PPSC Remembered. The Professional Pilots Study Centre

[robione]

To those who dont remember it,it was probably the best place on earth to go study for CAA and JAA ground studies.Based at Bournemouth International Airport.I think it closed in around 2003.The place was very well organised,very professional,and probably the best group of instructors your money could buy, all rolled into one.I studied my ATPL subjects there and passed them all,after a lot of failures,but eventually got there.I dont fly currently,but remember it with great fondness.David Webb,John Standen,Keith Williams,to mention a few legends.Another lovely bloke called John someone ,cant remember his surname either.He was an ex-British Airways flight engineer on the 747,he had some great stories to tell.Roger head of training,his surname evades me as well.Im sure someone will remind me.I was there late 99 and 2000.Not many scousers there at the time only me i think.Im sure theres lots of chaps and girls on here who studied there who likewise will remember it with fondness.Be good to hear from any students around the time and any other time with some stories to share about the place.You got your work done and there was time for a giggle in the lessons as well which helped a lot.Some characters there as well.For those who remember and for obvious reasons i will not mention the name of the instructor,but the Police arrived at the school and arrested him,alledgedlly ahhmm,he had set fire the previous evening to his ex-girlfriends new boyfriends car outside her home.Roger the head of training asked the Police could they not come back for him later as he was holding a class,no was the reply and off they went with him.He was a lovely bloke really,just something i saw as funny at the time.Not sure if ive shoved this in the correct forum,but it does relate to Professional studies i think.Be good to hear other students comments who studied there, and there memories and comments and stories as well.

[paco]

Many of them are still around there in some form or another! David Webb is currently with Cabair in Bournemouth and still doing those great graphics. Was it Roger Henshaw you were thinking of?

[G-SPOTs Lost]

Was there about 10 years ago, DW was one fo the most memorable instructors. The Ultimate WIWOL! Vividly remember him saying one time about some aspect of flying lost on a class full of wannabees "In my experience which is not inconsiderable......." - Classic, was also the first time I heard the "Pull the stick - cows get smaller" line nearly pissed my pants!

By god he knew his stuff though and made POF almost learnable, overall a very nice chap. Drove a huge jag as I remember.

And chain smoking JS, didn't get Met first time around so had to do one of his refreshers one weekend another very nice chap.

PPSC did alright by me, I was very surprised and saddened they went under - they seemed to have an almost winning formula, There was a thread around at the time, I think there was a lot of politics involved.

10/10 for PPSC

[JB007]

Dave Webb Quotes:

"It's not a real aircraft if it hasn't got a trigger..."

John, the ex BA FE, who was also The Sultan of Oman's FE before he took delivery of his B744's, went to Oxford I think...

[youngskywalker]

Yes DW on another side tracked moment..."carol Vorderman, now theres a thinking mans totty!"

[G-SPOTs Lost]

JB - I remember that one.......

"Two types of aircraft Fighters and Targets" being another

And yes John the old boy 747 FE

Newbie wannabee sat there in Aircon & Press, John kept going on about the "BRT"........ picture numerous wannabees depserately flicking through manuals and glossary trying to find reference to "BRT".........

Goes on for three days, it was the only topic outside where everybody smoked nobody knew what the "BRT" was and everybody was too daft to ask.

Anyway last day of Aircon somebody says " errrrrhmmmmm wots a BRT"

"Ah.................Big Round Thing - Engine!"

Class promptly abandoned due to hysterical laughter and odd smells in classroom....... Classic!

Another reference to John

When discussing the windscreen incident on the BA BAC-111, apparently John relayed that after the event he got talking to the chap who had been 1/2 sucked out of the aircraft. Apparently when he was discussing if he was worried for his life, he relayed that the badly injured chap was worried less about dying but more about the camp BA steward who was in the cockpit holding onto his feet for dear life who also had his chin in the unfortunate chaps groin!!!!!!

I remember John Standen telling is all he had this lovely 23yr old Hostie in tow, being as JS was on the wrong side of 50 then both in years and waist size nobody believed him until she pitched up one day to collect him looking like 1million$. Spent the rest of the course trying to find out what aftershave he used....Hai Karate if I recall........:p

Come on folks there must be more......

[youngskywalker]

Also Dave Webb, after spending what seemed like an age drawing up this complex mathematical equation on the board which had most of the class including myself completetly bewildered he announced..."still, never mind that crap, the answer to that question is always 'B'!

[MIKECR]

Martin Taggart, now teaching at GCNS. Best lecturer there.

[Dan Winterland]

I did my CPL by correspondence with PPSC. I thought the notes were OK at the time until I got my ATPL notes from Bristol Ground School. The PPSC notes seemed very amateurish in comparison. PPSC went south, BGS are going from strength to strength. PPSC didn't adapt to JARS.

