Airways Flight Training, Exeter

[eckhard]

I understand that the Exeter-based training provider is under new management.
Does anyone have any recent experience of the new setup?
Thanks!

[rudestuff]

They were​ bought by Aviation south West last year, all the same staff.

[Martin_123]

I want to be extremely careful with spreading any information that might cause harm to anybody, but it is my understanding that the transition wasn't exactly smooth. My friend is dealing with them for a last while and he's not a happy bunny to say the least. He feels he's being messed around. As always, take any hearsay with a good pinch of salt

[eckhard]

Thanks rudestuff and Martin,

[ThunderCats224]

martin - what type of stuff?

ill take a bag of salt with it, but would be great to hear.

[Martin_123]

you're very right about your bag of salt, but my friend was very happy there until the CFI and his instructor walked out. He's not exactly happy with their replacements, there was trouble with aircraft availability and he lacks consistency in his training. Again - you know how it is with hearsay, as this is not my own personal account, I will not entertain this discussion any further. All I can recommend to people is to go visit the school and the facilities and make their own decision

[StuartAFT]

Hi Guys,

I hope to put your minds at rest. I recently took over as Director of Airways Flight Training from Brian. Brian and I worked together for 6 months to make the transition as seamless as possible before he retired. As requested from Brian- I have kept all staff in employment, my instructors are the best in the industry, I was never going to change them. I have been working closely with EASA and the CAA to bring the manuals up to current standards and have made significant improvements to the way we document our students records.

As it stands we are a Duchess short in the fleet, going forward I look to modernise the fleet over the coming months, we've just had a 737 Simulator installed and will be looking to offer the MCC course in the near future.

[JumboJet1999]

Which of the Exeter schools would people say is better, Airways or Aviation South West?

I've done some rough calculations comparing the prices for the ME-IR/CPL courses based on a specific quotation ASW sent me and the brochures AFT sent me (the prices on their website are out of date apparently) and AFT were over £1k more expensive.

Just wondered what justifies the price difference considering they do training in the same aircraft types, operate from the same airfield and neither are too flashy (a good thing).

AFT seem a bit more well known but other than that- anyone got any feedback?

[StuartAFT]

Airways Flight Training and Aviation South West are two different companies with two completely different sets of overheads, both keenly priced.

[mavisbacon]

So ASW haven't bought out Airways, is that correct?

[StuartAFT]

Yes correct

[eckhard]

I would just like to say how pleased we were with the service we received from Airways Flight Training.

A total of five weeks from start to finish for conversion of an FAA CPL/IR/ME to an EASA CPL/IR/ME. Just a few days of bad weather but no delays due to aircraft or instructor availability.

Many thanks to Ted, Howard, Mark, Sacha and Anne!

Some spare aircraft would certainly help and some of the manuals and checklists could do with a tidy-up but from our experience I would have no hesitation in recommending AFT.