Sunstate Aviation

[Peripero]

I am thinking of going to Florida for flight training at Sunstate Aviation. I tried to search them on the forum, but without success. Given that I live in Croatia it is going to be quite an expedition training from zero to pro, so I don't want to rush into anything, especially something that costs so much.

A friend of mine told me about Sunstate aviation, but he hasn't got personal experience with them. I find them interesting because of their accelerated flight training, which they say lasts around 13 weeks.

Time factor is very important for me because I have a business to run, a wife and a 7 month old baby, so I cannot be absent for more than that. Their training is FAA, so I will have to convert my licenses to JAR-FCL upon arrival home.

Does anyone have any experience with them or any information, rumor (!) etc.?

[youngskywalker]

Yeah they are a good flight school. I've used them to renew ratings but never for initial training.

I would be careful to check though if they are authorised to train foreign nationals as i'm not too sure they can issue all the required visa's etc, but I could be wrong.

For hour building or renewals I cannot fault them at all. I've yet to hear any negatives about them.

[mrmum]

I tried to search them on the forum, but without success.
Try here for a start
http://www.pprune.org/private-flying/440292-sunstate-aviation-fl-usa.html
Or just put "Sunstate Kissimmee" into the search function at the top of the page and you'll get some more threads to read through.

[Gomrath]

I would be careful to check though if they are authorised to train foreign nationals as i'm not too sure they can issue all the required visa's etc, but I could be wrong.

They make references to the need for TSA approval but do not make any mention of Visa requirements. There is nothing to suggest that they are SEVIS approved. (This topic has been done to death previously on the forums if searched).

[Peripero]

Thanks for the update on the topic. I tried searching Sunstate aviation with all the connected keywords, but without success, which was strange. If it's OK I'd continue posting in this thread given that the one MRMUM quoted is almost a year old now.

So... I've been corresponding with Mike Camelin from SSE for a couple of weeks now arranging all the details for my arrival and one of the first thing he said to to me regarding ID-20 and student visas was as follows:

"We don't issue I-20 forms here and all you need for this type of training is a visitor visa. In some cases, pilot trainees may be required to obtain a student visa for flight training, but that would be mostly for training courses which take several months to complete and result in a career orientation or a college degree. This is not the case however for our shorter accelerated training courses which are recreational in nature, and utilize the self-study, web-based Distance Learning programs. These flight training courses fit within the State Department's "18 hour rule".

Here is a quote from the US State Department's web site which will explain:

"If you are going to the U.S. primarily for tourism, but want to take a short course of study which is recreational, and the course is less than 18 hours per week, you may be able to do so on a visitor visa. If your course of study is 18 hours or more a week, you will need a student visa. When traveling to the U.S. to attend seminars or conferences for credit towards a degree, then you'll need a student visa."

If you want to read this for yourself, here is the URL:
Student Visas (http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1268.html)
"

Yesterday I had an interview in my the US Embassy here in Zagreb, Croatia and the counsel didn't say my visitor (B2) visa wasn't appropriate for the type of training I'm aiming for (although I'm still waiting for it to get approved).

Everything else was clear from their side at first glance. I just wanted to see if someone on the forum had a bad experience with them.

[Gomrath]

Peripero
You are being sucked in.

You yourself posted

I find them interesting because of their accelerated flight training, which they say lasts around 13 weeks.
You are clearly wanting to come to the US specifically for Flight Training and to leave with a Pilot certificate. You are not coming for a vacation.
You need a M1 visa.

You may want to read this post and the link provided to a document released by the Department of Justice.
http://www.pprune.org/professional-pilot-training-includes-ground-studies/418519-m1-visa-no-visa-sevis-approved-schools-usa-7.html#post6841179


We don't issue I-20 forms here and all you need for this type of training is a visitor visa.

Well.... what would you honestly expect them them to tell you? :ugh:

[Peripero]

Gomrath, guys, you're absolutely right. It's just that I found out about all this today and yesterday upon joining the forum. And I was sucked in.

Mistake No.1: Should have joined the forum a long time ago, immediately after contacting Sunstate for the first time.

A week ago I applied for B2 visa at the US Embassy here in Zagreb based on Sunstate's instruction, and was scheduled an appointment for yesterday morning. To make a long story short, today I was informed that my B2 visa has not been approved. The reason they stated is that I applied for the wrong type of visa (hardly a surprise). They said that if the primary purpose of my trip to US was tourism or visiting someone, alongside which I'd attend some course, then the B2 would suffice, but given the fact that it was flight training I'm traveling there for (which is full time by default), I'd have to fill a completely new application. This time, believe it or not, for M1 visa. If I could provide them with my personal I-20 form, my M1 visa would be instantly approved based on my current documentation.

Mistake No.2: Should have figured it our right after the gentleman from Sunstate told me he couldn't issue the I-20.

Should have, would have, could have... It was yesterday that I found out about SEVIS and the fact that only SEVIS approved schools can issue the I-20. Sunstate Aviation obviously isn't SEVIS approved. At last, after I notified the gentleman from Sunstate that I'll be needing the form, he said: "I will not be able to issue an I-20 form at this time".

To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. After throwing away 140 USD now I have to say goodbye to the first 3 months of 2012 available for me for flight training and hour building. For various reasons I can travel to US only from November to April. So what I need is the same thing that Sunstate offers. I have 12 or 13 weeks at disposal for training and I have to find a decent flight school in a few day's time. Suggestions would be more than welcome.

P.S. After reading experiences of certain members on this forum I realized that thievery and dishonesty between flight schools are, sadly, ever present. I don't want to have anything to do with these ones.

[Gomrath]

but given the fact that it was flight training I'm traveling there for (which is full time by default)

Indeed it is.. as per that letter.

Fortunately it has only cost you your TSA fee.
You should get your Flight School identified first
The Flight School will issue you the I-20 which you then submit to the US Consulate etc to get your visa sorted out and approved.
Then you apply for TSA and you enter the visa type (M1) and visa number in the TSA application.


I have to find a decent flight school in a few day's time. Suggestions would be more than welcome

What certificates are you expecting to train for as you have not said? It is difficult to provide any suggestion without more information as to what you are trying to achieve.

[Peripero]

I don't even have my PPL yet. Currently I have gathered 18 h of flight experience (15 dual, 3 solo) and bad weather here isn't helping, so it looks like I'm gonna be stuck with it until spring (I think it's stupid to segment my training and do 1 hour every two weeks). Here's what I'm aiming for:

-PPL (the rest of it)
-Instrument rating
-Hour building (100/150h)
-CPL
-Multi engine

At first I contacted Sunstate for hour building and they suggested me to come and finish my PPL there. I wasn't even thinking about doing IR/CPL/ME there beforehand, let alone PPL. Basically, I've got the time and finance and no school to earn it. I'd go to Alaska if weather permits.

[Gomrath]

To get a FAA IR after completing your Private - you either have to do a Part 141 course or have completed 50 hours Pilot in Command cross country time (FAR 61.65).
If you are looking to hour build then you require 250 hours under Part 61 to gain your FAA CPL (FAR 61.129).

To be honest you might as well simply stick with JAA as it will cost a lot to later convert from FAA to JAA.