Airline Academy of Australia, YBAF, Brisbane QLD Australia

[ybafpilot]

So I was just wanting to know what any pilots, students or whoever's opinion is, with regards to the "Airline Academy of Australia" based in Archerfield, Brisbane Australia?? I am mainly wanting the opinions formed within the last 6 months or so.

I have made up my own opinions of how I think its being run and operated, but I am interested in what everybody else thinks.

I look forward to the responces

YBAF Pilot

[wateroff]

Not bad a couple of years back. Change of guard has seen it resemble a morgue of late. Not sure there are too many 'Airline' experienced people even there. But sign of the times I guess. Nothing a glass of personality couldnt cure!

[Flight Me]

Pass a Frozo - That is funny!:D

[avantgarde77]

if i remember they are linked to the RACQ down their and basically all they are interested in is fleecing you for your money to get rid of you because your not a cadet from one of those :mad:2minute airlines fom china and your more of a hinderance to have on the books.

my advice ring around :)

[VH-FTS]

Comment 1 - I am not employed by RQAC/AAA, nor am I a student or affiliated in any way.

Comment 2 - they have the best reputation on the airfield and are working hard to build a very strong school. My views are based on what former students, instructors and others in the game have personally told me.

Seems to me ybafpilot is trying to stir a bit of sh*t.

[avantgarde77]

with a reply like that you must have been a student or an instructor for RQAC and your first or second spoken language could be mandarin i take it :} , stop being so diplomatic in your reply VH - FTS , its common knowledge that all the schools at YBAF are out to fleece students , i was told about AAA/RQAC when i was doing IREX with taity this year , it was quite evident that students from those schools had something to gripe about starting with hemples to FTA and finishing with AAA . thats life .

[telephonenumber]

It seems to me that every operator at YBAF is fighting for survival against a voracious owner who just wants all the nasty aeroplanes to go away and leave him to run his "paddock" as an industrial real estate site. If the schools seem overly interested in money this would be part of the reason. RQAC has for very many years been at the top end. Today I can only comment that it seems to be churning out Chinese students.

Advice seems to be that the Redcliffe Aero Club is, on balance, the best Brisbane school.

[J-Lyrique]

Archerfield, Well what can i say.......

RQAC seems to be alright, although they are a business, NOT an aero club. AAA is an offshoot of RQ, who soley ( well 90% ) churns out asian, indian and kiwi pilots. They are not professional at all, well none that i have flown with or met. How good can 1 be on a 90 MCPL ????

FTA, rip off merchants, can't say how disgusted i am with the Chief Pilot, Instructors, and marketing manager. Bunch of wanks. Seriously.....
At the end of the day, they are there for the money, and a mate of mine who has recently attained a 150 hour intergrated CPL had to fly 188 hours, because of his stuff ups. Another mate of mine is a Casa ATO and flew with him 15 hours later said he was the best pilot out of YBAF at CPL level he has flown with in 15 years. How can you explain an extra 33 hours at $290 an hour solo for a 1976 C172.

Come on now, both places are a heirachy of wankers, with nothing better to do than to wear your instructors uniform to the shops after work or the pub on a friday..... Look at me! Look at me!

GichaGu GichaGu J-Lyrique

[pbwhi0]

Unfortunately Archerfield operators are struggling to survive with the enormously increased costs of remaining on the airport. I personally know of the Scout Association's rent going from approx $7,500 per annum pre privatisation to over $50,000 post. This rent is for land only as the Scouts provided all buildings and connected all services themselves.

Well, that was last year as the airport owner has not renewed the 25 year lease therefore the not for profit Scout association has to abandon their $400,000+ premises and walk away empty handed. Yes, please don't blame the operators for their high prices, they are merely passing on the greed brought about by the Coalitions abortion of an attempt at privatisation.

[Charlie Foxtrot India]

A small but imorportant historical point, it was Keating's labor that brought in the Airports Act, and its version of "privatisation", not the coalition. So now that mob are back in don't expect things to get any easier for GA...

