If you're about to commence flying training, it's all well and good to be thinking about the practical side (i.e. the actual flying) but I've yet to hear anyone even mention the theory side of things, which let's face it, if you don't get through, you won't get anywhere.
I did do some training through National Aerospace at Essendon and I have since switched to a school at Moorabbin that is a little more supportive in that way.
I lost a lot of money paying for Computer Based Training (CBT) which was a complete waste of time. It was sold to me (and several others I have spoken to who have since left) as a new approach to learning and that it was more in depth than classroom theory, and that you can work at your own pace..etc etc.
The room that the computers are set up in is dark and depressing and and not at all conducive to learning. Basically you go in whenever you like and log in (that is if your logon hasn't been suspended - which meant approximately a week of delays before someone bothered to get around to resetting it - this also means that you have just wasted your time going in there in the first place).
You sit and watch a computer screen while it tells you the stuff your supposed to be learning. If you have a question - well you can't ask the computer can you - so you toddle off to find an instructor to help. Therein lies the next problem. If your instructor is not around to help you (possibly on a nav) you either have to ask another instructor - who is not necessarily keen to help you if you're not their student. So you either get some vague assistance or you wait for your instructor to come back (zzzzz) or forget about asking the question and continue on without finding the answer - not exactly ideal particularly if the query was crucial to understanding of the topic.
I found that gradually over time the gaps in my learning were increasing - to the point where I ended up ditching the computer based training - I self studied for the PPL exam and then left to do my CPL subjects with Lionel Taylor at Moorabbin. Through his teaching, I passed every exam first time and completed ALL of my exams in 4 months with very good results.
Find yourself a school that is
serious about the theory and will provide you with all the support and assistance that you need to get through it. Computer Based Training is cheaper for the schools as it is one less wage they have to pay - they onsell it to you at a considerable profit to themselves. Look beyond the slick advertising and ask for actual success stories - how many of their ex. students have actually been employed by the big airlines (Qantas/Virgin).
Good luck with finding the right school for you.
