Wakatipu Aero Club (Queenstown NZ) - PPL
Dear All,
I am writing to inquire about the Wakatipu Aero Club based in Queenstown, New Zealand.
In a few weeks, I will head to New Zealand (as an international student) to obtain a PPL on a full time basis. Having researched various different flight schools, I found that WAC captivated my interests the most as one key advantage they hold over other schools is the introduction to mountain flying. Having contacted the WAC, they say the introduction is for the 'Terrain and Weather Awareness' section of the PPL syllabus. They also said that after 5 minutes flight, you're already in close vicinity of the mountainous terrain so I can imagine they incorporate a fair amount of hazardous flying into their training.
However, having searched online for reviews of the club, I encountered posts that date back a few years or so - past students had made remarks to bad experiences with WAC, mostly correlating towards the club having poor management, and poor commitment towards their students. I hear that the club has undergone a recent management shift, so I hope that these problems are of the past.
The WAC also state that ground theory would have to be completed on self-study basis. The club kindly noted that the instructors can be hired on an hourly basis to help, but that incurs an additional charge to an already expensive total cost (WAC does charge a substantial amount in juxtaposition to other flight schools). I'm not sure how difficult the PPL exams are, but the CAA PPL syllabus does look a bit intimidating.
I would truly appreciate any feedback, whether it's regards to training or simply flying with them. I'd love to hear your experiences, good or bad!
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.