[pbwhi0]

CFI,

I understand that Labour were the architects. However Martin Ferguson attended a meeting of Archerfield Airport tenants mid last year and he stated that Labour would not return secondary airports back to Government control.

Martin did ackowledge that there were major issues with privatization and the way the COALITION Government implemented the process and that this was not how the Labour party had envisioned airports would be privatized.

The COALITION government has not ensured that Airport Leasing Companies were held accountable to the provisions of their lease. Archerfield is a prime example where the leassor has been allowed to degrade the airport in direct conflict with the lease provisions.

Martin at least acknowledged that privatization has hurt GA badly and Labour would ensure that the law (ie. airport lease agreements) were properly followed. Something the COALITION were very reluctant to do.

We probably need to start another thread on this issue, however if you are interested in helping to save GA particularly at Archerfield Airport, please go and have a look at the Archerfield Airport Chamber of Commerce Inc website.
http://www.aacci.org.au

[TinDriver]

Is it just me, or am I alone in the impression that most/lots/many people are bitter about good people making a living from instructing?

I can understand that some people may feel "hard done by" in ref to J Lyriques ramblings, but I can safely say that many of the guys and girls at FTA are good people, out to do a good job. I may not work there now, but I had (and still have) utmost respect for those people entrusted to pass on the skills required of a CPL, and not just a pass either. Go elsewhere for that.....

Not every company is perfect, and I respect JLriques comments on that, but I can't and won't sit here and stay silent on a post that is way off the mark.

There are some very good training schools at YBAF, hindered by a greedy landlord who has other interests at heart, and unfortunately his idea's have bugger all to do with aviation.

[arw1013]

I've done a lot of flying and training with FTA and I think JLrique's comments are off the mark. They are a very professional bunch and I have learnt a lot from the instructors. The problem is the airport owner who wants to get rid of the aircraft and sell off the land for light industry.

[pbwhi0]

J-Lyrique

If your mate with 188 hours was regarded as the best CPL student a CASA testing officer had seen for a while, then isn't this a tribute to the training organisation. The same organisation that you wish to denegrade.

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't FTA the only training organisation at Archerfield with their own maintenance organisation? Yes, the sun may have weathered some of the fleet but as far as reliablity go they are up there with the best.

At the end of the day, if you want cheap flying training then Archerfield is not the place. The operators there cannot compete with other airfields given their high overheads.

However, if you want high quality training in a GAAP zone, then most of the operators at Archerfield are worth a go.

[CEOAAA]

Folks,

Having read this thread at the suggestion of staff and students at AAA and RQAC I though I had best put down some facts otherwise the readers of this thread will only have ignorance and emotion to guide their views. Firstly, in terms of comment on greed, costs etc if anyone out there has found the portal to Alice's Wonderland where none of us have to concern ourselves with the costs associated with aircraft purchase, fuel, maintenance, CASA/Air Services charges, airport charges etc please let me know - I am happy to pay big $$$ to find out where this land is.

In terms of RQAC and the Airline Academy a little bit of general education is in order. AAA is a subsidary of RQ focused on full time training. We run 3 courses a year with a maximum of 20 students per course. This year we have had to start the new year with 2 courses as we are over subscribed. To meet that demand we have purchased additional C-172Rs and recruited more instructors. Our instructors have a wide background - RAAF,Qantas, Govt Air Wing, Regional, GA etc. A number have been trained by Boeing/Alteon in Seattle on multi crew co-ordination, CRM/TEM etc so that they can conduct such training here.

Our cadet base is normally split 60/40 with the 60% coming from within Australia. This has been the case for AAA courses 7, 8 and 9 and 10/11 stating mid-February. Our international base comes from North/South America, the Middle East, West/East Europe, South Africa, South East Asia, North Asia, South Asia and Oceania. The Academy also has six cadets from the People's Republic of China undergoing the Boeing/Alteon MPL program. AAA is partnered with Boeing/Alteon to undertake the Core/Basic phase of training. To do that we have arguably the most capable CASA certified Level 5 single sim available. Not just my word but that of the 26 members of the Internation Federation of Airline Pilots who visited late last year. For those locally please come and have a look.

