Advises - USA for JAA or Greece ?

[FLT86]

Hi guys !

For a long time, I have been looking for a FTO but now, I am really hesitating.
I'd like to start on September 2009 and I have two options.
Financially, I don't want to spend more than 60k euros (training + living cost)

1°) USA for JAA

In USA, I found one school very serious called Skymates (Skymates Inc. - JAA Courses - DGCA JAA M-1 Immigration Approved Flight Training in the USA (http://www.skymates.com/jaa-courses.php) - 34k euros for all the JAA course) and located in Arlington in Texas. Very friendly staff, good and positive from students over there.
Firstly, it is in distance learning (about the ATPL) via CATS. I heard that they don't provide any book to study. Is it true ? Everything has to be performed online via CATS ? Do you know if books and course ground school of CATS are good ?
Secondly, you have to go to Florida to do exam and therefore, you have to spend more money in plus of living cost and so on.

According to you, is it possible to pay not more than 50k euros (training + living cost) ?
Is it a good training to do it in USA although if I want to get a JAA licence ?
Do you think is it better to go to Florida to do this training because you can do exams over there ?

2 ° ) Greece

This option is the second and last one. It is in Egnatia Aviation located in Kavala.
As I read in this forum, many people got trouble and something else not that good but some other people got good training and are happy that they went there.
They use Bristol books and according to me, it is the best one in Europe (and maybe in the World) so far.
The course costs 47.990 euros ( + accomodation and so on should be more or less 55-58k euros).

I would like to know your opinions (quality/costs) about it, if it is better to do the training in USA or Greece ?

Thank you very much for your kind help.

Have a good day

[Tony77]

Firstly, it is in distance learning (about the ATPL) via CATS. I heard that they don't provide any book to study. Is it true ? Everything has to be performed online via CATS ? Do you know if books and course ground school of CATS are good ? I don't know anything about it, but I am sure that the only important thing to have success in the JAA exams is tu study...in particular the database questions. There are many available, even a free one.

Secondly, you have to go to Florida to do exam and therefore, you have to spend more money in plus of living cost and so on. True, but in the USA if you book with a good advance (that would be your case, since you know so early the dates of your exams), the prices for plane, hotel etc are not expensive.

According to you, is it possible to pay not more than 50k euros (training + living cost) ? At skymates you should be fine...just focus with studying!

Is it a good training to do it in USA although if I want to get a JAA licence ? Absolutely yes! To fly in the USA it's an incredible experience, all European guys who fly there are impressed. Plus, the training is usually better, more pointed straight to the result rather than reading boring books and the facilities are much newer and better (ask some friend who flies in EU if he have haver flown a GPS RNAV approach...).

I would like to know your opinions (quality/costs) about it, if it is better to do the training in USA or Greece ? USA forever!

[alkatifa]

I'm pretty much in the same situation here, either US or Greece. I kinda like the one in Rhodes, Greece.

Anyway, I think our italian friend here sounds a bit US biased. I would just like to find out if there is truly a good JAA school in the US. Really don't know....Skymates, European Flight....whatever.

[Tony77]

Anyway, I think our italian friend here sounds a bit US biased. I am just aware of the HUGE difference between flying in the US and in EU, because I have seen the difference and I have talked to many who flew in flight schools in both places...

[Kyriakos]

i am Greek and i love my country for a million reasons but i would never go do any kind of training (or studies) there, mainly due to lack of organization. and that is a general issue on almost each and every aspect of our society infrastructure.
im glad i ended up with the States solution. at least here if u r focused motivated and work hard u will make it. in Greece unfortunatelly it does not depend on u only.
of course thats my opinion.
good luck!

[alkatifa]

Fair enough Tony! I will probably find myself in the states though so I do believe you.

I apreciate your honesty Kyriakos!

[FLT86]

No one school is perfect.

I have some friends who whent to Egnatia Aviation in Greece and many of them are very happy !
Well, they told me that this FTO has some defaults but they got something good.
Then, it is up to every one I think.

Thank you.