BRL,
Don't delete the thread dude, after all, it just reflects life, lots of people with lots of differing opinions, not all of which will see eye to eye!
I can't think of a school that would send someone off on their 1st solo navex and then make it QXC, but it doesn't mean to say it doesn't happen. There are a lot of really appalling schools out there, whatever WWW may say and let’s face it, he’s not exactly the customer is he!
F'instance, I was sent off on a QXC in marginal weather, vis. at 1st destination was under 8km, I think the minimum is 10km, correct me if I'm wrong. Upon arrival at the 1st destination, it started to pee with rain, so I phoned the club, who asked me to return, saying the weather at the departure was acceptable. Note the word return, not deviate. Returning to my departure airfield, I strayed into IMC, got lost and eventually landed with a hoooge CB less than 2 miles away from the end of the runway and a crosswind of 20 knots (I was flying a 152). Oh dear!
I completed by QXC a week later, but to be honest, the whole experience scared the crap out of me and I gave up flying shortly afterwards. After a 3-year break I'm now 2 hours away from skills test.
This particular club made me fly with no less than 8 instructors, some of highly dubious proficiency and a couple with inter-personal skills of the Adams family! They didn’t bother with ground school, or proper briefs and definitely were of ‘light the fires and kick the tyres’ mentality, which may be a jolly wheeze, but is not exactly beneficial to your budding PPL!
I have had problems with the customer care side of the club I currently fly with and have posted a couple of threads about this, after a 'debate' with the club, these have been resolved and it's now a friendly and good place to fly.
I am sure the Phoenix has a bad time of it and some of what he says may be exaggerated or not, who am I judge. The point is the general standard of instruction and quality of a/c, school facilities and customer care of GA schools in this country is appalling. I know there are good schools and good instructors, but they are the exception, not the norm IMHO.
Flying is expensive and takes commitment and determination on the part of the student, however the obstacles posed by the above put a lot of guys 'n gals off and act to the detriment of GA. In the end the treatment metered out to Phoenix et al means we all lose out.
