Airways Flight Training Exeter

[slow_bird1]

hi

has any one had any dealings with airways flight training in exeter? also does any one have any views or experiance in converting a faa cpl/ir to jaa??

thanks alot

d

[Aircart]

I Used AFT for my IR conversion and CPL, had no probs with them.
Instructors are good and the nice thing is that the price you are quoted for a course is the price you pay! Only thing to add is the CAA flight test fee.

I over ran my IR conversion by 2hrs due to bad ILS! but did CPL in 15hrs on the dot.

Hope this helps

AC

[lookoutbelow]

I have recently completed the JAR CPL and now have the JAR ME IR to complete. I have looked at a number of schools but am leaning towards Airways Flight Training at Exeter.

Unfortunately, I haven't yet had a chance to visit them and and I need to make a decission in the next few days. Can any of you guys give me some feedback on them or any FTO's you would recommend for the ME IR?

[lumbertoast]

I'm a military mate and as such most people I come across who have gone down the Licence route have used AFT. Thus it followed, so did I!

There are obviously a lot of professional outfits out there, but AFT certainly gets a big thumbs up from me and my peers. They are professional, but still small enough to be friendly, and the level of instruction was sound. All the staff were highly experienced and very helpful. There was no messing about , and the pace of the course was tailored to as fast as you could keep up. From my limited experience, the ac operated were good for the job and the routes interesting, varied and demanding. There is always a real cross-section of people going through, which adds to the atmosphere, and there were plenty of B & Bs, pubs, etc., in the area to keep one accommodated and occupied.

The main point for me was their 'can-do' attitude, with a real sympathy and drive for the timetable that I was working to. Admittedly, I spent a fair amount of cash there, but they never gave me the impression of spending it for me or seeing me as just another cash-cow. They struck the right balance with the individual in convincing you that your business was important to them. It is obviously a company that is thriving and from my research were competitive and vfm.

One tip would be to ensure that the period you want to be there for, is not overloaded with similar students, as the demand on the same ac at similar times may affect your progress through the IR.

Having just read what I have written, I feel like writing something negative but can't. This is obviously a very personal opinion and there are no doubt one or two people out there who may beg to differ. I have recommended them on a number of occasions and will continue to do so.

Good luck with whoever you lump for - just remember not to get too depressed when you realize you're crap at NDBs!

Lumbertoast

[lookoutbelow]

Thank you for the information. I spoke to them a few days ago and they sounded very friendly and were not afraid to say that they were a small but professional outfit as you said.

Can I ask, Did you "pay as you go" for your training or pay for the course on a package basis. I see on their website that the ME IR Course is quoted as £9,450 (if you have a CPL), which includes 20 Hrs SIM, 15 Hrs PA28/R, 15 Hrs Dutchess, vat, all approaches, all landings, 170a test and A/C hire for the CAA test. Having spent the morning on other FTO's websites doing my research this certainly seems very competitive indeed (especially as 30 Hrs of the course is airborne compared to a number of other FTO's where you do 35 SIM then only 15 Hrs Multi!). Did this fit in with what you experienced?

[daniel berner]

hi lads,
can anyone give me some up to date info on airways and exeter where the conversion is completed...Ive read through some old posts but would love to hear how its running now before i bite the bullet.....im currently distance learning at the london met university and shouldnt be to long before my first set of exams....i believe thats when hell on earth starts..!!!

thanks for your help....

danny.

[Whispering Giant]

Danny,

I am currently doing my CPL skills module at Airways flight training in Exeter. You can't go wrong by choosing them for doing your CPL and IR.
The instructers are excellent and all of them have a military background and were qualified QFI's in the Airforce, a couple of them are ex CFS ( Central Flying School ) - Not only that they all have flown for various Airline's and several of them were also training captains. The CFI ( Brian Marindon ) is an ex Cathay Pacific training Captain and the deputy CFI ( Ted welstead ) is also a CAA Examiner.
The training you get there is first class and is off the highest quality they have a very high first time pass rate for both the CPL ( approx 95% first time pass Rate ) and for the IR ( approx 85-90 % first time pass rate.)
The aircraft are also top quality as well with HSI/RMI fitted to all the aircraft ( at the moment the warrior has it's HSI removed for maint) and one of the arrow's also has a Garmin 430 combined nav/com/GPS setup.
The sim side of thing's is about to be upgraded - at the moment they use a frasca 142, but in the next 6-8 week's a new sim is being installed which is based on the Duchess which has a computer generated display for the cockpit window's simulating the outside world.
They are very highly regarded as a training orginisation by several airlines and by the military as they do a lot of military conversions there.
If you would like any more info then drop me a line.

