Wikiposts
Search
The Pacific: General Aviation & Questions The place for students, instructors and charter guys in Oz, NZ and the rest of Oceania.

Far North QLD flying schools

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 26th Mar 2008, 04:17
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Far North QLD flying schools

Heading up cairns way with a CPL and are looking at doing either a ME-CIR or instructor rating up there. Not too sure which is the best school to approach out of the three I have enquired about? Any comments good or bad will be most helpfull.

Barrier Aviation
Far North QLD Aero club
Bob Harris Flying School -Innisfail
black Pilot99 is offline  
Old 26th Mar 2008, 04:36
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Queensland
Posts: 2,422
Received 8 Likes on 4 Posts
The first two are not in the same class as the third.
Torres is offline  
Old 26th Mar 2008, 04:42
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things
Age: 52
Posts: 187
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Would have to disagree with the above. As far as I know Bob isnt flying anyway and it depends if you dont mind being sworn at whilst you are flying.

The other two, well, good luck. Both organisations are flat stick at the moment and it is almost impossible to get a booking. Busy times with no instructors.

I know this because I am struggling to get anything done. You might be better off down south where there are more options.

Just my two cents.
av8trflying is offline  
Old 26th Mar 2008, 07:18
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Hiding between the Animal Bar and the Suave Bar
Posts: 409
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
It's true that Bob isn't flying for another few weeks, but he is still teaching and doing extensive sim work with students, and will be back in the air in the not-too-distant future.

Bob is not a one-man band; There are still other extremely experienced, committed instructors and a testing officer at his school.



(Declaration of interest: In the past I have worked full-time for 2 of the 3 schools named, and still do occasional days for Bob as my flying workload permits)
Unhinged is offline  
Old 26th Mar 2008, 08:42
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Qld troppo
Posts: 3,498
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Ditto to what Unhinged has said above!

"Sideshow" Bob (a FTDK term of endearment) should be back in the air in May.

One of THE BEST instructors I have flown with - and a great bloke to boot!

Dr

Declaration of interest: I have done my last 10 or so IR renewals with BH ...... and on the odd occassion I have tested his patience to the limit (and if I NEVER see a King GPS again it will be too soon)!

av8trflying - if you have been sworn at you must have really f*cked up

Last edited by ForkTailedDrKiller; 27th Mar 2008 at 05:25.
ForkTailedDrKiller is offline  
Old 26th Mar 2008, 10:57
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: North Queensland, Australia
Posts: 2,980
Received 14 Likes on 7 Posts
Bob knows what he's talking about, and if you do either rating with him you won't go far wrong, I reckon.
Arm out the window is offline  
Old 26th Mar 2008, 20:22
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: On the water
Posts: 649
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 3 Posts
I have never flown with Bob, but can attest to the praised he has received from past students.

I'd put up with someone swearing at me if I F*ed up... better to get a wrap over the knuckles from someone with that much experience then have a 19 year old sh!t himself when you do something stupid
WannaBeBiggles is offline  
Old 26th Mar 2008, 22:44
  #8 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things
Age: 52
Posts: 187
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Gents

The swearing that I mentioned is from a personal interaction. And it wasnt a one off. (and just for the record, i didnt f**k up)

Of all the people around here that I know (and it isnt a small number) who has flown with bob, what they say is "Knows what he is on about, but you just have to put up with him"

Unfortuantely I believe (and this is of course just my opinion) that Bob's instructional technique is from the past.

Those who dont care about getting sworn at, well good on you. Not everyone learns the same way. If you knew anything at all about instructing people, whether it is flying or any other subject at all, you would realise that this type of behaviour is not conducive to a proper learning environment.

