Puzzled over breakdown of Modular Training

[kellyr4]

Folks please help me with my query. I want to know if the following is possible.

I live in Dublin Ireland and need to continue working full-time.

(1) Go out to one of the flight schools in Weston and get say 20 hours instruction, over a period of 1 hour per week.

(2) Then can I abandon Weston and head over to say Florida and log 20-30 hours in the space of say 2 weeks and then do the JAA PPL exam over there?

(3) Then when I return to Ireland begin studying for the ATPL theory by distance learning through one of the UK colleges. Whilst also logging 1 or 2 hours a week in a flying club in Ireland eg. the one in Dublin Airport.

(4) Then head back Florida on an hour building holiday for approx 2 months flying all over the place to get to the hour quota for the CPL.

(5) Then do the CPL/IR/ME course part-time in the Atlantic school in Cork.


This will have involved getting a PPL in the US, doing the UK ATPL theory and getting the CPL/IR/ME in Ireland. Is this allowed or are they not compatible with each other?


I look forward to your advise and comments

[Awaiting Push]

Hi Kelly4r

Im hoping to start my training in september from scratch to fatpl in waterford. Im doing it full time but did look at the option of part time out of weston. It would take nearly twice as long but at my own pace.

The option you are looking at sounds a bit complicated and may end up costing you just as much. You would need to make sure that the colleges you are looking at are JAA compliant otherwise you will need to do conversion courses. The states are a good idea for hours building.

I think it all boils down to each individual circumstances.
There is a guy in Weston who was very helpful to me. I think he is the head of training over there. Angus is his name. Maybe take a trip over and talk with him.

Hope it works out well 4 ya!!

[Whirlygig]

Your points 1) and 2) are the "iffy" ones. You are basically advocating changing school half way through a PPL. You would need to ensure that that both schools are happy with this and that the first school in Irelad will transfer your records.

Also, you need to have passed all the PPL theory exams before you take the PPL skills test.

Cheers

Whirls

[potkettleblack]

To expand a bit on what Whirls is getting at......Flight schools are first and foremost profit making entities (well the properly run ones anyway). The ones in the US tend to offer a package price as illustrated in the various flight magazines. This generally works out much cheaper for you and of course they make a fistful of dollars as well. If you start wanting to trim down the package by virtue of having say 20 hours with another outfit you will stumble across a number of obstacles. Firstly, they will probably say no outright. If pushed they will then give you the whole transfer of training records argument. Further, they will in no way shape or form be willing to get on the phone and make international calls to arrange for delivery of these. Finally flight schools are inherently biased against each other. Each one thinks it is the be all and end all of flight training and any hours you did somewhere else will be scoffed at in anycase.

I know that in the UK there are a few providers who allow you to sit the PPL exams in advance of the training. That can help out considerably if you are planning on heading out to the US to do a JAA PPL. It will lift a major weight off your shoulders having all the exams in the bag prior to departing and that way you can focus exclusively on the flying side of things. Do a pprune search to find out who offers this and check the private flying forums for info. They should be in LASORS as well which you should download from the CAA website as it contains an up to date listing of all the UK CAA approved JAA training providers.

[Re-Heat]

Point 1) will waste your time and money IMHO - do it consolidated in one go, and you will find yourself spending less and getting better continuity of training.

Of course, one or two lessons at your local airfield would be useful and sensible to ensure that you are indeed of the appropriate ability!

[Slopey]

Following on from the above.. (as per everyone else)...

- Get a class 1 medical before you do anything else.

Then do 2-5 hours at a local school - ensure that you enjoy it! (Some people think they're mad keen, get in the plane, and don't like it! honest!). Get as many exams done as possible or start revising as soon as possible.

Then head to the states and do the PPL course - you'll need at least 4 weeks to complete it allowing for weather (not so much vis/cloud/rain - but wind - crosswind limits can ground you for days). If you're doing any flying before you go be aware that some schools will "get you to 45 hours" and having previous hours in your logbook may affect how much tuition you actually get. Be wary of that one if you've got 20 hours - if you've got five, just take a new empty logbook and start on page 2 and enter the previous later.

If you're serious considering commercial over a tight timescale, get your medical first before you spend any money!

Then be aware that you have to pass both the CPL & IR within 18 months of completing your last ATPL exam.

[greywind]

Rather than start a new topic I feel my post is similar to the one here.

I currently have 25 hours flown at my local flying school but can't really afford to do much more at the moment. I was planning to take time off and do my all my exams and save the money to finish off my flying for my PPL. Doing an exam every month or so, I can concentrate on the revision and should have enough saved at the end for my flying hours.

However my plan was to save and then finish my flying instruction in the US as it is cheaper. As someone mentioned above, is there likely to be a problem transferring my records over to finish off the flying with another school? and also would the US school be likely to have a problem with me having done all my ground exams over here first?