Which school?
 

Hi all,

After months of deliberation I am inches away from choosing a training provider and starting me modular ATPL.
Basically, how important is the choice of school for this in the eyes of the airlines? I understand that certain integrated providers in the UK may have a relationship with airlines which allow their students to potentially get jobs sooner, is this also the case with modular course providers?

My particular dilema lies between choosing the CABAIR mod course at Orlando/ Bournemouth, or the course at Stapleford Flight Centre in Essex. From what I can make out the Stapleford course is on paper better than the cabair one, using better planes, more cost effective with all the hours building in the UK, not the US. My only doubt is the claims form Cabair that they can recommend me direct to airlines after completing the course, where as Stapleford apparently do not have such links.

Are such "airline relationships" a reality for modular students, or are they just a carrot on a stick to get students? Does anyone out there have first hand experience of being put forward to an airline after finishing a mod course at one of the big training providers?

Re: How important is choice of modular school in the eyes of airlines?
 

I did some flying (PA28) over with Stapleford awhile back and loved it, the prices at the time were resonable and i enjoyed very much the atmosphere.

Airlines and modular, well you will find different views to this question, but the fact is that airlines do hire modulars and integrated if they prefer one or the other that i cannot answer.

Good luck with your choice.

flying school recomendations
 

hi just wondering what flying schools people would recommend, theres the obvious cranfield and oxford but if i'm going to pay for it then i fancy going abroad!

Had a look at riverside in oklahoma and american school of aviation anyone got any feedback on them?

I hear there a few in spain too? any names?

thanks

Please try using the search facility. Also read this thread.

Scroggs

Oh scroggs, you and your search facility, anything for the easy life eh old boy!
He repeats that phrase above about two hundred times a day and although he his right and there is lots of good information that can be found by searching for it, you have chosen to ask. I respect that as it makes any advice more personable and let's face it, you are about to spend a lot of money!
I can't give you much advice outside the scope of Riverside. I am training with them and they impress me more everyday I'm there!
Give them a call in their English office and see if you like what they have to offer, I'm sure that you will!
P.M. me if you have any further question, another guy who went there is a gentleman who goes by the handle WX MAN he helped me make up my mind to go there. (incidently WXman yuri keeps promising me some hillarious stories of your antics, but as yet he has failed to deliver, you sound like a man after my own heart).
Ta Ra
D'vay

Theres a reason he posts that answer every time. Those threads have a wealth of information in there. All of the questions could easily be answered from there, theres threads on the various major flight schools out there and more and as you read through them you'll find many references to other schools. Then all you need is Google and you'll be able to look up the websites of all the different places and you're already half way there.

If people took the time to read through those (which 9 out of 10 don't) they would be able to ask much better and insightful questions which would be more useful to them and people would be able to give much more useful answers as a result.

[Not a rant towards you captain_murray just explaining why the sticky threads are there for good reason and should be made use of rather than rehashing the same subjects every month]

I agree. My tongue was in my cheek with regards to the comment directed striaght to scroggs. However, I stand by what I said regarding a personal answer. If you don't wish to spend time answering another's query then don't my friend, only sometimes, I like to put out a good word for the guy's that trained me. I choose my school as a result of some encouraging words from WXMAN. If I had have searched the site, no doubt I'd have felt that the goal was a little less achieveable for the money that I had. The best advice I can give to anybody is do a residential PPL and in that time you will get so much advice and information that you'll leave four weeks later knowing about all you can about the various licences and ratings and where best to complete these and how long it will take.
I am passionate about seeing others suceed at this and if I see a question and I have time to answer it then I will. I wish not to offend anyone here, especially not you scroggs. Friends?
Regards
D'vay
x

Apologies if I shot my mouth of a bit earlier. You're reply was helpful and well intentioned. I'm certainly not against helping people! (not least because I have had a lot of help myself from others!) I'm not really in the position of being a great help to others having not started my training, yet, but I do appreciate those who have and can pass the advice on.

