BUCKINGHAMSHIRE UNI FLYING TRAINING
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Nelson
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi there, have u been for ur interview at cranfeild? basically I've got my conditional offer for the tariff points and have passed the selection test
so u can say that i'm halfway there more or less, only have to wait now to get my medical and hope i make the points this august from my A levels, i think once u have passed these two stages (the interview and recieved a conditional/unconditional) and have chosen bcuc as ur 'firm' offer then bcuc will send u an invite to the pre higher skills study, form what i've learnt its basiclly a fresh taster for what uni lectures will be like and improving or working on numercy and written skills etc, i think its over about 3 days but reckon it'll be a good taster before we start.
good luck
so u can say that i'm halfway there more or less, only have to wait now to get my medical and hope i make the points this august from my A levels, i think once u have passed these two stages (the interview and recieved a conditional/unconditional) and have chosen bcuc as ur 'firm' offer then bcuc will send u an invite to the pre higher skills study, form what i've learnt its basiclly a fresh taster for what uni lectures will be like and improving or working on numercy and written skills etc, i think its over about 3 days but reckon it'll be a good taster before we start.good luck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Cheshire, UK
Age: 37
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi all,
i know that the work load (uni) is not that high. A typical day being 9-12. with two days off in the week and one of those is spent flying. The workload related to the flying side however is bit heavier. But as we all aim to be pilots i don't see why it should not be to hard to put work in, in that field.
Have people been reading the blog? That tells you alot of information regarding the course and the flying training. Hope to see you all in september.
ringway have you booked your medical? I didn't think it was as bad as its made out tobe.
i know that the work load (uni) is not that high. A typical day being 9-12. with two days off in the week and one of those is spent flying. The workload related to the flying side however is bit heavier. But as we all aim to be pilots i don't see why it should not be to hard to put work in, in that field.
Have people been reading the blog? That tells you alot of information regarding the course and the flying training. Hope to see you all in september.
ringway have you booked your medical? I didn't think it was as bad as its made out tobe.
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Surrey
Age: 37
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hiya, i have been for my interview at cranfield and passed that! got my class 1 but that was sort of on the side, so its out of the way - wasn't needed before i start! I now have (like you i think) my tarrif points from A levels to satisfy. i have chosen BCUC as my firm, and cant wait to get started now, i just got slightly worried when you lot said there was a pre higher skills study. never heard anything about it before now! sounds a good idea though. i think i shall wait for something through the post - having said that I did get a text form some student there- must have got names off a database, saying if i have any questions, just ask! cheers guys!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Surrey
Age: 41
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ok well that si ok to hear, i mean i live in surrey and i have a flat that is why i ask whether we have to stay in halls. I have had confirmation from the uni about my acceptance and am ready to start in september, i think
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Nelson
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by rich poole
Hi all,
i know that the work load (uni) is not that high. A typical day being 9-12. with two days off in the week and one of those is spent flying. The workload related to the flying side however is bit heavier. But as we all aim to be pilots i don't see why it should not be to hard to put work in, in that field.
Have people been reading the blog? That tells you alot of information regarding the course and the flying training. Hope to see you all in september.
ringway have you booked your medical? I didn't think it was as bad as its made out tobe.
i know that the work load (uni) is not that high. A typical day being 9-12. with two days off in the week and one of those is spent flying. The workload related to the flying side however is bit heavier. But as we all aim to be pilots i don't see why it should not be to hard to put work in, in that field.
Have people been reading the blog? That tells you alot of information regarding the course and the flying training. Hope to see you all in september.
ringway have you booked your medical? I didn't think it was as bad as its made out tobe.
, i can't wait now im getting well excited, apparently i've managed to download a couple of the ATPL theory/groundschool manuals in PDF format, it is awsome and well interesting, but i'm starting wiht the ppl theory first, if u want i'l email em to ya u can have a taster of what we're going in for.
