Aerospace Aviation Bankstown

[Speedbird 9]

G'day fellow ppruners, I have recently turned 18 and as a bday present from my parents I received the first solo package on C152 up at aerospace aviation. I have done a fair amount of research on the school but have not been able to turn up that much. Could any of you guys out there please give me any feedback on the school as well as anything you think may be relevant to me (btw 0 hours atm).
Thanks to all those people who have taken the time to go over this thread and especially to those who answer.
Speedbird 9

[Speedbird 9]

What do you mean the attitude has changed significantly? Is it to do with foreign students (particularly India) now being the primary focus??

[Bort Simpson]

Speedbird 9er

I echo what Owen has said. I leart to fly there a few years ago. I saw the transition that the school made from trainer of mostly local pilots to what is essentially now a school that focuses on the foreign students. It's a smart business move for them as this will ensure a regular and high flow of students for them. However, even a number of years ago, I felt that these students would get the priority over the local guys. This is how it 'felt' and may not be the case as a matter of rule. Although when you think about it. These students have return flights already booked. A definate end date to their studies is marked. Whilst you will be hanging around a bit longer. You work out what happens if you want a booking with your instructor next week when they are pressured to get the foreign students out on time.

I had a mate who is still flying there get bumped cause the instructor was too busy for the day. To be fair he was a bit late in getting his planning done but there was no real support for him. He flet that there was no interest from the instructor in his progress. Also, getting time on the computers to lodge flight plans there is becoming more delayed than a city rail service.

Like Owen said, you are not obliged to stay there. Enjoy your flying there. Although what I have written above is not so positive, this doesn't mean that you won't have fun there if you arrive with the right attitude. Just remember that you are the customer and if you are not getting the customer service that you want then look around elsewhere. Like at Clanback and Hennessy. I hear they provide a more personal aproach. The instructors there aren't as busy so you will find them more approachable.

As the title says, Just my 2 cents worth.

Bort.

[Walrus 7]

Some very wise things have been said on this thread. Being Melbourne-bound I have no direct experience with Sydney schools, but the comments here sound very much like what is true of schools in Victoria as well. It has reached a point where the bigger establishments really don't want local PPLs on their books because they get in the way of the commercial cadets.

It is much better for PPLs and GA in particular if they choose a school that has no international students. The problem with lack of attention from instructors is that most students will drop out of flying completely rather than transfer to a smaller school ... and that's not good for anyone.

Walrus

[PPRuNeUser0163]

Speedbird 9,
I speak from experience in that i used to learn to fly at aerospace between 2005 and the end of 2007. At the beginning it was fabulous, my instructor was a low time pilot with an instructors rating a few months before he took on me as a student. Despite experience levels he was fantastic, attentive, helpful etc, he actually cared alot more about the local student than the foreign ones (indians etc). As would be no suprise to anyone, he left due to this as well as just moving on- the perpetual movement of FI'S to charter/airline pilots. Cut a long story short I had 8 instructors after him who all left Aerospace in a matter of a few months during my training. One was even a former 747 captain i was blessed to have as a FI for a few weeks. Anyways basically Im at PPL testing stage now, jan this yr i decided to move to Schofields when i got sick of the foreign students taking my bookings, cancelling them, etc etc instructors not caring about their jobs and the final straw when an instructor just left me a few weeks before a ppl exam- he just left the organisation without telling any of his students. Anyways this is what can be expected at some of these big places. Since i moved to Schofields- life /flying has been bliss, there arent these foreign students and whilst im not racist it felt like i was in india at aerospace and im tru-blue!http://www.pprune.org/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif. I have instructors who care and the club with members who are just like passionate rugby league fans. What id offer you is, if you are in it for the longhaul ie cpl or above maybe even ppl- dont go 2 aspace for an instructors rating etc. Rather go to somewhere like schofields, whitworth where the smaller place yields a much more fruitful experience. if you want to just do a few flights, or cant decide start off at aerospace then see what you think, but ultimately decision is up to you mate and good luck with it.
If you want any further help or just want to ask me anything just PM me.
Kind Regards,
Matt

[Pilot000]

