A320 at AeroStar, Orlando

[Prop.Time]

Been an ardent follower of this forum, but is my very first post.:ok:

Has anyone here recently or previously completed an A320 PIC Type Rating from Aerostar Training Services LLC in Orlando.
Airbus A320 Type Ratings and Training | AeroStar Training Services (http://www.aerostartyperatings.com/pilot-training/airbus-a320-training/)

If so Im seeking an honest review regarding the facilities, simulators and the like.

[youdontknowme]

This is what I experienced:

First, I went to different training facilities in my career learning to fly different aircraft so I can compare (PanAm, Flight Safety, etc).

- The facilities are modern, on the international airport, and inside a large Jet provider FBO. Comfortable. Training material are State Of The art.

- The SIMs are... I don't think there is better ones, period. They are run by an airline. Maintenance staff is there 24/7. There were minor problems while I was there, so we changed sims...

- The instructors: They were all "real" airline pilots and they teach is a fun and relaxed atmosphere. For me it was the best philosophy. I don't think I had a better time in a ground school (and in the sim too!), ever. Now this being said, you still have to study... There are things I would have liked to be a bit different, but nothing is perfect.

-The price: No hidden costs. No BS. I did not have to pay a penny more.

My recipe to success at AeroStar: Study a bit in advance before going there. Forget the money you just paid, it is an investment, no matter what people think. Study hard. Listen to the instructors (they know how to get you through...). And have fun in the classroom and the sim. Stay focused.

I made it so can you.

I hope this was helpful... Good luck.

[bahabel]

Hi all gentleman
Is there anybody knows about AeroStar Trainig Services, about their facility and their training operation? Especially on A320 upgrade Type rating,

[320_flyer]

Hello youdontknowme,

I'm also planning to go and do the ATPL checkride with 320 type rating. You said you studied before attending the course. What should I emphasize before going? Systems? Regs?

[ZFT]

There were minor problems while I was there, so we changed sims...

What do you do if you have a major problem then?

[Team Bravo]

Aerostar is a very good organization and very professional staff / instructors.

For the A320 type rating you need to know limitations and memory items inside and out. You also need to go through the entire overhead panel and have a complete understand of every switch and push button up there and the associated fault lights.

[Brody11]

I recently paid for an A-320 type from Aerostar - and if I had to do it over again, I would have gone somewhere else. My assigned sim instructor was a CRJ captain who had an A-320 type-rating.

Sim partner assigned to me told me he hadn't flown anything bigger than a Piper. As you would expect, he crashed consistently - and repeatedly - all week. Very little improvement, even with his PNF skills.

Nice enough dude, just in way over his head. I had never flown an Airbus, but I'm typed in a few other planes (all Part 121 training) - so I understand the typical protocol in getting typed. When I asked for a sim partner who was at least familiar with CRM, it seemed to really upset the executive mgmt at the company.

In fairness, my instructor fully understood that I needed an adequate partner - and promised me it would happen. He probably tried, but the top brass was determined to type the other guy (my sim partner). After session 6 - where we're signed off for the check ride - we had a different instructor, who told me that he wanted to give me one more session before signing me off. He said that since he was an Airbus captain, he knew what needed to be addressed before I took the check ride. I agreed to it (any remedial sessions are paid for by the student - above the original ten grand), and expected to be called by Aerostar with the updated schedule.

Instead, they put me back with the original instructor (CRJ guy) and the same sim partner (we were on lesson six, and he was still on lesson one). Since we had gone past the ten days that I had scheduled to be at Aerostar, I had to fly back home to check in for a four-day trip.

I emailed the company and told them I'd be back immediately after my trip to resume training, and that I would bring a friend with me to sit in as my PNF - who was an A-320 capt at Virgin America. Aerostar's mgmt was clearly upset, and told me "I was not permitted to leave." This was in February - and I still haven't been rescheduled. The fine print says they have complete control over the schedule - and despite my efforts to get them to schedule me, it's not happening. They either ignore my emails - or respond with a promise they don't follow through with.

They have my 10K, and I can't get them to 'allow' me to complete my training. After two months of not being scheduled back in the sim, I finally had enough - and went to the local FSDO and spoke to their POI. Now they're REALLY upset - and requiring me to sign a non-disclosure agreement to continue training.