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Surrey
Age: 37
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
awsome! had a look on the net at what ATPL covers - your telling me it sounds exciting! thanks, where abouts in surrey is your flat if you dont mind me asking - im in surrey too, about 15 miles west from Guildford! I personally cant wait to get out of the house and live my own life (let the brothers suffer with out me running them around!!!) but i considered commuting - i thought that if it were a late night out with the uni guys, then to get 30 miles home at the small hours would be a bit of a drag! but i'll tell you what - having your own flat sounds well good and solves all those problems!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Surrey
Age: 41
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
i say but living your own life is not all that great but at times it is well nice, i llive in godalming which is just off the A3 if your dont know but then again you live in surrey and everyone in surrey knows everything lol....... but good to see that there is someone near by anyway.
I would love to see the ATPL course if you could email me it that would be great [email protected] cheers
I would love to see the ATPL course if you could email me it that would be great [email protected] cheers
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Channel Islands
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If anyone is interested, BCUC are having an open day on Wednesday for Leisure and Tourism (Including the pilots). I'll be there in my uniform looking rather official, so if you want anyone to speak to, feel free to ask me 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Cheshire, UK
Age: 37
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ringway, that would be great if you could email them to me. You have my msn address don't you.
Capt. J. Upgrade, are you a second year student then? Be great to know what you think of the course.
Rich
Capt. J. Upgrade, are you a second year student then? Be great to know what you think of the course.
Rich
Professional Student
Hi guys,
I'm the author of the blog mentioned earlier in this thread (glad to see it mentioned somewhere!) and I'm currently in Florida doing training with OFT.
Now. If you've been recently reading my blog you may be aware of some of the problems we have been having with Cabair/OFT. To summarise: Despite having paid the agreed 3000 pounds for 30 hrs here, some of us are now running out of cash due to overcharges/extra hidden costs/admin errors. These include; being charged more than was agreed for aircraft rental (despite a pre-arranged deal) being charged an extra 100 dollars than agreed for an RT test, an inflated "airport transfer fee" that works out at about 300 dollars more than it would have cost to get a taxi for the same route...the list goes on. The upshot is that some of us, myself included are now on the "no-fly" list due to lack of funds, with at least 8hrs to go...despite the agreement to pay 3000 pounds for 30hrs here. We are now trying to get them to see sense, or at least explain why the charges they have put onto our account (which have caused us to run out of cash) are there. Needless to say we all feel very aggrieved.
So - I would be VERY careful when you make your decision about this course. It is CERTAINLY not all I expected it to be - and I would strongly recommend anyone paying up front for training like Cabair expect you to for this course.
I am probably going to leave the course after the second year (or maybe before) due to the number of problems we have had as a group with Cabair. The overall feeling is that once they have your money in the bank they will cease to provide any level of decent customer service. Also, expect to pay a fair few hidden charges for your first year. This is added to the fact the degree is not that strong at all IMHO.
However I also have to say that once notified OFT did sort quite a lot of stuff out - it's more Cabair we are annoyed with.
I realise that this may be a surprise; but it's my honest opinion! If anybody has any further questions please feel free to PM me.
Hobbit
(Edited to reflect OFT coming clean & helping - apologies to anyone who may have been offended)
I'm the author of the blog mentioned earlier in this thread (glad to see it mentioned somewhere!) and I'm currently in Florida doing training with OFT.
Now. If you've been recently reading my blog you may be aware of some of the problems we have been having with Cabair/OFT. To summarise: Despite having paid the agreed 3000 pounds for 30 hrs here, some of us are now running out of cash due to overcharges/extra hidden costs/admin errors. These include; being charged more than was agreed for aircraft rental (despite a pre-arranged deal) being charged an extra 100 dollars than agreed for an RT test, an inflated "airport transfer fee" that works out at about 300 dollars more than it would have cost to get a taxi for the same route...the list goes on. The upshot is that some of us, myself included are now on the "no-fly" list due to lack of funds, with at least 8hrs to go...despite the agreement to pay 3000 pounds for 30hrs here. We are now trying to get them to see sense, or at least explain why the charges they have put onto our account (which have caused us to run out of cash) are there. Needless to say we all feel very aggrieved.