The only other point that I wish to clarify is to close the open ended point on how harshly the local Air Scouts were treated by AAC. With support and assistance from AAC RQAC has offered, and the scouts have accepted (contract has been signed) the use of our facilities and aircraft for about the same cost. From my dealings with the Scout management they are very happy with the outcome.

In closing I would like to offer an open invitation to all to come and look at what we do and how we do it - I am more than happy to take constructive advice - none of us have all the answers.

regards,

Stewart Cameron, CSC
CEOAAA
07 32753244

[MakeItHappenCaptain]

Another mate of mine is a Casa ATO and flew with him 15 hours later said he was the best pilot out of YBAF at CPL level he has flown with in 15 years.
Well said, pbwhi0.
A common misunderstanding by students is that a 150hr course will only take 150hrs to complete. This is entirely up to the individual's commitment, frequency of lessons and aptitude to name but a few factors. It should always be explained that as the syllabus is competency based, you don't just pay money and get a guaranteed license.:rolleyes: The industry has a standard required to be met. To the contrary, if a school just signed off your license without the required ability you would expect action to be taken against them when you planted yourself and your pax.
Another mate of mine is a Casa ATO and flew with him 15 hours later said he was the best pilot out of YBAF at CPL level he has flown with in 15 years.
J's mate paid his money and was trained (by J's own admission) to an exceptional standard. What's the problem???:ugh:
A reference like that as quoted by the ATO is worth the time it took to get.:D

[Tinstaafl]

The 150 hr CPL is a minimum(!). Not a guarantee. As is the 40 hrs for PPL, the 200 hrs for a non-commercially trained person etc etc.

If a student fails to understand this then whoever explained things prior to commencing training didn't do very good job.

[172capt]

As someone involved with the Airline Academy from the point of view of a student, since my initial contact with the organisation some fourteen months ago, the Academy has developed into a professional (airline) pilot training organisation. To unwarrant bias I will admit that at a stage in the middle of my training journey I looked at other training organisations at Archerfield, only to find that the professionalism of the Academy was unmatched, even down the the aircraft checklists.

For anyone interested in training for the prospects of airline employment, my opinion is that while no organisation is perfect, they strive to achieve the best, the Academy is not perfect and much like every other organisation at Archerfield has faced and will continue to face hurdles, the difference being the responsiveness of management to adapt to a changing scene in the industry and the 'demand' for one of a better word of students. Put simply, unlike other institutions AAA listen and respond to their student base.

I share as much bias for my training organisation as the next person for theirs, however, a full time training program and institution alike that offers an intensive yet social course is unmatched by any other company on the airfield at the date of this post.

I would recommend the Academy, and would certainly hope to instruct with their dynamic team one day in the future.

[senshi]

J-Lyrique/50 cent/p-diddy.. Whilst this site provides the opportunity to voice opinions, it may serve you well to exercise some restraint when it comes to your comments. This is, after all, a "Professional" forum.
Reference your comments about RQAC/AAA and FTA:
1. Yes, RQAC is a business. Matter of fact, they all are.
2. I have heard good reports of AAA from past students (albeit only a couple).
3. FTA a certainly not the organisation that they once were, however there are still some very good instructors there that have done a lot to further the skills of many a pilot.
4. What causes you to distain the CP & instructors to such a level of referring to them as a "bunch of wanks"? I might hasten to add that such comments would offend many pilots that have greatly benefited from the knowledge and professionalism provided by FTA staff members.
5. As already stated, the 150 hours as with all hour minimums are just that. With respect to the issue re the CASA ATO, I believe CASA is looking to reduce the number of ATO's in the country to address the disparity in standards.

Finally, for you and other "youngsters" out there that are still getting the hang of straight and level, I would suggest focusing on your own progression and maintaining professionalism at all times rather than slagging on a public forum. Save that for your MSN messenger or MySpace. You will learn that this industry is very small and only gets smaller as you meet more people.

Best of luck with the rest of your training. :ok:


S