The MCC is a box ticking exercice, nothing more... I did it on the cheap, in a fixed based FNPTII. Worked fine, save myself some money (the instructor was able to renew my IR on it so that was a double whammy)) and ended up flying Medium and Heavy jets.
It really doesn't matter what you do it on and certainly in the UK, you can't fail it because it is not a test.
Now unless you have an interview/sim ride coming shortly after your MCC, I would say the benefit of practising in a full motion sim beforehand is probably limited. It is not to say that once you have an a sim ride coming, you shouldn't try to book yourself a sim session somewhere.
The first time I did on a 125. Worked fine.
The second time I bought FS (the latest whatever it is) and it worked fine too (as it was basic scanning the "needles" an expensive sim wouldn't have made the slightest difference).
I think guys that the situation you are in requires you to keep your IR running, your medical up to date and some hours coming in your logbook.
Depending on how long you will be in the job market for, this can be all very expensive so saving 500 pounds now, might come handy later.
I/R renewal 300 pounds perhaps. Medical 100 quids=> That 's you current for 12 months. Not bad when in the application form they ask. Are you current ? and you can tick the Yes box.

Sure the idea of handling a Tristar sounds appealing but you should concentrate on a getting a job first. Being out of currency renders your licence invalid, regarless of an MCC done on whatever.

As long as it's not a pass/fail checkride then that would be OK - if the customer agreed.

However, there should be no assessment, grading or testing on an MCC course - even though a caerificate may be withheld. You have to "satisfactorily complete" and MCC course to be awarded a certificate - but how anyone can judge "satisfactory" with no test/grading/assessment.

Scroggs,Need I say anymore.
 

Again you are correct and not willing to listen to anyone elses opinion. Please dont waste anymore of your or my time by replying. Thank you.

Dougle Mcguire,

Scroggs is only voicing his (well informed) opinion on this matter.

When you have spent some time in this industry you will learn that an MCC course can only lay down some basic principles that have very little to do with actually flying aircraft. In fact MCC principles developed by the aviation industry are being applied to other areas such as "A&E" units in hospitals.

If the Tristar sim is only £400 more than an FNPTII generic sim then by all means go for the experience of a simulated L1011 operation but don’t think that the simulator has anything to do with the course. It all depends on the structure and the instructor.

Doing an MCC on a "heavy" won’t really help at all for a sim check because:

A/ They will expect a slightly higher standard from you (Or so I have been told from 2 "recruitment panel" Pilots from very large airlines)

and

B/ You shouldn’t be doing that much hand flying anyway.

All the sim assesments I have heard of are manualy flown raw data procedures (except maybe wizzair), one reason being that they could not teach autoflight procedures in the time available. It is true that a higher standard maybe expected of the more experienced pilot, but to jump into a jet sim without any previous is a little daunting.

As Scroggs said in an earlier post, the Airlines are looking at how well you cope with a new environment and how quickly you adapt and improve.

I was told (again by one of the recruitment pilots I mentioned earlier) that they don’t expect their potential new hires (fresh fATPL's) to have done any jet sim time. If they have then the airline will want to know, it will look very bad if a potential recruit say they haven’t when the instructor can easily tell that they have.

If it wasn't clear, I meant you shouldn't be doing much hand flying on the MCC. Sim assessments on the other hand will probably be flown full raw data.

Cheers

MP
:ok:

No, Dougle, it is you who is not listening. I have asked you to point out what was wrong with my post of a year and a half ago. You have chosen both to ignore the question and to ignore my experience, which backs all of the opinions I state here. I have no problem with being wrong, but I do expect those who challenge my views to state what exactly they are challenging, what the alternative point of view is, and what evidence and experience they have to challenge me with. You have singularly failed to provide any of these.

If you don't like what I say, I can live with that. I'm not here to be popular; I am here to see that wannabes are told the truth about commercial aviation and how to get into it. I will not allow myths to be perpetrated that can seriously affect a wannabe's wealth to no purpose.

Scroggs