PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Is my flying school being a little unfair?
Old 26th Jul 2008, 08:30
  #27 (permalink)  
119.35
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: UK
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I think you should name them as you could be saving someone else making the same mistake at some point in the future. Pprune is full of 'debates' on particular schools, this is how it allows people to use the information as part of their decision making process. It's admirable that you don't want to 'name and shame' them but all you are simply doing is passing on details of the experience you have gained of a particular outfit, so that others can benefit from your experience.

When I did my ppl recently, the school I went to operated a 2 hr slot booking system. That allowed aircraft walkaround, full brief and de-brief and you were only charged for actuall flying time. That normally gave you ample time and opportunity to discuss the specific lesson or anything else to that matter. If there wasn't a full days flying booked for the school, I could stay there all day chatting to the instructors if I wanted to, with no hint of being charged extra. In fact, they positively encouraged me to pop along and have a chat about things and said I could also study for the exams all day long there also.

As far as paying for 'ground school' was converned, I only paid for 2 sessions and it was made clear that I was receiving proper 'ground school' This was on a day when the weather was a wash out and I was given the opportunity to have specific tuition on something in a class room environment. One of the sessions was on PFLs and it was by no means mandatory and was £30 for an hour, but it was worthwhile to cover something which is a bit more complex in detail. And that 1 hour turned into about 2 hrs classroom tuition for £30.

So it's important with any school that it's made clear what is classed as ground school and what you are likely to be charged for!

That's just to give you an insight into how another school operated and to illustrate that they aren't all the same! I think it would have cost me about £20k for my ppl if I had to pay £30 for every little chat!

So don't have any qualms about naming them (possibly after you have found another one) to allow others to help make informed decisions.

Good luck with the rest of your training!!
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