[CAT3C AUTOLAND]

Also seem to recall another quote from David Webb.

"that is about as useful as tits on a nun".

Made me laugh. :D

[G-SPOTs Lost]

Just thought of another DW Classsic:

Whilst caressing red,blue,green,black dry wipe pens and discussing Carol Vorderman "I bet she bangs like a belt fed mortar"

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Have to say the PPSC notes were pants compared to BGS and as a correspondence brush upper I don't think spending three weeks in a portacabin was a particularly fine product either. The Admin and Management types were also disorganised and quite pushy in demanding fees.

Instructors like Dave Webb and John the Met Man were priceless though.

Its no wonder PPSC went under. The wife of the founder wasn't best placed to run the place in the medium term. By the 21st century no web use and cheaply printed black and white line drawn study notes clearly didn't have a bright future.

WWW

[Jonty]

Your all showing your age!!!

Now who remembers SECOAT? :{:{:{

[Charlie Foxtrot India]

Did all the study for CPLs by correspondence from PPSC back in 1990, so the only knowledge of the characters was comments in red pen! Only went into the portacabin once to hand in some work when doing my "cross channel check". Happy with it, they got through everything first time except for Perf E because the stuff they had sent me was out of date. :* Not wanting to go all the way back to Gatwick from Jersey to re-sit just one, did all the "optionals" at the same time. Still refer to their notes when I have a renewal coming up. Though have little use for decca and omega navigation these days.

Sad the wheels fell off it, I heard a lot of people lost a lot (except perhaps the lawyers)

[Daft Wader]

The ex FEng called John is the legendary John Hooper , possibly one of the nicest guys you will ever come across , last heard of at Oxford and no doubt enjoying Pompey being in the Premiership......

Daft Wader
:ok:

[cjd_a320]

Brings back some memories.... :)

"Wheels" or "dangle the Dunlops" John Hooper :)

Pete Swatton the Pref master......

Derrick "loins" ( second name escapes me)

Dave "tits on a nunn" Webb

Roger "wake up" Henshaw

John "mines a wallaby" Standen

Glad to here Martin still teaching.
It seemed a difficult time in late 98 early 99 at ppsc between a few staff.

[IRRenewal]

The place was very well organised,very professional

They went bust didn't they? Well organised, professional?

They cashed a mate's cheque for the ground school the day before they went under. It's called 'trading insolvent' and supposed to be illegal. Bunch of crooks if you ask me.

PS: that doesn't mean they didn't have some good instructors, but as an organisation they stank.

[expedite08]

They are part of Professional Air Training now. Rodger still leads the crew. Dont understand why people are moaning about the notes. Very comprehensive and based around the AP3456 from I could see. For those that dont know thats the RAF manual of flying. Yes they are wordy and technicaly very detailed but then again so is the FCOM i have recently borrowed from a friend, so in my opinion very realistic too! It not all watered down with pretty colour pictures in the real world!! :ugh:

As a combo PAT and GTS as they are now make a formidable package in flying training! And no, im not an employee, just a very pleased student who will be completing training with them in the new year after putting in on hold with them last year, (world economics providing :})

[Lightning Mate]

"Derrick "loins" ( second name escapes me)"

Derek Haughton.

Johns Hooper and Standen now retired.

[Dotun]

PPSC video on Met was great, got them just before they went under. Aced Met using them with 98%.:ok:

Regards
DMan

[inner]

I liked their books. Much better than the jeps we used.

[cjd_a320]

Thanks Lightning Mate . ( Not Mr Webb is it ? with a handle like that ?)

Do you know what Derek Haughton is upto these days?

[oceanicclarence]

Hi guys.I originally signed up with PPSC just before they went belly up, and then a few years later did my ATPL's with them when they became GTS.

Roger Henshaw, top bloke. A calming, knowledgeable, quiet, and very positive guy who has seen it all before, and WILL get you there if you let him (ask him about his times on the Nimrod for a few good laughs) John Hooper, ex BA Flight Engineer, full of stories, been there, done it and bought the t-shirt, and one of the nicest guys I have ever had the pleasure to meet. Dave Webb, total wenwewol and an absolute star, (wouldn't like to have met him from the opposing side....)and Pete Swatton, who (quite literally) wrote the book on performance.
Believe me, they managed to get me through 14 ATPL exams with much prodding, coaching, words of wisdom, and in particular Rogers 'Wake up'!!! when the mid summer afternoons were too much after the pie van visit and beating the resident dog (don't underestimate Bruno) away from my sandwich box. Happy days.

All good people though, and I look back on my time at Bournemouth with some very happy memories. Just a pity at the time it seemed like a nightmare!!

Enjoy it!! it's not forever!