Pilot Training College in Waterford

[little-paddy]

Hi,
Are there any ex PTC students from Waterford out there? If so, could you please PM me if you are willing to share your experiences with the school. I am evaluating it currently and any first hand info would be greatly appreciated,
Thanks

L-P

[november.sierra]

I would also appreciate feedback on PTC Waterford, as they're on my shortlist as well. From what I've heard they're excellent and offer a very competitive package. The only thing I'm a bit worried about is the weather in that corner of the world and how much of an impact that has on the training timescale. Any help would be appreciated.

[kilobravo]

Can someone also pm me on their flight experience in PTC?
It's gonna be them or NFC so any info would be great.
Many thanks
KB

[wolfman-2000]

Im looking into Waterford for my Ir training , just finishing my cpl at the moment and have the mulit rating ( seminole ) which I believe is the plane that the use there for the ir . I would appreciate any feedback good/bad on the Ir training at waterford thanks guy's / girl's........... wolfman ..............

[My names Turkish]

I am presently doing my IR at the NFC, feel free to contact me for any info.

[little-paddy]

As I get info....I will post it. In fact anyone with info please just post here and forget the PM's.

Has anyone any info on Bournemouth? It appears to me to be more cost effective as it also has the simulator onsite at 120 sterling an hour with instructor. They are sister operations I understand so it is the same type setup I guess,

L-P

[My names Turkish]

LP,
You have to decide whats better for you at the end of the day. I looked at going to ETA in Bournemouth, and even visited them and all the other schools there. They all gave a very good impression and I spoke to a few ex-students who were full of praise.

What stopped me was the exchange rate. The Euro to Sterling exchange rate just made it prohibitvely expensive. Use This (www.xe.com/ucc) to do a true comparison.

Once I had looked at the figures in the cold light of day, I knew it was better for me to do my training in the Eurozone. I looked at Spain and they seemed quite good, but it meant extra expenses living abroad for a month and a half.

I had been out at weston a few years ago and the place was a bit of a kip. I decided I would have a look just for the sake of. The place has seen a big turn around. They also have an FNPT II sim. I am nearing completion of the Sim part, hope to start flying soon. It was a majot bonus for me to do it there, because I could live at home and also work and earn some money.

The only thing that I would say to anyone going into to do it there is that it has more of a flying club feel to it. I did my previous traing up to CPL level, including groundschool in the US. The schools there are very focused on getting people through very quickly. They hold your hand so to speak, all the scheduling is done for you, and you fly every day, with maybe one day off a week. I found for my IR that you have to arrange everything for yourself, no simming at the weekends(usually) and this makes it take a bit longer. They don't really do a full time intensive course as my previous traing has been. This suits me fine, but it depends on what you are expecting.

Good luck with your decision and feel free to contact me if you need any advce or have any questions.

[birdlady]

Hi there!!!

I may be butting in here slightly but as its to do with irish aviation what the hell. Has anyone had any experience with Atlantic in Cork please pm me.



Thanks bl :ok: :ok:

[ATRflyer]

Hi Paddy

Just to put in my 2c worth, I trained with PTC in Waterford completing my CPL ME IR earlier this year, then did MCC with Parc, now flying with a regional airline. My experience with PTC was wholly positive, I found the instruction particularly good (something commented on by my subsequent check pilots), and the folks at PTC are a very nice, helpful, well informed, bunch of people.

EIWF is a great training environment. If I could do it all over again, I'd do exactly the same.

PM me if you would like any further input.

[dirflyer]

Echoing the last post, when things went awkward with my previous FTO, PTC rescued my situation, got me back on track and I continued through with them to finish my ME, IR etc. At present I am doing a 737 type rating with an airline contract in my pocket, to start early 2005. No reservations about recommending them. Good people.

[alec]

I did all my training with Atlantic flight training and Delta Connection in the States.
When it came to do my IR I went to PTC. Not just due to the € and £ (saving of approx €5000.00 at time).
I visited them before making up my mind, which I would recommend.
The Airport has an NDB, ILS & DME. ATC are very patient and understanding as are the instructors.
Had no problem adapting to flying in Europe or with the weather, in fact I had more problems with the weather in Florida.
And Maintenance caused no problems at all.
When I have to renew my IR next year I will be doing it with them, that’s if no airline has snapped me up.

