ATPL in Texas

[12bpilot]

Hi All,

Just starting out in this wonderful mine filled world of aviation training:}

I have seen the SKYMATES banner here on PPRUNE and see that they are now offering JAA ATPL exam theory via CATS in the UK I have read the threads about CATS and have no worries about that part of the course, I was wondering if anyone here has flow in Texas it seems like a more interesting choice than the normal Florida choices.

Cheers

12b

[matty31]

Hi 12B

I am currently visiting Skymates in Texas and all I can say is wow!!!

Arlington is a great place and of course you have Dallas and Fort worth only a short drive away.

The facilities here at the airport seem great and the people laid back and really friendly.

With the addition of JAA training it seems like a great choice for European pilots. Can't wait to get started on my ME rating!!

Feel free to PM me if you want further info:ok:

[alkatifa]

I am also considering going with them for the JAA course.

Just wondering about the price, if it would be more or less what they're stating. It sure looks pretty damn good though.

[Tony77]

Skymates owner's, Luca is the best person you can ever meet in the aviation world. Trust what he says or what is stated on their website.

[Mp777]

hi matty.im pretty much interested in skymates.Currently i hold night qualification and ppl jaa..but was nat sure if skymates is good and organized school for european pilots.Specially for atpl course.and i still ve' a lot of questions regarding prices (seems prettty less).Any advice can make my mind more clear.thanks regards mp777

[BigGrecian]

The ATPL ground school means nothing.
It's just distance learning - meaning it's no different from any other school.

SkyMates actually offer NO JAA training at all!
They provide FAA training.

You can then go back to the UK and convert to a JAA licence.

Big deal - you can do that at any school across the whole of the USA!

[matty31]

Just to clarify ther situation :confused:

JAA ATPL Distance learning ground school was approved by the UK CAA on April the 23rd
and the first week long ground school was run by CATS UK instructors the following week.

SKYMATES now has approval to run a full time in house course which I believe will start this September again using CATS UK instructors.


Cheers

Matty

[skymates]

I confirm, we will start the first "residential" JAA ATPL course on September 14th, 2009.

[Alex Whittingham]

Whilst I admire your enthusiam, Matty, it's accepted practice on PPRuNe to declare your interest if you recommend an FTO you work for or have a business relationship with. If he didn't search past posts it's probable that 12bpilot would think your opinion was that of a student or impartial observer.

[Adios]

Matty31,

JAA ATPL ground school is usually about 6 months long. Would be nice if it could be done in a week.

If it's a week long course, then that's probably a brushup week for a distance learning course.

There's not necessarily anything wrong with taking FAA ratings, then doing JAA conversion, but I would take issue with an FTO that misrepresents what they are offering if this is the case.

[BillieBob]

Let's get this in context. Skymates offers an FAA Private, Instrument and Commercial in Arlington, plus hours building and the chance to study the CATS distance learning course (with the prospect of residential theoretical knowledge 'tomorrow'). All JAA flight training is done with PFT in Bournemouth. Whilst this is a neat package and takes the responsibility of arranging and integrating the various courses off your back, the fact is that you could do the same thing with any Part 61/141 training provider, possibly for less money.

North America based flight schools have been peddling this kind of thing for many years - UKFT in Long Beach and Harv's Air in Manitoba spring to mind as examples of slick marketing designed to suggest to the gullible that they are getting JAA approved training when they are not. Although, to be fair, only Harv's Air step over the line and make demonstrably false claims. One has to read the marketing speak very carefully; for example, a number of people were badly burned when Delta Connection and Atlantic Flight Training parted company because they didn't understand the relationship.

Whilst there is nothing inherently wrong with the FAA and JAA conversion route (and I'm sure that Skymates is a perfectly splendid organisation), nobody should be in any doubt as to exactly what they are paying for. By all means sign up for the Skymates/CATS/PFT package but do it with your eyes open and never, never pay 'up front'.

[morgant6911]

Hey BillieBob,

I am currently an instructor for Skymates, so just putting that out there first. We have full approval for a JAA Residential Course that will begin in September, as well as the distance learning through CATS.

While you are correct in the statement that we cannot offer full JAA conversions, we feel that our partnerships with CATS and PFT take out some of the inconvenience that potential students may have to go through in researching various schools to complete their JAA flight training.

We make it completely clear in any correspondance exactly what the student will be getting and how the process works, and we NEVER ask students to pay in full for any training course, in advance.