Why do people confuse the organisation with the students?
Almost any big flying school will tell all sorts of lies (oops I mean Public Relations speeches) about how wonderful they are, and will therefore attract all sorts of sheep, most of whom will end up in a service station or Burger King because they didn't realise that one actually has to work, and hard. Bad organisation! Bad!
And since students at big schools tend to be guided (led by the hand, whatever) through the course, they generally need to be taught the facts of life in their first CPL job. Ignorant students! but not bad I think.
The Blogg's Aero Club graduates however already know the facts of life, and will get a better reputation in that first job. Lots more sheep will go to the service station at this stage, because they don't have what it takes. Slightly less ignorant ex-students now perhaps.
After two years or so, what separates the Blogg's Aero Club-ites from the Big Flying School graduates (gradu-ites?) Not much that I can tell, because both now know the facts of life, and both have proven they have the skill to take care of a light aircraft. Good pilots! Good!
It's a shame that people (according to rumour, lots of people at a HN based operator) won't distinguish between the student sheep destined for the service station, and the two-years-or-more-in-GA hard workers.
Now tell all the stories you like about terrible Massey-trained pilots you've seen / heard. I have no doubt you are telling the truth, and I have my share too. Please also tell stories about ZK-ABC, or DEF or whatever, which did not have the misfortune to carry a memorable callsign.
And please don't build your preconceptions and prejudices by saying you'll burn the forest because the first 20 trees are stunted. Lots of countries have very big forests now, and getting bigger - the forest-growing trend is here to stay, and will no doubt continue to produce many stunted trees along the way.
Thanks for reading my ravings - hope they make sense!
Oktas8