HELP! Florida Flight training School

[Phil Maull]

Hi Folkes,

I'm hoping to learn to fly in Forida this coming August (PPL)and have seen the following schools ads in Flyer magazine.. . 1) Ormond Beach Aviation.. . 2) European Flight Training.. . 3) Naples Air Centre.. . 4) Orlando Flight Training.. . 5) American Flying Adventures.. . 6) Paris Air. . 7) Merrit Island Flying Services.

I would be massively grateful if anyone could a) tell me about their experiences with any of these schools b)any others I should be considering?and c)okay...I'd love any good gossip about them!!!

Thanks,

Phil

[spitfire747]

Hi

I only have personal experience of two of the schools, Orlando Flight Training and Naples Air Center.

In a nut shell i did my PPL at OFT and i would advise you to give it a miss. I found them to be interested not in flight training but money only.

Naples Air Center on the other hand receives my vote anytime. Without wanting to repeat myself again and again, do a search at the top and you will see that many people have nothing but good things to say about NAC.

I have no experience of the others and thereofre have nothing to say

Good Luck and have Fun

[ 22 January 2002: Message edited by: spitfire747 ]</p>

[Phil Maull]

Thanks for your help Spitfire747!!!

Phil.

[spitfire747]

Something i forgot to tell you

NEVER NEVER PAY UP FRONT FOR THE WHOLE COURSE, EVEN IF THERE IS A GOOD DISCOUNT

If the school closes up then you have lost it and it will take a long time to get it back, if you can

[ 22 January 2002: Message edited by: spitfire747 ]</p>

[farrenfour]

Naples are also pretty good , I used to know a few staff there, and they are pretty good.

You will be pressurised into working hard for it, and its' worth it in the end, remember that the PPL is just the first small step, and its a very basic step in a long journey of experience.

remember that you'll have the licence but not the experience after you finish, this is exactly the same for every large school, unless you are lucky enough to get a 70 year old tailwheel fox and he shows you what he knows.

Many of the schools in FL are there for one reason, to make money, if you consider this in the context of the school then all the big ones are pretty similar, it's up to you to perform when you get there.

Don't be surprised if the equipment seems tatty compared to the shiney stuff you see in the UK, it gets used alot more and abused alot more (usually by students no matter who they are).

You'll still have to get some quality time elsewhere after your PPL as most of the schools teach you to a standard to pass the exams, not stick and rudder skills.

Also remember not to pay up front, and also you get what you pay for - meaning there are no bargains, if you try and cut corners you'll pay for it later.

For example I went and did a tailwheel/bush course after OBA, and it felt like learning to fly all over again <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

infact every day seems like learning to fly again

. .g'luck and enjoy, the yanks are(used) to be great about students flying in their airspace, recent events have made them understandibly jumpy.

. .F4

"oops , its never done that before ??? "

Sorry had to edit a school, but that is PPRuNe policy. The main stuff is fine.

PPRuNe Pop. .Administrator. . [email protected]

[ 23 January 2002: Message edited by: PPRuNe Pop ]</p>

[Phil Maull]

Thanks for your advice F4,

Phil.

------------------------------------------------

[mad_jock]

There is also Brittania in Winter Haven as well to add to your list.

I would advise you do a search on each of the schools you have listed in the pprune archives. There are some definate problems with some of the schools you have listed.

MJ

[captainkilner]

Phil2,

Only got experience of OBA and i've been back twice , done my ppl, night rating , hour building and my complex out there but it's not everyones cup of tea as some might say on this forum , but you get what you pay for and i personally would recommend it.

The planes are well maintained and the staff are very friendly and helpful , the instructors and examiners are also very good .

Good luck where ever you choose !!

. . <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

[Sensible]

As you say, it's not everybody's cup of tea!!!!!

[pipergirl]

i did my ppl in oft and wasn't very happy with what i paid for versus what i received...... .basically i wasn't very impressed.. .i went to oba to build some hours and was a little bit more impressed with how the ppl-ers were being treated. they had lots of resources to hand and the atmosphere and hands on help was much healthier....although the a/c are a bit rough and ready..... .one guy i know went to brittania and was happy with his time there and he then went onto european flt training which, according to him was excellent... . .the one thing i would say about going to the states....you are there to do a course in a very short space of time and you gotta be prepared for hard graft...i've really enjoyed myself flying in florida , i've had some great flights out there and learned loads as a result(yet i still have a long way to go!) and i've met some wonderful people. definitely go out, but shop around, talk to a few people and take ur time in making a decision. afterall, the first part of your training will lay the foundations for future training.....best of luck!

[Paser]

Phil2

I would highly recommend NAC from personal experience having completed the ppl last year. Great instructors and aircraft available flying 2 maybe 3 hours a day with many people in the same boat made this a fantastic experience. As well as noting the above comments I would recommend you to complete all the exams (except RT) in the UK beforehand so you can concentrate on the flying......hope this helps.....best of luck

[davidpowell]

Don't know anything about the schools, but a book by a chap called Phil Stone is a good read on the psychological aspects of doing your PPL in the states. If you have not already read it of course.....

[GoneWest]

Have to disagree with Paser....do your R/T at your local airfield before coming out to Florida - get the school to do some groundschool with you and learn it correctly.....the R/T training out here is dreadful.

