' or Selection
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Australia
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Considering the fact I live in Australia; I hardly know the aviation scene in the UK. I was hoping that perhaps someone could shed some light on this "oxford air training school?" if it exists; hope you know what I mean, i might have neglected a word or something.....
Is it the elite training school to get into? Does your flag carrier have a track record of employing pilots from there? not directly of course
what do you have to undergo to get in? how hard is it to get in? how competitive?
thanks in advance, cheers
Is it the elite training school to get into? Does your flag carrier have a track record of employing pilots from there? not directly of course
what do you have to undergo to get in? how hard is it to get in? how competitive?
thanks in advance, cheers
Join Date: Dec 2005
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Have a look at www.oxfordaviation.net, Oxford Air Trainings website. It should answer most your questions. Also use the search function, there its a wealth of information on OAT.
WD
WD
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OAT likes to promote itself as "the elite" school in the UK through a very strong marketing and advertising campaign, whether or not this is the case cannot really be proven quantitatiely, however we all know that advertising claims should not necessarily be taken as the absolute truth. They like to make out that their school is hard to get into with a 2 day selection process, but perhaps this is not really necessary and is there to add to their portrayed image. It would be interesting to find out exactly what percentage of applicants fail to get through the selection process, Id guess less than half.
It is certainly the most expensive school in the UK, possibly in the world?
The integrated course costs I think upward of 60,000 pounds!
This is about 15,000 pounds more than other integrated courses at Cabair in Bedford and Flight Training Europe in Spain, and about 30,000 pounds more than a modular course, where you can fly the same planes and end up with the same amount of hours and the same licenses. Also bear in mind that the quality of the training you receive is more directly linked to the individual instructor you work with. A school which operates out of a tin shed with a first class instructor will train you better than one with fancy facilities, such as Oxford if the instructor you have is rubbish.
Another claim that Oxford aviation like to make is that they have "airline connections", which give trainees a better chance of finding a job afterwards. This may or may not be the case, but donīt think that going to a school other than Oxford will give you a significantly worse chance of finding a job, as their marketing tactics will attempt to lead you to believe, perhaps not directly, but through the power of suggestion. It is certainly not the case that every airline pilot flying for UK operators came through Oxford.
Some UK alternatives, which I understand provide first class training are:
Integrated
Cabair: www.cabair.com
Flight Training Europe, www.flighttrainingeurope.com
Modular
Stapleford Flying Club: www.flysfc.com
As a final thought, for some interesting debate on the subject of OAT, do a search for posts by "King Rooney".
It is certainly the most expensive school in the UK, possibly in the world?
The integrated course costs I think upward of 60,000 pounds!
This is about 15,000 pounds more than other integrated courses at Cabair in Bedford and Flight Training Europe in Spain, and about 30,000 pounds more than a modular course, where you can fly the same planes and end up with the same amount of hours and the same licenses. Also bear in mind that the quality of the training you receive is more directly linked to the individual instructor you work with. A school which operates out of a tin shed with a first class instructor will train you better than one with fancy facilities, such as Oxford if the instructor you have is rubbish.
Another claim that Oxford aviation like to make is that they have "airline connections", which give trainees a better chance of finding a job afterwards. This may or may not be the case, but donīt think that going to a school other than Oxford will give you a significantly worse chance of finding a job, as their marketing tactics will attempt to lead you to believe, perhaps not directly, but through the power of suggestion. It is certainly not the case that every airline pilot flying for UK operators came through Oxford.
Some UK alternatives, which I understand provide first class training are:
Integrated
Cabair: www.cabair.com
Flight Training Europe, www.flighttrainingeurope.com
Modular
Stapleford Flying Club: www.flysfc.com
As a final thought, for some interesting debate on the subject of OAT, do a search for posts by "King Rooney".
Join Date: Jan 2006
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When I did my OAT selection about 40% of the guys were rejected and of them we lost some good men. Their selection is tougher than FTE who do it in only one day and have none of the team building, no sim flight and you're allowed a calculator.
Oxford's attitude is if you take rubbish in you get rubbish out. You may have taught them how to be a pilot but maybe not how to fly and fit in and get a job! Which of course would ruin there stats!