So - I would be VERY careful when you make your decision about this course. It is CERTAINLY not all I expected it to be - and I would strongly recommend anyone paying up front for training like Cabair expect you to for this course.
I am probably going to leave the course after the second year (or maybe before) due to the number of problems we have had as a group with Cabair. The overall feeling is that once they have your money in the bank they will cease to provide any level of decent customer service. Also, expect to pay a fair few hidden charges for your first year. This is added to the fact the degree is not that strong at all IMHO.
However I also have to say that once notified OFT did sort quite a lot of stuff out - it's more Cabair we are annoyed with.
I realise that this may be a surprise; but it's my honest opinion! If anybody has any further questions please feel free to PM me.
Hobbit
(Edited to reflect OFT coming clean & helping - apologies to anyone who may have been offended)
Last edited by hobbit1983; 22nd Jun 2006 at 14:28.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Nelson
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
hi rich, ye i've got ur email n i'l def send them to u soon as i get chance
Originally Posted by rich poole
Ringway, that would be great if you could email them to me. You have my msn address don't you.
Capt. J. Upgrade, are you a second year student then? Be great to know what you think of the course.
Rich
Capt. J. Upgrade, are you a second year student then? Be great to know what you think of the course.
Rich
Join Date: Dec 1997
Location: Suffolk UK
Posts: 4,927
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Some of you seem to have the idea that this forum is intended as some kind of 'chat' facility. It is not. It is for discussion that exchanges useful aviation training information. If you wish to engage in a personal discussion with any contributor to this or any thread, please use the Private Message system or e-mail - or AIM, MSN Messenger or other chat programs.
Don't put e-mail addresses in a post. Even though Pprune renders e-mail addresses as an image, spambots are getting cleverer and may already be able to gather e-mail addresses from images. Why risk it? Again, use PM.
Do not use text speak. There is no need for it (it only exists because of the 160-character SMS limit - there is no such limit online), and is difficult for others to read. It gets in the way of, rather than aids, communication, and I am tempted to delete messages by those who seem unable to write in English.
You may not, at any time and for any reason, advertise for sale or arrange the exchange of copyright materials on Pprune. This is a condition of your membership and is not negotiable. Offenders will lose the right to post here.
Scroggs
Don't put e-mail addresses in a post. Even though Pprune renders e-mail addresses as an image, spambots are getting cleverer and may already be able to gather e-mail addresses from images. Why risk it? Again, use PM.
Do not use text speak. There is no need for it (it only exists because of the 160-character SMS limit - there is no such limit online), and is difficult for others to read. It gets in the way of, rather than aids, communication, and I am tempted to delete messages by those who seem unable to write in English.
You may not, at any time and for any reason, advertise for sale or arrange the exchange of copyright materials on Pprune. This is a condition of your membership and is not negotiable. Offenders will lose the right to post here.
Scroggs
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: UK
Age: 36
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
hi guys, guess i'm another one to be joining you on this course.I guess your gonna be my friends for the next 3 years. I've got my medical on tuesday, my cabair interview on the 11th of july and i hope that 160 ucas points shouldnt be too difficult for me. Are you guys having a private chat anywhere else as i've read the message from the moderator. If someone could contact me to let me know it would nice to get in touch.
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Surrey
Age: 37
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
hi ya willisstorm4, good to hear you have your medical and aptitude coming up. sounds like most of us done it so im sure if you have any questions, we would be around to answer! they both not as bad as they seem!
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Cheshire, UK
Age: 37
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Firstly sorry scroggs, I didnt realise that we had turned this into more of a chat thread. And secondly if we pm each other our msn addresses im sure we could all chat on there?!
what you think?
Rich
what you think?
Rich
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: UK
Age: 36
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
i have read quite a few wright ups on this site from which i found very useful so the medical doesnt really worry me. The assessment day at cabair can anyone tell me how difficult this is, or what that questions are set out like for the maths and physics tests. Also, what are the aptitude tests like can someone give me any example and also what sort of clothing is required for the assessment day?
Professional Student
The assessment day at Cabair includes mental maths, about a-level physics questions and aptitude tests.
