The path to a commercial licence

Macers

Hi folks,

Done a search but none seem to specifically answer my question.

I am looking to your advice about to to approach getting a commercial pilots licence.

There's 2 approaches I can do - modular or integrated.

I was looking at FTE in Jerez which literally does everything or I could do it in Weston (for example).

Does anyone know how much it is to get the PPL in Weston (as its included in the overall cost of Jerez).

I'd be interested to see how any others went about getting there licence and advice please...

Thanks!

!MAVERICK!

I would advise to do an FAA PPL anywhere in the US if you have 3 weeks to spare instead of multiple trips to Weston which might even be closed down in the short future. And to do a PPL there will be expensive. NFC will cost near to 9,000 -10,000 in total. I dont know skytrace or flightwises costs but they are both based in Weston too.

If your considering to go professional, I would personally advise the modular route from PPL to Commercial to Multi-IR to MCC to Type rating. Its less stressful and cheaper than the integrated route. Will take a bit longer though.

If I were to advise a decent FTO for commercial flight training I would highly recommend this. Check out their prices they are very reasonable they are a fraction of what Jerez or most other FTOs would charge.

http://www.bcft.org.uk/

2 of my brothers completed their training there.

Macers

Just back from the exhibition in Santry. Spoke to a good few.

FTE Jerez looks good - its €99k for the course.

Weston is €55k and get to stay at home and work weekends etc.

Oxford looks good - they have a new MPL course which is designed specifically for larger aircraft (737 etc) - apparently this is the new in thing now and includes a type rating from the company that hires you - not 100% of the price on that one...

What you reckon on them? Jerez want me to fly over for a 2 day assessment

aviteire

My advice to people (from a non-wealthy backround) is to go modular.

Let's face fact's, the Integrated route was put in place in the 1960's for cadet pilot's who where sponsored by there airline !
This system was killed once 9/11 happened.

And the stuff you here from integrated schools, there ex-students etc is all about marketing ! They are a dying business and will do anything to butter you up so that you will sign up to there zero to hero integrated course so that the board of director's and said share holder's of these company's can continue to enjoy those steak & bl0w job dinners.......!

Dont listen to the "where our students are now statistics", 98% exam pass rate etc etc, that's all part of the buttering you up process so you will hand over your wanga :pac:

Go Modular and do it as cheap as possible !
Cheapest way I see it today (and from first officers I know who did it this way) is to go to america, do your FAA PPL and hours build so that you have 100 hours pilot in command. Come home to Ireland, do your JAA ATPL ground school 14 exam's via distance learning with the likes of CATS in Luton. Head back to america, do your JAA CPL SEP. Head over to spain to do your JAA MEP IR, then head up to simtech in dublin and do a MCC.
All that done full time can be done in less than a year I might add ! And you can do that for no more than €40,000, Including money for accomadation, JAA fee's, nights out on the p!ss in america etc

It's as simple as this folks, when you get your drivers licence for a car or a van, and you apply for a delivery job, the company couldnt give 2 sh!ts where you did your driving lessons, all they care is that you have the actual licence. It's a bit like that with flying !

Stay away from the MPL, that is only for kids with very wealthy daddies ! And your stuck with that airline until you have 1500 hours, very risky, what happens if you get let go and you only have 600 hours done. Your fuc**d. You cant work for anyone else.

Stick with getting a frozen ATPL !

Also, flying airlines is very boring and mundane job !

No.username

Macers wrote: »

Just back from the exhibition in Santry. Spoke to a good few.

FTE Jerez looks good - its €99k for the course.

Weston is €55k and get to stay at home and work weekends etc.

Hey Macers, is the €55k in weston for modular or their new integrated course?

Like you, im stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to deciding integrated or modular, but after weighing everyting up, i think modular is the best route. The one thing i dont look forward to is teaching myself the ATPL theory.

Like the previous poster said, the U.S is a way cheaper option, as well as the good weather. You dont have to do an FAA PPL either because a lot of schools are JAA approved FTO's as well. I hav seen it for about $6000 in some schools and an extra $1550 gets you a JAA and FAA PPL. And hour building is €72/hr wet cessna 152. And if i had enough time of work thats what i would be doing!

Best of luck with it.

donkey balls

As the other posters have mentioned modular is the way to go JAA PPL in the USA back home for the ATPL then over to the USA for hour building JAA CPL&ME then go to the likes of spain for the IR.;)
Also those companies that offer the intergrated scheme guess what they do there flying in the USA and in less hours than someone doing it modular which means more hours flying in order to get an f-ATPL.

searescue

Anyone else going to Oxford in the next 2-3 weeks for the assessment for the EasyJet MPL?

No.username

searescue wrote: »

Anyone else going to Oxford in the next 2-3 weeks for the assessment for the EasyJet MPL?

Each to their own, but over £104,000 for an MPL..... No thanks!!

searescue

No.username wrote: »

Each to their own, but over £104,000 for an MPL..... No thanks!!

£85,000 Ab-Initio

No.username

searescue wrote: »

£85,000 Ab-Initio

http://www.pprune.org/interviews-jobs-sponsorship/445281-easyjet-new-ab-initio-scheme-3.html

Read the posts from the 12th April onwards. This was the day details were released about the scheme. Where do you get the figure of 85k? Also there is a thread on pprune.org giving info on what to expect on the assessment day, might be worth taking a look at it if you are heading over.

searescue

No.username wrote: »

http://www.pprune.org/interviews-jobs-sponsorship/445281-easyjet-new-ab-initio-scheme-3.html

Read the posts from the 12th April onwards. This was the day details were released about the scheme. Where do you get the figure of 85k? Also there is a thread on pprune.org giving info on what to expect on the assessment day, might be worth taking a look at it if you are heading over.

Cheers for the PPRune info.

Price is here: http://www.oaa.com/easyjet/mpl_application/index.html

"The total training cost for the MPL First Officer course will be £85,000, including the CAA examination and license issue fees. This fee includes the cost of the A320 Type Training, but excludes accommodation and meals (please refer to the Finance section for more details)."

aviteire

I think all wannabe-pilots should take a few leafs out of 101 investment for dummis book ! Seriously,

WHY, why on earth, especially during the financial set back most people are in would anyone do a frozen ATPL for £85K as stated by oxford ?

Your mad, for that money, you could train 2 modular pilots with alot left over for enjoying yourself during the night in american bars

Like, put it this way, with £85K cash, a modular student could get there frozen ATPL, pay for a type rating, ie A320, and do a 500 hour line training course with money still left over from the 85K !

A few year's ago, I was going to go down the integrated route, long story short, I didnt, but however I had borrowed the money which in turn some more senior pilots talked sense into the 18 year old me and I invested my money in buying a house, which in turn become 8 houses (Did my PPL Helicopter in my spare time) was god awful lucky to sell 6 propertys then in early 2008 and bought myself my own 50% share in a helicopter.

Yes, I was very lucky, but if I was to do it again today, I would go modular without any doubt !