I just remember when I started looking at these forums, it took me many months reading through old threads and just soaking up the wealth of information about training to be a pilot and the industry as a whole and also watching the discussions come and go and come back again. It was only then that I felt able to start posting and know that I had a question worth asking.

But then I know each person is different in that respect and don't wish to say people have to do it that way!

No need to apologise wazzoo. Are you going to get some training done? Please do, it would sure beat being 40 and working for a bank. You can do a PPL for only £5000 and whatever you do for a living you can raise that in as little as six months!
Good luck
D'vay

Thanks for the comments D'vay.

Hope to start this Sept/Nov, going for my fATPL. As you say, I don't want to end up behind a desk..but its a steep hill to climb to get there. I Hope I can come through it with some good stories to tell and helpful advice for others.

Guys, don't worry! Firstly I have a fairly thick hide, and secondly I can usually spot irony and tongue-in-cheek remarks at several paces!

Scroggs

What school with £35.000???
 

Hi to everyone,
probably you're already so tired of my questions... But doubts come over and over again... It's just because of all the threads I see in this forum, I never come to a final decision and conclusion!!! :confused:
If anyone would like to answer me, I would really appreciate it... Thanks in advance...

Finally I got the loan, with the help of my parents, of 50.000 Euros, which is about 35.000 pounds...

I really NEED to do my ATPL course... I've been waiting for so much time that now I can't just wait any more!

Options are:

- Stapleford (main one!!! :) )
- USA accelerated schools (and then come here to convert...:hmm: )
- Work a bit more and save for another school such as Oxford, CTC or Cabair (sounds intresting, but I'll need to work a few years more to get the money... and I woun't like to wait so long... But if it worths it... :rolleyes: )

Any advice is welcome... And I'm REALLY sorry for all these questions, guys... Thanks SO much for the help you always gave me...

Bye, Allioth

Allioth

Have you had a good look at the CTC scheme? I don't know if you understand the financial set up - if you are entering as a cadet with little experience you don't need to have X amount of thousands in the bank as the loan will be sorted for you. If you are dead set on getting the blue book and working for an airline, it is worth applying before you borrow lots of money.

I think the best course of action would be to make a decision on where/with whom to do your training and then sort out finance, rather than borrowing a ball park sum speculatively.
From reading your post I am thinking you have already borrowed cash and are now trying to decide on which training provider to go to. Is that the situation?

Allioth
 

you could have a look at finland, there is one called bf lento here:

http://www.kolumbus.fi/bf-lento/

The full atpl costs 53,000€

Hi,

You could also take a look at Greece. www.egnatia-aviation.com

Their courses include all exam and licence fees ect, and also accomodation!

/Varun

Which school?
 

Hey all,
im nearly finished my PPL in florida. IM ijn university at thre mo but I want to do an ATPL on graduation (3 Years). Ive looked into most of the big flight schools in europe, Oxford, Jerez, SAS in sweden etc and I was wondering if any one has experience of these schools ciouold you let me know how you got on. I know I have plenty of time but picking a flightschool that offers value for money and decent employment prospects takes a bit of work.

Cheers

hi there,
i have visted oxford for there semniars, let me tell u, they are higly professional, they no what there talking about, but one thing, two expensive you will spend around 60,000£ in total

i have viste Cabair, well they dont give that glamary feature that oxford had but still they can get the job done, this summer i wil viste spain but no way iam i going to sas or any other training schools.

doesnt matter what school you go to the end result is the same a jet job, your first job will alway be the hardest, same every where

good luck

Hey Hamil000
Tahnks for the reply. Is there something wrong with SAS standards or why do you seem against them?? Just wondering, nothing against you by the way

Two things: Archive Reference Threads - READ BEFORE YOU POST A QUESTION!, and the wonderful Search facility.

They're very useful.

Scroggs

Who would you choose?
 

