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CTC Wings Cadet
Designed for applicants with no flying experience, and makes you eligible for a job with one of our partner airlines.-
CTC Wings IPP
A self-funded, integrated pilot programme designed to get you from no experience to the issue of your CPL/IR. -
CTC Wings ATP
For pilots who already hold a CPL/IR, this advanced course will make you eligible for employment with one of our partner airlines. -
CTC Wings Takeoff
Flexible training modules tailored to suit your previous flying experience. -
Airline Programmes
CTC offers airline pilot training courses tailored towards our partner airlines. No experience required.
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CTC Wings Cadet programme
The best possible pilot training.
Overview
So you want to become an airline pilot?
Quite simply, it is one of the best jobs in the world and often the career that people dream of from childhood. The right training background will ensure you are best placed to achieve that dream. CTC’s approach is extremely specialised. Our training is airline-focussed from day one. Our courses are designed to ensure you are fully prepared for your future career choice and our goal is to place every one of our graduate pilots with one of our growing list of partner airlines.
We have an exceptional placement record for our CTC Wings graduate pilots - no other flight training provider even comes close. We work very hard to ensure our selection processes are effective and our training standards are second-to-none, to ensure that we maintain this success and continue to place all of our graduate pilots.
The "CTC Wings Cadet" route is a full time, integrated training programme for tomorrow’s airline pilots. Your training will take place at our training centres in the United Kingdom and New Zealand over a period of approximately 19 months before joining your partner airline and operating 'on the line'. It's the training programme of choice for many airlines around the world which is a clear indication how CTC's pilots are viewed by the industry.
Basic
Ground School
Even before you begin your course with us, we start fine tuning those interpersonal skills by inviting you to attend the first of several 'Airline Preparation Days' (APD). Your first one will normally take place on the Friday before your main course and offers a chance for you to meet and start bonding with the rest of your course. However, we also begin to lay down some of the fundamental interpersonal skills required to become a professional pilot and introduce you to our 'vertically integrated' (VI) airline focused style of training.
With APD1 fresh in your mind, we begin the main course at ground level studying for the theory exams necessary to achieve your ATPL (Airline Transport Pilots Licence).
This stage takes place at our Crew Training Centre - Nursling in the United Kingdom where our Boeing and Airbus simulators are housed.
This well structured programme combines lectures delivered by one of the best instructor teams in the industry, CBT (Computer Based Training) and, of course, some self study.
You will mingle with qualified airline pilots undergoing advanced courses for their airlines and enjoy putting some of your learning into practice utilising our high tech training facilities.
New Zealand Phase
Your next step is New Zealand and our purpose built facilities at Hamilton airport on the North Island. Our Foundation Course gets you airborne, acclimatises you to CTC's airline training style and develops your basic flying skills.
It is during this phase that you will 'go solo' before moving on to more complex modules such as instrument and night flying. With the foundation course complete you convert onto the DA-42 for your twin engine and instrument flight rules training, practicing new techniques in our simulators before taking to the air.
Bournemouth Phase
After 8 months in New Zealand, you will return to the United Kingdom with not only your CPL (Commercial Pilot Licence) in hand but also life long memories of New Zealand.
Back at our Bournemouth Centre (United Kingdom) you will spend 2 months working towards your IRT (Instrument Rating Test). The training shifts up a gear and you begin practicing airline-type scenarios before commencing your Airline Qualification Course (AQC).
Basic Training Structure
| ATPL theory | Single Engine Foundation | Multi-Engine & Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) | Instrument Rating (IR) |
| Southampton (UK) | Hamilton (New Zealand) | Hamilton (New Zealand) | Bournemouth (UK) |
| The knowledge base required to build your career upon. You’ll combine classroom based Instructor sessions with CBT and self study to cover the 14 ATPL subjects and prepare for the exams which are taken in two modules. Having passed the ATPL theory and on completion of your CPL/IR in NZ you will be issued with your Frozen ATPL. Duration: 5 months (approx) |
PPL holder or not, this phase provides the foundation of your future airline training. Your general handling skills are developed flying our fleet of single engine DA20 and C172. You'll learn the fundamentals of visual flying, basic instrument flying, night flying and navigation & advance your skills further operating the more sophisticated, G1000 equipped C172 in preparation for your twin flying. Duration: 17 weeks (approx) |
Moving onto the twin-engine DA42 means spending some time in the simulator practising new techniques before you go airborne.
You'll practice more complex manoeuvres and develop your instrument flying skills. All your ME training will take place on our fleet of Garmin 1000 equipped DA42 aircraft and this phase culminates in you achieving your multi-engine rating and CPL. Duration: 11 weeks (approx) |
Returning to the UK to complete the final phase of your basic training and having already gained some significant instrument flying experience, we’ll work with you to fine tune your IR skills both in the DA42 sim and in the air. Passing your IR test is a pivotal moment - you are now a (frozen) ATPL holder. Duration: 8 weeks (approx) |
Intermediate
With your airline career within touching distance, you now get to take the controls of a new generation Boeing or Airbus simulator during our unique Airline Qualification Course (AQC). You will work in a multi-crew environment to obtain your MCC (Multi Crew Cooperation) certificate and complete an airline standard Initial Crew Resource Management (CRM) course. Having completed the basics, we take you beyond the regulatory requirement for training at this stage and further develop your skills with an additional 16 hours of advanced handling training in the simulator. It is at this point that you may find you will have some time to relax before you move on to the next step. However, to use an airline cliche, you are now 'on finals' for the most exciting phase of your training - your airline type rating.
