Suspension of flight training by flying clubs in Malaysia

[bravojs]

As per above. Anybody affected?

[Sultan Ismail]

SPL's. CFI's, RFI's, AFI's and anyone making a living from flight training :*

Does free up the aircraft for PPL's however :)

[flyboylipad]

what is the reason of the suspension?

[cagivaplanet]

Last heard was because DCA doing audit on all flying clubs. At least one more month to go. Just have to wait it out. No choice here.

[mingalababya]

Is it just the flying clubs or does it include the flight training academies as well? (eg, MFA, HM Aerospace etc) .. just curious.

[airplane79]

I got a friend in MFA saying that they keep rolling...

Could the suspension due to a series of small plane crashes recently?

[Sonic69]

Yes, the suspension only affects Flying Clubs. The academies are still going on with their training.

Yes, this is in response to the 3 accidents over the span of 3 or so months. 2 aircraft from a club in Senai. 1 from Subang.

The actual story is DCA has been threatening to conduct this audit for some time already. Could be a year. They sent out circulars for clubs to adhere to ICAO guidelines. But, they are really shorthanded and therefore did not take proactive measures to ensure this was being complied with. So, 3 accidents later, they suspend all flight training for clubs until an audit has been done. Talk about closing the barn door after the animals have fled. :ugh: How long this will take is anybody's guess. TIM (This Is Malaysia). Be prepared for a loooooonnng, drawn out and painful process. I pity the students that have not done their checkrides.

I'll still be happily flying while all this is going on. More time for me to clock hours! :D

[lesenterbang]

Saw 9M-RED flying to PEN yesterday. Wasn't that C-172 operated by a flying club?

[SmileAirlines]

The suspension only applies to flight training. Those with PPLs or higher licenses are still able to fly using the club's airplanes, hence some of those airplanes belong to the flying clubs are still flying....

JA

[9v-SKA]

Oh shucs, I was just planning to go down to Johor to submit my application for my certificate of validation tomorrow (27July).
Can't find any details on the DCA website.

[Syrian Aviator]

3 accidents? where? when? 2 from Senai? please advise more info, Thanks

[9v-SKA]

I only knew that one of the accident aircraft was based in Senai. Don't know of any accidents in Senai.

[9v-SKA]

Anyone got more details on the suspension? Still undecided if I should go ahead and join a club and submit the COV application. I'm running out of time on currency.

[bravojs]

anyone knows how long this audit will take?

[9v-SKA]

According to a club captain at Senai, he told me that audits are expected to start next week. Not sure if he meant this coming monday week or the next monday.

As of now, the order issued by DCA is very confusing. Different interpretations by different DCA officials.

Was adviced to wait a week or two before everything becomes clearer.

[ssangyongs]

i know that yellow banana from senai that crashed in Melaka...but the other notable crash is the one in Ipoh...a plane from an FTO...that's a serious one..

and let's not forget a flying sortie in Kluang where the grumpy sultan's cucu on ride..although the instructor managed to force land the plastic eagle safely but he was so afraid of getting the stick from the grumpy old man he never set foot or fly to johor for months...

i think DCA should suspend training in HM, itns and APFT too...

[Sonic69]

Do not join any club yet! Unfortunately, your currency will probably expire by the time they sort themselves out. You'll be worse off throwing a couple of thousand ringgit to a club that is in no position to offer you anything in return until they are audited and get clearance from DCA to resume training activities.

[Sonic69]

anyone knows how long this audit will take?

Bravojs, unfortunately, this is anyone's guess. There is probably only 1 person in DCA tasked with this audit, and I'm sure his desk is groaning with the weight of all the Ops Manuals and SOPs that have been submitted by the various flying clubs nationwide keen to get the audit over and done with. Not to mention that he would probably have to visit each club to ensure that they have their classrooms with visual aids and other criteria that have to be complied with as per ICAO recommendations set up properly.

Oh, here's another doozy. ICAO guidelines recommend the ratio of Students to Instructors be 6:1. Haha, what a joke. As it is, Malaysia is already so short of instructors and almost impossible for anyone to become one, and DCA is not only doing nothing to increase instructor numbers locally, they have so many restrictions on hiring foreign instructors that you just want to tear your hair out in exasperation! No wonder it has not achieved much in General Aviation even with no taxes on aircraft or aviation related equipment.

[bravojs]

thanks Sonic69 for your insight.

[airplane79]

Any latest update?

[KaptenLanun]

As it is, Malaysia is already so short of instructors and almost impossible for anyone to become one, and DCA is not only doing nothing to increase instructor numbers locally, they have so many restrictions on hiring foreign instructors that you just want to tear your hair out in exasperation!

Brought my kid to a few flying clubs a couple days ago......What surprises me most is the standards of the NEW BORN instructors in Malaysia........:=!!!!
Pure shocking as they dun even know the requirement for VFR flight.....:{!!!!

Hope all these "STANDARDS" issues will be sorted out after the DCA audit!!!! :ok:

Selamat Terbang!!!

[Sonic69]

Exactly! Can't the DCA align standards to countries like Canada and Australia? Some theories put forward on why DCA only approves integrated CPL/ATPL courses is they are protecting the local Malaysian pilots (Airforce or otherwise) from competition from foreign pilots. Shouldn't that be their Ministry of manpower's job?

The various licences and ratings that the academies should be able to offer are:
1. PPL
2. Multi-Engine rating
3. Instrument rating
4. CPL
5. Instructor rating
6. ATPL
7. Complex aircraft endorsement (Constant Speed Unit, Retractable Undercarriage, Flaps)
8. High Performance endorsement (above 200hp engine)
9. Floatplane endorsement
10. Turbine endorsement

As it is, from what I understand, one cannot just do a CPL unless one has 500hrs PIC time. That or do the integrated CPL/ATPL course for RM200k. Any student that does this will not want to just become an Instructor would they?

And DCA also does not accept any foreign Multi-engine and instrument ratings. Even if you come back from US, Canada or Australia with a ME/IR rating, in order for you to get one on your M'sian licence you have to do a 35hr conversion at an academy where you are lowest priority because of limited resources (aircraft and instructors). They obviously put their cadets first. Even then, I have been informed by insiders that the fastest they can finish the integrated course is 2.5 years! :ugh:

The list goes on and on. But, my rant stops here.

[ssangyongs]

500 PIC for PPLers with AFI rating to claim CPL is a joke. But we've been forced to laugh it anyway..on top of 500 PIC there's also night rating and instrument flying, apart from passsing DCAT papers..

Flying school is cashing so much money from students who are rushing up to take integrated course. In Europe modular route is popular but in Malaysia?...why cant they encourage it..

[9v-SKA]

As far as I know, some clubs have cleared the audit already.

[cruisercruiser]

Hi,

I found this at one of the flying club's website:

CLUB OPERATION & INSTRUCTIONAL TRAINING


After the recent spate of aircraft incidents/accidents, on 1 Jul 08 DCA suspended all Instructional Training and issued 2 requirements to all Flying Clubs.
1. Clubs must have an annual DCA approval to operate as a Club.
2. Clubs must have a Certificate of Approval to conduct Instructional Training.
XXXX Flying Club is proud to announce that effective 1 Aug 08, it is the first club to be issued both these approvals.

Hope it helps.

Cheers,

Cruiser