Forget South Africa for a JAA Licence (for now)

[Flying Boat]

The only listed JAA school in South Africa (UK CAA latest list) is reported to have ceased trading allegedly owing students R2,000,000.

The School formerly known as FTC & now known as Global Flight Training (Pty) Limited was reportedly closed down by authorities but has moved to Rand airport near Joburg.

Info can be found on the African Forum:

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=124307

and

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=123522

All I can ask is, CAA why allow this state of affairs to continue?

There are many more threads concerning FTC.

Beware all wannabes.

FB:suspect:

[FlyingForFun]

Always sad to see schools closing down, although FTC have had so much bad press that I might go so far as to cautiously say that it's for the best. I use the word "cautiously" because I have no first-hand experience of them.

FB - a very interesting point about the CAA. One thing which is very important to realise is that the CAA are not responsible for checking that a school operate in a consumer-friendly or financially-viable way.

The only thing the CAA are responsible for is ensuring that the training the school provides meets their requirements and fulfills the requirements of the syllabus. Just because a school can do this, it doesn't mean that this school won't screw its students over financially, or have such old, badly maintained aircraft that they are always going tech, or double-book slots with instructors, or any one of a number of other things that some schools do. And that applies to every single school - I'm certainly not directing these comments at FTC.

That's why it is so important to check a school out thoroughly before commiting large amounts of time/money, and even then you should hand over as little money in advance as possible.

FFF
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[Flypuppy]

There was talk following the SFT debacle that the CAA were looking into setting up some sort of ATOL type system that would bail out people who had been stung by sinking FTOs.

Nothing further has been heard about this since. I guess the transient constiuency of trainee pilots and the relatively small numbers of people affected don't make for a political hot potato.

[Cardinal Puff]

Always good for cheap hour building, though. The Septics are getting a little antsy about handing out visas to trainee pilots so maybe SA a good call for the non structured stuff.

[BillieBob]

The only thing the CAA are responsible for is ensuring that the training the school provides meets their requirements OK, so what about the requirement in Appendix 1a to JAR-FCL 1.055, paragraph 9 that reads "A FTO shall satisfy the Authority that sufficient funding is available to conduct training to the approved standards (see IEM No. 2 to JAR–FCL 1.055)."?

The quoted IEM lays down, in some detail, the procedure that the CAA should go through to ensure the financial viability of the organisations that they approve. Instead, the UK CAA just requires a signature on a scruffy piece of paper, which ensures nothing.
it doesn't mean that this school won't .......... have such old, badly maintained aircraft that they are always going tech The same Appendix to JAR-FCL 1.055 requires that "An adequate fleet of training aeroplanes appropriate to the courses of training shall be provided" and CAP 682 contains more detail as to what is 'adequate'. Don't fool yourself, if FTOs are using cr@ppy aeroplanes, it's because the CAA allows it - each and every airframe in use at an approved FTO has been inspected and approved for use.

It's about time that the UK CAA started doing its job properly, especially in view of the obscene amount of money it screws out of you and me.

[Flying Boat]

They are no longer JAR approved from the UK

I checked the latest UK CAA list of JAR approved Training Establishments.

Not one is in South Africa.

FTC & GFT (Global Flight Training) are not there, did the UK CAA listen?

This does not mean they have not conned a European state into coughing up approval.

Now is the time for some good schools to try, CFA (Midrand) or 43.
I understand they are good, not personnal experience, however, CFA were always helpful towards FTC overseas students.

Good Luck to all the ex FTC instructors and desk staff.

FB

:ok:

[onehunga]

Interestingly enough NFA and Progress are advertising in the May 04 edition of Flyer. Not a dickey bird about JAA approvals in their adverts though which is good. Suppose for the unitiated they have to work out for themselves that you will need to convert the SA licences to JAA world etc.