They had an opportunity to fix this from the very beginning - and for whatever reason they chose not to. By creating 2 month-long gaps between sessions, they are also creating the need for me to buy more sim sessions just to get back to my proficiency level from my last session. Not a good business practice - especially since they profit from it, and the customer gets screwed. As I said, I wish I had gone somewhere else for the type.

[Reverserbucket]

Just had a look at the meet our associates and 'members of the team' page on their website; that's a real mix of experience and qualifications across all of the roles in their team: the CEO is the former receptionist, the Director of Operations is a Doctor of Business Administration and the Training Coordinator was a PhD philosophy student who can also teach juggling! Only one of them appears to have any airline experience however.

[BAe 146-100]

Like all US buy it yourself type rating centers, they give you the rating but that's it, don't expect that you can operate this aircraft once you leave there, that is up to the airline to train you to their own standards.

The decent instructors they had with Airbus experience must have bailed, so using ex students with no Airbus experience sounds familiar and is not really unusual over there. Also the chances that you will be paired with a low hours guy is quite high, like I said, it isn't an airline type, anyone with a FAA lisence can pay and get the type.

But their aim is to give you the rating in the shortest possible time for a reasonable price and nothing more, and as long as you have it on your license one way or another at the end they achieved what they promised. But your case is unusual at best and from what it sounds like you didn't get the rating, so the steps your taking will work it seems.

[Brody11]

That's correct - no attempt was made by the company to reschedule me in the sim, despite my numerous requests. A few weeks after my last sim session in Feb, the guy who makes the schedules sent me an email telling me to report back in a few days - that they had scheduled my remedial session AND my type-ride in the same 4-hour block. I traded out of a trip with my company, flew across the country to FL, paid for a hotel and rental car . . . only to have them cancel it at the last minute.

Just a guess, but it seemed to me that the airline guys who moonlight there as instructors/examiners get it, but their suggestions to management fall on deaf ears.

Whatever it is, they have my $10K, and I was never given the opportunity to be scheduled for my one remedial session or the type-ride. I've requested a full refund, and (naturally) they refused.

Gotta love the aviation bidness . . .

[jaiveerjhala]

Hi Guys

I am planning to go to aerostar for my ATP CTP and A320 rating in OCT.
Any reviews,tips,suggestions are most welcome.
Thanks

[Cavalcante]

Listen to me, this is the worst school I’ve ever studied at! Very poor assistance. I’ve lost track of how many times they’ve screwed me up.

[Flydude737]

Got my FAA ATP and A320 TR back from Aerostar. After seeing complainings and questions, I'd like to say something about this flight school.

First of all, this flight school is a small training facility, it is developing but currently has limited resources. The price of the course is relatively cheap, compare with other similar flight schools. therefore, the ground school is always full, and the SIM schedule is also full all the time. That will bring the problem one if either they or you screw up your training, it's hard to be rescheduled. It doesn't mean impossible but will take time, few days to few weeks.

Talking about the A320 SIM, it's an old machine, can't compare with the new CAE model, especially the display. But it works. The maintenance staffs are very professional and experienced, they always do their best to keep the ball rolling.

During the training, you will meet some different instructors, they have very different background and aviation experience. 95% of the time they will teach you by Airbus SOPs. All nice dudes, but you need to work hard by yourself and with your partner as well.

The FAA check is very straight forward, essential knowledge of A320, general aviation knowledge, flight skill and management.

What I want to say is, if you are an experienced jet pilot, looking for a quick TR training with reasonable price, this flight school works. If you newly get your CPL and want to add a Boeing or Airbus type, then you can consider about this school, but be prepared to do some hard study and works. They treat you like a professional pilot. work hard with your partner and help each other, bless for the rest.

Not a bad flight school, but obviously need to make some improvement of the service.

[stardomi]

Refer to the review on google maps.
there are so many victims.
they must be kicked out from the this industry.

no refund even though they don’t provide simulator training.

[Vizzz]

This flight school is a scam. They are very quick to respond to queries when the potential student is registering for their course(s). Gives you the impression that they are a competent and efficient flight school. They also require you to pay the FULL course fees before you start their training program.

Once the training program starts however, they play to a different tune. They planned simulator maintenance during the agreed period of our training. This was not told to us until we started the course. This led to rescheduling and delays. A 16-day course was now extended to at least 4 weeks. And this extension did not necessarily guarantee completion of the training.

