CTC Wings - selection day

The 'Hangar' accomodation,
with my rental car, nice drive VW!

With my fellon looking passport photos in my bag, I arrive in Southampton the afternoon before the assessment.  This was it.  Despite looking over all there is to do in this south coast town, New Forest National Park (NP), Tudor House where Jane Austen and her family stayed, the Aviation Museum, the Naval Museum, the Titanic walk and the pier in which the doomed cruiser would sail from and even rock climbing centre, in the end I took a drive and a short unplanned wee walk in the NP, and went back after a couple hours with, still jitters within.  I couldn't concentrate.  I don't think I have been this stressed since studying for my Masters degree, and that was quite a few years ago.  Not having been challenged and pushed out of my comfort zone to the point where the results matter, I was nervous.  I amused later that night as I stayed at Dibden Manor, the place of assessment, there were about 10-15 other people there sitting around the tables to eat dinner.  All were male.  Stereotype one, tick.  The place was also very very nice.  I remember explaining the school to a male friend, and all he summed up was, like Xavour's school from the X-Men then.  I can confirm, yes, that was exactly how I felt in the school.  Posh flight school on an estate manor, stereotype two, tick.  

The facilities at Dibden Manor, based just on the edge of New Forest Park outside Southampton, were mainly computers and theory based facilities, with accommodation, catered facilities and meeting rooms.  The actual flight simulators were in the building in Southampton, the building I also visited back in November on one of their many open days.  The food served was very good, but then they did have their own in house chef and staff, while the drinks and snacks were abundant.  I finally came across the infamous Nespresso machine in the lounge area.  We were told to help ourselves, but quite frankly, none of us knew how to use the machine, which looked more like an alien machine!    

Waking up the next day in a daze, followed by pocking yourself in the eye while getting ready, is never the best start to the morning.  I guess broken sleep was better than no sleep at all.  Staying in the school grounds accommodation reminded me of being at Uni again, except I don't remember my dorm room being that small.  Maybe as time progressed my spacial awareness has changed, but there was a bed, ensuite and table with kettle with coffee and tea bags.  What else does a cadet need?  I mused that all the toiletries in the ensuite were from the Scottish company based in Falkirk.  Even the toiletries have travelled further in the UK than me!    

By the time I finished breakfast in the main building, and walked to the lounge to start the day, it was 8.15am and half the candidates had already arrived.  All smartly dressed in suits, we introduced ourselves within the group and started chatting quite freely, which was nice to break the ice.  By the time 8.30am rolled round we all noticed that there were in total, four female candidates up for selection.  That accounted for 30% of the candidates in today's selection (assessment) process.  We were all surprised as we acknowledged it was nice seeing to see so many representatives.  Though the number may not seem like a big deal within the selection group that day, trust me, in a room full of males, like at yesterday's dinner, it was a HUGE elephant.  Go gender equality!
   

Inside the room

As we were all applying for the Wings program, it was to be a collaborative day rather than competitive, which also helped with alleviating the pressure.  This was further confirmed in the opening 30 mins presentation which was given to us.  "If you meet the criteria today, you will be offered a place on the course".  We were also informed that it would be in our best interest to also work as a team as when you become a pilot it will be about team work, and will help you in the group assessment stage.  The presentation also covered briefly the outline of the course which we applied for, the run down for the day, what to expect, finished with any further questions we had.  I should say at this point that I think the presentation was 30 mins as I don't wear a watch, and as everyone also confirmed later, we were all mostly busy focusing on the tests themselves.   

As there was quite a few candidates at selection today, we were split into two groups when we started our assessments.  One group sat the maths and pilot aptitude tests first, while the other went to do their group assessment first.  After everyone was finished, we would swap assessments.  Though it didn't matter which assessments you did first, it's usually down to personal preference whether this actually did or not.  I'm not sure what I would have preferred, but I ended up doing the maths and pilot aptitude tests first.  You should note here that you don't get a choice, you're just simply told which group you're in.    

Lunch

Every forum and blog post which I have read, which was written about this day, concludes that you come out of the maths and pilot aptitude test feeling you failed, often miserably.  I was no different, to the point that upon bumping into a fellow selectee in the other group in the hallway, and her exasperated smile on her face as she sees my face, I'm sure I looked like a ghost.  Later in the afternoon as we got chatting at lunch, she mentioned our brief encounter in the hallway.  To which I then asked her, how did you find the tests?  We both laughed when she replied, "the same as you when you walked down the hallway!"  So I was certainly not in the boat alone, that was for sure.  Comforting?  I'll let you decide!   

The group assessment went quickly, which was surprising.  Without being able to divulge too much, as we were asked not to by the assessors, all I can say is, that it went by very quickly for a group assessment.  We were tasked a series of things, and surprisingly also completed them in a very short space of time.  Here, I thought I was more comfortable and in my element.  

Lunch was interesting in that, it was mostly just a blur.  Another selectee comforted with, we only have 30 mins more of this assessment before it's over, so not long.  I nodded in agreeance and continued eating my mish mash of a salad.  It was a buffet, and I was very indecisive of what I wanted to eat, so took a bit of everything - prawn in prawn cocktail sauce, tuna mayo, greens and a latte.  I also took a Kit Kat but ended up not eating this.  During this lunch time, we were also joined by two guys from the careers team, who had also just finished, or is finishing their flight courses.  One was also on the Wings course, and the other, on the modular course.  It was good to be able to talk to someone with insight, it's reassuring. 

After lunch, we were all scheduled for interviews.  It usually schedules with those who live furthest away, go first.  I was one of the earlier interviewees, but with a couple candidates from Dubai and France, I was certainly not the furthest!  The interview, I thought, went slow at times, but as I was thinking this, I looked at the clock and found that actually, the interview went by much quicker than in my head.  I wasn't sure how I did on this, just like I wasn't sure on certain parts of the pilot aptitude test.  This was mostly because you're not sure where the standard is, and what the assessors are actually looking for.  Literally, time will tell.  

As I sat back outside after my interview, another candidate had joined our little group.  It turned out that he was originally from Cape Town, South Africa, but no longer living there.  Not having an EU passport though, he was applying for a different course from us.  There were many French cadets roaming around also, as I found out last night.  Though I am surprised at the distance everyone was travelling to get here, I really shouldn't be considering the reputation, and that CTC is within the top two flight schools in Europe, and still within the top five in the world.           

Taking a walk in the New Forest NP, as you can see, it was really wet & flat! 

My flight home was supposed to have been at 8.20pm, it was then delayed further at the airport.  Due to that, I missed the last train home, thank goodness for taxis, and ended up back home in bed at 11.30pm.  From 6.30am, it was a long day.  Not as long, as I soon discovered, as waiting for the results to be emailed to us on Monday*. 

*Results are usually given back to the student the next working day, but because my assessment day was on a Friday, we all had an entire weekend to wait.