The Best Possible Training

It's our aim to see you graduate from CTC Wings as a high-calibre pilot, fully trained by an industry-leading company and ready for the fast track to your dream job.

Foundation and Basic Training

CTC's training programme is specifically designed to give you an immediate advantage over other people entering the industry. Right from the start we take a vertically integrated approach to flight training, so everything you do is focused towards airline operations.

In order to give you the foundation of knowledge you will need to begin flying, you will start your training at our Crew Training Centre – Nursling (near Southampton on the south coast of the UK). Here you will begin a period of ground school study to complete your Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence (ATPL) exams. During this time you will be working and studying in an extremely airline-orientated environment. You will be able to mingle with qualified airline pilots currently working for one of our 50+ client airlines around the world and learn more about your future career from their personal experiences. More importantly though, our Nursling facility houses a full range of Boeing and Airbus Full Flight Simulators (FFSs), Flight Training Devices (FTDs), Virtual Flight Decks (VFDs) and computer and web based training suites (CBT/WBT). This means you will have access, right from the start of your course, to these advanced simulation facilities for the type of aircraft that you are potentially going to fly. This stage of your training lasts approximately 5 months and will send you on your way to New Zealand for the next stage of your training with the first, vital licence already under your belt – your ATPL.

When you first arrive in New Zealand you will begin flying straight away. The initial Foundation Course lasting approximately 17 weeks will see you flying one of our single engine fleet of aircraft and going solo, possibly for the first time. This stage of your training can be paralleled training towards your PPL (Private Pilot’s Licence). However, as you are training to become an airline pilot on an integrated programme, there is no requirement for you to complete the PPL flight test. This stage of your training introduces you to CTC’s flight training methods and NZ airspace. It is designed to standardise all cadets, regardless of their previous experience to enable a smooth transition to the next stage of training.

The flying phase of your training, which will earn you your Commercial Pilot Licence and Instrument Rating (CPL/IR), will take about 10 months (including the Foundation course). The first 7 months are completed in New Zealand at our Crew Training Centre at Hamilton International Airport and will see you at the controls of our industry-leading twin the DA42; with its Garmin 1000 flight deck, the DA42 efficiently prepares you for the type of new generation Boeing or Airbus you are likely to fly in the future; A goal that is now very much within your reach!

Following this, the rest of your basic, multi-engine training will take place at our Crew Training Centre at Bournemouth International Airport in the UK.

Progressive thinking puts you ahead of the rest

As a CTC Wings Cadet, you're introduced to applied instrument flying much earlier than more traditional programmes and receive considerably more Instrument Flight Rules training (IFR).

Your conversion to multi-engine (ME) aircraft takes place earlier than usual so your total ME time will be much higher that most approved programmes.

Plus, you are introduced to basic Crew Resource Management (CRM) concepts and trained and assessed in technical and non-technical skills throughout your training.

Intermediate Training - gaining hands-on experience

The next stage - AQC (Airline Qualification Course) is a three-week ground school and simulator-based training course incorporating MCC (Multi Crew Co-operation course) at our Crew Training Centres at Dibden and Nursling (near to Southampton on the south coast of the UK. This is the stage at which we bring CTC Wings Cadet and CTC Wings ATP pilots together to train side by side. It is also the final (fourth) stage of selection for CTC Wings ATP applicants.

This phase of the programme is hands-on, airline-focussed training using state-of-the-art Boeing and Airbus technology to give you the skills you need to manage a commercial flight deck and operate today's advanced jet aircraft in a multi-crew, IFR environment.

Advanced Training - take to the skies with our partner airlines

In the final and most exciting phase of the CTC Wings Cadet and ATP training programme, you get a real taste of what your new career holds as you work closely with one of our world-class partner airlines. Advanced training incorporates type rating, aircraft base training, line training and line experience and, once you've proved yourself in the cockpit, you'll graduate as a fully qualified airline pilot.
When you reach this point you may find you complete this final phase with CTC or your partner airline, either in the UK or overseas. You may also find that there is a holding period between completing your AQC and commencing your type rating training depending on the current opportunities within the industry. Additionally the terms upon which your type rating are completed could vary from airline to airline and further costs may be incurred at this point if the airline requires it. As you reach this stage of your training, we will liaise openly with you regarding any current placement opportunities and you will always have the choice as to whether you accept. Whichever way, we work hard on your behalf to secure the best available placement opportunities for you and, once your type rating training is completed, you will be ready to start flying as a First Officer with your airline.

Apply to the CTC Wings Cadet programme today and make your career fly!