What's the cost of setting-up an FTO?

[Fw44]

Has anyone any idea of the cost of setting-up a UK FTO that's approved for MEP, CPL, IR (and possibly FIC) training?
By "cost" I'm thinking of both how much time went in to writing the manuals and getting the whole thing approved, as well as the direct payment of fees.

FW

[Whopity]

Course Approval Prices here So for the collection you list that comes to £3235. You will need an Operationd manual say £1500 and a Training Manual for each course plus a Quality System and soon to come a Safety Management system so be prepared for about £12,000

[Fw44]

Thanks for the reply.
Just to clarify, are you suggesting £12k as the total cost of the approvals and the time to write (or buy and modify) the manuals?
Is it true that having an existing AOC would reduce this slightly, because things like quality manuals and procedures are already in place?

[welliewanger]

I'm probably wrong here, but I didn't think an FTO needed an AOC.

As for the cost of setting up an FTO, I know of one well established club which has been "about to get FTO status" for the past year. Maybe you'll have better luck, but the "fees" seem to be a minor part of a much larger overall "cost" of setting it all up to the required standard (hoops to be jumped through, boxes to be ticked etc.)

[Duchess_Driver]

Presuming UK JAA/CAA

PPL can be taught by an RF as well as an FTO.

Can be an FTO without an AOC - and possess an AOC without being an FTO.

Granted, if you already hold an AOC then the approvals process to become an FTO would (probably) be quicker / easier as you would are a known quantity as an organisation. As Whopity says, Training manuals would need to be approved by the CAA for each course that you wanted to teach.

Added to all of this, naturally, you'd need the facilities / infrastructure associated which would run to a few more 'beer vouchers' on top.

[Whopity]

Does that include the air operators certificate?

No, that's a different set of approvals that will cost a lot more however of no relevance to an FTO.

Would you need to pay a renewal fee and if so how much?

About 80% of the initial approval fee each year. All in the same document. Obviously you will have the manuals by then. Having an AOC probably won't make a lot of difference as the manuals for an FTO will be different. Whilst buying manuals may be expensive, writing them yourself will absorb a lot of time and needs to be costed accordingly.

[Whopity]

Registered Facility. No fee, apply on SRG1175 and details in Standards Doc11 PPL training only.

[V1 VR V2]

If you set up on your own, one aeroplane and only yourself employed to teach PPL do you require a certain amount of hours as an FI or will being unrestricted be enough? Can you legally work and operate by yourself or do you need to hire a head of training if you dont have enough hours?

[Whopity]

In order to Register you only have to declare yourself as the "Responsible Person" you don't even have to be a FI. A RF is required to nominate its instructors and aircraft but there is no requirement for a CFI or Head of Training. If the FI is unrestricted that is all that is required. They will require you to nominate which aerodrome you operate from so make sure the aerodrome operator agrees to you setting up there.