Stapleford MEIR CPL

[Supermattt]

Hello,

I posted this question a few days back but it has been removed, I don't know why.

I have completed ATPL exams, night rating and MEP rating. I am researching schools at which to complete CPL and MEIR. I did my PPL at Stapleford some years ago and have a good idea of what it is like but am interested to have a chat to someome who has been there recently to do a CPL or MEIR.

[Alex Whittingham]

The school is generally well recommended by BGS and Wings Alliance students who have been there. No negative feedback, which is a rare thing for flight schools.

[Supermattt]

Thanks Alex, that’s helpful.

[8Wheeler]

Having been to Stapleford a d ACS I’d highly recommend ACS. I did the ME IR with Richard before COVID and then went back to do the CPL. Things had changed with instructors and engineers furloughed. Also the introduction of bucks uni students which have turned the place into a circus.

I’m also aware of 2 incidents there in the last 18 months. One was an aborted take off after a student landed long in the DA42. The nose leg snapped off. More recently G-FULL had an incident at Southend where it’s UC collapsed. I’d personally flown this and had 4 flights where I had to emergency extend the gear.

if you have the choice go to ACS.

[Supermattt]

Thanks 8Wheeler, that’s useful. Do you mean ACS in Perth?

[8Wheeler]

Yes, ACS Perth. They were great.

When I arrived they had an arrow fresh out of MX with 50hrs on it and an instructor to myself.

They didn’t hassle me for money, I just paid up at the end. Very efficient admin wise.

airspace is less congested than at Stapleford, on the plus side if you can fly out of Stapleford you can fly anywhere. There are some outstanding instructors at SFC and ACS tbh. But the overall experience at ACS is razor sharp.

[Supermattt]

Thank you.

Perth is too far for me!

[Beaker_]

Do you find the weather in Perth causes much in the way of problems, or is it not an issue?

[S-Works]

I am an independent examiner and have done CPL and IR tests for Stapleford and can say that as a complete neutral to the school the standard of the candidates the train is excellent. They have been prepared to a superb standard with very through training records and perfectly prepared for the test. Every school has issues and clearly every school has detractors so check the school out in person and see what feels right.

[8Wheeler]

I’m certainly not a detractor. The ME IR was very good. However things changed with the introduction of the bucks uni students and my experience during the CPL was that they were unable to deliver timely training, so I had to leave.

Lisa & Richard are excellent.

When I went to ACS it was very efficient in comparison. Fantastic student records management and booking system. I had an aircraft with 50hrs on it and an instructor to myself. Weather was not an issue.

I’m grateful for the exposure to southern airspace and a solid ME IR course. But I am quite disappointed about doing 3 hours in 3 weeks on the cpl course in an aircraft that was having technical issues and subsequently landed with collapsed gear. G-FULL.

I have received quite some backlash for telling what is simply the truth.

[S-Works]

Its not backlash and all good feedback. But it has a smell of an axe to grind. Now I could agree with you as I am the Head of Training of a competing school and so any negative comments about them could benefit me later (and vice versa) but as a visiting examiner I can only tell what I have witnessed and to date I am very impressed. So much so that I have given one of their graduates a job.

The flight training industry is small and aged and candidates often have unrealistic expectations without really appreciating what is required to keep creaking aircraft and ageing infrastructure going. Do you know how many gear collapses and nose strikes we have had over the years, the issue is not the aircraft its the sheer amount of abuse that it gets from people like YOU while you learn your trade that takes its toll. I assume that is unless of course you are going to claim sky god status and tell us all that every landing was perfect from the first attempt? Be careful when you throw stones is all I will say..... ;)

[Alex Whittingham]

You should never be worried about telling the truth. A reality is that it is very rare for any flight school to get absolutely no negative feedback. Aeroplanes break, instructors become unavailable and very often (not in your case) candidates blame the school for their own failings. Offset against that there are some absolutlely horrendous ATOs (mostly in Europe and the US) that if their Aviation Authorities were any good would be shut down tomorrow; rules bent, rules ignored, students coerced into operating unserviceable aeroplanes... you wouldn't believe. Stapleford are, in my experience, one of the good guys. I would hope your experience was just an unlucky outlier. I think S-works is saying the same thing in a slightly different way.

[8Wheeler]

Thanks Alex,

I’m not afraid of telling the truth. I’m very experienced in this field. Having had a long career already I don’t worry too much about hurt feelings. It is fair feedback. Which seems to have been missed at SFC sadly. Our worst criticism is what makes us stronger as pilots. That’s the stuff people should listen too and absorb even if it’s crap students… there might be more to it.

We should all remember that students are customers. trying to silence students to control them as many ATO’s do is undermining the U.K. flight training industry and sadly making people go quick and dirty elsewhere for less money. The carrot of a job because you’re mates with the HOT doesn’t sell anymore, because “there are no jobs”.

I had an awesome time at BGS. You guys are still fighting the good fight & have continued to support me. SFC obviously went though a bad patch. ACS were excellent in comparison. So SFC should maybe re evaluate.

The incidents are hard facts, which are a matter of public record. There is no axe to grind.