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dom175b
2nd Dec 2008, 14:03
I just had to air this - been with me a long time!

I went to fly in the USA in Ft.Pierce. The school was teaching FAA PPL to alot of english pilots so thought I would take advantage of the cheap dollar and away I went.

After having medicals in the UK, paperwork and buying loads of trainning items the school advised from Gleim costing £200 I was ready to go.

The advert which has been changed slightly is found in the back of most good GA publications said....All inclusive, accomodation, 40 hours flight trainning, medical, test etc etc etc £3999 or equivelent.

Got out there realised the school did not teach anything, only DVD's in a room with no windows, one knackered pc to use Sportys flight testing and a couple of books.

On arrival I also was told to purchase books, which I was given costing $220 and I needed a flight bag $100 ( very nice but didnt need it )

After 19 hrs i did my solo, it was wonderful. Then I had changed to a great new flight instructor called VT. He was great, but I had wasted 25-27 hrs with the school owner who just flew you round, but not teaching the FAA syllabus........

Test day came and even though i had worked, i failed. The examiner was shocked to hear i had had no class room experience except for my last hrs with VT, which was outside the school.

The total cost was close to £10,000 with books, (the included accomodation), extra time needed, payment for written test (again was meant to be included), no medical refund, flight out to the usa, food, transport and payment for examiner test! which was also meant to be included.

This particular flight school thinks once you are there they can charge you anything. They are con merchants, crooks.

Out of the nice people I met, one from Cayman he paid £4500 extra to get ppl, two older men didnt pass, young chap was dangerous and should not have been let on his own.

So

Dont - Pay up front, keep all hours logged and pay for them after each flight. Find out from an examiner the books you require and I think doing your exams in the UK would be cheaper.

Look up the flight school and stay in the UK, dont let this happen to you as well.

I would like to add the part time instructor i got later was amazing and I am sure there are some great schools in the US doing a wonderful job, but this particular one was a waste of my money.

youngskywalker
2nd Dec 2008, 14:32
I sympathise but to use the title 'American flight schools' as a generalisation for shoddy practice is a little unfair. I can name several very professionally run flying training providers in the USA, I can also name several poor ones! Like any country they have a share of both good and bad, for such a large investment you really have to do lot's of homework on choosing the right school, location, aircraft, instructors etc etc, price should probably not come into it although it is tempting to go for the biggest glossy advert and the cheapest price (not saying thats what you did). I have been caught out in the past with a flight school in the UK, I did not do enough research and it cost me more than it should have done. You live and learn.

If I were trying to choose a school now, I would certainly ask to be put in touch with current and ex students and see what experinces they have. If it's a reputable school they will happily put you in contact with past customers.

BRL
2nd Dec 2008, 15:42
but to use the title 'American flight schools' as a generalisation for shoddy practice is a little unfair

I agree and you make it quite easy for anyone who knows how to Google to find out who the school are.

Change the title and/or name them or, change your post a bit please or it gets dumped.

julian_storey
2nd Dec 2008, 16:25
There are some fantastic flight schools in the States, but also some sharks. On my way up to an FAA ATP I experienced both. Ideally, see if you can get a recommendation from someone you know who has had a positive experience, this is likely to increase your chances of not being screwed.

Relatively few US flight schools will 'spoon feed' you the theoretical knowledge that you need to pass the written tests (there is ONE for the FAA private or SEVEN for the JAA PPL) and anyone thinking of heading out to the states would be advised to do sufficient self study to pass those before leaving the UK. Ideally, sit the exam(s) before you go as well.

Once you get out there, the equipment you ACTUALLY need is as follows . . .

i) Terminal and sectional charts for the local area.
ii) A flight computer (whiz wheel)
iii) A square protractor
iv) A scale ruler

You should be able to borrow almost anything else.

So far as instructors are concerned, different people gel better with some instructors than with others. If you feel you're not making progress speak to the Chief Instructor and maybe look at changing instructors.

Laichtown
2nd Dec 2008, 16:56
Why bother with the USA. I got my ppl in 60 hrs. All in the UK. Total cost around 7K incl all books and a week in Bournemouth doing the exams.

julian_storey
2nd Dec 2008, 17:17
Now that the pound is so weak against the dollar and the cost advantage largely eroded, the main advantage of going to the States is the weather.

In some ways though, that is also a disadvantage because learning to fly in British weather prepares you somewhat for actually exercising your licence privileges in it.

IO540
3rd Dec 2008, 14:50
I think that if one took X weeks off work, and lived in a hut next to a UK flying school, one would knock off the PPL at a total cost not much higher than going to the USA.

IF you are lucky with the weather, that is. A big gamble, and that is why it is not advisable for somebody to do such a training block in the UK. People tend to fit the lessons between work etc and then it takes a year, usually.

If I was doing it all again, I would go to S California and do both the JAA and FAA PPLs are the same time. But I would do some other things differently, too :)

I don't know how the OP managed to spend £10,000 ($15,000 to $20,000 depending on when) on his U.S. PPL. He must have stayed in a very nice hotel. My IR which took 2 weeks cost of the order of $3,000 and the motel was I think about $500 for 2 weeks.

Remember also there is no formal ground school in the UK PPL and AFAIK not in the FAA one either (I did my FAA one in the UK; did only the IR in the USA). So providing students with CDs is not unusual. I don't recall having any significant ground school in the UK JAA PPL; a couple of instructors did a couple of evenings for ~ £10/person and the rest was swatting alone at home from the PPL Confuser. So this is quite normal.

SNS3Guppy
3rd Dec 2008, 15:09
It's a little late to help at this point, but I would hope at a minimum you do send a letter to the FAA Flight Standards District office in that area, detailing your experience, and file a report with the Florida Better Business Bureau.

Your experience was entirely inexcusable. Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous operators out there. Advance research can alleviate much of that concern. Unfortunately, while you are a victim, hopefully your experience can be made well enough known to help preclude this from happening to others.