Looking to do FI(r) Course
 

Folks,

Im looking for suggestions as to where to do the JAA FI(r) course. Ontrackaviation etc are out of the equation due to length of course and also costs. I can only negotiate 4 weeks off work and am looking around 5k for course and accommodation costs. Aerofan pretty much fit the bill, 4 weeks and just over 4k(with current exchange rate). Anyone any other ideas where I might try??

only problem with aerofan are that they do not teach you how to teach the PPL sylabus (or however you spell it). A person who i spoke with said that during his course, he simply did 30 hours of flying around pretty much. He also said he did sweet fa with regards to groundschool - but still paid for it.

Spinning is not on the spanish course at aerofan. That is a compulsary part of the uk course and is examined.

If you go to spain you can expect to have to come back and do some form of differences training probably. In which case, you may as well do it here in the UK

Can certainly recomend the course at the flight centre at halfpenny green. The course was run by chris caine (legend)!! but now by craig padfield i think. He is top draw too!

Yeah I did the MCC at Halfpenny Green and was more than happy with 'value for money'. I would quite happily go back there for FIC but unfortunately I cant get 6 weeks, possibly more, off work.

Part time with OnTrack may be your only choice. There's an awful lot of groundschool to get through hence the 6 weeks quoted (mine took 12 given weather and Christmas)

I currently instruct in Spain and the school I work at has had to train the Spanish instructors themselves (with a UK instructor) as apparently the Spanish courses aren't good. 5k also sounds cheap, I paid 6k plus spinning test, plus check ride. P.M me if you want more info.

Where do you live?
 

Try Eva at The Pilot Centre, Denham.

If you do it full time then it shouldn't take much more than 4 weeks.

I can definitely vouch for that. Pay a visit to Denham (Northside, blister hanger) and have a chat. I'm sure you'll be impressed.

TheOddOne

It would be nice to do a good one rather than a cheap one. But money is money.

Look also at DEFTS at Barkston Heath.

18 greens,

U hit the nail on the head. If only i had the time any money!

Phone Craig at The Flight Centre, Halfpenny Green. A little birdie just told me he is quite efficient.

Thanks for all the replies and pm's. I've got a few phonecalls to make on Monday!

Ontrack if you can swing it.

Stapleford Flight Centre - excellent FI course run by Keith Pogmore. Not the cheapest but almost certain to get an FI job immediately with lots of work - very busy school

MikeCr

not sure where you live, but did mine with Dave Coulson at Cranfield, the guy is seriously old!! but probably the best handling pilot I have ever flown with. The main attraction for me was Dave's flexibilty as I did mine part time, so if you go over the four weeks he'll work with you to get done

if you need any more info pm me

cheers

Red

Craig @ HGFC is pretty efficient, as well as a good and very realistic instructor. Limiting yourself to 4 weeks is pushing it anywhere within the UK though, bearing in mind the amount of groundschool that has to be done as well as flying - 5 to 6 weeks is more likely. Other European FTOs can of course do it rather faster, but I'm not sure how learning to fly a Bonanza relates to teaching PPLs in a PA28 etc!

Another vote for Dave Coulson At Cranfield

Just a point or two to add to those already posted. My course takes 5 weeks in mid-summer if you are prepared to work long days, six days a week. Any other time of year it is likely to be 6 to 7 weeks or even longer, if you want to slope off at 4.30 or only pitch up at 10.30.

Remember that a properly conducted course will require an absolute minimum of 125 hours ground school and 30 hours flying, so count at least 4 hours in the classroom for every hour in the air and then allow for the admin - refuelling, paperwork etc. Full-time it is hard to do more than one flight a day, especially if you have another student on the course - but then the advantage is that you share the ground school cost (at least you do on my course). If you do not get the ground school then you have not done the course properly and that will be immediately apparent to the examiner.

Mind you, I have been accused on these forums of being TOO thorough, a criticism that I thought spoke volumes about the person who made it...!

By the way, I am now booked until the end of July...except for possibly one place on the mid-June course. You can read in to that what you like, but I read into it that most people like thorough rather than cheap and cheerful.

L in R

You can always try Caroline at Wycombe Air Centre. She's really friendly and takes good advantage of flyable weather to fly and rainy weather to do the large groundschool requirement.
She is busy but I think she is just about to finish the course she is doing at the mo...

Thanks all. Had an interview for a TP job just recently so holding off on the FI for now. Should hopefuly hear result of interview very shortly

Good luck with the job. Starting my FI course in a week.