brgds
W.G

[lookoutbelow]

Did my IR with them earlier this year. Passed in Min time and first time. Couldn't agree more with the above! Excelllent Instructors, good aircraft, friendly staff, excellent value for money, what more do you want from an FTO. The photos on the walls tell the story!
In my opinion you won't go wrong with AFT. Keep up the good work guys..

[daniel berner]

thanks for the help chaps...as i say atpls first and then the fun begins....but good feedback is good to hear so my minds as good as made up...

good luck

danny.

[Jaydee27]

I'm very interested in this school for my IR - have only heard good things about them.

However, I'm wondering how I'll get on as a non Military pilot?

Has anybody on here been through there without a military background? - And how did yu fit in?

[lookoutbelow]

Jaydee27,

Please check your PM's.

Lookoutbelow

[Down 'n' Hanging]

Airways are very good, but also consider Flightpass at Exeter.

Fairly new school. but excellent well experienced instructors and facilities according to a mate of mine who was there last year on a Flight Instructor Course.

Always good to have a couple of options.

Good luck

D 'n' H

[So Now What?]

I can only agree with D'n'H. If you are making the trip to Exeter the least you should do is drop in and look around Flightpass.
I took my I.R. with them this year and I am happy to recommend them to anyone, the facilities and instruction are indeed excellent.

The school is relatively new but the instructors are very experienced. The I.R syllabus although new provides a really smooth learning curve steadily building your capacity (it worked for me). One other thing to mention is the atmosphere, you are made to feel like a part of the team and everyone there is happy to help in any way they can.

Good luck with the IR Jaydee!

[I'll Be Realistic]

I went to AFT just a few weeks ago and past my IR there. Very friendly all round. I would recommend it anytime. Of course, I didn't change schools as I had no reason to, so I have no basis for comparison.

However, as a non-military student, I was treated very well, and didn't feel I needed to be one.

Call or go and see Brian. He will show you his splendid fleet of BE76 (three of them plus another they can hire if required). All the insructors are helpful too. I hear the new sim has arrived. Not been down to play with it yet though.

IBR

[Canada Goose]

MEIR Conversion

I was hoping that Diamond Geezer's earlier post may have drawn more response but I guess being the festive season most people are out and about rather than surfing pprune and the like!

Anyway, it's a bit of a loaded question but, simply do I choose Airways Flight Training in Exeter (some 200+ miles away) or Ravenair in Liverpool (some 35 miles away - and thus allowing me to commute from home, or my parents house some 3-4 miles away)?

There seems to be quite a bit of good feedback wrt AFT, but not a huge amount for Ravenair, and I seem to recall hearing not so positive things about them a couple of years ago.

I've got to make a decision reasonably quickly and your feedback would be greatly appreciated and if people want to remain anonymous, then please PM me !

Thanks you.

CG. :)

[Sir Stanley Bigh]

Ravenair is an excellent school. I did all my training with them from first trial lesson to CPL and IR. They are well regarded within the airline industry and their AOC pilots seem to go on to bigger and better things very quickly. Like all schools there will be days when lessons are cancelled for whatever reason i.e. weather or tech a/c, but this happens at any flying school. At least they have plenty of aircraft thus making a tech cancellation fairly unlikely.

And in your case the geographical proximity is a definite bonus!

[genius747]

Hello,

I hope to do my full MEIR at Airways Flight Training in Exeter. I know little or nothing about them except for a recomendation from a good friend. I have emailed the school and they seem nice.

Does anybody know if the course price quoted (50hrs with the JAA CPL) is fairly accurate. Should I factor in appoach fees, landing fees, surcharges etc...?

