PPL: Cowboy clubs

[JeanPaul.Cardoso]

Hi all,

How do you stop a cowboy overseas school from advertising their courses in English magazines? They have a representative in the UK, who entices students to take the trip to South Africa.

This school, who shall remain nameless, unless other people have had the same experience has:

* sold the course on the basis that you will complete in a month. "The weather is flyable 320 days a year". I got 18 of the unflyable days within the month and previous students said this was good weather compared to the previous six.
* said that within the month you can do the night rating and the PPL in parallel. Consequently pocketing yet another deposit. The instructor at the school was smart enough to say that this is not possible, the courses should be run in sequence.
* they promised to send the license within a couple of weeks. It is now six going on for seven.

Are there any associations that I can go to who will arbitrate this discussion?

Thanks,
Jean-Paul

[FNG]

The Advertising Standards Authority is the industry regulator. If the ASA was persuaded that an ad was not legal, decent, honest or truthful, it would rule accordingly. Publishers of magazines invariably abide by ASA rulings.

I would suggest that naming the advertiser here would not be a good idea. If you want to pursue a complaint, the ASA is at www.asa.org.uk (http://www.asa.org.uk)

It's not for me to judge whether you would have a complaint, but it may be worth remebering that weather is not something within a school's control, and nor is licence issue.

[This message has been edited by FNG (edited 26 April 2001).]

[batemanisbad4u]

Talking about a bit nearer home what about the no- do gooders the UK have, some schools are great/genuine/have time for you etc while others just grab grab & grab. I know it's what lifes all about but new ppl students get sucked in too easily, took me three schools before got the right one, others just for what they can get, i'm more then happy to name/shame my thoughts on some schools if others give their thoughts might help GA allround!