Be aware before starting at Pilot Flight “Academy” Sandefjord Norway. Terminated from
I just want to post this as a warning, so people know what they get into if they join. I would advice against this school. If you still want to start a ATPL course in this covid times in Norway, I would look more into CAA or OSM.
Hi... It is difficult, but must I feel my story must be told.
On Monday Pilot Flight “Academy” terminated my integrated ATPL studies, so now I am sitting here without anything and a large loan. I do not know what to do and just feel everything is hopeless. It's so painful, embarrassing and I also feel cheated.
I think it was difficult from the start and have been nervous throughout the studies, so I was never really calm and was afraid something like this could happen. I may never have been skilled enough to be a pilot, but I had hope and a dream that I might also become something. In general I found most things difficult, but I was working hard, so I the end I was pulling through. My first sitting was this summer and I passed exam in POF, mass and balance and VFR communications. I failed IFR communications, but that would have been very easy to pass next try. I had the test the same day as mass and balance, and focused to little on the small details.
The reason I have been terminated, is that I failed to score 75% on a final school test in General Navigation, so after four attempts they terminate you no matter how it goes. Each subject often consists of 3 tests. 1 and 2 which each contain a separate part of the material, and a final one which has everything like an exam. We were the first class to have it this way, previous classes have had tests 1,2 and 3, without final tests that are similar to an exam. Normal tests are 25 questions with 1/3 of course material. Ut the last final is the same as an exam, identical to exam mode in aviation exam software. I dont not think we have had any more time to prepare before this final test, and this way of having a tests was decided a little after we started. Maybe a good way to get higher success on the exams, but it makes it harder to pass the last one.
You need to read on last learned material and then also previous material, but we have not gotten any more time. This test is after the course is finished. General Navigation lasted 3weeks, 8-16 studies every day and one test a week. So if you fail one test, you really have to study because you instantly start with a new subject. The school regulations with the number of tests did not change either.
It is not an easy subject, a lot of theory, formulas and ways of calculating. Before an exam, you will have time to read extra on the subject, but the school test which is just as difficult, you take right after you finish the theory. If you do not pass it, then you have to read twice with the next subject, because a new subject starts right afterwards. New test every week... Some I have spoken to with generally generally high high scores in other subjects, passed just over 75% on this final test. At least 1/3 failed on the first try, so several had 2 and 3 tries on this one.
I never think the teacher was of any help either, as she was a young girl, who I felt really not was confident with the subject herself. 20 something year old and just a jobless ATPL student, and she said she did not really want to teach, but it was here best option at the moment. The quality of the teachers varies, from older people with good knowledge and good pedagogy, to some younger people who I feel almost only been put there after their own completed education. So learning the theory in this subject was difficult, and even more difficult when it came to solving EASA atpl questions in aviation exam.
The first attempt I think I had in August, the second try a week later. Then I had another month from the second test and last now last Friday. First try 68%, second try something with 50%, I think gave up a bit, third time 68% and fourth test 68%. Something like that.
After second attempt you need to have two extra hours with a instructor, before you can take it again. After the third attempt, there will be a conversation. It was a fairly long time in between tests, but at the same time you have other subjects with tests every week and school every day 8-16. So when you also think the other subjects are difficult, it is difficult to sit down and also study the other subjects at the same time. I could have been reading 24/7, but you also need breaks. So I somewhat was pushing the test in front of me, because thought I would have quite a good time before the last attempt. But then it was a final test in radio navigation, that took too much time and tries, but I passed that one. This module was first general navigation, air law, metrology and then RNav.
In the conversation they say that you only have 4 attempts etc, but I did not think it really was this way. I just did not take it seriously enough and thought in a expensive private“school”, you would get some kind of flexible help.
In my class there were two students who started for the second time, when they failed the tests and had fallen behind earlier. So I always thought that the "school" would help in some way if students failed. One of these student was really not cut for it, and failed several exams, but he also went on to module number two. Before everything stopped and he dropped out, but they might have gotten the money from module two out of him as well. The second person was with me on the fourth try og general navigation, where he got exactly 75%.
But he got a deal with the school to postpone exam in principle of flight, which was in the first module, so he will have the exam next year.
It's one of the more difficult subjects, but I passed the exam and finished it. But I thought that I would get a similar solution.
But this was due to covid they were telling me, as we had to have some of the teaching at home at the end of the studies. I think it was four students that got this postponed, until the end of the studies next year. They also say that they passed the last test within four attempts, so it can not be compared to me. But we had these tests at home, so you could easily cheat if you needed to.
General Navigation we were supposed to have in first module, but it was moved to second module due to covid. So if general navigation really would have been a problem, I would have been terminated then, and not now when I have paid 2/4 of the integrated ATPL. They also have no understanding of this, as this was a joint decision by us students with our representative they say. The only thing I heard was that it would be moved forward, because it would be too difficult to do at home and only have instructions through zoom (video).
There was also another student who was terminated now, but he had postponed general navigation and failed mass and balance on the previous exam.
I managed 3/4 in the the exam sitting, where I failed IFR communications, but that one I could easily pass next try. So the other three subjects in this module have have been difficult, but I think I had a good chance to pass these exams, especially with extra reading time, but I was not even allowed to try to take them.
They say is such a short time and that you must have completed all the subjects within 18 months, so you need to take everything without any delays. It have now been 3 months from the first exams and I could have finished 6/7 subjects out of 12. They are also struggling to get enough planes in the air, so there have been long delays for students. But they keep signing up partnerships with foreign airlines and taking inn more students every half year. So its not like we would start our flying right away.
The payment consists of 4 equal payments, so you actually pay way too much when you have the theory. So I feel that they will win much more financially by getting me out and also taking in bad students that fail. So now I have paid like 100$ per hour I have sat in a classroom with 25 students. Paid 2/4 and is not left with anything. Those who had to start again, paid about 4,000$ to take the theory module again, so then it goes without saying that the theory does not cost that much.
That arrangement with payment probably worked well before, when you flew and had theory at the same time. But now you start with theory. So it's a really good financially to fail students.
Since it is a private school I personally pay much money for it, and its also approved by the Norwegian state, when it comes to students loans.
I'm sitting here now, with a broken dream and a big loan. Just like what people warn about. So If you really still think you can become a pilot, I would not use Pilot Flight Academy in Norway. I would suggest OSM aviation academy or CAA, they seem to be smaller and actually take care of their students and who is able to start.