Also I would love to hear from anybody that has completed the MEIR with them to get an idea of what to expect.

Thanks Pilots.

G747

[pipergirl]

everything is included in the price...I was looking at Airways and paid a visit to them a few months ago
It's a really good setup and my friend has just finished his CPL, ME/IR down there and nothing but praise for the place.:ok:
You won't be going wrong heading down there ;)
There is a lovely lady there, Pauline, who will give you any information that you need, either via email or over the phone...

[genius747]

thankx pipergil, any chance you could pm me an email addess for you friend, would like to ask him a few questions I have about the place?

Thanks again

G747

[Dude~]

Highly recommend them.

Great location, great people, great prices.

I paid not a single extra. Even Duchess hire is included for the IR test.

PM me for more info.

[lookoutbelow]

Also, highly reccomend them. Fully inclusive price including as much coffee/tea as you can drink and parking at the airport (otherwise £5 a day!!). Exceelent instructors and highly professional and helpful.

LOB

[tailwheel76]

Airways are very good. The trainers are vastly experienced and professional but the school maintains a friendly club like atmosphere, you're made to feel at home and valued. There's a nice atmosphere at Exeter and its ideal, I think, for training, busy enough to get a feel for commercial operations but not too busy so you cant concentrate on whats being taught. Money wise they are great, I don't remember paying anything until I'd finished and never got hassled. When I did it the cost quoted was inclusive of everything, the only extra was landing fees on a trip to Guernsey as it was a nice day. They are very flexible as well and can fit your training in around your timescales.

Good luck and enjoy.

[Dude~]

Just don't let the military jet jocks distract you when they come along and do their IR in 5 hours while you're slogging away round endless NDB holds!:)

[tailwheel76]

I found the military guys struggled just as much. The skills for flying a Tornado at 500ft or a chopper are a bit different to those required in a Duchess tracking an NDB with a cross wind in IMC and one engine!

[Dude~]

Sure they struggled a bit, but in my experience they picked it up extremely quickly and were very sharp indeed. Particularly the Harrier guys who had enormous mental capacity, rarely got overloaded and who had incredible handling skills. Duchess flying at 130kts certainly is different for them though.

I found the presence of the military guys lent a bit of interest to the atmosphere and was generally surprised to see that they are not all cocky so and so's that I mistakenly anticipated!

[C130Dreamer]

Top CFI, very very experienced instructors, & a lovely gall in the front office who drives a really old scruffy red car. :E

They are THE BEST your money can buy. I did my CPL and ME/IR at AFT, and if they can get me through both my flight tests first time and on budget, they must be good! :}

[chipieflyer]

Can't recommend them highly enough. Just completed my conversion from FAA to JAA IR/CPL (after attending Riverside in the States) and managed to get first time passes in both.

Great atmosphere at the school, great instructors (they manged to get me through!) and a good airport to train from (some commercial traffic but not too much to get in the way).

[nakbin]

chipieflyer,

what are your thoughts about riverside? did you already have a PPL (or other licence(s)) when you went there or did you train from 0 hours?

are their PPL instructors generally newly-qualified low-hours pilots or are they more experienced? what was the quality of instruction like and what condition are there planes in? Do they have maintenance facilities on site etc?

Is the instructor:student ratio okay? Any other information and opinions would also be appreciated!

Thanks

[planeshipcar]

any comments?

[Whispering Giant]

Did My CPL and IR there - all i can say is they are fantastic !!, all instructors are retired airline pilot's - so you get proper instruction and not just some hour builder instructing you.
They have a very high reputation within the industry and this shows as they have a waiting list for people wanting to do courses there as they are continually full.

brgds
W.G

[tomcs]

I did my IR there about 2 years ago....cannot recommend them highly enough. As previous posts say....everything included in the price which is very competitive!

All the instructors are extrememly experienced, and the exeter airport has all the things you need for the training radar, ndb ils etc and there are good airports around it BRS BOH YVL etc for those training routes.

I would use them again without hesitation!

tomcs

[wbryce]

Hello,

Are there any past or present students from either outfits above who can give me a little bit of insight on their standards of training etc (CPL/IR/ME)...

