View Full Version : NAC or OFT or...
Since there are too many pros and cons and rumours and balbla about JAA approved schools in the US, I'd like to recieve some real experiences and reccomendations.
I wanna join an integrated course from zero to JAA fATPL. And I really want to hold my JAA licence in my hands afterwards.
Did anybody undergo the whole process?
Could anybody please give me some help with my decision?!
Cheers,
Aha :ok:
Keith.Williams.
6th Jun 2007, 06:58
If you go to the CAA website you can examine the list of approved schools.
Unless I am mistaken you will not find any that are approved for Integrated course in the US. I believe that OAT do part of their integrated course in the US, but the remainder is in the UK.
Thank you for your answer. But how come that -like nac- they are advertising jaa courses?! UK is no question for me, since I am Hungarian and German is my 2nd mother tongue, so I'd rather go there. But the costs... you know.
Regards,
Aha
count dingleberry
6th Jun 2007, 09:32
aha83,
I would save my money and do the training a little bit closer to home. Then when they try to screw you(chances are high they will), you will have a few more options of resolving it as painless as possible. Sounds harsh? Welcome to the world of aviation! I myself had never met a crook before I joined it........
In short, be careful
How will German help you in the UK? Itīs like English being useful in France...........
Count Dingleberry,
maybe it was unclear, but UK never came into my mind. I wrote that I'd rather go to Germany, since I know the language.
I see things like that:
I recently graduated from college with a diploma in economics. Worst case would be that I'd have to pay back approximately 50k $ to my family in the future and a job far from aviation.
So rumours can't stop me and I won't give up that easy... things ain't easy, whether you start up your own business (which is lots more than a self-financed course) or work for an MNC or whatever.
I just wanted to know if there was anybody with experience from a US JAA approved school which one of you would recommend.
Keith.Williams.
6th Jun 2007, 11:05
aha83
In your original post you specified that you wanted to do an Integrated course. The word Integrated has a specific meaning in the terms of JAR training. Very few schools do them. And as I said in my pervious post, there are no schools doing them in the US.
But if you want to do a MODULAR course, then both OFT and NAC offer such courses.
Keith Williams,
actually I was looking for an integrated course, but neither NAC nor OFT said clearly that it is not. In my oppinion a pilot career program should be integrated. I got it wrong obviously, you are right.
OK, next step:
Can I do a modular JAA ATPL in the States? Is there any difference, what's more a disadvantage compared to European courses?
Thank you for your answer.
Aron
CloudPilot
11th Jun 2007, 05:37
Here is the UK CAA list for schools, the other CAA's should have a similar list.
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/SRG_FCL_APPROVEDFTOS.PDF
ccopter
11th Jun 2007, 19:02
On personal experience i would avoid NAC by all means possible - PM me for further info
aha83
12th Jun 2007, 07:39
what do you think about ormond beach aviation? ...they are also approved by caa.
ccopter
14th Jun 2007, 01:50
The infamous Ormond Beach - best do some digging around on here first. I flew in there during hour buildign and the planes really looked quite tidy but no nothing more than that about them!
BigGrecian
14th Jun 2007, 03:05
What about EFT.
It's the only school which uses JAA European instructors, who are also qualified in the FAA system.
Pace152
15th Jun 2007, 11:37
Just out of interest, are Naples Air Centre still operating, I've tried to log onto their website but it doesn't seem possible, may'be they're just updating their website or something?
potkettleblack
15th Jun 2007, 12:38
The infamous NAC. I remember clearly when I got into flying many moons ago how people would sing from the rafters about the place. Every now and then someone would dare to post some negative feedback and would be torn to shreds by a close clique of ppruners. 99's would be on here in a flash. Old Richard would post regularly in the Computers forum and give some awesome advice. Then something happened about a year or so back as we don't hear anything from them. Instead there seems to be lots of bad feeling from students . The ATPL g/s seems a bit of a mess, the aircraft are old and tired, people seem to struggle with getting refunds or sorting out their accounts.
