EFT Florida-Recent Experience CPL/IR

[shocks85]

Hi,
I know there is a lot on here about EFT(I've done a search) but I am looking for anyone who has been there in the last 6 months and what they thought about it in terms of training quality, flight time, aircraft quality, maintainance and availability. What they advertise looks great, but what school puts themselves in a negative light!!! Anyone with any experience of the CPL/IR course anything you can advise would be well appreciated. IF slaggin EFT can be avoided it be great too as thats all I found under the search, I'm more interested in hearing about training quality etc.
Thank you

[shocks85]

Can anyone give any insight into EFT????

[alkatifa]

Looking for that one myself... :confused:

[BigGrecian]

http://www.pprune.org/professional-pilot-training-includes-ground-studies/370209-eft-usa-update.html

http://www.pprune.org/professional-pilot-training-includes-ground-studies/108385-cpl-diary.html

http://www.pprune.org/professional-pilot-training-includes-ground-studies/176043-cpl-diary.html

Same instructors work there now as did then.

[Glen Corcoran]

I am there now - I have just posted on another thread with quite a long bit (EFT update -I think it is called).

Training excellent - the instructors are either original instructors or people trained by them to the same standard - no problem there at all. I only found pressure on me to meet higher standards - they certainly raised the bar and I had to work quite hard to get there. Yes, I struggled at first but I am now a much, much better pilot as a result.

Aircraft are well used and by no means new. Some of the Cessnas are a bit tired but mechanically and avionically fine - nearly always one available and so very rarely are lessons lost to sqwarks. The Duchesses are excellent - most have Garmin 430s with one having an EFIS screen (that's fun to play with - did a quick trip to Bahamas in that but that's another story).

I will not have anything negative said about their maintenance. EFT shares aircraft with Ari Ben Aviator and their tech team is excellent. Whenever aircraft have broken down, they will do all they can to get it back playing again very quickly and work out of hours to get the stuff done. I did my CPL in the Arrow, and, after passing a couple of us were so thankful for their hard work keeping the old bus in the air we went and bought them crates of beer as a thank you!

Not their fault - but my only criticism is that ADF/NDB is considered obsolete here in the US and so there is a shortage of aircraft with working ADFs. When they go wrong, they are not fixed. Not a problem for FAA examiners on the IR who don't test you on NDB work anyway (I passed mine without) but a little frustrating for those of us who need it for our JAA conversion.

I would say at least 50% of approaches here are GPS now - are there any in the UK yet?

Since I have been here they have now taken on the new accommodation too within walking distance of the school and with pool and nice sized rooms - not sure if they are still using the vero houses for students - so I think things are better than before. I rented elsewhere as I have had my family over for part of the time.

Certainly I would recommend coming to EFT - the only thing missing is a top notch Indian restaurant close by - I could murder a decent curry!!

Glen

[pgase83]

Aircraft are well used and by no means new. Some of the Cessnas are a bit tired but mechanically and avionically fine - nearly always one available and so very rarely are lessons lost to sqwarks. The Duchesses are excellent - most have Garmin 430s with one having an EFIS screen (that's fun to play with - did a quick trip to Bahamas in that but that's another



I was there few weeks ago but I didn't fly the same Duchess...lol
There are safe but old, without auto-pilot, some have Garmin 430 but not all, some have an outdate database, no heater, one has a half efis.....:}