Hi
I did my CPL in Exeter at AFT in three weeks and then the IR in 4 weeks with first time passes. I cannot reccomend Airways flight training enough they have a very small number of students at any one time giving a maximum of 2 students per instructor but more often one. I had great fun often flying twice a day and a few times I was on the early slot flying, then in the sim after lunch then the evening slot flying. Also the instructors have a wealth of experience some being retired training Capt's, one retired harrier instructor who knows the CPL inside out and all of the intructors have seen it before.
With regards such as holding time, it is minimal the controllers understand the expense and it is not extremly busy airport. Not once was I forced to enter the holding pattern on an approach for a direct ILS or NDB. It was also easy to get slots of the EX as we were the local school, it is also worth remembering that the Exeter's approaches are very tough and when you fly afar they seem much easier. When I was on the CPL and ME I had to orbit a few times downwind but this was rare and often we were squeezed in between ILS traffic. I had no real problems with weather, if it was bad wx we were just sent into the sim or taken aside for theory chat or sometimes a late start and finish planned.
If you need to know anything else feel free to PM me
CAB