First steps to pilot training in Europe

Our Oxford training centre conducts European pilot licence training and is appropriate for all EU and EAA citizens or permanent residents however, the resulting JAA licence is also accepted in many other parts of the world so international students, who obtain the required student visa, are also welcome.

We are licensed by the UK Border Agency to accept students into training on a UK Tier 4 General Adult student visa International students who pass our Skills Assessment and meet the UKBA's English Testing requirements will be invited to enrol on the APP First Officer course and will receive a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).

Our courses fall into the two broad categories of Integrated and Modular training.

Integrated is designed to take students from zero experience to a frozen Airline Transport Pilot's License (ATPL) and is the route recommended, even if you have some experience.

Modular courses of training are designed for individuals who do not wish to undertake a full-time course of Integrated training or who wish to 'stagger' their training by completing 'modules' of JAA approved training over a period of time, having already gained the pre-entry requirement of a Private Pilot's Licence (PPL).

APP First Officer is a self-sponsored route to a professional pilot licence.

APP First Officer is designed take students from zero experience to a frozen Airline Transport Pilot's License in approximately 16 months. Graduates of this course are held in very high esteem by major airlines and it is the route recommended even if you have some experience. Our students also graduate with a Foundation Degree in Air Transport Management from Bucks New University, credits for which are gained through both the Ground Training phases and set assignments spaced throughout the course.

Phoenix, Goodyear centre in the USA state of Arizona is a subsidiary of our Oxford training centre. This is a fair-weather training facility where we conduct the European CPL and Multi-Engine training - the middle segments of the APP First Officer and Waypoint courses. The Goodyear training facility does not offer FAA licence training, nor can students commence or complete an entire JAA licence training course there.

On completion of the Integrated training, a pilot is qualified to seek employment as a First Officer and commence airliner type specific training holding a 'frozen' ATPL licence - a combination of the following licences;

• JAA Commercial Pilots licence (CPL)
• Multi-Engine (ME)
• Instrument rating (IR)
• Multi-Crew Co-operation (MCC)

Once you have worked for an airline to gain sufficient experience (1,500 hours) and reach age 21, the CPL/ME/IR/MCC can be upgraded to a full ATPL, a process referred to as 'unfreezing'. At this point you will be legally eligible for Captaincy, though most airlines require significantly more experience before they promote First Officers to Captain.

MPL First Officer is an airline mentored route to a professional pilot licence

In order to train for a Multi-Crew Pilot Licence a student must be chosen in advance of training by one of our partner airlines, though MPL training programmes are usually funded by the student. MPL training embraces modern instructional technique, utilising state of the art technology within a multi-crew environment to train ab initio pilots in full cooperation with an airline partner. MPL courses include both Ab Initio Training and Type Training delivered by the OAA Type Division or the partner airline.

Modular training has a pre-entry requirement of a Private Pilot's Licence.

Modular courses are designed for individuals who do not wish to undertake a full-time course of study or who wish to 'stagger' their JAA approved training by completing 'modules' over a period of time, having already gained the pre-entry requirement of a Private Pilot's Licence (PPL). OAA does not offer courses for PPL licences.

If you hold a PPL and wish to pursue Modular training ATPL theory is the place to start. Both full-time classroom based and home study distance learning options are offered, to prepare you for the 14 JAA ATPL theory exams.

On completion of the ATPL theory and the Waypoint Pilot Programme a pilot is qualified to seek employment as a First Officer and commence airliner type specific training holding a 'frozen' ATPL licence - a combination of the following licences;

• JAA Commercial Pilots licence (CPL)
• Multi-Engine (ME)
• Instrument rating (IR)
• Multi-Crew Co-operation (MCC)

Once you have worked for an airline to gain sufficient experience (1,500 hours) and reach age 21, the CPL/ME/IR/MCC can be upgraded to a full ATPL, a process referred to as 'unfreezing'. At this point you will be legally eligible for Captaincy, though most airlines require significantly more experience before they promote First Officers to Captain.