I'm the one who tours the flight schools Mordachai.
As Trevor can confirm going right back to when he trained my wife for a PPL in the Brooksville days.
I was able do a lot of mystery shopping visiting Florida up to 10 times a year and even included the skydiving and gliding joints. And now, as I approach my dotage, I find my kids fit the desired profile so nicely the process continues very effectively.
I don't have to add any more though as potential students can scan posts regarding your own school, the problems you've had in the past and your fulsome posts promising to make things right.
Everything spicejetter said about recovering from a bad training experience is absolutely true:
Stranger in town. Well, in the country actually.
FTO holds all the cards with the visa and money up front.
There's a long history of folks being asked to pay offshore to create further problems.
Student on a fixed timescale, a barely sufficient budget and, due to age and life experience, seeing instructors/owners as far higher up the aviation pecking order than reality warrants.
Every penny they have or can raise committed - nothing for a lawyer.
But most importantly of all Mord. Spend more than half an hour with FTO people in Florida and the conversation turns to the internal anger, aggression and strife between the Floridian schools. Such and such owns the school - how can he be the examiner. Non stop, never ending backbiting and slagging that makes PPRuNe look like a kindergarten.
Now contrast that to a student in the UK.
Found yourself in a crap school, one that doesn't deliver the goods?
They can't keep your training records.
They can't wave your visa over your head.
Holding your money? Just go online - fill in your claim - pay 10 quid and the court system is triggered.
Err, that's it. The legal system gets going for a tenner.
I look forward to the rebuttals from you, Socal and any other expat instructors.
Rob