PPRuNe Forums - ATPL info and where to go, please help!!

Hi Dan, as you have said, this type of question has been asked a number of times and really is a difficult one to answer because everyone has a different opinion, but since I am grounded again from my IR training for high winds and +TS, I will give my two pennies worth :D.

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My aim is to continue logging hours to get at least 150 hrs and the multi engine rating maybe. This will get me onto some form of a modular ATPL course in the UK or Spain for my JAA frozen ATPL; I believe this is correct??!!.

In a nutshell yes. However, if you have a PPL and have not enrolled onto an integrated course then you will be following the modular route. Make sure you know how the 150TT is broken down, 100 hours PIC, a night rating and I think 20 hours cross country including your 300 nautical mile cross country, with all CPL/ATPL exams passed. You don't need the multi engine rating at the CPL stage, however, if you choose to do it then, that would be fine. It does get it done, however from a personal point of view, I have spliced mine with the IR training, but like I say it is personal preference.

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Would there be any advantage or a complete disadvantage does anyone know, to getting my ICAO CPL, i would have to re-take the skill test and groundschool elements to get the JAA version; so im assuming probably not???!!

I don't quite understand what you mean here? If you hold an ICAO PPL, then you satisfy the PPL requirement to start a JAA modular CPL course. The pre-requisite requirements you will have once you have done the ground school and completed all your hour building etc. For you it would be a case of enrolling onto the CPL course, completing the training and taking the CPL skill test.

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Secondly, does anyone have any views on schools for the ATPL training??? I.e, jerez, CCAT, OAT etc.....

Now, this is where it gets tricky, and personally I think there is no wrong or right answer, it is just down to personal preference. Its easy for people to say 'X school is the best school in the world, don't go to Y school it is crap'. I don't know anyone who has experience of more than one ground school, everyone I have known as always seen the ground school through to the end with one training provider. However, I have heard alot of opinions from various different people about all the different schools in the UK. This bit is down to you. You can get peoples opinions about how good or bad these schools are, however, you are the one that has to make the choice. For me, I went to most of the schools to get a flavour of what they were like. I personally wanted to attend a full time course, therefore places like BGS were ruled out for me, not because they weren't any good, but I did not want to do distance learning. On a positive note, I have heard that BGS are excellent. I chose London Met in the end. The course price suited my budget, it was fairly close to home and when I went to visit the CGI he was most helpful and answered all my questions to my satisfaction. Now, while I was doing my hour building in the USA I was told by various different people that I had made a bad choice and I should go elsewhere. Now, like anyone it starts to put the woolies up you, I had paid my deposit and was ready to go. Anyway I ignored what I had heard, to a certain extent, and got on with it. After 8 months of hard work and determination in London I popped out the other end with a large smile on my face, 14 passes and ready to start to CPL course. London Met was not perfect, however, it did the job and while I was there I had one of the best times of my life. I made some great friends and got the job done. I am a firm believer of you will get out what you put in. The bull!!!! I was fed in the USA was exactly that, all second hand information by people who did not know what they were talking about, and had not had the experience themselves. Whilst doing the ground school, most of the people who moaned and complained were the ones who did not do so well, rather than just getting on with it. I was very lucky on my course, everyone worked their socks off which provided a good working atomsphere for everyone.

The above may seem to be a fairly generic answer and doesn't answer your questions specifically, but it worked for me. When I was trying to make these vital decisions, I had heard some great stuff about Oxford for example, however I did not have the spare £5.5K sitting in my back pocket that they wanted for the ground school :D. Also, I think they wanted something like £120 per week for living costs, well out of my price range!

You mention about going to Spain. I do not have any first hand experience of training in Spain, however, if your training for your CPL falls in the UK winter time it may be worth considering doing the training in the lower latitudes, purely for the weather and the continuity of training. I started my CPL in December last year, and I must have lost about 1 - 2 months in total for bad weather.

Well, I have just read over this and I hope it is not too long winded.

Good luck with what you decide.