[C Harrison]

I am going to Orlando Flight Training this weekend and coming back on 1st April. I don't know what there like - never been before.

Up to now they seem to be OK.

We'll just have to wait and see

There website: <a href="http://www.flyorlandoflorida.com" target="_blank">www.flyorlandoflorida.com</a>. . <img src="cool.gif" border="0">

[rebeccadblake]

yeah only becuase they are getting your money harrison...

once they are fully paid they wont want to know you.

[LRdriver]

Having instructed in the sates I have seen some of the worst cases of advantage taking of students.

DO NOT PAY UPFRONT!!!

I paid 1000$ at a time so all I could lose was a grand at a time if the school folded (believe they will at some time or other..). .This way their books looked good every month and they still treated you nicely. What usually happens is that they drag a jetlagged student into the office give him 5-10% discount and take all his money for the course. All this did was bring the schools "in the red" fuel bill up to the black and thats it. Many students at my school lost 8,10,12000$ when the airport finally got tired of it all and shut down all fuel deliveries til they where paid.. .I am not saying this will happenb but it helps not to show up like some naive kid thinking that the US is as orderly and civilised as Europe. Cash is King..

Be smart and you will enjoy the whole experience.. . <img src="cool.gif" border="0">

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

LRdriver,

You are right.

You cannot stress enough, "Keep your money in your wallet". As long as it is there, you have the power. If you give all your money to the school, they have all the power over you.

Good Luck,

Capt. Richard J. Gentil, Pres.. .Naples Air Center, Inc.

[Phil Maull]

Just a quick thankyou to all of you who have contributed.

I'm really looking forward to Florida!!

Phil.

[Delta Wun-Wun]

So where have you decided to go?

[Harvey SM]

Can only comment on Brittania, OFT, and EFT.. .I would only recommend the latter.... if you want to know more than e-mail me.. .Definately do your RT license in the UK before you go out, and try not to get used to the rt language the yanks use..... .Good Luck <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0">

[ 28 January 2002: Message edited by: Harvey SM ]</p>

[Phil Maull]

Thanks folks,

From the info given to me by you all & a bit of the old PPRUNE search I feel I'm on my way to Naples Air Centre.

Thanks again,

Phil2

[nickos37]

Harvey SM I'd be interested to know more about eft.What is your e-mail?

[QUERY]

After the usual advertsadvice and anecdotes, peculiar that price wasn't mentioned.. .Don't Wannabes care about how much it costs?

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

QUERY,

If they did not care how much the course costs or care how long it takes to complete, they would not be coming to U.S.

I believe you may have insulted some PPruNe members by insinuating they do not check into the price of courses before booking.

When you train in aviation, price is not the most important factor. Do not get me wrong, the price has to be fair, but safety is number one.

To Phil2, I look forward to meeting you in the near future.

Happy Flying,

Capt. Richard J. Gentil, Pres.. .Naples Air Center, Inc.

. .&lt;&lt; Edited for Typo&gt;&gt;

[ 30 January 2002: Message edited by: Naples Air Center, Inc. ]</p>

[Wrong Stuff]

QUERY

Speaking as one who has done some training in the US a couple of times and knows many others who've done the same, I think people are becoming more savvy in their choice of school. The "cheapest deal" often ends up costing far more than going somewhere reputable in the first place once the "extras" are added in. Or after you've added in the extra cost of accommodation etc when you lose a few days because of overbooking or a plane going u/s. Safety aside, even if it's cheaper in pure dollar terms, you usually get what you pay for - cheap flying schools use cheap aircraft and cheap instructors, cut corners wherever possible and turn out pilots with skills to match.

Flying training isn't a commodity - there's far more to getting value for money than just the headline per-hour flying cost.

PPRuNe has helped a lot in sorting out the rip-off merchants from the professional flying schools and it shows in threads like these - first people narrow down the list to where they'd be happy to train. Once they're down to the reputable schools they don't need to waste bandwidth here asking about prices - much easier to phone the school direct.

[BOEINGBOY1]

phil2.. .send me youe e-mail address. i will give you my report on one of the schools mentioned here. their name isn't allowed to be mentioned in vain on pprune and every post mentioning their true coulours is quickly removed under the threat of legal action to pprune.

[Jockflyer]

No one has mentioned Merritt Island Air Services. I don't know what the quality of their flight training is like, as I was only there hour building, but I loved the place. Its a great location, a very friendly atmosphere, and the people are fantastic. Bob the owner is a very nice guy, and very fair.. .Check out their website <a href="http://www.flymias.com" target="_blank">www.flymias.com</a>

Good luck.

[Facts Not Fiction Pls]

Jockflyer

Does Merritt Island offer JAA flight training?

[mad_jock]

Price dosn't mean everything i took the cheapest option when i did my PPL. And have been paying the extra because of it.

Yes you can get cheaper than Naples but the planes are in good nick, the instructors are good (i flew twin there while hour building with Britannia). And they will keep completly legal with the visa side of things. The hotel that Naples have a deal with is great and there is a good bar just down the road from it.

Naples is a controlled airport which will get you into better habits for when you get home. If you can swing it ask for Gerald for your instructor he is a decent down to earth guy who is a true professional.

Sorry Richard for stuffing up your instructor planning but the lad is good.

MJ