by HardCorePawn » Wed Mar 04, 2009 11:56 am
For what it is worth...
Last year I rang almost every single one of the larger flight training establishments (ie. the ones offering student loan funded courses) as I was thinking about going fulltime for the CPL. From talking to various people at the various schools, some of whom were quite candid, the whole interview process has cropped up due to the changes that were made to the student loan funding...
Previously, it was open slather... the schools could sign up as many students as they wanted and if they failed, no big deal... the schools already had the money and the student had the debt.
These days, however, schools are given a specific number of funding slots each year... which is at least partially based on how the students performed last year... so if they all drop out or fail, your funding slots for the next year is reduced.
This is the reason why they now have the interviews... they want to make sure you are committed to aviation for the long term... and not just doing it because flying seems like good fun and you have nothing better to do... because if they get a whole bunch of drop kicks who thought it was going to be real easy and be flying 747s in 12 months and making $$$$$$$, who suddenly realise it is a lot of hardwork and commitment, who then all drop out... then next year, they cannot get as many students etc etc...
I would highly recommend that you be pro-active and call the training provider(s) you are interested in and ask to have a chat with the CFI... explain your situation and concerns etc. and see what they have to say. I found most of them to be very approachable and more than willing to discuss my situation (ie. privately done PPL thinking about going fulltime for CPL) and most of them were pretty honest and upfront...
hope this helps,
HCP
"Son, we are about the break the surly bonds of gravity, and punch the face of God." -- Homer Simpson
