Training in France and Italy

[gpiper]

In this forum I have been reading a lot about school in the UK, therefore I decided to give our members the chance to discuss schools in other EU countries staring with two who are well known. France -> AEROPYRENEES FLIGHT CENTER, and Italy - > PROFESSIONE VOLARE.

Any thoughts about the two, past experience or something that you heard about them, is welcome so we can give an overall idea of these schools, but also other schools that you may know to our wannabes!

[RedBullGaveMeWings]

In Italy there's also Urbe Aero in Rome. They use Diamond aicraft and the staff is very experienced.

[gpiper]

RedBullGaveMeWings

Thank you for giving your opinion, I am familiar with Urbe Aero, they use state of the art Diamonds, and also they are very organised, there is a downside though, there isn't an English Version of their website, and also they are not as prestigious as PROFESSIONE VOLARE in Forli and Turin Flight Institute. This schools operate for more than a decade now, they are considered the best in Italy. I am surprised that no one replied to the thread so far, giving me second thoughts about the two schools.

[RedBullGaveMeWings]

I am Italian and I have never heard either bad or good opinions about Turin Flying School, the only thing I've heard so far is that some of their students are a bit full of themselves but I can not say if that's true or not. As far as I am concerned, it is a kind OAA/CTC where students have to follow a dressing code. No airlines connection as far as I know.

As for Urbe Aereo, I can confirm that the school has great and experienced instructors and some of them have flown and still fly for Alitalia and other Italian airlines.
I am leaving Italy to keep improving my English but I think both PV and UA are proficient enough in English. I have never thought of training at commercial level in Italy.
Other well known Italian schools are Air Vergiate, Aeroclub di Varese and F.T.O. Padova.

Don't trust Aviomar at all! Their maintenance is absolutely rubbish and some serious incidents and accidents have occurred in the past.

[gpiper]

RedBullGaveMeWings

All the things you said are true, I can verify most of them, I got in contact with an Italian friend of mine who talked with some guys of the Italian aviation authority, the only recommend Turin, and PV. The problem is I can't find enough information for these two so I can give an idea to the other guys but also to me.
Aeroclub di Varese as far as I know is the oldest one, but for some reason they didn't recommend it to me. Why would Italian do their CPL in another country? Italy has a fine weather, and it's cheaper to do an integrated course than in the UK. Any thoughts about that?

[RedBullGaveMeWings]

Most of us go to the US because of cheaper price and then we convert the licence either in Sweden, Iceland, Greece or other cheap European countries. Other go somewhere else for several reasons. I myself am going either to the US, UK or Oz/NZ just to try to improve my English level.

I also have to say that ENAC (Italian CAA) sometimes are a bunch of lazy bum and incompetent. Not most of the times fortunately.

[Papa_Golf]

I've been a modular student at Urbe Aero in Rome, as it has been stated it is a very good FTO traininwise, established in recently in 2010. Problems arise when you have to work with ENAC, the Italian CAA. Another downside of the school is the website, not really the best one and only available in italian, which isolates them to the domestic market only. At least most of the ground personnel speaks fluent english, so if you want to contact them they will be able to answer.

[gpiper]

Papa_Golf

Thank you for sharing your view for this matter, Urbe Aero as I said before is a young school with modern facilities and brand new airplane. The reason that they don't offer the website in English yet is maybe because they are not able to offer their training to foreigners yet despite the fact that the instructors are all fluent in English, PROFESSIONE VOLARE and Aeroclub di Varese are currently the only two who offer their website in English but also they have previous experience with foreign students. The way I see it as a foreigner, these two are the only option for non Italian students.

Also, can anyone give details about the schools in France, bath public and private??

[RedBullGaveMeWings]

Just because they don't own an English version of their website doesn't mean they aren't able to offer training to foreign students. They're a professional flight school committed to train at a professional level future commercial pilot, hence English proficiency is compulsory for CPL/IR instructors.

[gpiper]

I didn't say that they can't offer training to foreign people, I am just saying that in terms of marketing, they failed to because for me who I am not Italian, I am not going to bother and translate the whole page into English so I can understand what the are saying, therefore I am not going to bother and even get in touch with them since I can find other Italian schools with an English version, where I can read what I want and then get in touch with them, that was my mindset and how a foreigner thinks, the same thing with the Swiss schools, Dutch, and German who did not take the time and create an English version for people who are interested to their school. The interest flies away once you can't read anything:\

[Papa_Golf]

You're spot on gpiper!

A french friend got his license at the Ecole Nationale de l'Aviation Civile in Toulouse. Did not pay a single € for his training... :)

[gpiper]

Papa_Golf

Ecole Nationale de l'Aviation Civile requires exams to get into, and as far as I know their exams are so ridiculously hard, that only few people make it;)

[RedBullGaveMeWings]

I didn't say that they can't offer training to foreign people, I am just saying that in terms of marketing, they failed to because for me who I am not Italian, I am not going to bother and translate the whole page into English so I can understand what the are saying, therefore I am not going to bother and even get in touch with them since I can find other Italian schools with an English version, where I can read what I want and then get in touch with them, that was my mindset and how a foreigner thinks, the same thing with the Swiss schools, Dutch, and German who did not take the time and create an English version for people who are interested to their school. The interest flies away once you can't read anything:\
I know what you meant, but if you tried to get in touch with them by even sending a normal email they should be able to write you in English and hence give all the relevant information you need.

[RedBullGaveMeWings]

Papa_Golf

Ecole Nationale de l'Aviation Civile requires exams to get into, and as far as I know their exams are so ridiculously hard, that only few people make it;)
As far as I am concerned students from ENAC are directly employed by Air France -- lucky them!

[Papa_Golf]

As far as I am concerned students from ENAC are directly employed by Air France -- lucky them!

The guy I mentioned is in FR like me now, there are different schemes for the AF cadets. Talking about Urbe Aero I know that they can reply to an email, but why should I, a potential student, bother asking for general informations that I expect to find easily in the website? I've told them many times that they need to pay attention to details like this... Probably they have the best mix of experience, airplanes and structures in Italy but they'll always be second or third choice if they don't change attitude.

[gpiper]

Papa_Golf

I couldn't agree more with you, it's all about making the potential student secure and welcome, it doesn't matter what kind of equipment they use or how much their course costs.
ENAC graduates are employed by Air France because most of them are already French, major airlines like BA, KLM, AIR FRANCE only employ people from their own country, they do not employ foreigners.

[ilvaporista]

I've been very happy so far with the service provided by FTO 034 at Biella. So far only PPL completed, now in the hour building phase.

[gpiper]

ilvaporista

It's the first time that someone mentions school 034 at Biella, may I ask why did you choose this school and not one of the big ones like PV, urbe aero, etc??
It looks like a flying club to me.

[ilvaporista]

Basically there was part sponsorship available (12 hours). The school is small, friendly and flexible, plus the costs and travel time from home make it convenient. Plus being modular you can train when you have funds available and there is no pressure for payment in advance.

[gpiper]

ilvaporista

Everything you said is true, 80% of all pilots in the world chose the modular route, if you are happy with your school, then there aren't any reasons to do part of your training in another place! Golden rule when going modular is to do all your training from zero to hero at one place, max two places.

[LaZer]

gpiper, for information, pilots from the ENAC are no more directly employed by AF. They are just waiting in a deep pool (since 2008). I know many of them and very few have a position which make them fly.

Two schools open recently in France :
- Aeroways in Cholet (my birthplace)
- Sud Aviation Training in Auch (near Toulouse)

I think you should have a look, both seem very serious.

[rogerg]

ENAC graduates are employed by Air France because most of them are already French, major airlines like BA, KLM, AIR FRANCE only employ people from their own country, they do not employ foreigners
BA employ many nationalities, but they must have the right to live in the UK.

[gpiper]

rogerg

you forgot the most important thing for anyone thinking to apply to BA as a pilot. You need to be an integrated student, otherwise they will not consider your application.:O

[gpiper]

LaZer

I have visited the websites of both school, all in French? Also when were they established? Do you see what I am saying, for a foreigner two things are important, be able to read all the info available in their website, and then get in touch with them to clarify but also explain some points in a more detailed manner. No one can just apply to a school in France, UK, USA, etc because they have a brand new fleet of a/c or housing facilities.

[RedBullGaveMeWings]

BA employ many nationalities, but they must have the right to live in the UK.
Which shouldn't be a limit if you are an European citizen.

[RedBullGaveMeWings]

rogerg

you forgot the most important thing for anyone thinking to apply to BA as a pilot. You need to be an integrated student, otherwise they will not consider your application.:O
Not really, they consider modular guys if experienced with at least 1500 hours with experience on jets.

[RedBullGaveMeWings]

Anyway, I've got a question now: anything near Montpellier?:)

[gpiper]

AEROPYRENEES FLIGHT CENTER is considered one of the best if not the best in terms of private training in France. Located in Perpignan, it's the closest you can get to Montpelier, I am surprised that nobody took the time to comment about this school.

[RedBullGaveMeWings]

Thanks for the answer!