Oxford Aviation Academy. What does everyne think of it?

[Locarno1]

Hi,

My name is Tristan Marchent and live in the UK. I am 16 and have just finished my GCSE's at private school. I am thinking of doing Physics, Maths, Music and Music Technology for my AS Levels and droppng maths for my A2 levels. After this, whch will be in the year of 2011, I am going to apply to go into Oxford Aviation Academy or CTC Wings courses (Both Intergrated). I have heard many thngs about Oxford and CTC, both good and bad. I did go to an open day at Oxford earlier this year and i thought it was amazing! Really enjoyed it. Just wondering if anyone has any information on how good or bad Oxford Aviation Academy and CTC Wings are. This is because i cannot decide which one to go to. This would be a great help!

Thanks guys,

Tristan M

[ford cortina]

oh dear.... Tristan, I drive a 737NG, I am 39 and work in a unfashionalbe part of the world. I have home in Blighty with my lady.

I have no opinion on Oxford Cabair etc, they all look great in the brochures and when you see them, it does not mean they are any good. I went modular and would do again.

I will say this to you young man, you have a very good education, use it, go to Oxford or Cambridge get a good degree, it might one day come in useful.
Best of luck in whatever course of action you take.

[Locarno1]

Me going to Oxford or Cambridge?? I am not that clever but thanks for the advice

[ford cortina]

Okay so go to a good university, I wish I had. My sister did and it was the best years of her life. Seriously at 24 you have still got lots of time ahead to become a pilot

[GearDownFlaps]

Have you seen the price ????? or is that something for pater to deal with ??.
Seriously screw integrated , there are hundreds of little blue holders out there at the moment some of them payed 35 grand for it and some payed 80 grand , and they are all unemployed , forget glossy brochures and marketing eejits , go with common sense , go for the 35 grand UB40 .
And take the advice and go to uni

[Locarno1]

One thing we havent tlked about is the price. £80,000 for OAA Intergrated and another sum of money for University!. Intergrated is the quickest but most expensive there is. Lots of pilots who have come out of OAA or CTC have landed jobs. So why go to university? Yes i probably will go to University if i dont become an airline pilot.

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

You have a damn good time for 3 years, come out with a good degree, in a subject that makes you employable in another sector that pays infinitely better than our sector????

Any other reason?

Seriously, you have age WAY on your side, do the Uni thing, enjoy the experience(s), then you will have YEARS on your side to join our daft game, honestly.

[Whirlygig]

Intergrated is the quickest but most expensive there is.

You're right about it being the most expensive but, if you put your mind to it and plan accordingly, you can do the modular in the same length of time as integrated.

Cheers

Whirls

[LH2]

I am not that clever

Yes ,we knew that from the point when you said you wanted to be a pilot. As for the rest, what Cortina said. You can always go for it latter in life and do it for fun or even for (a small) profit, but make sure you have a comfortable financial cushion before taking that step.

Good luck with your A levels.

[hollingworthp]

Troll

[quant]

Fine institution if you can afford it. I financed my brother through OAA, it cost me nearly £90k to do so but he has landed a job with flybe (albeit in the hold pool for now).

I would stay clear of integrated courses for now. Personally i've gone down the mod route and i'm loving every minute.

Stay in education, get your A-levels, get a degree, by the time you have done all that we should all be merry men again (this is the point www comes on and destroys your dreams )..over to you www - only joking

Good luck young one and may the force be with you

[disco87]

You sound like a bloody great brother! I wouldn't mind one like you.

[Locarno1]

I have the financial backing from my parents who will support me through the course with fees and such like. By going to uni. there is even more money to spend out on! This is how i see it:

1.Go and do my a-levels
2.Apply to OAA in 2011 and get in (lets just say i do)
Finish the course, loved every minute of it, and pass exams and have my IR, CPL and frozen ATPL licenses.
3. Apply or wait a few months for an offer to come (by this time the economic down time will be over hopefully)
4.lets say flybe contact me for an interview, i go along and go in their sim, if all goes well i land a job!!
5. Training etc.
6. Amazing job, good airline, nice aircraft, very good pay, then finally pay back the money to my parents for the OAA Course.
7.We are all smiling!

[Flintstone]

... get in (lets just say i do)........ wait a few months........ by this time the economic down time (sic) will be over hopefully................lets say flybe contact me for an interview.........if all goes well i land a job!!..............then finally pay back the money..........

Locarno.

I've stayed out of this one because I think you're trolling but I just know that sooner or later some poor soul seeking guidance will come here, use the search function (rare, but it happens) and in the absence of advice to the contrary think this is a good idea. So, for their guidance I've quoted some of your last post for them to read the relevant parts. Italics are a clue.

[Boing7117]

Yeah I'm fairly sure you're pulling a fast one here Locarno1 but on the off chance that you're not...

Go to university. You're planning ahead which is good. I was in a similar situation to you at 16 - planning A-Levels and not much thought for uni. GO TO university - get some life experience - get yourself some sort of educational stature which might allow a fall-back option in this every-increasingly insecure working sector.

Don't just count on getting a job with FlyBe (in fact don't count on getting a job at all - you wouldn't be the only one!)

Frankly Mr Shankly said it - and I'd agree - time for you is in abundance - no need to rush - bide your time. Honestly, you'd be a better person / pilot for it!

[Locarno1]

My GOAL in life is to be an airline pilot. Not a Doctor, Teacher, scientist. A pilot! is what i want to be. So what is the point in going to University when you will come out with a degree and then go straight into OAA and spend out on even more money and therefore your degree is wasted and all that money that you spent on is wasted. I have been looking at requirements for airlines and most of them dont say about degrees. So whats the point. I will have a better time at OAA than at Uni!. I aks one more question.. Has any of you posting on this topic been to OAA or CTC? Because that was the question i asked at the beginning or what i was trying to imply.

[Bruce Wayne]

Lots of pilots who have come out of OAA or CTC have landed jobs

There are more that haven't landed jobs than those that have.

Go to Uni.. get a degree.. work for a couple of years put cash away and be hard about it.. don't blow it on cars and endless nights out..

then by your mid 20's you will have a degree have working experience which will make you more employable out of an integrated course

[INNflight]

Finish the course, loved every minute of it

or wait a few months for an offer to come

good airline, nice aircraft, very good pay

We are all smiling!

Keep us posted buddy, I agree uni is not for everyone, and by the sound of it, this is gonna be bloody entertaining for the next few years!

[BigGrecian]

Oxford Aviation Academy. What does everyne think of it?

I'm going to raise a point I bet most people don't think about - poor quality CPL training.

Ask what happened when they had different CAA examiners from their in house ones come and examine the students? Everyone failed.

[spider_man]

I have limited experience of both OAA and CTC and both are very good provided you make the effort too. However, alot can change in the next two or more years before you intend to commence a course (management, staff, instructors, price!)

I also had exactly the same ideas as you when I was 16. You will find the majority of your class mates will go to university, and some will stay on further to complete a post graduate degree. An integrated course is not the same experience as going to university. I would be tempted to get a mainstream degree whilst you have the chance - 3 years sounds like a long time but it will fly by! Go through the process of applying to universities the same time as everyone else. If aviation is red hot in 2011 you will then have a choice to make BUT at least keep as many options open to you at all times.