NAC vs. IFTA

[hotprop]

Having completed CPL and previously IR I'm now dwelling over where to do my ME. As it seems, adding this in the US is the most cost-effective alternative, and perhaps the best from a weather stand-point, this being Sweden.

I've found two schools in Florida that provide JAA training at roughly the same cost ~2000 USD, although it's for the minimum 6 hrs which I intend to increase whether required or not.

Does anyone have experience of these two schools ?

Naples Air Center
http://naples-air-center.com/

International Flight Training Academy
www.goifta.com (http://www.goifta.com)

Thanks,
Krister

[porridge]

Do a search on these forums on both. One of these two has had some very negative press. Suggest you avoid the one that does like the pague!

[hotprop]

Thanks for the search tip.
That didn't come out too well... Is there any school over there that carries a good reputation on average? These two don't seem to. More negative than positive by the looks of it :confused: .

I'm really reluctant to miss out on the possibility of getting more time for the buck so to speak.

Krister

[dpm]

hotprop,

I'm here at NAC right now (I'm sitting in the reception area right now, trying put off a bit more studying). As I said in another post, it's not perfect, but you should have no reservations coming here. Can't compare to others, obviously, since I ain't been here.

Forgot to say in my earlier posts, there is one BIG problem here: every time I make a pot of coffee, and go back to pour myself a cup, the whole thing's gone!! C'mon, Richard G, I know you're reading this, when are you going to solve the problem of the mysterious coffee disappearances?

Seriously, though, feel free to PM if you want to know more, and names of refs that NAC gave me before coming here.

Cheerio!! DPM.

[BeeBee]

Well that would explain why those cats are so hyper... :=

[flighttime2.0]

not sure if you read my post about passing the commercial at nac and also the mep . Well like I said in the post the instruction in naples is top dog and they will be sure to get you through it , I completed the mep training after 8 hrs and never been in a twin before that !!
I would have reservations about Ifta , a flew over that direction a couple of weeks ago and noticed that their only twin the sennica 2 has suffered some damage to one of its engines most likely due to the hurricanes over there , the extent of the damage im not too sure .. flighttime..

[Alex Whittingham]

Are IFTA still trading?

[hotprop]

Thanks for the information dpm and flighttime2.0.
The only unfortunate thing is that I can't get a ME-IR check-out and will have to do that when I get back to Sweden.
I'm hoping that I can do some IFR brush-up work in the US in order to prepare for a checkride back home, but I don't know about that yet. Is anyone else in a similar situation?

The big plusses are low costs for the twins, especially at todays exchange rates which I am hoping will allow me a great many more hours than here. For comparison the largest school in sweden advertises it's Beech Duchess training rate as 550 eur/hr!! I think they're the most expensive (besides being f***ed in the head), but even so, the cheapest one around is probably 350-400 eur/hr.

Also, the weather ofcourse. 40 cm of snow in Stockholm and zero degrees outside as I write this - yuck!

Flighttime, what is the state of the twins at NAC in terms of equipment and general condition (in your view)?
I'm getting used to having all the bells and whistles save pressure cabin and de-ice in our Commander 114B....

Thanks again for providing a different view to the traditional "don't go there" approach.

Hotprop (we don't have that either...)

[Keygrip]

hotprop - just what, exactly, are you trying to get?

I'm curious about the comments "I can't get an ME IR checkout" and "when I get back to Sweden"

You CAN do a JAA I/R revalidation, or renewal, here in Florida - is that what you are talking about?

If you don't want to print here then send a PM - but spell it out.....what ratings do you have, what ratings do you want.

Don't just say "I/R" - is this FAA, JAA or what?

[flighttime2.0]

Hi alax

Ifta are still up and running , but with a micky mouse operation .
The school that they were based in suffered alot of damage due to hurricane and their fleet of planes is down to about 2 warriors and a c152 or there abouts ! flighttime

[hotprop]

Sorry for the confusion Keygrip.

I have a JAA license CPL+IR single engine & 500 hrs. I want to add ME and make my IR valid for multi.
According to NAC I can only get ME for vfr operations in the US, hence the "when I get back to Sweden" statement.

/Hotprop

[Keygrip]

Hotprop - gotchya.

However, whilst they are probably correct, N.A.C. are not the ones to ask - the Swedish Authorities should be approached.

With the UK Civil Aviation Authority (under whose approval N.A.C. operate for JAA purposes) you would, indeed, need to fly the multi engine instrument test with a CAA staff examiner in UK airspace.

The Dutch authorities, however, have been known to take a different view - they have (in the past) allowed holders of a single engine instrument rating to "upgrade" to multi engine in the United States (by doing the flight test with a JAA instrument examiner).

[hotprop]

Thanks for pointing that out.

I will check the regs here, need to do so in any case to make sure the training in the US will be OK.

Cheers!

[MAX]

I suggest you dont bother with IFTA. Do a search and believe what you read.

Sounds like that hurricane might have been Karma.:E

MAX:cool:

[hotprop]

Yes, I do believe I get the point with regards to a few schools. There are fewer candidates for my money now and that's just as well, I can't seem to make my mind up! Florida it is though! :ok:

I just noticed a few private messages regarding this note (hadn\'t looked before). Thanks to everyone who took the time to give me some advice. I shall heed your words and try to find my own way through the jungle.
Hopefully come spring I\'ll be a full fledged CPL-ME-IR, and more poor than before :ugh:

See you up there!

[SunNFun]

Having had some experience I would highly suggest to have the school show you proof (photocopies of actual letters from the Insrurance) of insurance for both your instructor and yourself before you take your first lesson.

It's getting more and more difficult to obtain insurance for training ops, so there have been cases where the schools let you launch without insurance, they just didnt tell you...

Just some advice.