Training in South AFrica
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This post is also in Professional Pilot Training. I apologise if that's not allowed but the two threads seem to run together. The Great Powers will of course delete as they see fit.
It's too long since I trained at Van Nuys for specific comment to be fair about US flight training.
Something is afoot with flight training in South Africa and I can't quite put my finger on it.
It seems to me as though training schools are being pushed into a corner either by the CAA, whose old style hands on approach to training seems to have gone, or by the airports from which they operate. It's almost as though training establishments are not wanted and has their client base changed completely? What has happened to Private Pilot Licence Training as opposed to training for the Commercial Licence? Is private licence training for its own sake a dead fly? Schools seem to have a preponderance of commercially orientated pupils from the east across the waters or up country across the deserts. If South African schools have become training centres for foreign students that may well be in part because certain foreigners find it difficult to obtain Visas for the USA these days. That's probably bread and butter for the local schools but do I detect or imagine a change of attitude among instructors that indicates that training is now not so much a vocation as a turkey farm? That's understandable if the first set of circumstances which I spoke about is correct but you don't need to be a rocket scientist to see that there is a great danger here for a gradual and involuntary erosion of attitudes as well as standards. Flight training was always a stepping stone of course but I don't suppose it's helped outlooks that thanks primarily to economics the progression across that stony path has been slow. Then too there is the quality of ATC at certain airfields. Dangerous situations due to inexperience or lack of ATC training cannot always be explained away by calling them character building or whatever excuse one wants to dredge up for inefficiency.
If I were starting out with a bundle of bucks and an acceptable passport, I think I would very seriously consider going to the USA for my training. I think the experience of training from of a relatively busy US airfield with its functioning instrument systems, weather considerations and infrastructure would be of such value to the aspiring South African commercial pilot as to be worth considering. The fact that attitudes at American airfields might be utterly commercial is no longer of any disadvantage whatsoever to the student pilot at whatever stage of his training he may be.
It's too long since I trained at Van Nuys for specific comment to be fair about US flight training.
Something is afoot with flight training in South Africa and I can't quite put my finger on it.
It seems to me as though training schools are being pushed into a corner either by the CAA, whose old style hands on approach to training seems to have gone, or by the airports from which they operate. It's almost as though training establishments are not wanted and has their client base changed completely? What has happened to Private Pilot Licence Training as opposed to training for the Commercial Licence? Is private licence training for its own sake a dead fly? Schools seem to have a preponderance of commercially orientated pupils from the east across the waters or up country across the deserts. If South African schools have become training centres for foreign students that may well be in part because certain foreigners find it difficult to obtain Visas for the USA these days. That's probably bread and butter for the local schools but do I detect or imagine a change of attitude among instructors that indicates that training is now not so much a vocation as a turkey farm? That's understandable if the first set of circumstances which I spoke about is correct but you don't need to be a rocket scientist to see that there is a great danger here for a gradual and involuntary erosion of attitudes as well as standards. Flight training was always a stepping stone of course but I don't suppose it's helped outlooks that thanks primarily to economics the progression across that stony path has been slow. Then too there is the quality of ATC at certain airfields. Dangerous situations due to inexperience or lack of ATC training cannot always be explained away by calling them character building or whatever excuse one wants to dredge up for inefficiency.
If I were starting out with a bundle of bucks and an acceptable passport, I think I would very seriously consider going to the USA for my training. I think the experience of training from of a relatively busy US airfield with its functioning instrument systems, weather considerations and infrastructure would be of such value to the aspiring South African commercial pilot as to be worth considering. The fact that attitudes at American airfields might be utterly commercial is no longer of any disadvantage whatsoever to the student pilot at whatever stage of his training he may be.
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As a shareholder in an SA flight school, I have to admit that most schools in SA are under pressure, mainly from an overly bureaucratic SACAA.
Our theory is cumbersome and, although very comprehensive, it is not presented or tested in a way that will offer the student the most benefit. I have no problem with the flight training requirements.
