RMIT Flight Training- Good or Bad?

[Sunstar320]

I declined the interview but they still accepted me. I dont really want to leap on this offer, but I would like to know if there really are problems within training at this place as people say.

Some people say they dont give a rats about us student flyers, and some say they are just money hungry....

Should I avoid?

[Howard Hughes]

So you need an interview to get into this place which you didn't attend! Yet they offered you a place anyway, without knowing anything about the organisation I think you may have answered your own question!:hmm:

[WannaBeBiggles]

Know a guy that did his CPL there and what he said about them is in line with what you've heard Sunstar.

[Kemerton]

Avoid!! Sausage shop

[207Wannabe]

Flying training should be an enjoyable thing.

Stay away mate.

The place is cursed with a sour atmosphere and will not change until the management is fixed up.

[Carambar]

SunStar,

I received the same letter of offer, after deciding not to take the interview. I waited for the phone call initially and decided to call them to find out why I hadn't heard from anyone. I was told students were responsible for booking the phone interview (fair enough) and CALLING the school aswell! :confused:

I then had a chat to the course coordinator and things seemed very unorganised. I'd stay well away, as some people have already pointed out - You're going to spend a lot of money on training and therefore should be treated like customer, somehow I didn't get that vibe from anyone there.

[Sunstar320]

Thanks for the advice. The problem is, there is Financial assistance with this course, called Fee-help, and it is the only way top get into flying without delaying because of lack of funds.

I would love to go to a flying school(MFT I have my sights on), but its not financially possible.

I dont know what the situation is for taking out a loan for a student earning 11k a year:uhoh:

[Pilotolatino]

As no doubt you've been told, flight training is an expensive hobby you're getting yourself into...until you get a nicely paying job (perhaps years after finally completing your training [CPL, MECIR, etc]).

Don't rush in...and don't get sucked in by the hype or allure of a brand name (eg RMIT). At the end of the day, when you look for a flying job...you need a Commercial Pilot Licence. it doesn't matter what CASA approved school you go to, you need that ticket...SO...my advice from personal experience:

1) Spend the time talking to schools in the area. Try to see the chief flying instructor. Some mightn't give you the time of day. Spend time talking to the guy/woman. What vibe are you getting from them?

2) avoid schools with overseas or airline contracts. why? Because these schools pour all their resources (instructors and acft) into getting the contract sausages through in minimum time. if they don't, they foot the bill for the extra training....and that leaves you where? bottom of the pile which delays YOUR progress.

3) from 1) and 2) above, look for a school that gives as much personal attention to its students. In this regard small schools are better.

4) check out their kit - what are you flying in?

5) what am I getting for my hard earned cash? compare hire rates...why pay $350/hr for a 172 when other schools charge much less? every dollar saved is more time in the air for YOU

6) glass smasss...if you're going to be looking for a charter job after your CPL...wake up! your training will be the last time you'll see a nice new glass cockpit...once you've completed your training you'll be looking at analogue instruments (with GPS if you're lucky) for quite some time!

7) talk to the instructors and suss them out too. are they happy working there? Instructors that only get paid for the hours they fly will naturally want to only do that - less effort teaching you or briefing you pre or post flight.

8) Remember, flying schools are a business. They are there to make money. You, the customer have a choice.


On most criteria above, the likes of RMIT don't cut it.

Best of luck in choosing a school. All the best for your career.

[Carambar]

Fee-help as I understand it is directed at Bachelor degrees only. Like the dual degrees Swinburne is offering (B Av./B. Business). These are covered under Fee.

What you might be referring to is VET-FEE help, aimed at vocational education/training. I'm not 100% this has been approved for RMIT yet.

I stand to be corrected though!

[Angle of Attack]

350$ an hour in a 172? holy hell
I used to get a twin for 150$ an hour solo but probably a decade ago lol
I reccomend you go somewhere local rather that big sausage companies,
took me 5 years to get my licenses dont rush do what you want!

[Sunstar320]

I am in no rush, but I would like to get things underway this year preferbaly.

