Well I’ve been on the Airline Preparation Scheme at Oxford Aviation for three months now and to my shame I haven’t kept you all updated as regularly as I said I would. So, after a request from Ian (wys) I’ll tell you guys what I’m up to and where I’m at with my ATPL studies.
I’m currently coming up to my phase 1 JAA ground schools exams. For those of you that don’t know the course is structured as follows:
Phase 1 Ground School – Conducted in Oxford
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Systems Paper
Instruments Paper
Mass and Balance Paper
Human Performance Paper
Aircraft Performance Paper
Theory of Flight Paper
Phase 2 Ground School – Conducted in Oxford
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Radio Communications Paper
General Navigation Paper
Flight Planning Paper
Flight Management Systems Paper
(I’m also ashamed to say that I’ve forgotten the other four Phase 2 papers!)
VFR and CPL flight training – Conducted at Sabena Flight School in Phoenix
———————————————————————————–
CPL Skills test
85 hours PA-28 Warrior
22.5 PA-28 Arrow
2 week First Officer Fundimentals Course – Conducted in Oxford
———————————————————————————
CRM/MCC training, Communications etc
IFR Flight Training – Conducted in Oxford
—————————————————-
CPL/IR Exam
76.5 hours Seneca V
1 hour spin training
Airline Jet Training
———————–
MCC and JOT
40 hours 737-400 sim
So, that’s the basic structure of the course.
As I said I’m on phase 1 groundschool at the moment. My JAA exams start on the 3rd of May with results coming through on about the 17th of May. We’ve just finished studying the majority of the subjects and are now going over them prior to our school finals in two weeks time.
The volume of information that I have had to take is huge, and I would be lying if I didn’t say it has been a struggle on many numerous occasions. Working 11 hours a day everyday is something I have problem with due to my slack nature!
Subjects such as Mass and Balance are easy enough, they just require practise, however the other five subjects have proven to be a real challenge. There is many a day when I doubt I will actually pass these exams. The pass rate is a minimum of 75%. Easy enough when studying one or two subjects, but we actually study 16 for the six papers we take.
It is very much just a case of getting your head down and getting it done. Whether I succeed in doing this remains to be seen, however I feel that with the month I have before my JAA exams I should be alright. None of the subjects cause me too many problems with the exception of instruments, where air driven gyros provide hours of stress!
The social aspects of the course are excellent considering that we have very little free time. My fellow course mates are all excellent guys and girls, we all get on well and when we get some time of we certainly make the most of it!
The main thing I find is that I find things hardest when I loose sight of where I’m going. Just looking at an aircraft does me the world of good, I find myself being motivated by the prospect of sitting in the right hand seat of an airliner by the summer of next year all being well.
One way or another I know I will motivate myself enough to study and pass these exams, the thought of long hot care free days doing my VFR training out in Phoenix certainly keeps me oing.
Anyway I hope that gives you a decent insight into what I am doing. I will endeviour to keep you updated a bit more regularly. If any of you wish to come down to OAT and see what’s going on you’d be most welcome.
All the best,
Martin
By: martin_EGTK - 8th April 2004 at 07:47
That’s right wannabe. During selection you take a Maths paper and a Physics paper. So make sure that you brush up on your mental arithmatic!
By: wannabe pilot - 7th April 2004 at 23:49
Maths and English are considered compulsory, and usually a Science too. However, I think OAT mainly test people on their abilities in Maths and Physics.
By: brenmcc1 - 7th April 2004 at 23:18
apparantley Physics is good to have and maths and English
By: martin_EGTK - 7th April 2004 at 22:45
I didn’t do any engineering or science at A level and I didn’t do any tech subjects for GCSE, but I’m sure doing something like that wouldn’t do any harm.
By: concordesst - 7th April 2004 at 20:15
Originally posted by martin_EGTK
I’ve got 10 GCSEs A*-C grade and 3 A-levels, one B and two Cs. However do what I didn’t and work hard for your A-levels!
Did you take a Engineering course anywhere in your school/college life?
And is one useful for becoming a pilot?
By: brenmcc1 - 7th April 2004 at 18:20
Looks like you worked hard in ur GCSEs – Thats what i need to do.
By: martin_EGTK - 7th April 2004 at 18:00
I’ve got 10 GCSEs A*-C grade and 3 A-levels, one B and two Cs. However do what I didn’t and work hard for your A-levels!