Additionally, the maintenance oversight section of the SACAA seems intent on creating as many obstacles and hurdles for GA and commercial operators without any regard for common sense or commercial viability. They grounded one of our twins a few months back because one screw was missing from the tailcone fairing. They require two qualified and type rated engineers to sign off every major maintenance function, but will not allow a small AMO to use the services of the second qualified engineer from another AMO that is not based at the same field.
Small and / or dodgy operators are allowed to continue training and even after being closed down they generally open again a few weeks later. They charge low prices, often below cost, and make their money by skimping on aircraft maintenance, administration positions and by other devious means such as charging students exorbitant financial penalties for leaving their schools when they want to cancel their training.
Then there is SARS who do not allow us VAT exemption on the training of individuals. All educational institutions in SA who are registered with the Dept of Education are VAT exempt, but ATO's are registered and licensed by the SACAA so we are not able to gain this exemption. Most schools outside SA are tax exempt.
Would I train in the USA if I had to start all over again. Yes and No. It depends on my end goal. Cost and efficiency are a big plus for training in the USA, but there is a definite stigma to having trained there when it comes to getting a job outside the USA. The FAA license is seen as an "easy out" by many doing the hiring in countries outside the USA. My only saving grace was my military flight experience in the US Army and that I had spent two years flying for an SA operator before my SAA interview.
Our theory is cumbersome and, although very comprehensive, it is not presented or tested in a way that will offer the student the most benefit. I have no problem with the flight training requirements.
Additionally, the maintenance oversight section of the SACAA seems intent on creating as many obstacles and hurdles for GA and commercial operators without any regard for common sense or commercial viability. They grounded one of our twins a few months back because one screw was missing from the tailcone fairing. They require two qualified and type rated engineers to sign off every major maintenance function, but will not allow a small AMO to use the services of the second qualified engineer from another AMO that is not based at the same field.
Small and / or dodgy operators are allowed to continue training and even after being closed down they generally open again a few weeks later. They charge low prices, often below cost, and make their money by skimping on aircraft maintenance, administration positions and by other devious means such as charging students exorbitant financial penalties for leaving their schools when they want to cancel their training.
Then there is SARS who do not allow us VAT exemption on the training of individuals. All educational institutions in SA who are registered with the Dept of Education are VAT exempt, but ATO's are registered and licensed by the SACAA so we are not able to gain this exemption. Most schools outside SA are tax exempt.
Would I train in the USA if I had to start all over again. Yes and No. It depends on my end goal. Cost and efficiency are a big plus for training in the USA, but there is a definite stigma to having trained there when it comes to getting a job outside the USA. The FAA license is seen as an "easy out" by many doing the hiring in countries outside the USA. My only saving grace was my military flight experience in the US Army and that I had spent two years flying for an SA operator before my SAA interview.
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Good training doesn't have to be classed as difficult for it to be good. It needs to be sensible, comprehensive and well structured. That's where the FAA is way ahead of the rest.
There is an old stalwart frame of thinking that training systems need to be nigh on impossible in order for them to be good. The 'easy out' view is, in my opinion held by those who feel they need to protect their own overly tedious syllabi and systems that don't necessarily make sense, or produce the best pilots, but sort of define that country's training standards. Protectionism if you will.
There are huge problems with training in SA. Yes the schools are raking in cash, and waving their flags proudly to anyone with a fat enough wallet, however, there is a fundamental shortfall in the transfer of experience that is taking place. The pyramid of knowledge and experience is turned on it's head, and we are building pilots with serious, deadly voids in their aviation foundations.
There is an old stalwart frame of thinking that training systems need to be nigh on impossible in order for them to be good. The 'easy out' view is, in my opinion held by those who feel they need to protect their own overly tedious syllabi and systems that don't necessarily make sense, or produce the best pilots, but sort of define that country's training standards. Protectionism if you will.
There are huge problems with training in SA. Yes the schools are raking in cash, and waving their flags proudly to anyone with a fat enough wallet, however, there is a fundamental shortfall in the transfer of experience that is taking place. The pyramid of knowledge and experience is turned on it's head, and we are building pilots with serious, deadly voids in their aviation foundations.
