Any PanAm JAA students?

[BravoEcho]

Hi all,

I'am looking for people who are in the PanAm Jaa ab initio training or finished it, just to get some inside info and a view on their training.

thnx in advance,

BE

[hansen]

Hi

Sorry to say im not a Pan Am student at the moment - but I have been looking at flight schools for ages - I have come down to that Pan Am might be a good choice for me -
The JAA setup looks great and you have the advance of using PPSC for the ATPL.
In the papers is says that for every modular you finish (PPL,IMC....) with a CAA exam - does that mean your license is fully valid in Europe??
So I hope that some would reply to your post
as I'm about to call the final decision

Thanks

good luck BE!

[FAAJAA]

The Pan Am course is Modular, Most guys and gals come out and do the PPL, IMC, Night and Hour build, some do their MEP. Then its back to blighty for groundschool, then return for Commercial, MEP and some Instrument, then to the UK for the IR Skills test and MCC.
Head of Training is Mike Gill (Gill Airways) and everything is done VERY professionally. Most People seem happy. 2 Examiners are on Staff.
NB-Pan Am also is approved by the Dutch RLD for training KLM ab-intio cadets(integrated) but the in-house program is modular.
Hope this helps...

[FAAJAA]

And Yes, your licenses are valid in europe!

[pataud]

I'm french and I would like and I would like to take a JAA with Pan Am. They are Professional?

Pataud

[CAT3C AUTOLAND]

I have been to Pan Am, good set-up, clean aircraft and Captain Gill is a top professional guy, just watch out for the busy aircraft traffic control at Fort Pierce!

[VFE]

CAT3 is spot on. The ATC ain't tame!

[The Greener Grass]

I must agree about ATC there. I was instructed to do a 360 turn on final there(!) after being asked to extend downwind. Not quite sure what that was all about!! All good learning experience, although hopefully I will not be asked to perform that manoeuvre here in UK. :) :) :)

[CAT3C AUTOLAND]

I think it is about time those dudes down at fort pierce got some secondary radar in! The amount of times I heard that on the radio (orbiting in the circuit/pattern), it is a nightmare, they need some proper sequencing!

[Ham Phisted]

The Greener Grass

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2"> I was instructed to do a 360 turn on final ...hopefully I will not be asked to perform that manoeuvre here in UK. </font>

Don't bet on it. I was given a 360 on final at Humberside a few years ago.

[MANDA]

I am currently in my 7th week with Panam and have just completed the PPL and now hopefully moving onto IMC followed finally by NIGHT RATING. The college is very professional, good but old Warriors, the ATC is very busy but in my opinion that is what you want to get you used to busy ATC's once your on the airlines. There are a couple of good English instructors who are waiting for there airline jobs to come along. The only disadvantage is the living accomadation. You have to share a dorm with upto 8 people, the cooking facilities are poor and if you don't have a car, you are stuffed. It is similar to 'Big Brother' except without the cameras. Feel free to e-mail me should you need to know more.

[kanga]

do they (panam) have a website or contact email?

(once had to fly 4 orbits on finals - good fun!)

[Abu_Abed]

www.panamacademy.com (http://www.panamacademy.com) and as reagrds ATC...the patterns would work fine if some "ahem" europilots would turn base within a mile or so of the runway...not 3 miles...and near midairs with people would not happen if they TOLD the tower they were doing a rejoin at the BEGINNING of the downwind instead of midfield, which is how it is done in the US...and if people would make proper radio calls instead of this "holding point", "line up" "CTR" BS. Look come train in the states, more than welcome. Just dont try to impose CAA/ICAO stuff on the Good Ol' boys. Before anyone gets too snotty, I carry a red passprt as well...

[N-1JAA]

Hiya guys I've done a faily long tour with these guys. Sure the acommadation is a bit of a joke, but it does put you right next to the planes and there's always the vollyball court & tennis courts for a bit of entertaiment (and i believe they may have built the pool now). Since u may be out there 4 a while why not try sorting yourself out alternative accomadation, such as renting a house or apartment, there are some within walking distance. Personally I think it would be near impossible to go back and live there for a long time without a car (but that's got more to do with the americans not have any public transport system).
You can always hire a car for $30/day at the airport if you wanna go have fun at the weekends or something.

[hansen]

Hi

Great response regarding Pan Am!

BE if I may throw in a few questions!!

I have come down to that I will give them a shot so I have a few practical questions.

Should I bring along a Laptop - would It be an advances to have a PC for making assignments maybe practice some flight simulator??? Do any bring em along or do the school have the facilities?
What about the time you spend at PPSC for ground school - would the Laptop be worth the money)

What is the atmosphere like at Ft. Pierce? - do 8 people in a dorm get along?

In the information pack from Pan Am it says that transportation from Miami to Ft. Pierce would cost 80-100$ is it really that expensive?

Thanks

[JimNich]

Did my JAA CPL skills test with Mr Gill last Friday (didn't do the course at PanAm but at IFTA) and can confirm he is a top bloke.

What did become apparent though was that PanAm are V busy so if you want to go flying with them I'd book early.

As for flying in Florida, can't recommend it highly enough. This is how GA should be done!

[MorningGlory]

Yep, I had a blast in Ft Pierce!

The Flying was cool, JAA instruction was top notch (well done Mr Ambrosi and Mr Trounson), and loved every minute of it!

Accomodation is as described as 'Big Brother' style, and living in a cramped space while under pressure can be a bit stressful, but not a real problem.

We just hired a car at weekends and had fun in West Palm Beach! ( We did have a great bunch of guys training with us though, we were always having fun during the time and the KLM guys were alcoholic Nutters!)

The dorms, appart from being a bit cramped, have the major advantage of being next to the a/craft and all the other facilities (spent many a happy day playing volleyball and tennis, with me mates!).

The warriors used are a bit old, but perfectly adequate (N30PF held together ok for me), and if you want to play an extra $10/hr you can fly one of the numerous ArcherIII's(which I did for no extra cost loads of times when a warrior wasn't available, even flew an ArcherIII to Key West for no extra cost too!!).

PanAm are very reasonable, fair but professionally very strict when it comes to training. (Got shouted at once for not wearing a tie with my uniform on a solo trip to Key West on a Sunday in around 30degC of heat!

I enjoyed it, and would recommend it, just finished ATPL mod' 1 (thank f@*k), and PPSC are pretty good too due to the excellent hard working instructors!

Best of Luck guys and gals!

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Do you Believe?

[This message has been edited by MorningGlory (edited 05 July 2001).]

[This message has been edited by MorningGlory (edited 05 July 2001).]

[This message has been edited by MorningGlory (edited 05 July 2001).]

[hansen]

HI

PPSC bring you interactive ATPL Training Manuals on CD-Rom for study on your notebook or PC.

Would It therefore be a good idea to invest in a notebook? or do Pan Am & PPSC have PCs on there facilities?

Are you doing any ATPL pre study while you are hour building at Pan Am in USA.?

Thanks