Muddy Boots
Oxford's attitude is if you take rubbish in you get rubbish out. You may have taught them how to be a pilot but maybe not how to fly and fit in and get a job! Which of course would ruin there stats!
Muddy Boots
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Thank you for the threads in response. I appreciate it. I definitely will do some more research. After reading what has been said; I would consider my flight training organisation in Australia; to be roughly the same in terms of ranking; how they are perceived; and so forth......... from an Australian's point of view.
cheers
cheers
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I am about to take OAT Skills assesment for 2nd time in few months after failing first attempt. But i am puzzled after these comments. OAT seemed decent. I don't know much about Cabair, so i can't comment on that. But any1 here training there can give us info about i am happy to hear. There should always be alternatives anyway. Does Cabair fully support you to find job after graduate?
"Oxford's attitude is if you take rubbish in you get rubbish out. You may have taught them how to be a pilot but maybe not how to fly and fit in and get a job! Which of course would ruin there stats!"
Moody Boots, i didn't actually understand whether this means good about OAT or not, could you be more specific please?
"Oxford's attitude is if you take rubbish in you get rubbish out. You may have taught them how to be a pilot but maybe not how to fly and fit in and get a job! Which of course would ruin there stats!"
Moody Boots, i didn't actually understand whether this means good about OAT or not, could you be more specific please?
Jet Blast Rat
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Sounds like lack of dedication to me. Anyone can turn selected candidates into CPL/IR holders. The trick is to take people who struggled with maths at school and get them through the ATPL exams, and people who are simply lovers of aviation, self-selecting, and make them into true pilots.
None of the students I ever taught at ATPL groundschool could be described as rubbbish at any stage, although I suspect some had failed the OAT selection. The vast majority now have licences or are on the way there, most of those who finished now seem to be getting jobs, and praise from employers in proper flying (like the one who did my new job before me) so we certainly didn't "get rubbish out"!
if you take rubbish in you get rubbish out
Join Date: May 2005
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OAT
Hedges can i ask did you not make it into oxford??
Well u said "You may have taught them how to be a pilot but maybe not how to fly and fit in and get a job! Which of course would ruin there stats!"
Well they do teach you, they have first officer fundementals for two weeks of the course before you do your IR. I believe OAT is a very professional organisation, who make FO, and future Captains not just pilots.
If they want to be selected they can be, they are a private company!
If you look at the figures Cabair is £52,000 (which is inc vat) which is £8,000 difference.(not that much difference!!!) And Flight school jerez costs just over £63,000. (although tht includes accom) Yet again still not the £15,000 quote you gave us!!
Have you visited oxford? Have you sat in a lesson? if you have looked at there stats then with over a 85% grade average they are not bad instructors are they!!
And how can you compare Intergrated with the prices of modular courses??Everyone in the Aviation world realises that theres a large price difference!!
ucankurbaga best of luck with the assessment!
Well u said "You may have taught them how to be a pilot but maybe not how to fly and fit in and get a job! Which of course would ruin there stats!"
Well they do teach you, they have first officer fundementals for two weeks of the course before you do your IR. I believe OAT is a very professional organisation, who make FO, and future Captains not just pilots.
If they want to be selected they can be, they are a private company!
If you look at the figures Cabair is £52,000 (which is inc vat) which is £8,000 difference.(not that much difference!!!) And Flight school jerez costs just over £63,000. (although tht includes accom) Yet again still not the £15,000 quote you gave us!!
Have you visited oxford? Have you sat in a lesson? if you have looked at there stats then with over a 85% grade average they are not bad instructors are they!!
And how can you compare Intergrated with the prices of modular courses??Everyone in the Aviation world realises that theres a large price difference!!
ucankurbaga best of luck with the assessment!
Last edited by bishop99; 23rd Mar 2006 at 22:14.
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OAT Skills Test 12/13th December
Heya!
Anyone else doing the Oxford Aviation Skills assesment on the 12th-13th December?
I am! Really scared too as I failed the CabAir one in August
Still, been doing little hand eye coordination tests etc and practising my maths.
Any advice would be appreciated too!
x x x
Anyone else doing the Oxford Aviation Skills assesment on the 12th-13th December?
I am! Really scared too as I failed the CabAir one in August
Still, been doing little hand eye coordination tests etc and practising my maths.
Any advice would be appreciated too!
x x x
