Aeros/Skyborne - Experience/past Students/reputation

[MDLRpilot]

Currently studying ATPL's and looking at picking a flight school for a MEIR, CPL and MEP and currently looking at Aeros Gloucester or Skyborne. I know Skyborne is a relatively new provider but a mixture of L3, CAE and Airways staff. What's the view on: reputation with airlines, recruitment prospects after graduating, training standards and time taken?

Any other information also welcome!

Thanks in advance!

[CaptainPugwash12]

I saw the skybourne one, its a fancy website and I would imagine a similar price to L3/CAE, another one trying to break into the market, I would imagine its ex senior staff from L3 or CAE with big funding behind it.

Stay with a school that you know someone personally who went there and passed with the exact instructor and try and replicate that. As your modular I would stay away from those big schools and save some of your hard earned money to buy a home sim for practicing for airline jobs, lots of other options.

I would stay away from Aeros, they have a bad reputation in many places as being very corrupt and greedy. Several accidents have happened with students that have not been reported due to poor maintenance of aircraft, in particular this one horrible accident last year. Word on the ground is that he was forced to fly as the ARC was expiring the next day, despite being maintenance a push back away they flew to Gloucester to save a few hundred pounds and so the student could pay for the flight and they would make money on it: https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports/aaib-investigation-to-piper-pa-28-161-cherokee-warrior-iii-g-wavs. It stinks of pure greed and while flying is fun, this behaviour must not be tolerated so walk with your feet.

I also heard airlines are staying away from Aeros graduates due to the poor standards.

Wherever you choose, best of luck!

[BirdmanBerry]

Not a trainee but seeing lots of Aero's students going to airlines currently and they're part of Wings Alliance.

[pilotatlast]

I'd agree with Captain Pugwash about Aeros.

Skyborne looks to be in a completely different league and taking on the likes of CAE and L3 and actually doing a better job and with a lot of airline contracts looming I hear.

[MDLRpilot]

CaptainPugwash12 I'm modular but full time modular so a cross between modular/integrated. I've got the similar info RE Skyborne staff and pricing. Heard about the Aeros crash - would be interested in hearing where you've got the info that airlines are staying away from Aeros graduates, was it Aeros in general or specific location based graduates? Able to drop me a PM?

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[MDLRpilot]

pilotatlast I'd heard that there might be looming airline contacts back in July and nothing seems to have appeared yet...? I'd assume they have reasonable contacts from previous experience at other companies but wonder how much they use the links to just get candidates through the door rather than actually leveraging them for jobs at the end?

[MDLRpilot]

BirdmanBerry Is that a new membership to Wing Alliance? Can't seem to see them included on the website..

[thisishomebrand]

BirdmanBerry Is that a new membership to Wing Alliance? Can't seem to see them included on the website..

The school no longer needs to be part of wings alliance for you to be a wings alliance student.

[CaptainPugwash12]

MDLR---Direct from recruitment in a major airline, ​​​​Aeros are bottom of the queue when selection happens as its common knowledge they are run by a very greedy family that exploit people rather than focus on training hence the crash that killed a student and their most senior instructor. My conversation was that Aeros were on preferred supplier list but are now removed, as with all things in aviation it changes with cycles.

If airlines are desperate they will take anyone and hours go down, ages go up and salaries increase and now due to recent Ryanair and Thomas cook redundancies its swung the other way so 250 hours now becomes 500 etc this makes it harder for the new graduates so you need to ensure that you have a good school on your CV as something like 700 Thomas Cooke pilots looking for a job and not any job, a UK based job make it a buyers market for airline recruiters, they can pick and choose as they please.....so be selective in your school selection, most importantly it fits in with your life and budget. Try and get a fixed price school.

[MDLRpilot]

CaptainPugwash12 invaluable information - much appreciated!

[Flyinghigh54674]

Has anyone recently attended the SkyBourne assessment in Gloucestershire?

[Alex Whittingham]

Aeros are no longer in the Wings Alliance

[CaptainPugwash12]

Aeros are no longer in the Wings Alliance

That is no surprise!

Below is the inbox message I received. I think this sums up the type of flight school Aeros are, who would want to spend their hard earned $ at a place like that?

The point of these posts are for people to make an informed decision and not make the mistakes previous people have made for the greater good.

Alex Whittingham has a good reputation at BGS for many years and I am sure can advise potential students of good schools to go to that gets the balance between training/cost right and ensures that you dont get ripped off or pay with your life!

Good luck on your training!
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1718x600/aeros_10654585194f27d9b83db2dc3727953fe7f0d581.png

[BirdmanBerry]

BirdmanBerry Is that a new membership to Wing Alliance? Can't seem to see them included on the website..

Ah they used to be when i was looking around...

[FlyingHorse1]

I would like to disagree with some of the comments made about Aeros. I myself an ex student along with a lot of my friends have generally good things to say about them with all of us working for well known carriers. Comments people have made about said accident should be kept to themselves out of respect for the people involved.

Aeros overall is a good outfit. It has the struggles of many schools with high turnover of and low experience ops staff but is made up by an excellent instructor team and high standards. You need to keep on top of your schedule as I found it was who shouts loudest.

