JAA Training Abroad!

[haggis102]

Hello there people!

Could do with a little help please!

I'm planning going to Long Beach early next year to begin a modular course to obtain my PPL right through to my CPL!

I'm actually from the United Kingdom and plan on basing myself in the UK once I've obtained my license!

The reason I've chosen to learn at UK Flight Training, Long Beach is because of the low fuel costs in America and the fact that it's one of a few places where I can obtain a JAA CPL!

To be quite honest, I don’t really care where I learn to fly but I do want to keep the cost down as much as possible as I'm going to be learning self sponsored!

I was just wondering if anyone knows any other flight schools abroad where I could obtain a JAA CPL so I could obtain a quote and make a comparison! I'm particularly interested in any JAA Flight Schools in Canada as it would give me a chance to visit my brother whilst I'm over there!

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Cheers,

Haggis.

[Keygrip]

Haggis,

WElcome to the industry.

You ask (specifically) about JAA training in Canada - well there is (as far as I know) only one place and it can take you from zero to CPL and part Instrument Rating in Canada.

Have a look at http://www.pilotcollege.co.uk/ you'll find a link to their Canada training department. It's a British school, too - so you have some extra security if it comes to spending any money there as you'll have the support of the Trading Standards Office etc.

There are, in answer to your further question, numerous schools in Florida that offer JAA training from PPL level - and some of them go to CPL level, too. Have a look at the UK Civil Aviation Authority web site which lists all the approved ones - there's a book full of them at http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/SRG_FCL_APPROVEDFTOS.PDF

[haggis102]

Thats certainly interesting information Keygrip, I'll take a close look over it!

Thanks a lot for your help!

Haggis.

[Long Beach CFII]

Almost all of the fuel cost is absorbed by the school training you, so you wouldn't have to worry too much about that.

UKFT doesn't own any airplanes, and uses a US school, Rainbow Air to supply them with airplanes - and most often instructors too. So if you get a quote for airplane's per hour cost, compare it to Rainbow prices.

I used to work at Rainbow and know those airplanes all too well. Have you thought of NAC Fl.

['I' in the sky]

Haggis,

Being self sponsored is a very good reason indeed why you absolutely should care where you train. I'm sure there can be no worse feeling than returning to the UK only to discover you have been short chamged and now have to self-sponsor your retraining or additional training.

I have no experience of any of the schools in California so can't comment on them specifically. I started my own PPL training at a school in Stuart, Florida many years ago called Treasure Coast Flight Academy, nice glossy brochures, instuctors all in gold bars and run by a complete ass. I learned a lot about about schools who promise PPLs in 4 weeks, never mind those who now promise it in 3.

I finished off at a much smaller outfit, Airwise Aviation in Titusville, Florida which was great. That was back in the early 90s but I believe the owner Gary Evans now runs a school in Merritt Island, Florida. I don't know whether he does JAA or not, or just FAA.

It could be worth doing the FAA licence and then converting. That's what I did although the conversion procedure may be more complicated now, I haven't checked for a while.

[flugalrascal]

Hi there,

Two in Florida, EFT European Flight Training www.flyeft.com and Naples Air Centre, not sure of there web address.

Theres a few threads for both schools in this forum, always worth a search..

Cheers

flugal!

[BillieBob]

There are only 6 schools in North America approved to provide modular training for the JAA CPL(A) and UKFT is not one of them. The only approved organisation in Canada is The Pilot Training College, based in Moncton.

Beware of US schools that are not 'up-front' about their status, such as UKFT and Delta - consider whether it is wise to trust your training to an organisation that feels it necessary to be economical with the truth in its advertising.

[birdlady]

Hi Haggis

Im just going to come out and say this - I will probably be shot down but what the hell. I would be very reluctant with obtaining a JAA CPL outside the Uk if you want to work in the UK. I have a JAA PPL from South Africa and unfortunately two days after I completed my test the school went bankrupt. The UK is the only JAA country that can provide approval to schools in other countries to train on the JAA system. The school I went to, was having problems for a long time eg instructors not being paid, airplanes not being properly maintained and to top it all off the owners did a runner with the students money. The UK CAA did nothing about it, it was actually the sherif who was called in because their debts werent being paid off. The point is, people get into the trap of because its JAA approved it must be a good school. This is not the case. Another reason I would be reluctant to do JAA CPL training abroad is that European companies are generally reluctant to take on pilots who have not trained in Europeanan airspace and lets face it lads with there being so few jobs out there anything that will make are cv's appear higher in the pile is a bonus.
Having said all this, you could save money by doing the PPl and most of your hour building elsewhere then return to the Uk to do CPL and Multi IR etc. .

Ciao BL :E :E :E