Oxford to relocate to Sabena Flight training

[SkyRocket10]

I was glancing over the online OATS course prospective for the APP and was surprised to notice that they are no longer conducting flight training at Tyler.
It appears all US based operations have been relocated to Sabena Flight Training in Phoenix.

As a prospective student I was amazed there had been no official announcement!

Can anyone shed any light on the reasoning behind this move?

[FlyingForFun]

Well, when I told a Phoenix-based friend of mine that I was going to be doing my CPL in Florida, he asked why I was going to be so far east, it would be nice if I could head to Arizona since I haven't seen him for a couple of years. I told him there were no schools out that way that did JAR training, and suggested that if he could set one up, I might change my mind. Maybe he took me a little too seriously?

Ok - I have no idea what the real reason is. But I notice from their website that they still use Tyler for the modular training, which adds even more intrigue.

FFF
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[oxford blue]

An explanation is given on Oxford's own website on this (http://www.oxfordaviation.net/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=849) link.

[fly-half]

It's absolutely the right decision to make and I congratulate the management to take it! Tyler was simply in no way a "fair-weather base". The students (customers) will now benefit from the superb weather in Phoenix.

I just hope they don't find their instructor has 6 or 7 students like was common in Tyler when I was there. The weather was to blame for my 4 week delay, apparently and nothing to do with the fact that I had to share my instructor with 6 other students. Sorry, that should be 6 other customers.

[FlyingForFun]

Well, good luck to them. I quite possibly would have chosen Tyler to do my CPL if it wasn't for the weather meaning that it would have taken longer than Florida, so it sounds like a smart move.

(It is a pity that this didn't happen 6 months ago, though, because the bit about wanting to find a CPL school out west so that I could visit my friends in Phoenix was completely true! Too late now, I'm all booked up, and nearly packed, for EFT.)

FFF
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[loulou]

Hi

I did my training overthere few years ago
you will find nice pics on these websites

www.sfa.be

www.xaviation.be.tf

www.avialins.be.tf

www.run.to/sfa

Enjoy:cool:

[Speevy]

Hi guys a couple of questions:

1. Is oxford going to promote/sell any FAA courses now that they have moved everything to Phoenix?

2. Did they buy Sabena or they are just renting the facility, instructors and aircrafts?

I would like to understand exaclty what they did, you see until a couple of years ago they were having all the vfr part of the ABinitio done in Phoenix (MESA) then they decided to open up a flight school on their own (better cost effectiveness) and try to break into the american market.
Did they change their mind about it?

It's nice to see that in the last 3 years they have changed location at least 3 times (this is the fourth!!!), so the costumers can enjoy different wx and enviroment (isn't for this reason?!?!?!).

I would like to have more info about all the employees they had in Tyler and what happened to them, maybe OXFORD BLUE can answer!!

[oxford blue]

I am not a member of Oxford's management, nor is it any part of my duties as an employee to post on pprune.

I suggest you put your question on the @SK OXFORD forums on this (http://www.oxfordaviation.net/forum/default.asp) link, where it can be answered at the appropriate level.

[Regis Potter]

Speevy,

You sound like either a disgruntled ex-employee or student of one of the OAT associates.

The important consideration in this case is that Arizona, specifically the Phoenix area, enjoys a good climate for VFR flight training. This has been demonstrated over many years - indeed OAT has had associations with the region for some time. The U.S. offers undeniable advantages over E.U. in terms of tax and currency exchange; hence it makes sense to locate a fair weather base in a place where the weather is good VFR and costs are potentially less.

I have flown out of Scottsdale myself and found the area excellent and weather very good. In addition to plenty of attractions,aside from flying, the locals are enthusiastic and very welcoming.