Thanks for the pointers.

I have done research on the founders, fleet, the vision of LE etc, so hopefully, that stands me in good stead!

have just received an email from LE confirming I had passed stage 3, and that they'd be in touch soon about applying for stage 4.

sounds like they're working their way through those that attended the assessment centres now and confirming the results.

no real movement - but nice to know I didn't just dream it all!

Yeah I got the same email today. It’s nice to have some written confirmation that we passed the assessment at least!

Got the invite to "apply" for LE Phase 4 on the 19th - all signed up.

Has anyone else been struggling to arrange a class 1 medical appointment that covers both EASA and CAA initial class 1?

Heathrow don't do initial C1 EASA medicals, only CAA. Gatwick/Birmingham see to offer joint appointments but you can only apply for one via email, and they don't seem to respond! lol

just a quick question, do you have the right to work and live in the EU? (Post brexit)

No, sadly! Plain old British...

I had my EASA/CAA Class 1 at Birmingham back in November. I booked it in July and it was one of two appointments available on their website for all of last year. I found them pretty responsive for followup emails, but can imagine given it is so hard to get an initial booked, they probably get a lot of requests.
Might be easier to get a CAA Class one intial over here, then an EASA somewhere like Poland where it is a lot cheaper, or even over to Dublin. If you can pass one you can pass the other!

I was offered a Nov appointment by Birmingham as a last minute cancellation, last year, but clearly someone got them just ahead of me - I was only 10 mins behind recieving the email! Got to be lightning quick lol.

I've consider splitting them and heading over to Dublin for the EASA one, just trying to keep costs down where I can. I'll have a look at Poland though, hadn't considered there before, thanks!

in that case, I’ll offer some advice that i received when I was looking at dual licenses.

. If you have right to live and work in EU then EASA might be worth having, but unless you do it doesn't offer really any help, as the EU airlines to work for don't have UK bases to fly the EU Registered aircraft... Only really example is Ryanair, all the other carriers don't have bases here just night stops, and without right to work in Europe theres not much point getting it. Realistically, No airline will sponsor your visa unless they can prove they can’t find pilots in their own state (EU) to fill the position. So not only having to have two médicals, and sitting two sets of exams, having two licenses in the current state of brexit is redundant unless you are dual nationality. It seems pretty clear to most of us in aviation that there will be some sort of agreement soon to recognise both licenses, and would recommend holding out, especially if you are a British National. That being said it’s totally up to you as an individual.

The joint CAA/EASA medical is a pre-requisit for Leading Edge's Funded LEAP + FI Course - presumably because post training you'll be training others at their spanish fair weather base near Murcia. Similarly the training covers both CAA and EASA exams - all 26 of them combined!! lol

Oh sweet! I did not know that at all. In that case I’ll just leave this comment here for anyone else that’s not doing the LEAP course and thinking about EASA.

You should be able to get one in any EASA state and then get it registered with any EASA aviation authority. For example, Birmingham is with Austro Control, the AME I saw was registred with Malta and issued my EASA Class 1 that's registered with the Irish Aviation Authority, on an Austo Control Certificate :p

Medical booked, although not till May!! On a cancellations list so fingers crossed something pops up sooner.

Phase 4 of Leading Edge done as well - fairly straight forward and no time limit outside of having to have completed the psychometric tests and essay before the 1st Feb, so no point sharing details on here - should be easy for all to open their links and see for themselves.

Back to the waiting game - I assume no one has heard anything from TUI - did someone say they'd not be back in touch till Feb?

Nothing from TUI as of yet. I would very much like to hear back now as I'm sure everyone else would! The last
The last email I recieved just before Christmas, I think it was the 23rd December said:
"We will be in touch towards the end of January to update you on the status of your application."
Let's all hope that's the case.
Looks like you are doing well with your Leading Edge application, well done!

I managed to get a March appointment booked at Gatwick when I got in touch in December. They were very responsive by email for me, maybe they’re just taking longer than usual because they’re busy. But glad you got one in the end!
Also going to start my stage 4 tonight :) Good luck to you!

Nope. And yeah they did. Hopefully they will start getting back to us soon!

I emailed and asked, they said expect to hear from them near end of February due to the extreme amount of applicants

Everyone just receive the update email?

Not yet - just checked... anything exciting in the mail?

Just saying about expected timelines and how there was an error when sending the original timeline email in early Jan whereby it only went to a few candidates. Also looks as if hearing back may have been pushed back to mid-March now