Hi, I was an instructor there not long ago. If you get a good instructor you'll have the perfect training, if you don't, well.... but that's true everywhere not only at Aerospace, the problem with Aerospace is that the owners/management/CFI/CP don't give a **** about you or any other student, they also don't care about the instructors. They only want your money. For example, VETAB imposed that they are not allowed to take any new overseas students, because they have too many, to solve the problem the management is now terminating students for any stupid thing they can think of, they keep their money and they take new students to rip off. I had up to 15 students some months, really crazy, I did my very best for them, but in 5 days, with some cancellations due to weather or aircrafts in maintanance they were only able to fly once or twice a week and thats is not good for a proper training. If you want to talk to some students I can give you some contact details, they'll be very happy to answer any of your questions. Moreover the aircrafts for the nav excercise don't have ELT and that is a legal requirement for safety (I had my own, but not every instructor does, even if, you wouldn't be covered when you go solo, the school should provide it, but they don't). Your training will take 1 year if you are very lucky, probably 2 and that's a disgrace. Back in 2004 at a different school I finished my training in 6 month. My advise, go somewhere else, do some research on Schofields and Proflite, SFTC is also good, but avoid it for now, they have financial problems. A friend of mine works there and he hasn't been paied for 3 weeks.
I have been out of instructing for a while now, but I been in Bankstown for some time, therefore if you need any info, let me know.
Good luck.

[GADRIVR]

Speedbird,
Take notice as to what has been said.
1. You will NOT get the attention that you need.
2. There are a few outstanding instructors there but to get them is a matter of luck.
3. Read through the PPRUNE website as to what the owners are like.
4. Do NOT...I say again...NOT pay up front.
5. Go talk to Schofields, Sydney Aviation College, the NEW Proflite and Red Baron (Sydney Aerobatic School). The rest of them aren't worth a pinch of the proverbial.
Any questions or if you want to know who to talk to in those organisations, PM me.
Cheers

[GA715]

Pilot000 wrote
"Schofields and Proflite, SFTC is also good, but avoid it for now, they have financial problems."

Not commenting on Schofields or Proflite but SFTC is far from being good. :eek:

I know that a local student over there has taken SFTC to the CTTT. I don't know about the exact specifics but i definitely know that conciliation process has been done and its going before the tribunal, so its now in the public domain. Hm...:hmm:

My advice to all are the same as echoed in this thread. Research, choose carefully and never pay in advance.

[PyroTek]

Just a quick thing guys, this thread was started almost exactly a year ago.
I know for a fact that speedbird is no longer considering AA and has moved over to another (well respected) school

Pyro!:ok:

[apache]

But will AA learn from this? Try to change the things which made Pyro leave?
Or will they just dismiss this as "an isolated event, by a student who knew nothing" ?

PS: Never met Pyro, Never been to AA!

[Speedbird 9]

I know for a fact that Aerospace are continuing down the same track, in fact early this week two AA indian students walked into my flying school (not AA) complaining that AA was treating them like crap and that when they complained to management they were threatened with the cancelation of their visas as well as being told they would not be able to recuperate any of the money they had paid upfront and hadn't yet spent...
My advice having been there:
1) Do not get sucked in with their glossy brochures and lies.
2) Never pay for training upfront
3) Go to a smaller school where the CFI actually overseas and gets involved in your training instead of just taking your money.

Speedbird 9

[wessex19]

If was starting over, i would go to Camden and fly with Curtis. The extra fuel you spend on driving there will be saved 10 times over with far shorter taxi times and quality career instructors. my 2 cents

[PyroTek]

which made Pyro leave?

I never went there. Just from chatting to speedbird online.

[BKFI]

As someone who knows AA I'll put 100% support behind the comments made here especially in regards to the owners. It's a shame because the potential for a good school is there, but... its all about the money.

[mr.tos]

Just out of curiosity can I ask what school you at now Speedbird?

[youbuet]

Would anyone be able to comment on the best out of basair or AA

[Speedbird 9]

Why bother, positives are outweighed by negatives, a simple search will prove my point.

[youbuet]

Thanks for the advise SPEEDBIRD9 . There is not to many positive comments on either company.

[Speedbird 9]

I wonder why that is...

[watchyourairspeed]

Be prepared. If you go to Aroma_space than bring the vaseline.