Do a search and read about them for yourself. The above are just my observations/recollections from ppruning over the past 5-6 years.
itsbrokenagain
15th Jun 2007, 15:52
Your right I just looked at all NAC's websites including the one used for enrolling nacadmissions.com and they are all gone.. nacadmissions is totally gone, just the cpanel login !!
Just looked at the whois search... the domain has expired... hence no websites...but it doesnt explain why nacgroundschool and the others are amiss...maybe server issues.
Domain ID: D3840170-CNO
Domain Name: naples-air-center.com
Domain Name IDN: naples-air-center.com
Creation Date: 1997-06-12 04:00:00 UTC
Expiration Date: 2007-06-11 04:00:00 UTC
Last Modification Date: 2003-06-05 12:44:09 UTC
ckthepilot
15th Jun 2007, 23:49
lol
Nac is back up again :p
aha83
18th Jun 2007, 12:03
Is there anybody able to circumstantiate what he is writing?!
Anyone here who has got real experience with NAC? Then spit it out!
I don't care if the cleaning personal ain't friendly or the homepange won't work for a couple of days...
Nothing tangible yet!
raceeend
18th Jun 2007, 21:18
NAC,
Been there, done that, got the T shirt ( and payed for it:} )
Groundschool OK, People pass! Chief Groundschool/instructor is Excelent!
Flightschool, .........????????? eeehm:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:, don't dare to comment :-)
Planes are OK, now that they have the 172 SP's
Negative side? there's a surcharge on EVERYTHING!!!
I had a great time though, Naples is a nice place to be and the ATPL's is just a lot of work that you have to do yourself!
Anyway, my 2 cents
Raceeend
ccopter
19th Jun 2007, 21:34
I write again to protect others from making the same mistake i did.
OK i have posted already about NAC. If anybody wants tangible evidence of the place i can give it to you.
Bear in mind the number of disgrunts from Nac on here - then add to that as many of students there are from continental Europe/Asia and unable to share their views on here. Go there with your eyes open, read the posts and replies and then make a decision. As the old wise man said - "Where there is smoke there is fire":cool:
cirruscrystal
19th Jun 2007, 22:29
Save youself a headache in my opinion and look somewhere else! Seems people can only say the same things so many times. In the dealings i have had with them i can echo the views of those above, not a happy place!
Penworth
20th Jun 2007, 07:33
As I've said before on here, I had no problems with NAC. Went out there to do my CPL, allowed 3 weeks, they had me ready for the test in 10 days. Aircraft were ok, didn't really have any issues at all; I flew the PA28 and PA28R. This is all said with the caveat that this was a couple of years ago, and things change. Also, have no first hand experience of the groundschool etc.
PW
MIKECR
20th Jun 2007, 19:36
So where did all the threads about OBA disappear to then?? Come on Mods, Adrian not happy again??
NH2390
20th Jun 2007, 23:36
I know of many EFT students with complaints. Their thread is full of them.
NH2390
21st Jun 2007, 00:59
EFT has the worst facilities and the worst fleet of airplanes (both in terms of availability and maintenance) of any of the JAA schools in FL. I know because I've visited every one of them. :p
How many have you been to, while trying to sell the school you instruct at? :=
I know you guys are getting pretty hungry on $12 an hour. :bored:
I was never a student at EFT, nor did I drive drunk or get kicked out. I do know several instructors who have worked there with DUI's so I don't see it would be a problem... :E
Emorik
21st Jun 2007, 11:27
i don't understand.... i'm sorry :ugh: cant i have an ATPL JAA in US school (Jaa approved like often they say)??? Can i just study for a CPL FAA and then pay to convert it with distance learning (paying more)?
PS: does anyone know why i can't do new thread???? I can just reply -.-
NH2390
21st Jun 2007, 11:51
I wouldn't call The Pines modern (I believe they were built in the 80's, and they are a bit of a dive), but I was refering to the actual school facilities. Other schools have classrooms! :ok: Anyone interested in EFT can be warned off in their own thread, there's enough information from the many unhappy students there. Why don't you go back to discussing the schools you've never even visited, like NAC or OFT?
Emorik - A lot of people do FAA certificates and then convert them in Europe. The CPL can be converted in the US by NAC or OFT, but the IR must be done in Europe.