Metch, I am a student at Heliflight Wairarapa, so I thought I better stick my 2 cents worth in.
Firstly, any students who complain of being just another number only have themselves to blame. A CPL licence is not going to be handed to you on a silver platter! If you put in the effort, the instructors will take note of this and do all they can to help you get through. If you ass around waiting for things to happen, they won't.
Heliflight is a very busy organisation. I think that alone should say something.
Here is a bit about my time here so far:-
Ground school was held at the local polytech with a variety of lecturers from past students to instructors to an ATPL airline pilot for Met who claims he hasn't flown a VFR flight for 30 years!
I found the classes to be interesting and well run - I certainly would not have been able to get through so quick if I had been studying on my own.
Flying has been good. Heliflight have 1 A cat, 1 B cat and 3 C cat instructors who have a good range of knowledge. Having the choice of so many instructors means that any time a flight is available, so is an instructor. I also found that if I was having trouble with something, flying with a different instructor would sometimes show you another way of looking at the same thing.
They currently have 2x H300c's, 1x H300cb and an H500c. They also have a lot of students, so you have to be on the ball and be proactive in making sure you get a flight booked in for yourself. If you use the heliflight facilities for study, then you often end up with extra flights when students dont show up. (The just another number students)
The Wairarapa seems to be a good place to learn as the weather seems to be fairly stable, the Tararua ranges are a stones throw away, and you are pretty much smack in the middle of the country for x-counrty flights. As Heliflight also have a branch in Ardmore, you can always transfer there for a period if you want a change of scene.
I have had moments when I have been frustrated at not being able to get a flight for what ever reason, but if you show up every day and make the effort, there is always room somewhere.
So thats my bit - I'm sure other students have different views. Training is the easy part - finding a job is going to be a wake up call.