Many students have been affected by the delays. Extending our stay was not feasible especially for those who have travelled here from other countries. Aerostar administrators also become "less available" for students trying to reach out to them in light of the delays. They also informed that they apply a blanket policy of no refunds once the course starts. In short, Aerostar takes your money in full but takes very little responsibility thereafter. Potential students you have been warned.

[BRinChina]

Hello all,
I’m interested to know if there are any recent candidates of this flight school who could provide a review?
Thanks in advance!

[Mr_ATPL]

You get what you pay for.

And AEROSTAR is the one of the cheapest providers on the market.

CAVEAT EMPTOR

[Jdavemorales]

I recently attended Aerostar, it has been the worst experience. I went to get my ATP CTP and A320 type. And when I got there I realized I had been quoted the wrong price and put on the A320 upgrade course with no prior experience. I had filled out the only information they required and even sent my documents, but when I got there they didn't have any documents, I had to present them again. When I told the school that they had quoted me the wrong price and put me on the wrong course they didn't even know what was going on. The course I was suppose to do was the A320 Fast Track course, which I had been quoted 11,200 USD. The Upgrade course is 10,400 USD. Now instead of paying the difference there saying I have to pay 4,100 USD extra to finish the course, so now they want me to pay 14,500USD. At this point they started sending all the information about the A320 Fast Track course because they knew they had stuffed up and were trying to cover it up saying I had always been on the right course. But I have all the emails to prove other wise. When I told them I was not going to pay that and I wanted a refund, they said NO, that they can hold the credit until I get the rest of the money or lose the money. So they have made the mistake and the client has to pay extra money for it. I wasted 2 weeks of unpaid leave to do the course, paid 2 weeks of Airbnb for nothing. And now I've lost 7,000 USD because they don't want to refund the money. These people think that because we're foreigners in the US they can get away with anything. Since it was there mistake, I'm asking for a refund because they didn't and couldn't provide the service I had paid for which was the A320 upgrade course due to there mistake from the start. Now these people don't even answer emails. Another thing one of the ATP CTP sim sessions was the worst sim session, the instructor was always on the phone, ipad, sleeping and at one point step out and left us there for about 30mins on our own, no instruction what so ever. And when a student asked him something he was rude. This happened to another 3 students also. All of this, with the lack of organization and unprofessionalism made me decide not to continue there. But there refusing to refund my money back. So to all foreigners be careful if you decide to go to this school. They'll make the mistakes and the client will end up paying more

[Pablonia]

Very bad experience. I regret choosing that school.
To enroll you they are very good, but afterwards to give you information, details, to answer questions, fill out forms like TSA, IACRA, answer the phone or emails… a nightmare. Pilotservices like nonexistent, no receptionist, no customer service. A fixed phone that nobody answered.
They didnt tell me the info about fingerprints, so i had to do a specific trip to the US to give my fingerprints, which could have been avoided.
They messed up the sim schedule and gave me less time. They said i had the correct time, and i insisted so they accepted it. They give you the CTP course and they dont use any of that time to prepare you for the type rating.
Then at the type rating course, they put all our training sessions for the checkride on the same day. Four hours for me, and four hours for my partner, plus briefings, 13.5 hours in one day, can you believe it, and then the checkride the next day, no rest time, nothing!!!!
Also there was a misunderstanding and i missed 3 hours of ground CTP time, and the instructor volunteered his time, 1.5 hours to give me what i missed. The school charged me for 3 hours, even thought the instructor didnt charge them, and it was only 1.5 hours. They didn’t pay him nothing, he told me. I tried calling to sort it out, send emails, no answer whatsoever. I was willing to pay for 1.5 hours and they kept sending me the invoice for 3 hours, 315usd. The day before the checkride they told me if I didn’t pay in full, i couldn’t do it. Reticently i paid. The day of the checkride a saturday, the manager asked my on a WhatsApp message at 6 am if i had paid, and at 8 am he wrote me that the checkride was cancelled. I was asleep. I saw my messages at 9 am. I called him, no answer, i messaged, no answer. Same on sunday, same on monday morning. Around midday on monday i received a rescheduled checkride for Tuesday. Altogether it took me three weeks to do everything. I asked for two extra sessions to feel ready for the exam, but it all could have been done in 10-11 days. And every day that passed i had to pay hotel, car, food.
This is a short version of it all.
My recommendation, avoid this school by all means.