Does the flight school matter?

[JamieTP]

This is my first ever post on pprune so I apologise if this is a common question or not posted in the correct spot.

I obtained my PPL a couple of years ago in South Africa and I have moved to Brisbane, Australia. My hope is to get it converted and start working towards my CPL with a dream of ATPL and airline flying in the years to come.

My question at the moment is, does the flight school where you obtain your CPL have a big bearing on gaining employment in GA?

I have checked out a few schools at Archerfield but hire rates are much cheaper at Redcliffe. I get the impression that aviation jobs are a case of having the skills and knowing the right people more than anything but I could be very wrong.

Any tested advice would be much appreciated thanks.

[Hugh Jarse]

Generally, Jamie - I would say no, in respect to starting out as a bare CPL. However, later on when you get an instrument rating and were looking for, say a regional job I would say a definite yes (from experience).

When I was involved in pilot recruitment a few years back, there were two standout training organisations that I knew, if a candidate had trained at either - he or she would have sound instrument flying skills. The standard from both schools was consistently high, and was reflected in the candidate's sim ride.

[JamieTP]

Thanks Hugh, that's good to know.

[SenZubEanS]

Care to name said schools of whom you were impressed Hugh?

[Hugh Jarse]

Not publicly. They have been written about quite a lot in this forum over the years (in a positive light).

One is in NSW, the other in North QLD. I had no association with either, just became interested when certain applicants showed a consistently high standard. Some background investigating bought me the answers ;)

[Flying Bear]

Unfortunately it is more a case of the individual trainee and the individual instructor, rather than any particular flying school.

My experience in assessing and recruiting low time pilots to a GA operation corroborates this.

I honestly believe that the two schools to which HJ alludes rely on their reputation a bit - and that doesn't necessarily make it so, a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy really.

IMHO, find an instructor that you feel comfortable with and confident in, and shop widely for this. Don't be sucked in to believing reputations and adverts. Go and speak to people face to face.

[triathlon]

Good advice flying bear. I agree 100% with what you say.
Spot on. :ok:

[BPA]

NSW school owned by BW and the QLD school owned by BH.