Pilotolatino, you are a legend, thanks for posting such good advice

[mcgrath50]

If it is really 350 for a C152 stay well away, thats about double what it should be.

[crank1000]

The only reason this place takes domestics is to get the 3K enrollment fee from them. If you are an overseas student but self funding (not an airline cadet), you get hit with a 15k enrollment fee just to start the course!

Historically, only about 25% of the domestic students actually get a CPL. Only one or two of the 25% get them within the 12 month time frame.The classes are generally around 25 people for the start of year course and you will have about 5 students per instructor.

All sorts of excuses come from the mouths of RMIT management as to why the success rate is so poor. These rate from "all the domestics are lazy and we would rather put our time into the cadets as they work harder", to "Domestic students never turn up on time for fllights". When the shoe is on the other foot the party line form RMIT is that it's "beyond our control" ie no instructors, planes etc.

Thats my view anyway.

[dlx_xlb]

I know this is a little late. But for all the other readers out there might make some use from this. Stay well away. Unless you want to get ripped off, and have a lot of money taken from you for no good reason. If you wanna fail flight tests for bull**** reasons. and if you want to wait a month for a flight. If you want to get taught by dropkick instructors, if you want to be screwed around, if you can put up with a lot of garbage, if you want a 19 year old teaching you ATPL's, if you want to pay ridiculous amounts for aircraft hire, list goes on..... If the above suits you.. then RMIT is the flying school for you.

[Sunfish]

Stay away. Had an account there. The place is toxic with all sorts of undercurrents, including a large amount of fear (job related) in both instructors and students - which is a most definite negative.

Pity that its occupying such a wonderful location and keeping a better mob out.

The only thing good is the aircraft which I think are pretty well maintained.

[FL999]

:eek:LOL! Stay well away my good friend! For all the reasons stated above lol!! The planes are well maintained and a couple of instructors are pretty good but cadets will get priority over you. No organisation, ridiculously high fees, an extravagant 'tuition fee' which should include a lot of things but it turns out everything is extra and you never get any warning until its charged off your account. A sour CFI and...manager...guy.... who's extremely rude and unfriendly(mind you he's an awesome guy with those paying big money). I know a couple of instructors there and theyre great...but apart from that its absolute rubbish. I highly recommend the smaller schools like MFT where you'll get better individual attention and the guys there, be it management or flying staff are awesome. There are so many bad things about this school but im pretty sure you get the point!!

[parakeet]

Hi Guys,

I am looking to restart training after a 10 year hiatus.

Looking to knock off the last 25 or so hours required for CPL and then getting myself an instructor rating.

After reading this thread I have positively ruled out having anything to do with RMIT.

So, a natural follow on question - which schools would be worth approaching? Someone mentioned MFT? Any ideas for an old guy in my shoes?

[cosmo21]

I went there in 97, was satisfied with the training. I got thru from 0 to G3 instructor in exactly a year. Was ok.
But this was as the China Southern were just beginning, the writing was on the wall. Terrible as everyone mentioned ya get shunted, all about money. But back then there were some fantastic instructors who gave a sh@#. Some old school fellas like Roy Thorpe, fantastic bloke.
Hind site coulda saved some cash, and wouldve liked to do in a club environment, hindsite 20 20 eh.
I took 10 years off flying, previously as an instructor outta YMMB for close to 1000 hours. Did some recurrency training for up grade, flew around YMMB for a bit, seen with all the non english speakers flying around, said Im not getting ivolved with this, and went up to Alice, where I work as a charter pilot, with minimal chances of getting hit from a wayward C172.

The point Im making is stay away from the big schools, find and old school instructor like Roy Thorpe and soak up their experience.

MH

[parakeet]

Thanks for your posts guys,

So, getting off the original RMIT thread... which schools at YMMB would you consider not to be of the 'sausage factory' ilk? I've been through that before at Bankstown and do not care to be in that environment ever again unless it is absolutely necessary.
Are there any schools left with guys like Roy Thorpe around?

Will be visiting the airport in person in a few weeks time to do my own reconnaisance, but forewarned is, you know....

anro, how long ago did you do the AFR you are referring to?

