Flight School like CAE Oxford for FAA ATP
#1
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Flight School like CAE Oxford for FAA ATP
Hello,
I am looking for a flight school similar to CAE Oxford Aviation Academy. I believe they used to have a program a while back for U.S citizens where they would issue FAA ATP's. Presently, they are only offering EASA ATP's and they only have partnerships with European airlines and none for the United States. Please note I've read almost every thread on airline flight schools on this forum. I have a few questions listed below that I would greatly appreciate a response:
1) Everyone states to avoid "pilot factories" or "pilot training mills". However, isn't every flight school in the U.S a "pilot factory"? Even Flight Safety International doesn't have entrance requirements like math test, physics test or personality exams. The only school that isn't technically a "pilot factory" is Aerosim Flight Academy (now named L3 Flight Academy) in Florida. They have a Wonderlic entrance exam, interview, and 250-word essay requirement. I just don't know anyone who graduated from here. However, the flight school at L3 Flight Academy can cost almost $100k which includes housing for 15 months, books and fees, and all ratings up to ATP.
2) I've looked at ATP Flight School as well, the only concern being that they don't offer a structured ground school similar to an academy. When I went to ASU, I remember students saying that ATP didn't prepare them for ground school exams since it was "self-study" and you had to complete the modules to prepare. Well this isn't necessarily a negative, I would prefer a structured ground school program where I could study with classmates and ask questions similar to college. However, everyone who graduated with me from my university and went to ATP did get an airline job with a regional carrier.
In summary, I do have a 4-year Bachelor of Science degree in an aviation related field from an accredited University. Since I can't find a school exactly like CAE Oxford, is there a flight school that is similar?
The ideal flight school would have the following attributes:
-Pathway programs to regional airline carriers with tuition reimbursement
-Partnerships with many local and regional airline carriers or business jet companies
-Structured and rigorous ground school programs with time to debrief after a flight
-Semi-modern aircraft with glass cockpit being a plus
-Flight School that will pay for higher ratings with a 1 or 2 year commitment as an instructor
I am looking for a flight school similar to CAE Oxford Aviation Academy. I believe they used to have a program a while back for U.S citizens where they would issue FAA ATP's. Presently, they are only offering EASA ATP's and they only have partnerships with European airlines and none for the United States. Please note I've read almost every thread on airline flight schools on this forum. I have a few questions listed below that I would greatly appreciate a response:
1) Everyone states to avoid "pilot factories" or "pilot training mills". However, isn't every flight school in the U.S a "pilot factory"? Even Flight Safety International doesn't have entrance requirements like math test, physics test or personality exams. The only school that isn't technically a "pilot factory" is Aerosim Flight Academy (now named L3 Flight Academy) in Florida. They have a Wonderlic entrance exam, interview, and 250-word essay requirement. I just don't know anyone who graduated from here. However, the flight school at L3 Flight Academy can cost almost $100k which includes housing for 15 months, books and fees, and all ratings up to ATP.
2) I've looked at ATP Flight School as well, the only concern being that they don't offer a structured ground school similar to an academy. When I went to ASU, I remember students saying that ATP didn't prepare them for ground school exams since it was "self-study" and you had to complete the modules to prepare. Well this isn't necessarily a negative, I would prefer a structured ground school program where I could study with classmates and ask questions similar to college. However, everyone who graduated with me from my university and went to ATP did get an airline job with a regional carrier.
In summary, I do have a 4-year Bachelor of Science degree in an aviation related field from an accredited University. Since I can't find a school exactly like CAE Oxford, is there a flight school that is similar?
The ideal flight school would have the following attributes:
-Pathway programs to regional airline carriers with tuition reimbursement
-Partnerships with many local and regional airline carriers or business jet companies
-Structured and rigorous ground school programs with time to debrief after a flight
-Semi-modern aircraft with glass cockpit being a plus
-Flight School that will pay for higher ratings with a 1 or 2 year commitment as an instructor
Last edited by dtbecker; 08-06-2017 at 01:42 PM.
#3
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I've heard about Ryanair taking sponsored students long time ago but it was very rare and they had to prove that a U.S FAA student would be better than an EASA student.
#4
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Joined APC: Jul 2012
Posts: 352
In order to get an FAA ATP, you will need at minimum 1500 hours (reduced under some degree programs or with military flight experience). For this reason no one does 0-ATP like EASA in the United States. The typical career path is to earn you FAA Commercial and CFI. Then you work as a flight instructor, building time through flights with students to those ATP minimums.
#5
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In order to get an FAA ATP, you will need at minimum 1500 hours (reduced under some degree programs or with military flight experience). For this reason no one does 0-ATP like EASA in the United States. The typical career path is to earn you FAA Commercial and CFI. Then you work as a flight instructor, building time through flights with students to those ATP minimums.
#6
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Posts: 352
No, as long as you meet ATP minimums and have a degree you fit pretty much any regional airline's hiring standards right now.
#7
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Essentially, Embry Riddle is well known in the U.S for aviation academics, and of course they have their Worldwide Program for online education, but they aren't internationally well known for their flight school. If you were to go to Europe and ask aviation students if they heard of Embry Riddle, most would probably say "no". (At least that has been my experience)
I have finally narrowed down my search to two flight schools that I will tour. The first being L3 Airline Academy (Aerosim) and the other being Flight Safety Academy. Yes, both are expensive but if you ever wanted to fly for an airline that accepts FAA ATP internationally you would be at an advantage with a flight school that is recognized across the globe.
I've been in contact with ATP but decided against them since they REALLY try to push their marketing tactics to the point where they called me more than once in a day, sent emails, and text messages to my cell-phone.
#8
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I have finally narrowed down my search to two flight schools that I will tour. The first being L3 Airline Academy (Aerosim) and the other being Flight Safety Academy. Yes, both are expensive but if you ever wanted to fly for an airline that accepts FAA ATP internationally you would be at an advantage with a flight school that is recognized across the globe.
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