The math & physic qs were fairly hard - for me anyway - and I would recommend going over time/distance/speed questions, addition/subtraction, geometry without a calculator.
The aptitude testing covers spatial orientation, co-ordination, awareness etc - do a search for more stuff on this - these questions have been asked here many times before! In fact the sticky at the top of this forum is a good resource.
I didn't really have a formal interview as such. Dress smart - slacks, jacket shirt & tie is a good idea.
Good luck with your tests. Feel free to PM me/ask more qs on here (but be aware a search on the topic first will save on duplication of effort).
The math & physic qs were fairly hard - for me anyway - and I would recommend going over time/distance/speed questions, addition/subtraction, geometry without a calculator.
The aptitude testing covers spatial orientation, co-ordination, awareness etc - do a search for more stuff on this - these questions have been asked here many times before! In fact the sticky at the top of this forum is a good resource.
I didn't really have a formal interview as such. Dress smart - slacks, jacket shirt & tie is a good idea.
Good luck with your tests. Feel free to PM me/ask more qs on here (but be aware a search on the topic first will save on duplication of effort).
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Surrey
Age: 37
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi willisstorm4,
I see you are interested in the matsh and physics test that cabair do. on thier website is and example of maths and physics tests. they are good just to get the feel of them! it is vbmenu_register("postmenu_2669575", true); vbmenu_register("postmenu_2669575", true); http://www.ccat.org.uk/fw_assessments.htm then at the bottom of the page hit maths or physics! i agree with hobbit1983, smart dress etc, and again, please feel free to PM me too if you need anything!
IwannaBflying
I see you are interested in the matsh and physics test that cabair do. on thier website is and example of maths and physics tests. they are good just to get the feel of them! it is vbmenu_register("postmenu_2669575", true); vbmenu_register("postmenu_2669575", true); http://www.ccat.org.uk/fw_assessments.htm then at the bottom of the page hit maths or physics! i agree with hobbit1983, smart dress etc, and again, please feel free to PM me too if you need anything!
IwannaBflying
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Bristol
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you are going to do the aptitude tests, be prepared to pay 20 quid for it whether you were told about it or not. Throughout the course there are a lot of hidden charges that you will not be aware of before you started. Always keep account of what you are paying for and what you need to pay for because you'll find the costs will build up. I don't think the course is any cheaper than just doing an Integrated course with Cabair and you should really look carefully at whether the degree is as relevant enough to your career choice to warrant doing the course. Personally my feeling is that going on to become a First Officer with an Airline I would not need the degree.
However from the other point of view it is an experience you would not have going through a flying school or doing an integrated course, John Furley is a good guy who does his best to make sure all his students are happy and do not have any problems including a lack of communication with the flying school, he would always try to get your situation sorted. The people you meet when you join the course are great people and the first year you'll have a great time.
I'm not saying do this course, or avoid it, but don't just jump into it because it promises an ATPL and an honours degree because it is not that simple.
However from the other point of view it is an experience you would not have going through a flying school or doing an integrated course, John Furley is a good guy who does his best to make sure all his students are happy and do not have any problems including a lack of communication with the flying school, he would always try to get your situation sorted. The people you meet when you join the course are great people and the first year you'll have a great time.
I'm not saying do this course, or avoid it, but don't just jump into it because it promises an ATPL and an honours degree because it is not that simple.
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Surrey
Age: 37
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
HI,
I take it that you are a student doing the course? what year? have you enjoyed it and think it is worth it - or is that a stupid question!? i mean, i know that going into aviation with a view of gaining a frozen ATPL is an expensive commitment, but what have your experiences been? can you give me an example of an extra cost or a couple of extra hidden costs? a wider view from other people is very helpful! cheers
IwannaBflying
I take it that you are a student doing the course? what year? have you enjoyed it and think it is worth it - or is that a stupid question!? i mean, i know that going into aviation with a view of gaining a frozen ATPL is an expensive commitment, but what have your experiences been? can you give me an example of an extra cost or a couple of extra hidden costs? a wider view from other people is very helpful! cheers
IwannaBflying