Flying can be hard enough as it is. Not everyone brings the same level of experience or knowledge to every situation. Thats what instructors are for, to LEARN, not to be sworn at and belittled.
av8trflying is offline  
Old 27th Mar 2008, 03:32
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 2,509
Likes: 0
Received 14 Likes on 14 Posts
Moderator,

This is one suspect thread - perhaps a bit of rubbish the compitition going on ?
Flying Binghi is offline  
Old 27th Mar 2008, 03:45
  #10 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: North Queensland, Australia
Posts: 2,980
Received 14 Likes on 7 Posts
What are you on about, mate? The person asked for opinions and got them, hardly suspect I would think.
Arm out the window is offline  
Old 27th Mar 2008, 03:57
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Paradise
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Bob's instructional technique is from the past.
Ah yes! The instructional technique to which you refer would be the one where students are trained to a high standard! That does appear to be from a past era.

You struggled to make the grade huh, av8trflying!

GGtA
GoDsGiFtToAvIaTiOn is offline  
Old 27th Mar 2008, 04:16
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Qld troppo
Posts: 3,498
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
The swearing that I mentioned is from a personal interaction. And it wasnt a one off. (and just for the record, i didnt f**k up)
"Your flying very well today, av8trflying! You &@#$%^ *&^%$#!

Yeah right!

Last edited by ForkTailedDrKiller; 27th Mar 2008 at 04:57.
ForkTailedDrKiller is offline  
Old 27th Mar 2008, 04:44
  #13 (permalink)  
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jan 1996
Location: Utopia
Posts: 7,480
Received 243 Likes on 131 Posts
Flying Binghi. I don't get too upset, indeed, I find the thread amusing! Harris deserves a bit of stick for the hangovers he's given my in the Innisfail "Aero Club" bar over the years!

He doesn't abide fools easily, his teaching techniques are a bit old fashioned - chalk, talk and learn - and he has time, knowledge and experience to explain to students in terms they comprehend!

Yeah, Harris is old school!

What is being posted in this thread says far more about the person who posts, rather than about Bob Harris!



Tail Wheel
tail wheel is offline  
Old 27th Mar 2008, 05:19
  #14 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things
Age: 52
Posts: 187
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Gents

Once again as I said earlier this is just my opinion. I have given you my personal experience and some insight from other people that have flown with him that I have talked too.

FDTK: The comment that you made is not what I said. I am basing my comment on my knowledge of what happened at the time. You are basing your comment on no knowledge of the situation at all.

Gods Gift: We can’t all be god’s gift or a legend. Some of us are just mere mortals.

Tail wheel: And “what” does it say about the person? Black pilot asked for people’s opinions good or bad, and he got them. Whether you agree with them or not they are still opinions. And you’re supposed to be a moderator of a forum? Surely you understand this concept.

Just for further clarification I did say in my second post “he knows what he is on about”. My beef is with his personal interaction skills. Maybe I should have taken the bottle of scotch with me.
av8trflying is offline  
Old 27th Mar 2008, 05:43
  #15 (permalink)  
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jan 1996
Location: Utopia
Posts: 7,480
Received 243 Likes on 131 Posts
"And “what” does it say about the person?"

For example, it doesn't say much for FTDK if he is a "colleague" of Bob Harris!

A person is judged by the company he keeps!

And if Harris swore at you I can assure you he was not singling you out for any special treatment!!



Tail Wheel
tail wheel is offline  
Old 27th Mar 2008, 05:49
  #16 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things
Age: 52
Posts: 187
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Tail wheel,

Well, I stand corrected then sir. I assumed you were having a go at me.

All I was trying to do was pass on my experieces. And yes I know I am not the only one who has received this treatment, I just thought the original poster might like to know so that he/she will be going in with eyes open.
av8trflying is offline  
Old 28th Mar 2008, 22:58
  #17 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Australia
Age: 58
Posts: 2,231
Received 91 Likes on 46 Posts
If the blokes survived this long instructing he probably knows his stuff and can pass on something to the student.

Whats modern instructing methods? A group hug or the instructors sends the student a text message?
Stationair8 is offline  
Old 29th Mar 2008, 02:24
  #18 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: here and there
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
BH reputation is stand alone in FNQ, walk into any airline and anyone that has known him or had dealings with him would only have good words to say. can he be hard? yes (as i can testify myself) but when its a dark and stormy night and your in a world of pain, you will be thankful that he was.
flyingcircus is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.