This happens with the big integrated schools too however Aeros charge you as you fly rather than the integrated schools who take your money then tell you that its a 6 month wait. The Diamond fleet and simulators can not be faulted they are some of the best DA42s in the country and I never had a tech issue during the MEP/MEIR stage and the instructors will accommodate at every time of the day and weekend to get you through.

They are realistic with the instructor to student ratio so you won't find yourself flying once a week which is what the integrated schools do (max 3 students to 1 instructor and aircraft). They will lease in if there is an aircraft shortage too.

You have to ask the question why lots of UK integrated students have transferred across to Aeros for the flying stage due to being delayed. Price wise Aeros may look more expensive than other modular outfits but remember the MEIR training includes as many approaches as you need. Sometimes we flew up to 10 approaches for training whereas other schools limit it to 2 per flight for cost reasons. I can hand on heart say that the Aeros instructor team are incredible and you will struggle to find better.

Airline placement wise out of everyone who has completed their training at Aeros when I trained has got a job within a year. Lots of airlines respect the training (e.g Flybe) at least 10 of my friends have got jobs there and line trainers always complement the training standard. Unless you are on a placement scheme with an airline nobody can guarantee you a job (no matter how much glossy material there is). Training makes up a big part of what airlines look at however if you don't have the non-technical skills it doesn't matter how much you pay.

With regards to Wings Alliance I am not surprised. Aeros recently changed their ground school provider to Cat3C at Gloucester who are an excellent outfit (look on their facebook page). Aeros previous provider of this was Bristol Ground School who run Wings Alliance. I am not surprised they aren't a member anymore.

Just my 2 eggs but hope it helps.

[Alex Whittingham]

They haven't been a member for some months. I would think the move to CAT 3C was a consequence rather than a cause. Aeros have recently announced a partnership with Tayside (see article here (https://www.pilotcareernews.com/aeros-and-tayside-form-flight-training-group/)) to create a "UK network of modular flight training schools". I think both ATOs resented the prominence of continental ATOs such as Bartolini and Diamond Flight Academy in the market, and thought that WA should be supporting UK schools only. We don't make that distinction, and take the view that each ATO has a different product in terms of quality, aircraft, price, customer service etc., and a good modular ATO should be able to stand in the market on its own merits, irrespective of location. Their competitor for CPL IR ME, Stapleford Flight Centre, is an enthusiastic member of the WA and seems to do perfectly well.

[parkfell]

That is no surprise!

Below is the inbox message I received. I think this sums up the type of flight school Aeros are, who would want to spend their hard earned $ at a place like that?

The point of these posts are for people to make an informed decision and not make the mistakes previous people have made for the greater good.

Alex Whittingham has a good reputation at BGS for many years and I am sure can advise potential students of good schools to go to that gets the balance between training/cost right and ensures that you dont get ripped off or pay with your life!

Good luck on your training!
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1718x600/aeros_10654585194f27d9b83db2dc3727953fe7f0d581.png
Before any *Junior Birdmen* commits to any ATO, it is critical that “DUE DILIGENCE“ is carried out.

Visit those establishments on your shortlist, speak to the staff but more importantly the customers.
Reliable friends who have gone through training are an invaluable source of information.

CAVEAT EMPTOR: Training is an expensive business. You need to get it right first time.

Note: “Junior Birdmen” : a generic phrase not identifying any particular gender / non-binary status

[ryan110]

Hi all,

Has anyone recently or know anyone that has completed the aptitude tests for Skybourne academy recently. I know they use CUT E and AON but I feel like I’m studying the wrong stuff.

They stated they use 9 tests but that’s all I got of them.

Does anyone have any suggestions or info on this. I’m using Pilot aptitude test to study but I don’t know how good they are for what I will be sitting shortly.

Thanks,

Ryan

[portsharbourflyer]

While I never worked for Skyborne directly some ex CAE Colleagues have assured me to date Skyborne dispite the usual large school price, do actually look after students. So it does seem to be one of the better mainstream providers. They do seem to have a good record of placing Students into Wizzair.

[ryan110]

Thanks for the update. I heard that too. I just think, having an aptitude for ATPL's only is a bit too far. I understand if the combined modulare CPL package is undertaken, but to do classroom work for exams is a bit OTT.

Ryan

[spitfirejock]

Here we go again, anonymous people posting and bringing up salacious posts from the past....how does this help anyone?

I agree with the idea of due you're due diligence by talking to 'real' customers (current) and not those with an "axe to grind.

As before, 'go-modular' seems to be the overall balance of advice since the dreaded COVID, however, a total and complete waste of time posting such advice it seems as the big schools are back with a vengeance with seemingly unlimited advertising and marketing budgets hence the very high price tag for the courses offered.

SJ

[Jordan199721]

Thanks for the update. I heard that too. I just think, having an aptitude for ATPL's only is a bit too far. I understand if the combined modulare CPL package is undertaken, but to do classroom work for exams is a bit OTT.

Ryan

How did you get on with Skyborne? I had a conversation with their training advisor the other day. Seemed like a good school, didn't spin me any crap. Just doing some AON tests online before I apply. I understand you have to complete the tests within 5 days from receiving the link.