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Training in South AFrica

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Old 23rd Aug 2010, 16:22
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Training in South AFrica

Hello all

I am a brand new member and am currently looking for the best flight school to train with in South Africa. I know that you prefer to not get involved in "which school is the best" type discussions but I was referred to this forum from Pilots of America.

I was hoping that you may be able to offer a good outsiders opinion on training in South Africa as my son is about to put down a deposit on his flight training. After spending a year working to save up for this course I want to make sure that he makes the best decision.

I have been told that 43 Air School is one of the top 3 flight schools in the world.
I have also been told that Aptrac Aviation trains many international pilots.

It is a difficult choice but Aptrac is quite a lot cheaper than 43 and many say at least as good.

Does any one know anything about these two schools?
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Old 24th Aug 2010, 17:54
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Training in South Africa

Hi,

I Have heard from many guys that 43 is very over-rated and expensive.

It is a large flying school and you're just a number there and train with many different instructors (no personal attention)

Don't know anything about Aptrac though...

Leo1
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Old 27th Aug 2010, 08:47
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Thanks Leo

We have heard about similar issues from pilots who we have spoken to in South Africa. My son has decided to go with APTRAC in the end. It looks like a good school an its close to home.
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Old 27th Aug 2010, 10:10
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http://www.flightacademy.co.za

A very good flight school outside Port Elizabeth.
They have their own airfield, but also do a lot of training at Port Elizabeth airport.They also have a much newer fleet than 43 and Aptrac.
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Old 27th Aug 2010, 15:35
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Pls also use search function. Topic was already discussed on pprune several times.
Nevertheless, have fun!
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Old 27th Aug 2010, 17:18
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Why don't apply to a cadetship with SA Express or something like that..
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Old 28th Aug 2010, 05:01
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Is that the sound of a can opener releasing a crop of worms I hear...?
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Old 29th Aug 2010, 15:04
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You are not helping yourself asking about a flight school on a general forum. There are many schools trolling these forums and recommending their own schools.

I suggest that you visit the various schools in SA with good reputations, meet the management, view their facilities and speak to their students. Then you will know which school to attend.

I suggest, on the coast, 43 Air School, APTRAC, Progress, FTC George.

Around Joburg, SAFTA and FTS.

Cheers
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Old 31st Aug 2010, 01:00
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I belive you put him in different schools based on the stages of training he is going through.But recomend Progress for PPL up till he has gotten he's CPL subjects,because they have a very good ground school which APTRAC don't have.I trainned in both schools and Progress was much professional APTRAC had a standard training and was more about money and now they have new management and not sure wat it's like now but if u talking value for money go to Progress
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Old 31st Aug 2010, 06:22
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Thank you all

Thank you for all of your input.

captain.weird: Do you know anything about affirmative action? As a white male I have been told that that is out of the question. Am I wrong? can a white male stand a chance of scoring a cadet-ship at a major airline?

swagger: My son is looking at a cadet program to help get to CPL. Sticking with one school may help.

jbay fan: thanks for your suggestions. In the end he joined up with APTRAC. He is having his intro flight today.

gGw: Progress was one of the schools on his shortlist

Everyone's help is appreciated!
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Old 11th Sep 2010, 22:49
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C206

hello everyone,
Can anyone please tell me if there is any flight school in South Africa(around Jo'Burg preferred) who has a C206 which I can fly for a few hours. I have a Canadian CPL with 250TT. And also to fly PIC there Do I need to convert my license?
Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance .
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Old 12th Sep 2010, 16:54
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C208 on South Africa

Hi CCUAviator

Checkout The South Africa Pilot Training Portal , they have an advanced search function where you can search by anything including training aircraft. This page shows flight schools with a c208

Contact details for the flight schools are included there.

