Fogarty Aviation

[Shov]

Anyone have any experience flying/training with Fogarty Aviation on Sunshine Coast?

Interested in all experienes, good and bad. Also interested to know what airspace(s) are in the training area there and/or adjacent airfields within say an hour or two flight time?

Thanks in advance.

[Monopole]

Shov

I learnt at Fogartys as well as instruct there for a while. Unfortunately with Peter Fogarty long gone I can not give any advice on the school as it is currently.

As for flying out of Maroochy, well what can be said. One of the best places ever. As for airspace, it's all there....
Brissy
Amberley (mil)
Oakey (mil/civil)
Caloundra (CTAF)
Harvey Bay (CTAF).......... You could go on and on and...

Mono

[Chris Higgins]

What happened to Peter?:(

[Monopole]

Chris Higgins,

Peter sold up due to medical problems I believe. I havent spoken to him for close to 10 years, but I did hear he was running ground courses at one of the schools at Caloundra. His old school I think is still called Fogarty Aviation, but it could never be the same without him :(

Mono

[Chris Higgins]

That's at least not as bad as I thought you might say.

[das Uber Soldat]

greg smith still there?

[benji80]

Used to be a great school when I trained there under Peter Fogarty. Unfortunately when I returned for additional training 6 months ago I was far less impressed. In saying that.. they seemed quite dedicated to their full-time students just not casual or part-time students. PM me if you want more specific details.

[MakeItHappenCaptain]

das Uber Soldat; Affirmative.
If you don't want to cough up the landing fees at Maroochy, try Qld Aviation Services at Caloundra. Easy access to all airspaces, no AD charges and the best hire rates around. Greg McGovern is CFI and about to get CIR testing approval. Company's primary role is charter out of TL and MA so has an excellent operational focus (read as "this is how we do charter as opposed to this is how you are supposed to do charter").

[bazzarito]

Peter sold out due to a medical condition and still holds some ground school courses periodically. I believe he does refresher courses for licence exams. He bought a bloody big yacht which he lives on at the Mooloolaba Marina but due to new ownership issues of the Marina and the politics involved he will be moving the boat up to Noosa or Tin Can Bay. I see him several times a month. He is a nice chap .Cheers from BAZ in Noosa

[beat ups are fun]

As far as I can recall Forgartys is long gone. the building is being used used by Becker helicopters to train their international students. As far as training goes at maroochy you've got ADFA and maybe the aero club. However having flown with the instructor at the aero club I'd be looking elsewhere, very gruff old man! :ugh: The training area for the maroochy based schools is north of the zone around Noosa and Teewah.

In regards to Caloundra it's a good little aerodrome. There is something about QAS that I really don't like. I find Keith very dismissive of simple questions about training and I wasn't to impressed when I did a baron endorsement with another company operating under QAS's AOC and was told by Keith and the CP that the stick label is going to cost a carton of beer! :mad: And the state of their senica is terrible, and thats going back nearly 3 years now.

Chopperline I feel is the pick of the bunch there, although fixed wing isn't there big buisness, if your looking or a PPL they would be worth the call.

[hadagutful]

Yes Fogarty's is long gone and closed after owner/manager Greg Smith left around 3 years ago.
ADFA is now the only training/charter business at Maroochydore and is a reasonably good operator.
The Sunshine Coast Aero Club was never a training facility but does now have in addition to a C172SP a Tecnam and an RAA training authority including up to first solo which is a good grounding for students in class D.

It also has a member with an Extra 300 hangared and available for the very serious aerobatic pilot to fly cost share dual or even get checked out if you have that sort of money.

[ryanboxer]

Fogarty's aviation rebranded as "Amber Aviation"

[havick]

Does anyone know where Greg Smith is these days?

[PA39]

Mmm... i think greg is doing IT work.

[jnicholas]

I used to fly at Fogarty's until they closed down. Jumped ship next door to ADFA and couldn't have been happier. They're a great crew there. I found training out of YBSU to be really good, heaps of controlled airspace close by, (archerfield, brisbane, amberley, oakey) as well as plenty of class G flying and navigation.
PM me if you have any questions about training on the coast.

[Brad3]

Does anyone know who i could contact regarding where anyone from Fogartys is now. I used to train with them and went on a bit of an extended break from flying. Turns out I kept my logbook there for safe keeping, and they closed on me. So I'm trying to track it down. Gone in the bin?

[Monopole]

Yeah, I spent a few years there. Before they closed down though so cant be of specific help to you,,,

Who is/was ADFA next door. Is it the same as what use to be AAQ?

[NIK320]

Does anyone have any recent experience with QAS?
Ill need a CIR renewal soon (not that I use the stupid thing) and nearly fell of the chair seeing $380 dual on their site for the Seneca.
Comparing that to the seminole and 310 I have access to it makes it look incredibly cheap.

Might have to go for a drive on the weekend :)
Hope they have changed from 3 years ago, don't like the sound of what beat ups describes.

[madhun]

Greg Smith is living in Hervey Bay

[hadagutful]

So he is back in the local area, do you know if he is back in the flying game?