Wee Weasley Welshman
18th Dec 1998, 13:07
I need to get busy with booking myself an AFI course for March. Anybody out there got a recommendation or, indeed, a timely warning for me? WWW
Capt Homesick
19th Jan 1999, 02:22
I did my BCPL, AFI and QFI upgrade at Tayside Aviation, Dundee. First time passes in everything (which is more than you can say about my groundschool), and then I instructed for them on and off for three years.
If you do the course in March, you could expect to get hired at least for the summer, and if you're lucky and get 100 hours instructing by July or so, you could get approved for teaching Flying Scholarships (as far as I know, Tayside is still the RAF's prime contractor for the FS scheme). Better still, Lovat Fraser the CFI is an ex-boss of the ATC gliding school at Arbroath, and likes instructors with your kind of background. No guarantees of a job over the winter, but the weather in winter in Dundee means you wouldn't get many hours in anyway. My best month was 91 hours one August- some of my colleagues got over 100. He also has friends fairly high up in a few of the UK's smaller airlines, so that might help later if you stay on his good side.
As a company, they're not afraid to buy new aeroplanes- they were one of the first to get Katanas, which are fun to fly and have great outside visibility- although they still have a largish Cessna fleet.
Rented accomodation in Dundee isn't cheap, but they generally know of places which don't advertise, but will put up a poor AFI for a few months for an extremely good rate- GBP40 a week the last time I stayed there (Spring 97).
On the whole, I had a ball with Tayside, I still miss the place and the people I worked with (and Laing's bar on a Saturday night was always a good laugh). Email me and I'll tell you my name- it won't score you any points with Tayside, but it won't do you any harm, and if you say I recommended the place it'll earn me some brownie points!
Tayside Aviation: 01382 644577
ps I own no shares in the company!
spamcan
19th Jan 1999, 03:31
I could get you a job in north London. If your any good it's 700 hrs plus a year. Lot's of students and a good laugh. It's at EGLG (look it up)! Start on 10/hr plus 10/day. You will probably be welcome.
Wee Weasley Welshman
19th Jan 1999, 14:06
Good Lord! Capr Homesick, thank you I shall contact Tayside this week and ask if I may send thema CV upon completion of my AFI.
spamcan - I shall Email you immediately. Thank you. WWW
WWW, although Lovat is in charge of the administration side of the RAF/MOD scheme, he is not the only school actually doing the flying. Try Cumbria Aero Club at Carlisle for a better paid position!