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AQC Course Structure
| Ground School | Simulator Exercises | Advanced Jet Handling |
| Southampton (UK) | Southampton (UK) | Southampton (UK) |
| CTC's AQC will teach you how to work in a multi crew environment - crucial in the professional airline environment. You'll complete an airline standard initial Crew Resource Management syllabus (CRM) – the non technical skills required to make an good pilot become an excellent one – and we introduce you to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), flight deck management, checklist usage and flight profiles. Duration: 1 week |
This is where things get very exciting – you take the controls of a passenger jet sim for the first time. In this phase you'll complete 5 x four-hour shared simulator sessions in a B737 or A320 jet simulator for your MCC (Multi Crew Cooperation) certificate. Content includes automation management with an introduction to auto-flight and flight director system operation. Duration: 1 week |
Additional to most intermediate training, you can take your jet handling skills to a significantly higher level with a further 16 hours simulator time. We focus on developing key advanced jet handling skills and introduce you to Line Orientated Flight Training (LOFT) - you’ll be managing typical airline scenarios e.g. system failures, passenger problems, route diversions and weather complexities. Duration: 1 week |
Advanced
The final 'advanced' stage of your training - your 'type rating' - commences subject to confirmation of your airline and aircraft type. It is now that you will draw on all your learning and apply it to operate one of today's new-generation passenger jets as a First Officer.
Type rating training involves spending some time understanding the technical aspects of your specific aircraft type through ground school training - classroom lectures and CBT (Computer Based Training). You will then progress on to applying this new found knowledge, together with the specific SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) employed by your future airline, in the simulator - beginning on fixed base training devices and progressing to full motion simulators. This training normally takes place at our Crew Training Centre - Nursling (near Southampton in the United Kingdom), but may be delivered by your partner airline. On occasions this can mean another trip abroad.
It should be noted that additional training fees might well be involved with the advanced stage of training.
Advanced Training Structure
| Type Rating | Base Training | Line Experience |
| Southampton (UK) | With airline | With airline |
| With your Partner Airline details confirmed, this phase of training is both airline – you'll learn their standard operating procedures - and aircraft type specific. Normally completed with CTC in the UK, on occasions your airline may choose to deliver your type rating and that could be abroad. Typically this phase is 2 months and will normally be on a short haul aircraft type e.g. A320 or B737. |
Every pilot says this is one of the best days of their lives! Completed by your airline, you'll fly your commercial airliner for the first time. No passengers on board though - except for some of your colleagues! You will normally do a minimum of 6 take-offs and landings before your licence is signed off meaning you’re ready for passengers. |
Depending on which airline you go to, this phase takes 6-8 months. You'll be flying with an experienced Line Training Captain for your first flight with passengers plus a further 40 – 50 'sectors' until you are cleared as a First Officer. Thereafter, you gain line experience flying alongside Line Captains to build your hours and experience 'flying the line'. |
Airline Preparation Days
"CTC Wings" is an airline focused training programme. Everything we can do the airline way, we will do the airline way. We are all about developing and fine tuning the right skills to turn you into a high quality airline pilot.
'Airline Preparation Days' (APD) are unique to CTC. They are a series of days interspersed throughout your whole training programme with us; starting on the very first day of your training and held regularly right through every phase of the course. They are airline-driven and cadet-focused, interactive sessions designed to get you thinking like an airline pilot from day one. This approach is entirely in line with our 'VI' (Vertically Integrated) ethos.
What is unique about APDs? For one, the fact that they are designed and delivered by our team of airline pilots and cabin crew with extensive, current airline knowledge and practical experience. This team is well-placed to represent what really goes on in the airlines today; talking from personal experience and also reflecting the feedback we receive from our graduate pilots and the airline managers we work in partnership with.
Secondly, the content is strongly weighted towards the non-technical skills and behaviours that will be essential to manage the challenges and prosper in the ever-changing, complex world that your future career will present.
Additionally, the course evolves to reflect the current demands of our partner airlines and the industry as a whole. We invite our partner airlines to get involved in these days on a practical level; line pilots and airline managers often attend to talk about hot topics and current challenges.
It is the 'APDs' that truly bring your future career to life as you progress through your training with CTC. They are a regular link forward to how it will be once you achieve your goal and get airborne in the right hand seat of a passenger jet with your partner airline.
Locations
During your training on the CTC Wings Cadet Programme, you will visit the locations below for parts of your training.
UK locations
- Dibden Manor, UK
- Dibden Manor is the home of our Group Headquarters. It is also a residential Crew Accommodation Centre and you may stay here during your training.
- Nursling, UK
- Home to our B737 & Airbus Full Flight Simulators, you will be using the most up-to-date training technology available here at Nursling.
- Bournemouth, UK
- Located at Bournemouth International Airport, this is where you will complete the final stages (IR) of the basic flight training phase.
New Zealand Phase
- Hamilton, New Zealand
- Our 19,000sq ft Crew Training Centre offers several flight simulators, briefing rooms, lecture rooms, planning and operation facilities.
- Clearways, New Zealand
- While you're training at Hamilton, you will have your own studio at our Clearways Crew Accommodation Centre for at least some of your training.