By: Speedbird 12T - 7th April 2004 at 14:06
Originally posted by wannabe pilot
I think I can help you answer that one Speedbird 12T! The RAF requiers perfect un-corrected eye sight. Howeverm the airlines usually allow it aslong as your glasses do correct your vision to make it perfect. For example, if you were just short-sighted and your glasses corrected that, that would be ok. But, if you were for example colour blind, no magic pair of glasses will correct that, and so the answer is no! :p
Looks like im safe!!! thanks alot
By: wannabe pilot - 7th April 2004 at 14:04
I think I can help you answer that one Speedbird 12T! The RAF requiers perfect un-corrected eye sight. Howeverm the airlines usually allow it aslong as your glasses do correct your vision to make it perfect. For example, if you were just short-sighted and your glasses corrected that, that would be ok. But, if you were for example colour blind, no magic pair of glasses will correct that, and so the answer is no! :p
By: brenmcc1 - 7th April 2004 at 14:02
go 2 CAA website and look at class 1 medical.
By: Speedbird 12T - 7th April 2004 at 13:55
Hi, i was just wondering what are the eyesight limits for becoming a pilot?
By: brenmcc1 - 7th April 2004 at 10:56
What GCSEs / A levels do you have?
Sorry for being so nosy you dont have to answer IF you dont want.
By: Bmused55 - 4th April 2004 at 23:48
Originally posted by martin_EGTK
Sandy, forgot to ask, are you planning on going Modular or are you going to try the selection for the APP?
Honestly haven’t given it much thought. The money wasn’;t there so I didn’t plan. But if these deals come though… I’ll think about it.
By: martin_EGTK - 4th April 2004 at 23:39
Sandy, forgot to ask, are you planning on going Modular or are you going to try the selection for the APP?
By: martin_EGTK - 4th April 2004 at 23:38
I’m 18 next month brenmcc. OAT made a very special exception with my acceptance to train with them. The lower age limit is usually 18, but I applied last year, got accepted intially to start in July this year before I was invited for an advanced sim check after which they said that they wanted to take me on in January! They explained that this is a step they have never taken before, but they could see I was very keen and they felt that the course I am on now was perfect for me…they certainly have been right, I’ve in with a great bunch of guys!
The problem I have with the CTC scheme is that firstly the actual flight training isn’t of a particularly high standard. It is conducted in Diamond Katenas (Probably spelt that wrong) which are usually classed as motor gliders. Furthermore financially you end up paying more for your training than I do at OAT as you are bonded. Myself and my accountant worked the total cost of the CTC course coming to nearly £90,000 in comparison to £61,500.
Several of the guys on my course were accepted for the CTC scheme but quit because of the poor training and structure of the ground school course.
Sandy, hope to see you here soon. If you want to come down and have a look round I’ll happily give you a tour.
By: Bmused55 - 4th April 2004 at 21:45
I might be hot on your heels Martin
I’m working in a few deals with some airlines and their liveries… if all pays off. I’ll have a few bucks in the bank….. enough to start OAT 😀
By: brenmcc1 - 4th April 2004 at 21:36
Yes, I was looking at the CTC-McAlpine site earlier sound interesting and you get to go to New Zeland to train also.
Do you mind me asking how old you are Martin?
By: wannabe pilot - 4th April 2004 at 20:00
Is there any particular reason for that Martin? I think one of the only (main) sponsorships at the moment is CTC-McAlpine, training Easyjet and Thomas Cook pilots and they looked very good. I think another one recently was FlyBe, but since September 11th they’ve been a rarity.
By: martin_EGTK - 4th April 2004 at 19:35
No I haven’t been sponsored by an airline. There’s not much sponsorship about and that that is doesn’t seem great to me. I worked out that I’d be a lot worse off being sponsored than I would be if I funded my own training.
By: brenmcc1 - 4th April 2004 at 18:53
Brilliant, As Ian sais it’s all worth it in the end when you get that gleaming imaculate shiny plane waiting for you to fly it. OHHH the joy. I really do hope I get into a training school. I dont really mind where but I have recieved an information pack from OAT and it seems brilliant but expensive 🙁 mr bank manager will have to be of help.
Have you been sponsored by an airline in any way?
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March 31, 2004 at 10:11 pm