G'day Bman
From the inside!!!
Just got my MEIR with Sunair in the Mount and no complaints, exactly what I expected.
You train in the old girl of the fleet DIR but since they've got 5 other Aztecs screaming around they've got ready access to other planes if you're one ****'s itself coming up to the test.
They've got a brand new workshop/hanger and things are getting done by the book these days... pretty much.
I was falling behind a bit, due a need to work and earn some money along the way, but we went hard the last week before the test and all went sweet.... well as sweet as any damned flight test when the pressure's on.
They've got three instructors at the mo' and they all have different styles and they all know different stuff - how to make you pass, how to make you work operationally, how to make you live, how to make you employable in Eagle and Air Nelson, and how to make you do the hard yards with the right attitude to get you there!!!
If you've only got 2-300hrs go somewhere else, if you've got a crap attitude or are a **** pilot go elsewhere because they'll make no bones about telling you. They need to train pilots that are employable or they are wasting there time and your money. I had my theory done before I got here and I'd recommend that (you've plenty other **** to think about). I did the Initial Multi endorsement, and sat the single pilot MEIR with the first 10hrs training in a single the rest in the Aztec. Total cost came to about $10k or $11k.
I was ****tin myself about failing cos I had no idea how I was gonna raise another 2-3 thousand.... phewww!!!
The mount's not the cheapest place to live but it's bloody cool, nice bars, nice folk and wicked beaches.
If you pass, meet the mark, are a reasonably sensible person, are willing to do the hard yards, and somebody leaves, then you'll get a job.... and they only do Multi flying and almost all IF so it should get you to the next step.... just don't f#@k up.
Limited places and quite selective so go to their web site and fill in the form.
Nah, I've no connection with them (you can check out my other posts if you like) I think we get screwed enough in this industry as it is and cant stand all the cr@p I read, and I just post as I experienced it.
Get into it mate, the only way forward. Even once you've past the test you still have a **** load to learn.
Just for a laugh set up Tauranga (which is pretty straight forward) on MS Flight Sim, set the weather to bang on Tauranga approach minimas (cloud base and vis) and try an approach - you just see the runway lights as you go around. Now sit back and think about that when its real life, somewhere worse, it's pissin down rain, freezing and you've punters aboard.... AND limited fuel....
You don't want to JUST pass your test - you want to know exactly what you are doing....!!!!
All the best
GW