Pilot Recruitment Ireland

[EI-Shamrock]

Has anyone ever heard of Pilot Recruitment Ireland? I have had a look at their website www.pilotrecruitmentireland.com (http://www.pilotrecruitmentireland.com) and was wondering if anyone has any more info. I have no connection to them. They do some sort of modular training with a Canadian FTO. I've never actually heard of anyone who has trained with them. Anyone???

[Zyox]

Hi EI-Shamrock,

I'm heading out this Friday (August 4th) with 5 other guys to begin our training over in Canada through PRI. 3 others have already gone out a month ago and sent us emails, with quite positive feedback so far, which is good :)

I've talked to some of the school on the phone, and a few via email, and they're all really nice people to deal with. Very accomodating and nice. The whole price includes everything too. Meals, accomodation, cleaning (!!), 2 return flights, and all educational stuff needed incl headset. I like the sound of it, looked into it, had my uncle who's a flight school inspector in Canada look into it, and all came back positive. Plus there's a college down in Cork that handles JAA conversions based specifically on this course (the guy running it did the PRI course, from what I've read).

Try the "Training In Canada" thread in this forum, more of it was covered there. There are a few others here going out as well, I'm sure they'll post.

Oh and once out there I intend to keep a weekly diary or so, hopefully with some video footage once I get out and buy a camera there, to help people deciding if they want to come in future and kinda track my pilot career in a corny cheesy way >_< I'll put a link up to that once it's going here for all you guys who keep wondering and asking questions, hopefully it'll help.

[EI-Shamrock]

I think I know who you're on about in Cork. Is he an instructor at Atlantic Flight Training (I don't train there btw)? I knew he trained in Canada but never coped on to the fact that he trained with PRI. :} Is the conversion included in the course price? What have past graduates done after finishing the training?

Best of luck :ok:

[fonz77]

Whats the deal with atpls, doesnt seem to be mentioned on the site.

[Ei-MPB]

Hi Shamrock,
I've been looking into these too, and it all sounded too good to be true!
Great to hear some positive feedback, and Zyox, I'll be keeping an eye out for you Dairy!
Ei-MPB

[EI-Shamrock]

On their website it says they help to find their graduates employment. I'd still like to know where past graduates have ended up.

At around €56k including everything(!) it's very good value for money.

I'll be keeping an eye out for that diary too!

[Zyox]

I'm not sure if the guy from Cork actually did it with PRI, just the school itself most likely, before PRI was even around. I think it's fairly new in these last few years. As far as I know it's expanding to become international this year.

I'm leaving tomorrow so I don't really have a good idea about past graduates or even what it's like. Gimme a week and I'll give you a more informed reply ;) However I do know that at the moment at least they are quite good with finding you something to build up hours. The main way is by giving you an instructor license and then you train in the school for them once you finish, and get paid to do so. Sounds like a nice deal to me, especially after reading some of the horror stories on here.

Oh and regards ATPL, they don't do that as part of this course. If you check the actual Algonquinn flight school website you can see what the place offers. All PRI does for now is PPL and CPL and instructor license and then help you build your hours up after. Most likely they will of course help you get your ATPL if that's the path you want to pursue.

Anyhoo, more in a few weeks :) Promise.

[Ei-MPB]

Cheers Zyox, I'd be particularly interested in how much they pay you when you become an instructor with them!

[captwannabe]

This seems like a very good deal, especially if you consider the €95k to train with Sigmar in South Africa (Don't shout at me for saying that!). PRI has the potential to become a very successful FTO, especially if they develop links with airlines.

[EI-Shamrock]

It sounds like you're enjoying the experience! Any news on whether one of ye is setting up a website so that those of us back home can see what it's like? Give us a shout in the Flying in Ireland forums too if you have the time! I'm sure the guys there will be interested to hear how you're getting on.

All the best,
Shamrock

[EI-Shamrock]

Thanks Ricky! Good luck to you and all the others out there :ok:

[ACP]

Hi Ricky1,
I have never been to PRI, but I just want to let you know that each school will tell you that they might hire you as instructor and all the bla bla bla. It's marketing.
I did all my training in Canada, Instructor rating, A320 rating, then I went to Uk and got a JAR licence etc. If your goal is to get a JAR licence, don't waste your time in Canada. The training is well below the JAR standards, and the written tests are really easy compared to the JAR ones. With a Canadian license and 300 hrs TT, you won't get a job in Canada. Even if you become instructor, it will take a long time before you might be givenen a chance to fly a light twin. Most of my friend are still instuctor with over 3000 hrs on C152s, they are paid peanuts :yuk:. Waste of time, and waste of money
Please stop dreaming that they will help you to get a job at the end of your training. There are plenty of guys with CPL/IR and 300 hrs TT still on the ground.
a first class pilot for a very reasonable price.

:p believe me, airlines really don't care of this, if you don't have at least a type rating and/or valuable flight experience
STOP DREAMING, START FLYING

One more thing, if you expect to work in Canada, you should start asap the process for the resident card (take about a year and 2000$). You will never find a company that will help you to get a work visa, too much Canadian pilots on the ground.

[Zyox]

Oh my where did this thread disappear to.

Sorry for not replying in ages guys.
I've been keep a little diary of things going on, so you can check it out. Kinda proof that all is well and good here and the training is going really well (_extremely_ happy with the flight school).

http://www.flashbanf.net - That should point you there :)

Oh and quickly to clear up those horribly nasty comments by ACP...
- The chances of most of us getting instructor jobs here are very high. Trust me ;)
- PRI have already given us visa applications forms for a Student Permit and are helping us fill them out. Once 2007 hits they will be getting us work permits so we can continue there as instructors with AFC.
- I don't work for PRI :P


Hope the website helps some of you out if you're thinking about it :) I'm really happy with the training and accomodation here, confident I made the right choice blahdey blah you get the point.
Sorry it took so long to update people :)

[VORTIME]

Are their 172's good? What sort of standard are the a/c in general? Digital avionics?


VT

[Zyox]

There's currently 2 172's. One of them is at the school, and is it good nick and flown regularly. The other is at the float base on floats for float-plane rating stuff and I've only ever seen it from the outside.

The majority of the training is done in the 152s all of which are in good working order and well kitted out. 3 have digital radios, one has a twisty knob thing one. The rest of the instruments are all vacuum/pitot-static etc as standard.

Oh and the twin looks slick but us newbies aren't allowed even breathe on it :) Biding our time til we get our hands on it for commercial.

So overall I'm happy with the standard of them as is everyone else, with the one complaint that when you overfill one of the tanks on the long range 152 it tips to the left ever so slightly and for that petty reason I hate it :P

[VORTIME]

Ah, minor problem. They have 1 C172 - what if a student is doing a course, say IR and the 172 goes tech or for an annual? I'm seriously considering going over but would like to see more advanced aircraft at the school.

Sounds like everyone is having a great time there which can only be good though!! Is there Guinness nearby??

VT