I hope this helps.
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Old 12th Sep 2010, 17:21
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Devil c206

hie my friend well i think i can remember one school in jobourg that has that has that aircraft its U CAN FLY OR LEARN TO FLY i think one of the two. its at Rand airport in Germiston very fast aircraft and yes to fly bas PIC u will need to do ur validation couple wit some thoeretical exams maybe Airlaw and procedures, Meteorology, maybe Navigation couple wit some few hours of flying to make up wit the CAA hour requirement. or simply check the site. Hope this helps
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Old 13th Sep 2010, 09:22
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c206

Hi CCUAviator

You might try contacting MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship). I believe they're now offering conversion training on their C208 and C206's. They're at Lanseria.

Paul
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Old 16th Sep 2010, 21:50
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Career Guidance - Flight Training South Africa Pilot Training Garden Route
Give the above article a read, very informative(Wish I had taken Captain Waldeck's advice). As mentioned by Captain Waldeck be wary about school's that requires a huge non-refundable deposit. Don't become fixated with this "Top" school ****, there are plenty of smaller cheaper schools offering better training than supposed "Top" schools.
If you insist on a "Top" school pay the deposit for a PPL only, if you are satisfied with the school then go ahead and pay the deposit for a CPL. As said over and over again visit the school's; talk to the students.
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Old 20th Sep 2010, 22:03
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Hello All

Can anyone tell me please what it would involve to convert a Canadian CPL or PPL to the South African equivalent?
I hold a Canadian CPL and am considering training for a multi/ifr rating in South Africa.

Also which of the South African schools would anyone recommend for a multi/ifr rating?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated
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Old 21st Sep 2010, 04:35
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Plenty of schools around. Which area would you prefer? Highveld thunderstorm season coming up but the days are usually good until about 3pm. Coastal weather has usual cycles of rain and sun but a bit dryer than their winter weather now. Highveld in winter is cold and clear on the whole.

As for aiming for the so called top rated schools, it's down to the individual in the end. I've worked with a couple of real doozies from the supposedly best school in SA and heard of a couple more that slipped through the net from friends and colleagues. Flown with some good crew from the lesser known schools too, so it gives the lie to the idea that the school has much bearing on the issue. Problem is, some try to use the school they attended to score points and are quite miffed when it gets them no additional bump up the ladder.
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Old 21st Sep 2010, 21:27
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Cardinal P

I'm not particular about the area too much although i have had a look at the schools on the garden route (George) and they look good, well the websites do. Having said that it would probably be more convenient to train at Johannesburg so either really. And ideally i'd like to fly real IMC as opposed to under the hood. 1st thing to do will be to convert my Canadian CPL though.

I agree with what you're saying about schools & students. I trained at a highly regarded school in Canada and saw students there of varying aptitude. Of course we want the best training available but ultimately it's down to the students attitude and ability.
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Old 7th Dec 2010, 07:03
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I am instructing at Skyhawk Aviation operating out of lanseria, 172's, cherokee's & a twin commanche for multi IF stuff, smaller school than 43 and you will be less of a sausage coming out, lanseria provides large airport experience, with full instrument approach facilities. Training here will give you the confidence to operate into any airport in South Africa.
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Old 7th Dec 2010, 13:49
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One of the problems with Lanseria is the inordinate amount of time and money that can be chewed up taxiing over the horizon and into the dim blue. That's without holding at the holding point for a couple of aircraft on a long final.
Once you're airborne of course the instrument facilities are pretty good although who has any idea what the booking time for an approach and go round and rejoin might be like?
Advanced training as in IF from Lanseria perhaps but basic training up to PPL and even initial twin rating at least, then I'd stick to Grand Central. That airfield can get quite interesting at times when it's busy.There are a couple of schools there both of which I think run ground study courses. Of course in the glory days Rand used to be the gold standard. If you could hack that place on a busy circuit day and not stray into controlled airspace, then you were on your way. But the Transvaal Aviation Club was a flying club in those days with its own aircraft and the right of admission was reserved and executed sufficiently to keep standards fairly high most of the time.
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