I certainly understand and share the sentiments of students who undergo the dilemma during the training stage in their flying career. And I’m also aware on how flying schools conduct their business taking their student’s career at stake.
We need to understand that there’s no perfect business in this world. Even one of the largest and stable airlines in Asia (Japan Airlines) filed bankruptcy protection last January 19, 2010 and expected to lay off 15,000 employees.
Your choice in paying the school for your flight training depends on your financial capability and comfort. If you’re comfortable in paying the school in per flight basis then there’s nothing wrong with that. If you think paying half or full of your tuition upfront is ideal for you then there’s nothing wrong with that either. The only difference between the two is the application of your judgment. It doesn’t take a lot of thinking if you’re paying per flight basis. However, if you decide to pay a large amount of money for your training then you need to have proper judgment so you’ll not fall into false promises or scam. Neither of this payment method exempts you from any false promises, scam, or even risk. Some flight schools provide hidden charges in per flight or even package payment methods. And some are very good sales man that they’ll convince you to pay a large amount of money even they don’t have the quality of service you deserve based on the money you paid.
WHOM OF YOU HERE ESCAPES FROM THE TRAP OF A SCHOOL MANAGER WITH VERY PLEASING PERSONALITY AT THE FRONT BUT A LION AT THE BACK AIMING TO DEVOUR YOUR FINANCES?
AND WHOM OF YOU HERE KNOWS IT’S A SCAM IF YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION OF THE SCHOOL IS GOOD BECAUSE OF THEIR NICE FACILITY, GOOD EQUIPMENTS, AND IMPRESSIVE FLEET OF AIRCRAFT?
I BET NONE.
Neither of the payment method guarantees your success or escapes you from any risk. If you have the money and you’re just paying a per flight basis then there’s a big risk that you’ll spend it in another venture therefore interrupting the continuity of your training. Or, if you pay a big amount and end up in a school that’s closing down then you’ll also lose.
Most of the students who aim to become professional pilots nowadays have wrong perspective when embarking in this career. They choose the school that has an impressive facility, programs, equipments, and aircraft. None of these students knows the reality behind the business even with due diligence still it does not guarantee from the risk he or she is into. Every student has different opinions about the school, therefore, making it more complicated and confusing if obtaining views from other students.
The most important thing if you decide to become professional pilot and have a successful career in flying is to choose the best instructor (not a flying school). I was very lucky that I was mentored by one of the legend in aviation, William K. Kershner, who taught me the right stuff and helped me become successful in this career. You can find good instructors at National Association of Flight Instructors at
NAFI - National Association of Flight Instructors if you’re planning to fly in the US. You can search for a master flight instructor or even flight instructors that are inducted in the hall of fame. The reason why the flight instructor is the most important thing is because they protect their name and profession in the industry and they shield you from any scams or bankruptcies. Additionally, if you have a good mentor then he or she will help you find a promising job. Remember that even if a flight school is directly attached or a subsidiary of an airline company, still it does not guarantee your employment after your training. And it does not guarantee that they’ll not close down if strike by economic crises.