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FAQ - Overview

Selection test

Theoretical course

FLIGHT TRAINING

PAYMENT

JOB

Selection test

Is a high level of math or physics needed?

NO. It was previously the case but the content of the ATPL courses are now pilot oriented. A good knowledge of physics is needed (high school level) and a scientific way of thinking. Use the exam requirements sheets for reference. Attention, you will need to know the formula's by heart, an advanced calculator or a formula-sheet (formularium) are not allowed.

Do I need to be completely fluent in English?

YES and NO. All the courses are given in English. You need to be able to understand technical courses given in English and perform all radio communications in English.

What happens if I fail one test?

If your test result is really unacceptable, your selection tests will be stopped. If your result is average to good, the jury will allow you to continue in order to come to a conclusion based on the complete selection process.

How can I prepare myself for the selection test?

Review secondary school physics course and English grammar. The other tests cannot be prepared. A good night sleep is the best advice we can give you.

What is the pass rate to the selection tests?

50%. this standard of selection leads to a failure note close to zero once a student starts at SFA-A.

Theoretical course

Is daily presence mandatory?

Yes, every weekday your presence is mandatory from 8.20 till 17.00

What happens if I fail progress checks?

We organize weekly progress checks. The pass mark is 75%. The final mark is the average of all the progess checks of the courses.

If there are any evidences that the average will be below the pass mark of 75%, a hearing bord will be held to decide on continuation or elimination of the training.

What happens if I fail the exams?

A second chance is given (departure to the US can be postponed according to the schedule). If you fail this second session, a decision will have to be taken with parents and SFA-A direction.

Flight training

What happens if I need extra hours?

According to the level of the students, extra hours can be flown if needed. The student will only have to pay if the amount exceeds 5% of the foreseen hours (as stipulated in the contract).

Why flight training in the USA?

The weather is the main reason for this choice. The most important factor at the beginning of flight training is to have a regular flight schedule, in which knowledge is accumulated on a daily basis. This gives 100% effectiveness to every single flight hour. Other reasons are the complex US airspace, the aviation oriented spirit and the huge number of airports. In addition to that you have the chance to land in major hub airport as Phoenix, which is completely impossible in Cameroon. But at least as important as the flying experience, this 6 month stay in the US often is a major step in your own, personal development. It is our strong believe that this personal development is a very important step towards your future career of leading a team and taking responsibility as a airline captain.

Payment

Is payment organized progressively?

Yes. Payment is done in 6 slices, according to the phase of training you are in.

In case of failure, am I reimbursed?

SFA-A will reimburse the amount which has not been used yet for the training.
Our medical insurance will reimburse the complete amount you have spent if you have to stop your training for medical reasons.

Is pilot training only for rich people?

No. you can approach banks to finance your studies. Since piloting is usually a high-paid job,banks are keen to give out loan finance options to finance pilot students.
SFA-A recorgnises that this process can be a complex one so, they are available to assist you when looking for your finance options

Job

Does the school guaranty a job at the end?

Yes and no. SFA-A through its partern SFA recommends students to all African, Belgian, several European and even Asian airlines because of our close cooperation in SFA's Simulator Center. But there is no job guarantee. What we do promise is to give you all the tools you need to be as prepared as possible for any airline assessment: 28 hour Full Flight Simulator MCC course, CV and motivation letter preparation courses, airline interview simulation, airline visits, observation flights, language training…. For each of you, at the end of the training, SFA-A creates a "Candidate First Officer"-file to distribute to airlines. This file is like your own portfolio; an extensive summary of your training at SFA-A, on all aspects.

What is the added value of the ACPP Course?

The ACPP Course is like a reinforced MCC course which is performed in a real A320 or B737 full flight simulator .This is very attractive for big airlines as you are trained in an environment which is very closed to line operations. It allows you to be operational almost your first day of recruitment. 28 hours of full flight simulator is very close to a full type rating and even if you have to operate in a different type of aircraft, this experience will help you in a quick conversion.

Does a SFA student find easily a job?

There is a long-term world-wide shortage of well trained pilots . The JAR & ATPL training program is the most demanding one in the world and SFA/SFA-A training gives even more than the JAR requirements and is airline oriented. This is well known in the industry and graduates from SFA/SFA-A are therefore highly sought after.
SFA represent 70% of the hired cadets in Belgian companies. Even before the completion of the CPL/IR/ME check, students start doing interviews in multiple companies. We have airlines coming to check-out students while still in training on a regular basis.