Okay,
There`s a load of threads on here about various FTO offering this,that and the other. I have the funding for a JAA integrated course and so far have the following in mind:

1)FTE
2)NEAR AS (given my current location)
3) Westerm Autralian Aviation

I`m 29 and need to think about after course prospects, also hold a JAA PPL so that may knock a few k off the price!

Just wondering how you`d rank those and maybe throw anyone else in there while you`re at it (OAT etc).

...of the ones you've chosen, FTE. Don't know much about the Norwegian school, though. Also consider CTC and Cabair.

Now that's what I call an endorsement!

Hi
Out of the ones you have chosen FTE sounds the best! I haven’t heard much about the other two though!!
Also like Alex said try cabair and CTC as well as Oxford! Or if you’re looking for a good structured mod course there’s Stapleford flight centre in the UK!! But the main ones for Integrated in the UK are Oxford and Cabair, and the best one outside the UK would have to be FTE!
For jobs afterwards, Oxford and FTE are very good at placing their graduates with airlines!! CTC you will most likely be assigned and airline why you are still training but as with every course they don’t offer definite jobs!!! CTC is by far the hardest of the selections to complete, with only a very very small % meting the standard!
As far as rebates go for holding a PPL I am unaware of any integrated course that will give you an hours reduction! Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong!!
Have a look on various school websites, there is normally information on where their grads have gone etc….
Best of luck with your decisions it’s going to be a tough one!! :ugh:
:ok:

If you have a PPL, wouldn't it pay nay isn't it necessary to go the modular route?

If you have a PPL, I think OAT and FTE will reduce the course by 20hrs. There will be no cash saving as a PPL is 45hrs. Also you may not fit in as well if the rest of class are 0 hours. My advice do not do PPL before an integrated course!!!

It`s too late. I have a PPL and around 65TT so still very fresh. Personal circumstances and age are making an Integrated course the way to go - I can self fund and have no debt at the end of it....(albeit my life savings would have gone, but you can`t take it with you!).

I`ll check out CTC as well, thanks. I like the look of FTW and WAAC - although there isn`t any feedback from the latter on the first lot of intake.

Hi,


I know loads of people who have taken the integrated route with a PPL even close to the 100hrs mark!

You will be able to pick things up a lot quicker and progress faster then the students with less hours but it is not a stopper to starting an integrated course!

With regards to PPL and Integrated, i noticed that some integrated courses, mainly the airline sponsored ones will not take ppl's with hours over 60-hours. This was the case with the FlyBe and Cabair deal. I was going to do my PPL but then decided against it as not only are there some restrictions with some schemes, but i was also told by one of these FTO's that it defeats the object of "Integrated" as you have done 25% of it out of there controlled and continous environment.

Integrated is the way i will go, it fits my needs and my situation at present, this may chance and Modular become the option though. I have decided i will go, OAT, FTE, CAT and if i fail all three, i must not be pilot material right now.

Smith...
 

Im sorry, but RUBBISH!!

Just out of interest have you been on an integrated course?

Which flying school?!
 

I'm planning to start an intergrated self funded JAA ATPL couse early next year.

I will probably go to Cabair, Oxford or FTE. I've been looking at all their websites and I am visitng all three in the next few weeks. Does anyone on here have advice on which is better to go for, I obvioulsy get differing opinions from everyone I ask, but all suggestions / info is useful. I guess one of my aims is quick employment at the end of training.

I was planning to wait until Easter or early Summer, but my current employer is the process of being bought sold off (any guesses who I work for), therefore I will lose my job, so I'm moving things on a bit more quickly.


Many thanks

Hi , try the search button, all the schools you mention have dedicated threads about them!

In your opinion, the best flying school is.......
 

