Instructor Semnar

[dogsbreath]

Just completed an On Track Aviation seminar to re new my Instructor rating. Well this must be the easiest way to print money for the company, apart from printing money !!! 33 of us were crammed into a small, poorly lit and ventilated room for 2 days and talked at by a collection of ground instructors. We had to walk 300 m in the rain to get to the flying school venue from the car park, and stand whilst trying to eat lunch or sit at our syndicate tables. I gained nothing from the experience and paid nearly 300 pounds for the privilage. All I got was the signature. It would have been better if I had sent them 300 quid and they had sent me the attendance certificate. The syndicate dscussions were poor for the most part, ours was certainly thrown together in half an hour. And the CAA were there !!! if they are happy with what was produced well God help us all.

[Ex Oggie]

Humm............shame they didn't teach you to spell 'Seminar'. :hmm:

[SkyCamMK]

I was there too and had a completely different experience. I had only 10m to walk to the door so I do not know where you parked. If you had a better attitude you might have gained a lot more. The mix of candidtaes was good ranging from novice to UK aeros champion and a varied sprinkling of ATPLS etc. The average age was well over 40 so the assembled experience could be a thousand years or so. I think you need to review the detail of what was intended and what was provided. If your presentation took 30 mins you were not entering in to the spirit let alone approaching a learning experience. Perhaps you should have done a test and cost yourself even more!

Edit - Ground instructors! It was not a flying course Most of them with 000s of hours flying everything from Extra to 757 etc - get a grip!

[Flyboater]

I attended an AOPA seminar at Bristol last year. There was a vast amount of experience (lecturers and students) on the seminar, and although I learned little new, it was extremely interesting listening to others opinions on various aspects of instructing. It made me look at my own ideas and methods, to see if I could make any improvements. Surely that is one of the main purposes of these seminars.

[athonite]

Can I suggest they are called 'Instuctor Ovulars' instead, at least that would keep the feminists happy!

But being more serious, have instructor seminars met there sell by date? I think we need to know!

[SkyCamMK]

Perhaps they should be expanded to include the English language as for someone claiming at least Level 4 you should probably know the difference between there and their by now!

and to answer your question - No

[FlyingOfficerKite]

I attended the April seminar at On Track.

Yes, the conditions were not ideal with unseasonal outside temperatures of 25 degrees C and noise from the many light aircraft taking advantage of the fine (if not clear) weather proved somewhat distracting at times. I had previously attended a seminar held by On Track at the Charlecote Pheasant hotel which was certainly cooler and quieter.

However, I found the content of the various lectures both interesting and relevant. The situation regarding EASA was discussed, which has relevance to all pilots and about which I had scant knowledge. In addition, the lectures given by the several experts were entertaining and informative. I especially liked the new (free) flight planning website developed by SkyDemonLight. How things have changed over the past twenty years - I can remember having to pay for a faxed copy of the weather (TAFs and actuals) yet now this and much more is available free via the Web.

Quite what else could be provided, or what other content people might require I do not know?

Probably a case of 'you can't please all of the people all of the time'.

For me, money well spent apart from the necessary requirement for revalidation of my rating.

Thank you Alan and Team

FOK

[ExCitation]

Come on now people, every one has the right to express their opinion without being heckled. At the end of the day Dogs Breath paid for a service and felt disappointed with that service. I am sure that On Track will want the feedback directly, rather than public posts on this forum, so that they can address the issues without any damage to their public image. Out of interest, did they ask for feedback from the delegates at all?

Regarding the issue of the Instructor Seminars, I definitely advocate CPD (Continuing Professional Development) but it does appear that anything to do with aviation welcomes an elevated fee! I personally have been on courses (not related to On Track) and been charged several hundreds of pounds and given reading material to get through for the remainder of the day whilst the lecturer disappears! Surely this is unacceptable and there should be more redress for unsatisfied customers!