Anyone heard of UK Flight Training, Florida/ California

[grinst]

Hi, Looking at doing my PPL in the good old USA, talking to a company called UK Flight Training, the web site looks good and they seem to be promising alot, anyone had any dealings with them heard of them????

[BillieBob]

This would be the same UKFT who offer an entirely fictitious 'JAA-compliant' PPL, would it? For a PPL to be compliant with JAR-FCL, the training, if conducted in the USA, must be completed at an FTO approved by a JAA member state, which UKFT isn't. What So-Cal App said.

[Whopity]

Unless of course you do a FAA PPL then convert it to a JAA PPL by doing the theoretical tests and a JAA PPL Skill Test with a UK authorised examiner which is what UKFT offer.

Angelina Jolie learned to fly there!

[BillieBob]

OK, Whopity, so at which point in this process is a 'JAA-compliant' licence issued? As far as I can see, the punter gets a PPL(A) issued in accordance with ICAO Annex 1, (i.e an FAA PPL, which he or she can do at any flight school and probably for a lot less money) and then converts it to a JAA PPL(A) by sitting a couple of exams and passing a PPL Skill Test (which any UK flight school can, and will do for a lot less money.). Let's face it, UKFT is seeking to deceive impressionable wannabees by offering something that, in reality, does not exist. If you wish to defend that business model then good luck to you but please, at least, be honest about your vested interest (if any).

Oh, and the fact that some bimbo gained her licence after completing some of her training with UKFT is hardly a valid recommendation of training quality.

[Whopity]

If you wish to defend that business model then good luck to you but please, at least, be honest about your vested interest (if any).I have no interest other than historical. This was an established school offering UK PPL training pre JAR-FCL. It obtained a JAA MEP approval and was told by the CAA that in accordance with JAR-FCL 1.125(a) General. An applicant for a PPL(A) shall complete at an FTO or an accepted registered facilitythat as it was an FTO it could contiue to conduct PPL training. Thereafter the bat was stuffed up their bottom. They subsequently offered a FAA PPL followed by a ICAO licence conversion, possibly cheaper than anyone in the Uk could offer, and came up with a fancy name for it.

[ILOC]

4 or 5 years ago I looked at training with UKFT in Long Beach but was thankfully put off by the many negative posts on here (do a search) and also a conversation I had with Ajay who runs it that made me very suspicious.

I decided instead to train with Angel City Flyers (based practically next door) and they were excellent. Modern, glass cockpit, planes (DA40s) and friendly, professional instructors. I saw UKFT/Rainbow Air operating on a daily basis and they were basically a production line for training Indian wanabee ATPLs. The planes were in a really shocking condition and the sheer number of people there for the number of planes available was ridiculous.

I seriously recommend you avoid this lot. If you want to go somewhere good in LA then I can't recommend Angel City Flyers highly enough (again search on here - many people have had good experiences). If you really need to go for somewhere cheaper or want a JAA licence then try one of the Florida schools.

[Bicycle2]

Unfortunately Angel City Flyers don't issue student visas, so they're not an option...

[grinst]

Hi, Thanks for the reply, I've been a Prune member for a while but not on here that often, I'm probably really showing my ignorance here but how do you do a search for a company, just put UKFT into the search engine???
Thanks

[englishal]

I did my PPL with them in 2000, but it was a JAR PPL. The reason they stopped doing this was because the CAA used to charge in excess of £5000 pa for "inspections" and business class travel to come and see them.

So What they can offer is an FAA PPL, with the required ground exams completed before the strudent comes over, via some arrangement with somewhere in the UK I believe and then when the student has the FAA PPL their onsite examiner can instantly carry out a conversion to JAA PPL if required.

I have no interest in them other than I was a former student. things have changed a bit since then, so I can neither recommend or criticise them. They provide a service which is cheaper than many other UK FTOs, and the advantage is that you can end up with two totally seperate PPLs - FAA and JAA...

[PianomanEI]

Hey,
Saw your post. Did you go to do the PPL yet? I HOPE you haven't gone to UKFT. Ill let you know about my experience this summer if you need info. I would go as far from here as possible...I can have others tell you the same stories about UKFT and Mr Ajay!

Send me a PM if you're interested....