Originally Posted by Send Clowns
My question would be: why go to the States for a JAA qualification?
If you want to learn in the US, why not go to a US school for an FAA PPL? If you want a JAA qualification why not either do that and convert back here or do the whole thing at your local flying club? The problem with any JAA training in the states is that it is by the nature of its target market necessarily "sausage factory", set up for flying tourists trying to get hold of a licence quickly and/or cheaply, not for people to enjoy flying and learn. This is not a criticism of the schools nor really of the students who don't know better; it is just an inevitable product of the market conditions.
The focus will be on money, on speed and on getting you out with the right paperwork because that is what the client looks for, you will not get a rounded flying experience. Half of what I have learnt in light aviation has been from being in flying organisations and around pilots; there is lot you can't learn by being around other part-finished products of a training factory!
Maybe I fall into the "don't know any better" category.
The reason I chose to do a JAA PPL at NAC was was for speed, as you rightly point out. Being over 60 years I just wanted to get flying asap. I have been learning in England for 6 months and found that it was slow progress with so many cancellations due to bad weather. I was averaging 1 hour per month over the winter and forgetting things from earlier lessons. In my opinion the standard of instruction I am getting here is just as good as the best I got in the UK. Here though I am able to build on the previous days lessons and feel I am really improving. I did all the written exams before coming out here so I do not feel part of a sausage factory. I am just flying almost every day in lovely weather. The cost saving is a factor too, and having the JAA training is purely again for speed and convenience. I did not really consider getting FAA training and converting but given the choice again I would probably make the same decision.
Peewit