All this positive feedback you probably think I work for them. Just check all my previous notices on pprune and you will see how I too was looking for information on PTC back in July 2003

Best of luck

[too_sleepy]

Hi
I don't have any experience with PTC but am considering them for my training. I asked an IAA friend who said thay get great guys from PTC for the CPL and IR exams and have very very few fails. Unofficially he highly recommended them and said your chance of passing the IR first time would be very high with PTC. Nice to hear.

[Simon_Sez]

Has anyone here done their PPL at PTC? I'm thinking of doing it with the intention of then doing the full Modular course.
The other option is going abroad to do PPL for cheaper, then hour building then returning to get CPL ME IR etc, fATPL, FO with Aer Arann, SFO @ Aer Lingus, Cpt with Virgin, Flight Ops at whoever tempts me with the biggest check(!) then retire and set up my very own little flying school. Ambitious? :}

Anyway, back to basics. PPL @ PTC. Comments most welcome.

Regards,

Simon.

[little-paddy]

Hi all,

Can anyone confirm if PTC have an approved FNPTII simulator for use in IR training/conversion? I know it was promised but I am not sure if it materialised. If it did, it sounds like the place to go. The only thing that put me off PTC was the lack of a sim in case it takes alot of extra hours in training.

All the best,

Little-Paddy:ok:

PS ......If someone from PTC would like to jump in, it would probably square away alot of questions that all the posters have on this topic.

[darragh_ptc]

Hello everyone,

I didn't want to interrupt the flow of nice things being said here (please by all means resume! :O), however, in answer to the specific query regarding the FNPT 2 we do not at present have one on site in Waterford.

We do have an FNPT2 approved for use in Bournemouth, but in practice we have discovered customers are benefitting from completing the whole course in aircraft. With our in-house, qualified maintenance staff available 24 hours, aircraft downtime is not proving to be a problem. Customers are also finding that they complete the courses within an hour or two at most of the required hours.

With respect to information on our PPL training I will be happy to put any prospective customer in touch with previous or present PPL trainees on receipt of a PM or email.

Any other queries - please PM, phone or email if needs be.

Darragh Owens
Business Development Manager
Tel: +353 51 876706
Email darragh at ptc.ie

[glennox]

Hi there. This is my first reply on PPRUNE and I delighted to join the club. In reply to some enquiries about PTC I can offer the following. I graduated out of Jerez in 2001, unfortunately after 9/11. I, like the majority of newly qualified pilots, have found to very difficult to get my flying career back in the air, even getting called to an elusive interview has been tough. This has not put me off wanting to fly as a career and I am 100% committed to this goal.

I renewed my ME Class Rating and MEIR with PTC earlier this year and found them to be extremely professional in their approach to flight training. This is evident in the amount of their graduates currently working as F/O with various airlines. The twin aircraft is a Piper Seminole fully IR equipped. If you haven’t flown in a while I would recommend having a few hours in the complex single just to brush up those flying skills. It will save you money in the long run.

Waterford (EIWF) is easily accessible and PTC has a list of accommodation in the area for those needing it. The airport itself is fine for what you require. The ATC at EIWF is excellent, they understand the pressures you are under testing and make life as easy as possible for you. Aer Arann is the only significant traffic to worry about and I never found it a problem.

The availability of aircraft was always good for me. The instructors have a lot of experience and know how to prepare you for a renewal and an initial IR of that is the stage you are at. PTC have also taken an interest in finding out how I my job hunting is going. I have had a couple of phone calls from them since passing my renewal flight test to see how I have been getting on, which is appreciated.

Facilities at EIWF are perfect for training purposes, briefing rooms and canteen in the main airport terminal. Flight Ops has everything you need to plan a flight, MET, NOTAM’s etc etc. The NAV Aids at EIWF are an ILS/DME and NDB, the r/ways are 21/03. The beauty of doing a renewal with PTC is that you will practice every procedure at EIWF, leaving you very well prepared for your flight test. I passed my renewal first time by the way. I am delighted to recommend PTC to anybody who wants to renew a rating or indeed begin the journey of becoming a pilot. Give them a call + 353 (0)51 876706, or visit www.pilottraining.ie

[ketchup]

Hi all!
Just completed the ground school (h) and I want to switch over to fixed wing to get the
MCC Course,
Multi-engine Instrument Rating and
ATPL frozen level as effeciently as possible.
I have heard so much about the US but can't any info that I can trust as prices seem to varying far to much. I have a few hours with NFC at EIWT. I also have my Class 1 too. Any suggestions would be extremly greatful!