Why did you choose...?
 

Just doing a little research...

What made you choose the flight school you did? Why did you choose integrated over modular - or vice versa? Why Flight school X for your CPL and then Flight school Y for your ME and then Z for the IR?

I’d quite like this not to fall into a modular versus integrated bun fight so just the factors that influenced your final choices.

Due to finances I was always going to go the modular way. I did my PPL, Night rating and what was then the UK IMC rating at a local flying club. ATPL Theory was done distance learning with Bristol GS.

I had picked out a couple of schools I was interested in to do my CPL and MEIR (I wanted to do them at the same place) in the UK, and visited them. I had a fair idea of where I wanted to go and was trying to sort out aircraft rental for hour building when I received a price from a lesser known European FTO to do the CPL and MEIR as well as hour building and accommodation included for a lower cost than just the CPL/MEIR would have been in the UK. I visited them to make sure it wasn't absolute nonsense and decided to go there, primarily due to cost. The FTO was bought over not long after I finished, and no longer exists in a recognisable way.

I'm starting my journey on February (currently I have no licences). I chose my school because it offers the modular route with a "pay as you go" scheme and the timeline can be 100% tailored to your needs. It's the only place I felt I was not being robbed, plus the final price tag is a little below average.

That would be my main reason, the ease to be able to have a 9-5 job as an engineer and be able to gain my licences throughout 3-4 years in a relaxing and enjoyable way without having to get a loan. My "close second" reason would be that the school has a nice fleet of 15 aircraft with a (apparently) good in house maintenance. CZECH PS28 Sport Cruiser, Cessna 172, Piper PA28 Cadet and Piper PA34 Séneca Turbo.

I also ended up choosing modular because I have come to terms with myself that I might never become a airline commercial pilot with a stable and ACCEPTABLE job with this uncertain future. But my desire to become a pilot with a CPL is way bigger than needing to know for certain that I will be a CPT of a Legacy carrier in 20 years time.

Hope it helps your research ;)

Modular route too. I chose what was CTC and their Takeoff modular route (CPL/IR/ ME) at Bournemouth having done the PPL, Night and hour building elsewhere. (ATPL’s with Bristol).

I basically wanted a reputable school just for the name on the CV. Having read so much PPRuNe from a young age I didn’t think a modular guy would have much chance of getting an airline job, let alone any sort of flying job. CTC also offered modular cadets their ATP hold pool pool which eventually led to my job with a large European airline. I don’t know if this is the case anymore? This was around 2014 when I made the decision. Back then CTC were decent with good instructors and I enjoyed my time at Bournemouth. No regrets even if you were treated 2nd class to the integrated folk.

I did my PPL at Stapleford, as (a) it was close to my then home, and (b) it had a tarmac strip as well as grass (very useful in winter!)

ATPL theory with Bristol Ground School due to their excellent reputation (thoroughly deserved, by the way).

CPL/IR with PAT at Bournemouth. They came with a glowing recommendation from a former instructor who had worked with them and several other commercial schools, I had a good feeling about the place when I visited - a refreshing lack of BS, hard sell or offers of discounts for huge upfront payments - and several airlines took recommendations from them. Oh, and best of all, their dog was on the website as a member of staff. How could I turn them down?

They didn’t disappoint: I had an airline job offer before I’d stopped grinning from passing the I.R.