Stapleford - Anyone trained there recently and got a job?
 

Hi,

I know there have been lots of posts about Stapleford and from what I can see it's a good school. I am just keen to know if anyone who has trained there recently can say what they are doing now?

I am about to commit a lot of dosh like eveyone else (earned in exchange for my sweat and blood) and wondering of it's worth holding back slightly with the flash schools and spending the saving on a type rating as a post on here suggested a while back.

Cheers.

I attended the annual BALPA employment conference on saturday. Most of the majors were there and quite a few low cost and regional airlines.

When asked when/if they were likely to employ any low houred pilots soon, all replies were echoed as maybe next year and the student would have to have attended an approved school.

When all challenged what the airlines meant buy an approved school, all they said in reply was: Oxford, Cabair, or BAe.

I have experience of Stapleford and think they are a quality outfit, but its not what the airlines want.

If I had my time again, I'd bite the chequebook and go to one of the above mentioned 3 schools purely because the airlines like to see it (their words not mine).

As for a type rating, forget it. When the airlines were also asked this, ALL of them said dont waste your money, if we wanted to employ you, we'd rather rate you ourselves in house.

Hope this helps, and if you havent started training yet, go on an integrated course!

MorningGlory,

What you say is very interesting. It is certainly encouraging that the big boys are probably going to start hiring (newly qualified pilots) again in the near future, even if it is in small numbers to begin with. However, did the responses given indicate that they are only interested in integrated students from these schools. What about those modular students of Cabair, etc?

Perhaps other airlines will have a more open minded approach and look at the candidate as a whole. I agree about the type rating issue though. I won't spend the money on one only to be told by airlines they (understandably) would rather train their own pilots.

TCM

TCM,

I attended the BALPA conference over the weekend and am a Cabair modular graduate. I spoke to a couple of airline reps who attended and whilst one of them appeared to prefer integrated course graduates, when I pushed him on the subject, he said providing I had been to an "approved school" they would consider me WITHOUT the 1000 hours!:eek:

By "approved school" I think he was referring to the likes of Oxford, Cabair and Jerez who possess a proven track record of training both sponsored and self-sponsored cadets. If this is the case, it is an unfair and narrow construction of the words "approved school". I would be interested to hear what others have to say.

"APPROVED SCHOOLS"

Define ?

Stapleford is an "approved school" ! found my training good quality, and most of all ! Half the price of the Likes of Oxford and Cabair, i know im glad with my choice ! I know several people that have got jobs with either flying schools or charter company's couple of Greek guys gone to an airline in Cyprus !

One of the instructors went to Astraeus. couple to BA city express, and various other smaller charter company's !

:eek: I know one pilot done an "APPROVED course ? " at oxford, low hours and got a job flying a Citation (good-but) he done all his training at Oxford, and all the approaches their ! When ever he flies in their (Oxford) he is Spot On !!! but just got the sack because he cant do an approach anywhere else !! :mad:

Im still pleased with my choice, doing the approaches at other airfields has only improved my flying !

If you have a SPARE £50,000 in your pocket go for Oxford/Cabair, get an approved CPL/IR !

or ... save £30,000 and get a CPL/IR at Stapleford then you could use the money left for type rating ? the choice is yours.

I do agree it's prob not worth paying for, but if type rated pilots are their, the Airline's such as Easyjet may just wanna save some money and go for them ???

Good luck all with you choice !!!

;)

:rolleyes:

By approved school, the airlines mean a full time integrated course, which they claim is less of a business risk than someone from a modular course.
going back over the past few years, there are people who trained at Stapleford working for BA, Britannia, Virgin, TNT, Titan, Astraeus, Ryanair, GO and a few for smaller airlines that I know of.
It probably depends on supply and demand, in times of pilot shortage they are happy to take you from a modular course.
A few of those got in with just light aircraft experience, a lot started on turboprop.

A few questions if I may. I am in the process of finishing the JAA conversion at a smaller school in the UK. Back in my college days I did the integrated thing here in Canada and decided it was not worth it to do it again in the UK. That being said it would be nice to have that extra help from time to time.My questions. I have 2500 TT with 2000 multi-turbine (light). Will the airlines in the UK really care where or how I converted? What are the prospects for me like in the next 6-12 months? All opinions are appreciated....Cheers in advance.

canadian kid
 

open another thread

I could do that. I thought my questions were in line with the subject of the thread though. Modular or Integrated and where to do it etc......Only difference is I have some time. Seeing as many of you went to the recent BALPA conference, I figured I may get some kind replies. Mr. Moderator if you want to move me no offense taken.

Go for the cheaper option. The cachet of a large FTO ain't going to cut you any corners in todays market,

WWW

WWW,

I do respect your experience in the industry, but why then, at the BALPA conference did the Airlines specifically state (not all, but majority) that they would look at interviewing low houred pilots next year provided the student trained at an approved FTO (being an integrated course: Oats, Cabair, or BAe)???

Are you saying that they just said this, but didnt really mean it?

Just for the record I'm a modular student about to complete my IR, but not at one of the above mentioned schools.

Flown with both types and can absolutley say that there are few differences. Arguably an approved school graduate is likley to fit into a 73 slightly better than an unapproved graduate, but conversly nons tend to have a wider range of experience and so fit the Air Taxi role slightly better.

Once youve got 1000+hrs in GA its all academic anyway and as for the next year the only way to get the time is in GA which evens things out. Once your past that its irrelavant what school you went to but your last base check report.

Personally I prefer the nons but Im biased as I was one. As a B200 Captain the slightly more varied experience of the non is preferable.

I thoroughly enjoy this forum, although perhaps I should apologise for crashing it as Im no wannabe.

Regards

Stapleford - Anyone trained there and got a job?

..........Just to get back to the topic of the thread.....found myself last night (as F/O) sitting next to a bloody nice chap whilst chugging southwards in a 700.....funny thing is both of us are former Stapleford students ...and instructors......... Now there's a thing!

busterplane / featherman
 

:) Please continue to as busterplane put it "crash these forums"
as much as you can.
And any other 'grown-ups' with jobs!
We need your input,
Thanks:p

Thanks for all your comments. Especially yours featherman, always nice to be told want you want to hear!! Sill five months to go before starting the course so all advise is much appreciated when deciding on the FTO.

I hope the airlines are not just going to take people from OAT, Cabair and Jerez. I think spending 60+ k attaining an integrated ATPL at any school is a scary move. The figures simply don't work well when you take a pilot's salary into account. I, just like most on this forum, would love to fly an airliner and have had a burning desire to do so ever since I was kid. It's a passion and sort of bug that never goes and it's on your mind all the time (for me anyway). Being severely in debt is no joke and could make life unbearable if it got out of control. Ignoring these facts to make a dream come true is not wise. Living the dream may not be quite so nice with effectively no salary each month after loan repayments. No decent flat. No car. No beer money. No money to take the ladies out. No nothing, just loan repayments. I don't think this should be ignored this just because you'd be flying as a job. Although I am as guilty as anyone for wanting it all now!

My first pprune rant!