I've done a search and theirs not much on Airways and PAT (sorry scroggs, but their generic name and shortened alias of PAT was murder to find search results!! but i'm sure the masterful Searching Scroggs may proove me wrong!)

Both outfits are virtually the same in price, both offer use of FNPT 1 free during training and both are based at well equiped airfields (bournemouth and exeter).

Airways look like they have a A-list of well experienced instructors which stands out a bit.


Thanks,

[Sky Wave]

I can't comment on Airways, but I can recommend PAT.

Take a look at this thread http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=233912

The above link contains links to all of the other PAT threads that I know of.

SW

[Beta Range]

Without a doubt....Airways Flight training!!

['Chuffer' Dandridge]

Oh yes, AFT gets my vote.

They got me, a confirmed VFR man more used to flying non-radio vintage kites than airways, through the multi IR with a first time pass....:ok:

PS there was a slight incentive on my part, in that I didnt have any more money left to re-take it.....:{

[K.Whyjelly]

Have to agree with most of the posters on here about the quality and value given at AFT. The instructors when I was there a few years back now, were pin sharp and did all they could to get you through in min time but not at the expense of slack instruction.

At the time I was there the operation was highly thought of (as was Bristol G/S) by guys needing to do courses in their allocated leave periods and the school geared up to this mentality.

Not all the studes were ex FJ mates and not all of us had the spare capacity of others (my sim buddy was at the time down from a Yeovilton SHAR sqn and to watch him make origami birds whilst flying a S/E NDB and turn around in his seat to discuss the nights beer plan, was.........). Well thats how unfazed he seemed to be by it all unlike me, learning the black art of NDB's and gates and pre-gates!!!:confused:

Not wishing to blow my own trumpet, just showing that with the right instruction and motivation (and a bit of previous flying experience) you don't have to sell your soul to the devil (or bank manager) and do heaps of flying. I did 6 sorties of around one hour and then the IRT with a first time pass.

Thank you AFT :D

[pipergirl]

Right,
I am off to Airways in a few weeks after a long agonising weighing up of who to go to for my IR...phew!

Can anyone reccommend some good value accomodation in Exeter for during my IR?:}

[svenny]

There's a great little B & B called saundercroft, 5 mins drive from the airport, as well as a seperate room where you can set all your books up in to study.

pm me if you want the phone number

svenny

[dinoorin]

Hi all,
Just to re energise this thread. Anyone been through recently.
Considering this FTO for later this year.
Any insight on standards etc great fully received.
Thx

[Moodster]

I completed my CPL & IR there last year.

It's a top school with excellent instructors. Brian and the team really do make you feel at home. You won't feel like just another number or pound sign. The instruction is great and they are really helpful and patient.

I'd recommend that you go and pay them a visit. I made my mind up on my first visit there and so did everyone else I met there.

I'd recommend them to anyone looking to do their CPL/IR.

[mad_jock]

I personally haven't been there but....

I have had several instructor mates who had taken a training break because of the industry to instruct before completing IR.

Now these lads are all good instructors in thier own right.

To a man they have all express there staisfaction with the standard of instructing and also the proffessionalism of the staff. It has not been unique for them to say that they will also be better ppl instructors after the IR course because of the example the instructors showed while teaching them.

The other thing I like is that they seem to teach the whole syllabus and not just teach for the test so some of procedures that they might get away with missing out eg DME arc's get taught by them as standard.

The FO's I have flown with who have completed thier IR have all been competent with exposure to the full tool box of IR skills. Bit rusty and a bit in shock jumping from 90knts approach speed to 140 but they soon settle down.

So as a customer of the product coming out the door I would give them the thumbs up as well.

[I'm Off!]

AFT are a great bunch of instructors, and they will dig out blind for you to help you as much as they can. Cannot recommend them strongly enough, why not stop by one day and have a chat with Brian?

[dinoorin]

Cheers guys. I feel a road trip coming on.
Appreciate input and feadback.

Another quickie, does everyone agree with earlier posters ref accommodation suggestions.

Happy landings all. :ok: