especially for US based pilots/wannabes.

[jessie01]

Does anyone know anything about a flying school called AIRMAN in oklahoma?. .the reason is that they offer on there website a professional pilots course which includes everything bar the kitchen sink and also guarantee all ratings and exams within 7 months or so.there is no extra cost involved if you fail your tests and the cost is 23000 US Dollars.. .. .If this is correct why doesnt everyone go off there and then come back to europe to convert the exams?I know that you can only work as airline pilot in usa if u have a green card BUT surely there are N registered aircraft all over the world that you could fly with a US licence?. .. .As much as i would like to be flying 777's out of LHR , its not going to happen due to my age so should i consider this option and be quite happy flying turbo props between bangkok and ko samui which would suit me fine.. .. .The question i need answered here , is if a FTO guarantees your'll get your CPL licence and ratings for the cost of a personal loan then why not do that? . .. .I would be very interested in hearing from people who have researched this topic in greater detail than me even though i have been in the JAR system for nearly a year with PPL and trying to get the ground exams.. .thanks . .jess

[ImNot]

Don't forget you will also have to do your IR over here approximately doubling your costs.. .. .You may find also that the approved examiner that the school in question sends you to is affiliated in some way with that school. That is how some schools guarantee you your pass ie it becomes almost impossible to fail. There is only one thing more certain than death and taxes and that is there is no such thing as free flight trainning/retrainning.. .. .I suggest first you find out what you really want in the way of licences to achieve your goal and also recheck what is involved in converting one licence to another.

[XL5]

Guaranteed doesn't quite mean what I suspect you think it does, the so called guaranteed way to licence heaven works (loosely, sort of) as follows.. .. .Throughout flight training numerous phase checks are conducted to monitor the student's progress, each phase must be up to snuff prior to handing over additional greenbacks for advancement onto the next phase. Should a student display the innate flying talent of a rabid monkey then all bets are off, the guarantee disappears and the final cost for achieving CPL/IR standard goes through the roof and busts the $23k budget wide open.. .. .Mr or Mrs average with a lot of commitment can,as advertised, get to professional licencing levels on $23K (recommended however that you do read the fine print) but no school is going to supply flight time at a fixed cap to the truly hopeless. . .. .As for where you can use the ticket once you have it; the laws of aerodynamics are the same everywhere but so are the dictates of politics which put obstacles in the way of employmnent and licence conversion.Buyer beware.

[jessie01]

thanks for the replies, and youre right on one point that the examiner has FAA status or what ever that means and is part of the school.However, the guarantee states that you leave with the licences you came and paid for at NO extra cost and thats the guarantee.. .Why would i have to convert the IR if my goal is just to fly anything for a living in somewhere in the world that has N registered aircraft?My intention is to get the CPL and be paid by someone.. .Having read the posts on this site by fully qualified frozen ATPLs who are not finding a job i am comparing the costs of 23k dollars against £45000 in uk.. .. .Has anyone ever been to Airman or been trained by them?. .thanks. .jess

[AltoAdige]

Went to Airman to do my CFI/II I dont suggest you go there by any means. If you want to go there and get your ratings there you're a ticking timebomb. I am sorry I went there, but I am not sorry to have my CFI. I felt very guilty after passing my checkride so easily so I flew back to Newyork and studied my but off as Oklahoma leaves no time or inspiration to study. I must say that I am finally up to par with other experienced CFI's out there. In conclusion, go at your own risk and expect to work twice as hard after you leave so that you can fly well and know as much theory as other pilots. Oh and if you go to back to Europe avoid having an aviation related convo with them as they will laugh. . .You get what you pay for! dont be a victim