View Full Version : Stapleford vs Bournemouth
epsomepp
28th Sep 2009, 09:51
Hi ya, I'm wanting to start and complete the Professional Flight Training Course at either Stapleford or BCFT. I was very impressed with both schools and what they had to offer. If anyone has been to Stapleford or BCFT and completed the 'zero to hero' course can you please shed me some light?
Thanks
L0wFly3r
28th Sep 2009, 10:22
Funny, that I'm kind of in the same boat as you, but i think i prefer BCFT out of the two.
norton2005
28th Sep 2009, 17:11
Id recommend bournemouth, ive never been there but I have been to stapleford and after passed my PPL test never went back, got my frozen ATPL elsewhere thankyou very much. The friendliness is a front, after your money has been coughed up, back to reality. And they take on way more students than they can handle, you will find yourself fighting for aircraft on regular occasions. I also found that having an air/ground service only was not very good exposure to "real life" atc. A couple of guys went bournemouth and said they had a great time. I also, was much more impressed and satisfied with the school I choose to do my training at after this.
epsomepp
29th Sep 2009, 09:14
R1chard, when you thinking of starting?
Spit-Fire
29th Sep 2009, 10:59
Don't believe everything you read on here is my first point. Secondly I haven't been to bcft so CAN'T help you with that one but I finished at Stapleford in Feb and can't praise them enough and have yet to hear a bad word. With respect to too many students, again they are busy (a good sign) and managed very well by certain employees. The fleet is large enough to cope with all elements of your training and sims are fantastic.
Go with your gut feeling as everyone is different and only you know what feels right. I'm in no doubt that other happy Stapleford customers will back me up.
Good luck
turbine100
29th Sep 2009, 12:41
Stapleford for Commercial training were good and the A/C glass cockpit. Simulators were all up to date and exactly the same as the aircraft.
Looked at Bournemouth and didn't want to fly old planes, spend extra money at the hold waiting to depart either. So money did play apart of my personal decision and wanting to fly glass.
macflea
29th Sep 2009, 12:56
i did cpl at stapleford and me/ir at bcft . i would recommend BCFT any day .it was more organised with proper class room pre and post flight briefings . took 50 hours to do cpl at sfc over 5 months and did me/ir 4 hours over in 3 months at bcft . sfc too laid back . also had a bad experiance with cfi at stapleford. this is my experiance , everyone is different
L0wFly3r
29th Sep 2009, 16:30
hoping to start Oct 2010 when i have saved enough money, hopefully.
I would like to start my PPL in Bouenemouth, as well.
But I´m in the same positition, I´m thinking in Stapleford, I think is good, but I don´t know which is better, in the one hand, Stapleford have accommodation in the same school and you fly with Cessna 152 (6450Libras), but in the other hand in Bournemouth you have bigger airport with more traffic, and you fly with Cessna 152 or PiperP28A, and the prize is (6765+Ground exams test fees inc RT , Test Fee +Aircraft Hire for test, Study manuals..)
Any advice from people who have done his PPL in some of the two schools?
THANKS.
norton2005
2nd Oct 2009, 15:36
I did my PPL at stapleford, please refer to my earlier post on this thread.
Leezyjet
2nd Oct 2009, 22:23
The thing that makes Stapleford is the instructors and the equipment. Both are excellent and don't be put off with it being an A/G radio either. I've trained at a full ATC airport and also at Stapleford and it doesn't make much difference IMHO. Your still speaking to someone on a radio, your just saying different things. I'm sure by the time you get into the LHS, you don't need to be taught how to talk. The lack of landing fees is also a bonus too.
What lets them down though is way things are run. The management and some of the people that work there also forget that you are paying a **** load of money to go there and can treat you and speak to you like :mad:.
:)
You recomended me to pay the 45 hours in only one payment in Stapleford for my PPL?I can save the 10 per cen(645 libras)
Is it interesting?or is it dangerous?
Whirlygig
3rd Oct 2009, 15:00
You recomended me to pay the 45 hours in only one paymentNO. DO NOT EVER PAY UP FRONT.
And yes, I am shouting.
Cheers
Whirls
Der absolute Hammer
3rd Oct 2009, 15:36
It was a time or two ago but I remember that from Stapleford one was always going down to Southend and spending quite a lot of time wasting flying around whereas from Bournemouth you could do the flight straight down to Ortac and then on to the routes for the training and testing.
That is only important in the real flying of course, not on the simulator.
But you must listen to Whirlygig-she does know what she speaks about (bows and gesticulates with the abandon). Never pay up front. Also, if you have the money in your hands, you are at least earning something in interest or investment form it and you must deduct that which you could be making on your own money from that which the school says you will save.
Salud!
Der absolute Hammer.