Ayla Aviation

[Odai]

Hello,

I recently completed my PPL skills test in the UK and have been considering doing some of my CPL hour building in Jordan, as I tend to visit the country fairly regularly.

I'm in contact with a place called Ayla Aviation in the southern port city of Aqaba, and am looking for any current feedback on them. Assuming I can get a financially feasible offer, I'd be doing the hour building with them. My first choice would have been either of the two academies in Amman due to it being far more convenient, but one (MidEast Aviation) has not returned my messages and the other (Royal Jordanian) is quoting $300 an hour for hire.

There was this thread a while back, with some very concerning comments, but I'm wondering if things have improved with Ayla since then?

http://www.pprune.org/middle-east/284350-ayla-aviation-jordan.html

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Odai.

[vddfrx]

Hi Odei,

I lived 3 years in Jordan and I knew Ayla Academy very well.
They are very professional. Their equipements, aircraft & building are all amazing.
I met an italian instructor and I remember they worked with an English academy, I can not remember its name.
Aqaba is a very nice place, with nice beaches, amazing hotels, diving centers & flat cheaper than the same flat in Amman.
The two academies in Amman are older (aircraft, buildings,..), but they are good reputation.

Jordan is a very nice country, safe & people are open minded.

Wish you the best

Best regards

[Odai]

Many thanks for your helpful response!

Can you confirm how the issues mentioned in the thread I linked have developed? Have they now been resolved?

I know Jordan well in general but have never lived in Aqaba - I would have preferred Amman due to having family and somewhere to stay there but as I said neither of the two academies there seemed suitable. :p

[Sand4Gold]

Odai,

Do another search and you'll come up with a 23 page thread about Ayla - tread carefully, be concerned about putting too much money up front if asked to do so on a hours build package.

If you know Jordan well, then it'll come as no surprise that not all government departments operate at max efficiency? Jordan's Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission (CARC) is, in my opinion, one department that could do better. This leaves aviation units to operate with a fair degree of freedom, and not strictly in line with the rules that one would expect from a well regulated flying institution.

Yes, Aqaba is a great place to fly, Marka can get a bit congested before 1400hrs - expensive if you're charged at start-up?

I wish you well, but, again, buyer beware.

S4G