Hi everyone :)

Im brand new to these boards and i am just intruiged to see what people's opinions are for the best flying school. The sort of criteria im looking for are: quality of teaching, value for money, structure of course etc etc. I am in my first year at uni currently and have wanted to become a pilot for the last 12 years. I have always been actively researching the flying schools and recentely attended a seminar by FTE which was very interesting. Im planning on going down to Oxford soon as well as seeing what CTC McAlpine has to offer. So what are people's opinons/experiences of the training that the schools have to offer, thanks in advance for any replies to this thread!!!! :ok:

Oh yeah, im really happy as today i passed my Class 2 medical!!!! Not a big deal to some but it is to me as i know that my career lies in aviation one way or the other, so i am very chuffed!

Not a big name but I did all my training with Airways Flight Training down in Exeter. Obviously got nothing to compare it to but have nothing but good words to say about them. Do a search on here and you will only find positive feedback. Great price, great airfield and great instructors. Take a look!

Wolverhampton vs. Aeros vs. BCT???
 

Unable to find posts on these three. Would be interested in any feedback from former CPL students, with potential of IR. Narrowed it down to these three.

Wolverhampton Flight Centre

Aeros Staverton/Gloucester

BCT? Do you mean Bournemouth College of Flight Training (BCFT)?

Everything is there for he who searches.

scroggs

Full Time Everything for under £30k??
 

Dear All,

Easy question.. I think (although struggling to find all the answers I need through the search option)

I have a PPL with 191 hrs TT.

Q) Can anyone suggest a school offering residential ME CPL/IR AND ATPL ground school + exams within a time frame of 5 months and a budget of £30k (to include all fees and accommodation) ??? Happy to go abroad as long as JAA.

Many thanks. MFWF:ok:

5 months including the 14 ATPL exams??? Surely this can't be right? Even if you self studied and were Einsteins long lost illegitimate great great great grandson thrice removed the system is against you. For a start you need to enrol with a course provider, then attend their brush up course (2 weeks generally). Brush up courses are usually provided for each module. If you plan on attempting to sit all 14 at once then you will need to attend the relevant brush up courses which might not be run in the month you want.

Then you need to enrol in the exams. This needs at least 3-4 weeks advance booking to ensure you get your preferred centre or else you might be flying to Glasgow and accomodating yourself for the week up there. The results take weeks to come out by which time you have missed the deadline for the following months sitting. You are not allowed to book without having your results so this precludes doing a back to back sitting. Then any CPL/IR FTO who is worth their salt will more than likely not accept your course booking knowing that you haven't passed the exams. The best FTO's have waiting lists for their courses which can be many months in advance. You can go cheap and cheerful elsewhere but buyer beware. In the UK the ME/CPL/IR is going to take a MINIMUM of 3-4 months depending on weather. You can cut some time off if you head off overseas but you won't get it done in half the time or anything like that. At the end of the day there are only so many hours you can fly and your brain will more than likely be fried after each flight anyway. Then there are other factors such as instructor/aircraft/training slot availability to contend with.

5 months - highly unlikely if you have to do the 14 ATPL's. More like 9-12 months and that assumes you pass everything first time and are extremely clued up on the theory side of things. Most people tend to take a year at least just to do the ATPL theory side of things when self studying. Many more run right up to the 18 months deadline which can be quite tight if you can't commit 100% to the study and need time off for a home life.

Am I right in thinking that if you complete your ATPL exams in the UK then you cannot (without a bloody good reason) complete the flying abroad? If so then how do all these FTO that are based overseas cope with getting studes through?

Cheers

simple answer is they don't....if you go abroad say for example America and do you training under FAA, you come back to the UK, you need to study and pass the theory and convert your IR. Conversion costs can easily mount up to around 15k.

30k is realistic price though for ATPL theory, CPL and IR here in the UK...

Your CPL/IR training will realisticly cost around 20k - 23k (23k if you do IR/CPL route all on ME aircraft).

I'm doing my ATPLs soon and my finance plan tells me it will cost me around 34k for doing my ATPLs, CPL, IR and MCC incl my planned living expenses and all costs.