Famous school or more multihours?

[elmange]

What's up party pilots!!!

My name is Magnus and I am currently reading my ATPL-theory in Stockholm, Sweden. When I'm finished, I am going to the US to fly (because it's cheaper there, but y'all knew that right?). I am thinking of a couple of schools and I would like your opinion in this:

Should I pick a school which/who can give me many multi-engine hours?

or

Should I pick a school which/who many swedish pilot attended in because of the "recognition-factor"? This school is NAIA in south Carolina.

Best answer gets a swedish trisslott. :ok:

[KrazyKraut]

Hello Magnus,

the question of whether it's worth spending lots of extra money on a "branded school" is being discussed here, amongst other threads:

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=201002

In the end, you need to make up your own mind. Some people think it's worth it, but the majority of pilots with jobs probably agree that a high quality of training is the most important thing in selecting a school, which you can get at less well known schools all the same.

If you want to fly in Europe, it won't matter at which FAA school you get your hours. Selecting the JAA school where you do your CPL/IR after finishing your ATPL theory is probably more important.

Multi hours are always good, although to really make a difference you need a LOT. 50 hours in a light twin (especially if you paid for them) means nothing to an airline.

What is a Trisslott, anyway?

How's the atmosphere at Sturecompagniet these days?

Good luck with the training,

KK

[elmange]

Thx for your fast reply.

I've been thinking the same thing actually. I am thinking of going to a school in Florida which offers about a 200 ME-hours and then who knows? I THINK I am going home after the programme to do IR/CPL flying tests in Europe. Then I might go back for some time building. In this business there are truly 1001 ways to go if you want a career. :)

Again, thanks alot.

Now. a Trisslott.

A trisslott is a hard word to translate for a mediocer-English-speaking guy like me... It's.... sort of a lottery ticket... You are supposed to get three amounts of money in the same lottery ticket(like 1000 SEK).

Hope you do realize that you are very close to winning one!

Sturecompagniet is what it is I guess. A little too much up nose people there if you ask me. Next time you come to Stockholm, go to the nearest cabdriver, shake his hand, and tell him:

"Take me to Cliff Barnes man. It's in Vasastan. There's an extra 500 SEK if you hurry, cuz there's a line/cue that is very slow after eleven."

Prepare yourself for a great night out in stockholm! ;)

[KrazyKraut]

Elmange,

is that school Ari Ben Aviator, by any chance??

Great place for getting cheap ME hours, but consider carefully.

A lot of people think that ME hours - or any hours - are not very valuable if you just bought them to fly solo and rack up your time.

Also bear in mind that under JAA rules you can only have one pilot logging the hours unless you fly with an instructor (whereas at said school you would mostly be sharing with another hour builder as part of the deal).

I would suggest you do what it takes to get your JAA qualifications out of the way, then you can reconsider.

Good luck,

KK

[Fair_Weather_Flyer]

Well Magnus, NAIA is a very well respected school and I have never heard a bad thing about them. I can only think that it would be money well spent. Lot's of Scandavian pilots are trained there and I think that will probably help you to get the job more than the multi hours. Having said that; when I made the choice I went for the multi hours and that worked out okay. Don't forget; although US training is cheap you will need an expensive and time consuming conversion to get your JAA ratings.

[elmange]

I heard that rumour about two pilots logging at the same time. I wonder how much a European employer investigates how my hours are built? Do they investigate in this alot?

Thx for your reply!

Yeah I know I have the conversion when I come back but I still believe the US is cheapest way. If I have to build the time in Sweden without knowing anyone (with a cheap PA28, Cessna for example) it will most certainly be more expensive to stay here in sweden.

[Icerman]

I guess NAIA is the most well known school through out Scandinavia.

Do you know about Scandinavian Aviation Academy in San Diego? I wonder what their reputation in Sweden is.

Cheers!
Icer

[KrazyKraut]

For cryin' out loud, people - these are schools might be called "Scandinavian" this or whatever, but they are AMERICAN SCHOOLS that give you FAA LICENCES! Not JAA!

Why get an American licence you don't need and then undertake extra training to convert to JAA - not to speak of flight tests that have quite different requirements than the FAA checkrides?

It isn't cheaper.
It isn't faster.

The FAA-convert-to-JAA route takes longer and costs more. Just because of the "image" of some particular school that might be well perceived by some Scandinavian airline? Is that the basis for picking your training school?

I've been around JAA flight training in Europe - and the USA - for a long time and never heard of "Scandinavian Aviation Academy". Nor, I think, have a lot of European airlines. That's because it's not a JAA school.

Get your JAA PPL FIRST, then get an FAA PPL licence issued on the basis of your JAA licence. Simple and cheap. Next, you can go to the states to rent cheap planes to attain 150 hours TT, prior to starting the CPL. Next you do the JAA CPL and IR.

If you think you need more multi-hours, next get aa FAA ME-PPL issued on the basis of your JAA CPL-ME-IR and do some more paid-for hour building (although the value of that is in question - see my previous post).

But at least you have the JAA licences in your pocket and can start applying for jobs in Europe - rather than have to undertake extra conversion training and flight tests once your FAA licences are done.

Do your research.

KK

Note: post edited for clarification.

[Martin1234]

Please, do give me a Swedish "trosslott", issued by the Swedish government-owned monopoly company which will only give me about 50% in return of the invested money. If I choose a UK company as Ladbrokes etc, I'll get more than 90% in return. Oh, it's a shame that foreign companies aren't allowed to advertise in Sweden!

To answer your question, I doubt that more than a few operators in Scandinavia actually know about schools in the US. Get as many hours as you can, it will look good on your CV. I'm not a fixed-winger myself, but I guess that hours do count the most while the name of a school in the US probably doesn't give you much help on "hemmaplan".

Added:

Don\'t forget that if you\'ve taken the ATPL theory in Sweden you need to take the CPL practical test under the supervision of a Swedish registered school as well. Once you have your CPL, you can add further ratings (IR, ME, type-ratings etc) in any JAA state(with Recommendation for Mutual Recognition). There is a provision in JAR-FCL 1.065(b) to transfer the ATPL theory passes to another country, but don\'t count on that the Swedish CAA will approve it.

[eahlund]

well to give the scoop on Scandinavien aviation academy at KSEE. I am currently studying at SAA in their JAA ATPL ABintro course and doing the initial flight training here at Gillespie. The school is topnotch and the facilities here are great, located in the same building as the Jet Air FBO. From what i researched in sweden, SAA and BFSAA are the best routes to go for becoming a pilot, except for of course TFHS.
PM if i can help with anything regarding the school.

[Özcan]

After your atpl theory goto kungsair in norrköping and do the ME/IR/CPL schooling. pretty good prices, it's all finished pretty quickly and i've heard its topnotch. I'm planning on doing my CPL/IR/ME there aswell

[Icerman]

Yes, SAA is not giving JAA training.

KrazyKraut one might go the FAA route to earn hours as a flight instructor.

[KrazyKraut]

Yes, one might.

But one might also consider getting the JAA licences FIRST to start applying for JAA jobs.

One could then get one's JAA licences to FAA to start building hours in America.

Or alternatively, one could just earn hours instructing in a JAA country in the first place.

KK

[elmange]

Krazykraut!!!


That has been my idea the whole time. To go to the states and get the FAA licenses and then come back to sweden to get my IR/CPL JAA. after that I will PROBABLY go back to the states to build time as an instructor (if I dont find a way to time in Europe). From the states I will then apply for jobs in Europe and monthly update my CV (hello! now I have XXX hour! and so on) Doesn't that sound like a plan?