The Dilemma

[FutureFO]

Background:
I've been working towards my PPL for 2 years, i exptected to have this done some time ago because ideally i wanted to have my CPL finish by MAY 2012.

I have had 2 instructors (one i've stayed with for quite a long time, followed to a new school he went too, the original got a charter job 3 months into my training.) The instructor I have now is great technically, honestly very good and thorough.

The Problem:
I'm wanting to take this seriously, this instructor has his own plans he is a young guy who hasn't been in the industry for the 20+ years or even retired from FO and instructing now as some instructors are. He's ambitious wants to start his own company etc.

The problem i face is. I'm making myself available as much as possible to receive training but my instructor is taking the days off to set up his own business which are PERFECT days for the PPL training I require, than booking me in on mediocre days of weather which have 99% of the time been cancelled.

I've met an instructor who is an older guy, had 1 check flight with him just to see what else is around. He's a committed older guy, semi retired. He has informed me his main ambition is to push his students to get to CPL.

The way my training has been going with the younger guy, I can't help but feel this older chap (in his 60's) might be the right move for me as well he's not looking to push his career further forward. He's been successful and flown for Q-Link and the old Ansett.

The Question(s):
Am i better off just cutting my losses finish my PPL with this instructor, who We have taken 2 years to complete my PPL (should be within the next while) when I've been available full time I've said 7 days a week?



Start my CPL with this older instructor?

Do I change to this older guy, more experience, more commitment to from a training aspect (no need for him to meet his quota or push for the "next level" in his career"?


Both are fantastic instructors, I found the older guy to be more thorough in his briefing and his de-brief than my instructor also. I did have an initial "woah this guy is rude" feel about his personality on the initial introduction, but he really turned his attitude around when he saw how serious i was and we went for our nav.

I'm just interested in hearing people's opinions and thoughts (preferably people who've been through the system)

[zondaracer]

It is your money and you are the customer. If you aren't getting exactly what you want, then switch instructors. You should not feel some kind of commitment to your current instructor because it appears that he doesn't feel the same for you, from what I can gather from your post.

I am always confused when students aren't 100% happy but they don't change instructors or schools. These are businesses and you are the customer, it is your money and you are spending a lot of it so you should get what you want. Besides, once your instructor starts his own business and disappears, is he still going to feel bad that you switched instructors??? I doubt it.

[FutureFO]

Sorry i should have put in the OP, will this look bad on my log book having another instructor? I wouldn't think so but I just don't know as I haven't applied for pre-qual cadets etc.

[zondaracer]

No it won't look bad.

The thing with switching instructors is continuity with training but if you only switch once, then it won't have a big effect. I went through 8 instructors by the time I finished my CPL, not by choice.

[FutureFO]

Okay, thanks for your input. Hopefully some more opinions come up in this topic as well.

[felixthecat]

I went through an integrated course (over 10 years ago now) and had loads of different instructors and it did me no harm. In fact it can be a good thing in that you don't pick up the instructors bad habits.

2 years to PPL is quite a while especially if your looking at going onto CPL and further….your the customer your paying the bills take control of your own training, if your not happy then move.

[FutureFO]

Yeah thanks I've made some enquiries at the moment.

I'm doing some shopping around, I've actually just heard from a source that even he was being ripped off after he did some shopping around for some endorsements such as getting his retract and nvfr - completed in 1/2 the time that a few schools offered or in much lesser fee's..

It really seems that in the "training" side of the industry, people are out to rip you off.. I've noticed it with a few places. That's not to say all places are but companies do take advantage of naivety no doubt.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Not so much a rip-off, as a community where their own finances are also always run to the bone and they need to keep looking for ways to stay solvent.

G

[FutureFO]

Well i'd say making a retract endors $1200 and finding a place that does it for $375.00 - Some schools just rip you off. I know some overheads and so forth but honestly that's just being greedy.

[madlandrover]

Depends what it comprises. Different countries, but over here retractable gear is differences training "as required". Some students I've had have been safe/competent in not much over an hour in complex singles, others have taken 5-10 hours to catch up with the aircraft enough for me to feel justified in completing training.

[FutureFO]

Yeah fair call some people struggle with learning, but that's also contributed by the instructors briefing and also the students preperation.

[Gomrath]

What madlandlover said is also applicable here with the FAA in terms of getting a complex endorsement (FAR 61.31).
So you need to read the small print as to what you get for $375 compared to $1200.
Remember just because a price is quoted does not mean that is what you will pay.
You train until competent to pass not till a certain number of hours are achieved.

[madlandrover]

Yes, the briefing and preparation does play a huge part. It still makes it impossible to quote a price from start to finish, anywhere that "guarantees" retrac training for a set price might have a catch.

[cefey]

No one cares how many instructors you had, as long as its reasanoble ammount.
I had 2 different instructors for PPL (1 of them had to leave US).
Then I had 3 different for my CPL (1 run out of visa and 2nd was my main instructor and 3rd was "back-up" when 2nd could not fly).

And anyhow, everyone have different ways of teaching. Everyone have different ways of learning. The most stupid thing you can do, is to stay with instructor that not fits you.
Not only you will spend much more money, you will get negative attitude towards aviation and most important, you will learn much less too!

[FutureFO]

Thanks cefey for the on topic info. some people really railed off topic and made assumptions on the other posts the retrac was an example and it wasn't a guarantee they just made the assumption 1 hour is enough and they supplied free groundwork briefing.

Anyway I'm well on my way to finding a new instructor but also looking for the reasonable price in a/c hire rate..

Cheers

[Gomrath]

some people really railed off topic and made assumptions on the other posts
Ah, but you brought up the cost comparison for two retractable courses and suggested that one of the schools must therefore be ripping off.
As a result, folk responded to that comment appropriately.