Originally Posted by
B2N2
Expect me to advocate the opositie.
Drilling holes in the sky on a basic airplane is a waste.
My opinion: Drilling holes in the sky is never a waste of time. Flying is fun. It's what I do for a living, and it's what I do on my days off. I can fly all day in my plane for what a flight school charges for one hour in theirs.
Travel with your son to the USA and visit the schools on your short list.
Spending $4-$5k on selecting a school can save you 10's of thousands.
My opinion: I wasn't planning on him spending tens of thousands for everything.
Find a school experienced with non-US students and I don't mean Chinese or Indian.
My opinion: This is America, and he's British. It's like were cousins not Martians.
Explain to the school that your son will be there for PPL through CPL ME IR
My opinion: Do not get a FAA CPL/IR/ME. Just a PPL will work. There is no point in doing this is your goal is a EASA (f) ATPL.
Why is this important?
My opinion: It isn't.
Because PPL training is not equal.
My opinion: It's flying a plane, not brain surgery.
I would train a PPL student with recreational intent differently then a PPL student with professional intent.
My opinion. I would train a student for a love of flying, and teach them the finer points and finesse of good airmanship.
When a student is proficient in steep turns at PPL level there is no reason why you can't add 5 degrees and get them proficient at CPL level already.
My opinion: I would teach a student to be able to perform all maneuvers up to basic aerobatics. But hey, if steep turns are your thing, then have at it. But I don't see the point of going to America just to do steep turns.
Some of the FAA required CPL maneuvers are perfectly suitable to be taught during PPL. Also more attention to checklist usage, call outs and things like radio navigation if you know the student will do their IR next.
My opinion: The flight schools in the UK are very good. They put the US schools to shame in terms of quality instruction. There is plenty of time to learn everything in the UK once you have 200+ hours in the US. US is brilliant to fly in complete freedom at a very low cost.
For a 'recreational' PPL is would spend more emphasis on dead reckoning and pilotage and with a 'pro' student use more radio navigation during their PPL dual and solo and night cross countries.
My opinion. You can learn to walk before your learn to run.
Now you need a Chief Flight Instructor who understands how to do this.
My opinion: Go see the chief instructor at Stapleford, Flying Time and BCFT and ask their opinion. The US is a stepping stone and a hour building destination if your goal is a UK flying career.
MY OPINION: I Don't have a horse in this race. I'm a Brit who's been flying for a US airline for a long time. I have three dual national children who I'm teaching to fly. I'm a CFI/II/ME and an A&P and an aircraft owner.
I was just trying to offer advice to a man from Kent who was trying to help his kid. A position I'm in too. I'm not a flight school, and I make no money from general aviation, which is why my opinion is free and unbiased.
I'm also tired of explaining myself.
Choose an airplane type for the PPL that will be used for the IR next.
Choose an IFR equipped airplane for the PPL.
You don't want to use the simplest cheapest aircraft for the PPL and then have to do the IR in an airplane in which they have no flight experience.
Yes the PPL will be a little more expensive but you save 1000's on the IR by using an airplane that they already have 45-50 hrs of flight experience in, know all the checks, power settings , equipment and such.
Otherswise you can easily add 10-15 hrs onto the IR.
PPL and IR under part 141 training as it allows you to do the IR right after the PPL.
CPL training under part 61 as this allows more flexibility.
Log EASA compliant from day one.
Do all the required time building on an IFR flight plan to gain IFR experience.
For a European student CPL SE then CPL ME.
This requires discipline but start studying for the EASA exams while still in the USA and plan taking the first 3 upon return to Europe.
Then complete and practical conversion.
Alternatively enroll in a combined Academic and conversion course, ideally using the same type of aircraft as used for previous training.
I have to write this, as my message is too short.