FI Course Recommendations
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: UK,Twighlight Zone
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Bonus are a first class outfit. I did my CPL/IR training with them many years ago and they were flexible and friendly. The downside is Cranfield is expensive and Bonus have to pass on the costs for landing etc to you and it starts to get expensive on courses where you are doing a lot of flights like the FI.
I have done all of my Instructor and Examiner courses over the years with Ontrack Aviation at Wellesbourne. They are incredibly flexible, staffed with some of the most knowledgeable guys in the industry and a pleasure to work with. Wellesbourne is also cheap to operate from and this keeps the costs of the whole job down.
However, I would suggest you take heed of comments from people liek tropical fridge. There is no work for FI's at the moment as there is a glut of them kicking around. We are getting dozens of CV's from hopefuls every week at our place.
£7k is a lot of money to spend without a return at the moment......
I have done all of my Instructor and Examiner courses over the years with Ontrack Aviation at Wellesbourne. They are incredibly flexible, staffed with some of the most knowledgeable guys in the industry and a pleasure to work with. Wellesbourne is also cheap to operate from and this keeps the costs of the whole job down.
However, I would suggest you take heed of comments from people liek tropical fridge. There is no work for FI's at the moment as there is a glut of them kicking around. We are getting dozens of CV's from hopefuls every week at our place.
£7k is a lot of money to spend without a return at the moment......
I'd suggest that you think very carefully before starting an FI course.
With a glut of FIs already looking for work, there won't be many posts available for newcomers - and it'll be an employers' market.
I question the morality of FI schools touting for trade when there's already a surplus of FIs out there....
I think that I'll retire from instructing for a while (except as a GR Examiner); it's just too expensive to maintain my qualifications and Class 1 with so little work out there. And it's time us old farts stood down to let the youngsters have a go!
With a glut of FIs already looking for work, there won't be many posts available for newcomers - and it'll be an employers' market.
I question the morality of FI schools touting for trade when there's already a surplus of FIs out there....
I think that I'll retire from instructing for a while (except as a GR Examiner); it's just too expensive to maintain my qualifications and Class 1 with so little work out there. And it's time us old farts stood down to let the youngsters have a go!
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Newcastle
Age: 39
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Advice....
So, I have a dilemma. I've always wanted to be be a flight instructor. I've been completing my FI(R) over the last year (I completed course, partialled and for a number of reasons I've not been able to resit yet).
Just wondering if there is much point right now? It will cost be the best part of £1000 to do some pre-test flying and the actual test. I've an interview to be cabin crew on a 12 month contract, but I have to pay for the cabin crew course (which the FI(R) money could go towards) and don't want to get into any more debt.
My intentions would be to fly as cabin crew for the year and hopefully once the market picks up (whenever that will be) there will be full time FI jobs once the currently employed ones move into/back to the airlines at a later date.
So my question is really, although I have my course completed (with the paperwork to go with it), is there a limit between completing the course, and doing the test? Just getting a bit down at the fact that it's four years next week since I began training, and still stuck in dead end IT helpdesk work and not involved in aviation at all :-(
Just wondering if there is much point right now? It will cost be the best part of £1000 to do some pre-test flying and the actual test. I've an interview to be cabin crew on a 12 month contract, but I have to pay for the cabin crew course (which the FI(R) money could go towards) and don't want to get into any more debt.
My intentions would be to fly as cabin crew for the year and hopefully once the market picks up (whenever that will be) there will be full time FI jobs once the currently employed ones move into/back to the airlines at a later date.
So my question is really, although I have my course completed (with the paperwork to go with it), is there a limit between completing the course, and doing the test? Just getting a bit down at the fact that it's four years next week since I began training, and still stuck in dead end IT helpdesk work and not involved in aviation at all :-(
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Southern UK
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Bonus at Cranfield....
Just to add my tuppence worth....
I was an instructor at Bonus for a short time a few years ago..... A great place for the students with some good instructors...
Most instruction is on PA38 Tommahawks - a good machine - but they also have C152's, PA28,s and a pair of PA44's.
The only problems with Bonus are:
1) - They are expensive compared to most at Cranfield (maybe all except cabair)
2) - They can get very booked up - especially at weekends
Apart from that, they are pretty good...
I was an instructor at Bonus for a short time a few years ago..... A great place for the students with some good instructors...
Most instruction is on PA38 Tommahawks - a good machine - but they also have C152's, PA28,s and a pair of PA44's.
The only problems with Bonus are:
1) - They are expensive compared to most at Cranfield (maybe all except cabair)
2) - They can get very booked up - especially at weekends
Apart from that, they are pretty good...
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: up a gumtree
Age: 53
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Does no one listen?
Yet another example of a new pilot not listening to the advice. There is gross national surplus of CPL qualified instructors, there are no jobs, every decent FI course in the country is backed up with bookings for months, flying schools receive loads of CV + enquiries every day from unemployed FIs (some now offering to work for free)And you still go ahead and book yourself on a £7k course? There is no helping some people.