Thanks guys!

[Atlas Shrugged]

Why should someone need to interview ME when I am giving THEM MY money? Should it not be the other way around?

[Fin000]

Does anyone know or heard anything about the Swinburne commercial program? The Qantas cadets go through this program as well. I think it's very similar to the RMIT program. Or would it be better to go through a smaller flying school?

thanks

[over_centre]

Down at the museum yesterday. Looked like most of the RMIT fleet were tied down, no Engrish speakers to be seen!

[PPRuNeUser0163]

Does anyone know or heard anything about the Swinburne commercial program? The Qantas cadets go through this program as well. I think it's very similar to the RMIT program. Or would it be better to go through a smaller flying school?

thanks

Yes, I'm in it and its a very good program. No real problems with acft as OAA have such a large fleet and if you book at right times etc esp weekends theres no issues.

anything more just pm me

[z-unit747]

Hi,

After reading the reviews from RMIT, I have definatly ruled out the uni. I am in year 12 and I am really really considering to apply for the bachelor of aviation / commerce course next year at Swineburne Uni. I have read through the many websites about the subjscts that are taught and the flying that will be covered. I also however know that such websites are designed to attract the "customers" into their courses and everything seems to be rosy.

I would like to know from someone whether the swineburne avation course is as good as its made out to be and whether there are any negatives. I I also dont know whether finishing this course will allow me to start work with a charter comoany / private sector etc.

Any feedback would be greatly appreacited, thanks :)

[aurora912]

I am also currently studying year 12 and looking around at my options for becoming a pilot.

I went into RMIT a few weeks ago and spoke to one of the directors. It all seems pretty good from what I saw. The airfield especially looks like an ace spot for the school. But what is everyones problem with it? Is it really that bad?

Does anyone have a link to a detailed review of RMIT? past student perhaps?


My other option is swinburne which I will also apply for. Not sure whether to go with cert 4 (1yr), advanced diploma (2yr) or the bachelor (3yr)

[CRM87]

They will charge you far more than anywhere else.:yuk:
You will rarely fly with anyone but a grade 3 instructor.
All their instructors are just trying to build hours.
It will be hard to book aircraft, as priority will be given to international students.
Much of their theory teaching is incorrect.
Very few companies will care about a degree, diploma, etc- they know its a bludge. The extra time a university course takes would be far, far better spent working in the industry building hours.
None of the instructors will have ever worked as something other than an instructor, no charter, no RPT, no surveying, no skydiving, etc. How are they going to train you for a CPL when they have never flown commercially? :confused:
They have a bad reputation for producing people with no industry experience. Their CPL graduates are still students.
MANY COMPANIES WON’T EMPLOY OAA GRADUATES FOR THE ABOVE REASONS!!!!!!

My employer stupidly hired one a month ago but laid him off after 5 hours of internal training, he said it was going to take at least 50 hours and a heap of babysitting to get him ready to work for us. :ugh:


Go to a flying school in the country that also operates charter, etc. Many of them are run by ex-airline pilots. Their pilots generally do both charter and instructing and many of their instructors are “career instructors.” They will quite likely let help you organise charters and even go along as “co-pilot.” Bendigo and Shepparton are good examples.

Hope this helps! :ok:

[like_that]

That is crap CRM 87.

I know plenty of guys who I graduated with at OAA who have jobs, even jobs way out in the bush where only your so called properly trained pilots fly given the tender hands of these 'experienced' instructors.

Sure there are people who look down on the training facilities like that and so people should for certain reasons, especially cost of training. However they are one company that are putting up the money and paying instructors a lot better than anywhere else and giving GrIII's a go.

I have been working as a flight instructor/charter pilot for another company after training at OAA and realise that there are different ways to do things and at the moment cannot see the benefits of either one. Time will tell.

I say think of any training school as a used car sales man. Try get what you want out of them.

[James78Au]

HI All

I have recently just got my PPL and looking to do my Commercial at RMIT Point Cook next year.

Does anyone have any recent views and opions about them?

Thanks