What is the preferred flying academy & pros/cons

[AviatorWilko]

I am looking to join a flying academy after I have completed Sixth Form and my PPL to go on to an Integrated ATPL. What is unique and positive/negative about each UK flying academy people have experienced, such as Skyborne, L3Harris etc. I have visited Skyborne already however and feel positive about it. I am looking at opinions on other flying academies to see what requirements each look for, which gives the most opportunities within airlines etc. Thank you to who ever sees this

[VariablePitchP]

Originally Posted by AviatorWilko

I am looking to join a flying academy after I have completed Sixth Form and my PPL to go on to an Integrated ATPL. What is unique and positive/negative about each UK flying academy people have experienced, such as Skyborne, L3Harris etc. I have visited Skyborne already however and feel positive about it. I am looking at opinions on other flying academies to see what requirements each look for, which gives the most opportunities within airlines etc. Thank you to who ever sees this

Have a look at reviews of each school, but really look at them. Take note of the bad ones, one of the ones you’ve already talked about has some truly awful reviews.

Ultimately you get the same bit of paper whichever route you go down, and the opportunities are more or less the same. Some airlines might visit a school to find people, but they’re likely hiring generally anyway if they’re doing that.

You’ll spend an extra £20-30k going integrated vs Modular. Despite that your training may well take longer and won’t necessarily be as good. Have a look at the modular route. You need to try and ignore the glossy brochures and pictures of models posing on DA40s dripping in epaulette stripe.

[paco]

There are plenty of comments on many schools in this forum, including the ones you mention. I have to say they don't all make pleasant reading. Try to find posts from Rudestuff and Parkfell and listen to what they say,

Please, whatever you do, exercise normal business caution and don't pay large sums of money up front. There is no particular kudos for going integrated these days - if they need a bum on a seat, it won't matter whare you got your training. They all like to say they want 95% first time passes, but that's only for sifting resumes, in reality. Just read the facebook forums and you will find that almost everyone cheats on the exams by studying the answers to the questions rather than the study material so the 95% is meaningless anyway.

Sorry to inject a spot of negativity, but I wouldn't want you (or your parents) to spend vast amounts of money only to lose it if the school goes down and then you don't get your dream. Some of them are in a serious financial position.

[RichardH]

Sorry to inject a spot of negativity

It's not Phil it is a sad reflection of the facts but too many are seduced by glossy brochures & sales talk.

AviatorWilko - Skyborne & FTE Jerez are taking on a couple of hundred BA cadets over the next year, as a non BA cadet you would be at the back of the queue for anything due to penalty clauses BA probably enforce for late delivery.

[V_2]

It’s up to you, but completing that PPL before going integrated would likely mean nothing to the school and you would have to redo it all. Maybe get up to solo standard to have confidence you “have what it takes”. but don’t worry too much about completing it all. Also get your class 1 medical asap in case there’s an underlying issue. You don’t want to spend time and effort getting into a school/cadet scheme only not to be able to start.

[VariablePitchP]

Originally Posted by paco

Just read the facebook forums and you will find that almost everyone cheats on the exams by studying the answers to the questions rather than the study material so the 95% is meaningless anyway.

That’s not cheating

[paco]

There was one there just this morning very proud of the fact that he hadn't even opened the cellophane on the study notes, figuratively speaking. I'd love to see his face at the tech interview and/or type rating.