Having recently completed training as an integrated cadet with a flight training provider in the UK, I wanted to give an insight into integrated training and hopefully help any future pilots out there in making their decisions.
Where it all began
I started pilot training in my mid 20’s with very little flying experience. Having been out of education for a number of years, I felt that it was important for me to enrol on a full-time course where I would be fully immersed in training and surrounded by people doing the same. Another factor which guided me onto an integrated course was the employment opportunities which are seen to be available upon completion (I will come onto this later). So with my mind made, I started my journey in 2019.
Head in the books (not the clouds!)
Ground School – I’m sure anyone who has completed this will agree by saying that it is a shock to the system. A relentless period in which you feel that you are constantly behind the curve, whilst being saturated with more and more information daily. I was quite lucky that my course had a low number of cadets and therefore the high instructor to student ratio meant that someone was always on hand. This was the part of training where I massively benefited from being in a full-time environment. Being housed with my course, I was able to enhance my learning each evening by going through the course material as a group. I know for a fact that I would have struggled to pass the exams if I didn’t have this available to me. The school also had a clean, relaxed feel and we had 24/7 access to the classrooms which was extremely useful. Integrated or modular, I would 100% recommend choosing a course which gives you to option to be housed with your course-mates during the ground school period at least. The only downside to being integrated for this part of training would be that there is an added pressure of when you sit your exams and like anything in aviation, pushing back exam dates due to needing more time is likely to incur extra costs (above the £100K initial training figure).
Time to fly!
Flight Training – As an integrated cadet, I expected to reach a standard in a short period due to the consistency, frequency and structure of the training provided. Each sortie has a defined objective and you are graded on each aspect throughout. I found that overall, the instructors were of good quality and drove the standards that would be expected of us during the advanced part of training. If you are looking to select a flight school, I would definitely get information on their fleet, how many aircraft, student to instructor ratios and current times that students are completing this part of training. From my personal experience, I rarely completed more than 2 flights a week during the basic stages of training due to fleet serviceability and often had weeks of being grounded with the same issue. During the advanced phases of flight training, this is when consistency is key as your CPL test creeps up on you very quickly. I was fortunate that this section of training was very fluent and I was able to complete my CPL and IR in a matter of weeks. The final stages of training included the APS MCC and UPRT which were both highly enjoyable, rewarding and completed in a reasonably quick period.
Final thoughts for all aspiring airline pilots
Overview – My training took just over two years to complete and in total, including general living expenses, medicals etc. has cost in the region of £110K. Prior to selection, I would suggest getting a medical as this is something that can hold a lot of people back. I walked into mine as a fit and healthy guy had a few things pop-up that required a second opinion from specialists. With regard to finances, there is little out there to help budding pilots out. I was however, able to hold a job whist going through the later stages of training which was a huge help and may of my fellow course-mates did the same. Be careful however as most integrated schools stipulate in their contacts that you cannot be employed whilst taking part on the course. Jobs such as bar work or deliveroo however, are out of ‘normal’ hours and shouldn’t impact training. Selecting the right school for you is also important, do your research and prepare well. I had been unsuccessful on a handful of sponsored cadet programmes so I went to Flight Deck Wingman for some assistance and was delighted when I received the acceptance letter from my chosen flight school. Finally, gain an understanding on what is required with regard to payments. With my course, we payed the full amount after around nine months of training which in my eyes was not right as we had been delayed due to issues with the fleet of aircraft. I strongly believe that you should not pay for something until you have either received the training or have a contracted date in which it will be completed. With all this in mind, I would definitely consider Modular training if I was to do it all again. I would complete ground school full-time and then be in a position where I have complete control over my flight training whilst maintaining a job on the side. For the final section of training, I would suggest using an established school for the CPL/IR phases as this will allow you to make use of the schools placement system (if eligible).
Job Prospects and the benefits of Getting Yourself a Wingman!
When selecting a school, find out what airline links are in place as this was huge for me. I genuinely felt and still feel that being placed with a good airline at the end of your course is worth the extra money of being integrated. However, make sure that you are aware of the placement system and how they work as there is no guarantee that you will be eligible at the end of your training. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, we have been unable to secure any airline jobs at the moment but I’m remaining hopeful. I have however been fortunate to land a job within the industry with thanks to Andrew at Flight Deck Wingman which has the opportunity to progress to a flying role over time.
