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Bankstown Flying schools

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Old 4th Jan 2009, 13:27
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PFS have:
1 Cessna 152 (I think it may be an Aerobat-don't quote me on that though)
2 Piper Warrior II
1 Piper Warrior III
1 Piper Seminole

And access to Piper Archer and Beechcraft Duchess.

I hired one of the Warrior II aircraft recently, had a Garmin 430 in it and only set me back $175/hour which is less than pretty much everyone on Bankstown.
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Old 4th Jan 2009, 14:07
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FAA to CASA

1.Any School aids in Foreign CPL conversion to CASA CPL and how long does it take?

2.After Conversion into CASA,Where to go for an Instructor rating and is any school hiring instructors?



please enlighten.

Thanks
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Old 5th Jan 2009, 05:32
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Sydney Schools

I'm about halfway through a PPL with Sydney Aviation College and would recommend them.
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Old 5th Jan 2009, 07:29
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Capt. Crocodile

I may be wrong but am pretty sure C & H are still at the feild and are paying the rent as per the court procedings. They are a good school and produce a pilot to a to notch standard.
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Old 5th Jan 2009, 17:27
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Ok,thanks!Really who has the best reputation in bankstown?What would look better on a CV?Do you think that melbourne has better flying schools?
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Old 5th Jan 2009, 21:22
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Stay in Greece

I think you should stay in Greece, don't come to my school PLEASE. You ask for advice and as soon as someone gives it to you then you ask about some other school, you will be a pain in the arze to train. Do your OWN homework we can only handfeed you so much. Get off your backside and go to these places and talk to them yourself. For Christ sake.
Kickatinalong.
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Old 5th Jan 2009, 22:15
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Stay in Greece
You cant tell me what to do.
don't come to my school PLEASE
Ok i wont...
you will be a pain in the arze to train
Maybe,thats because i want the best out of my training...I thought private schools are in business because some students pay some money.So if i am a pain in the arze,they simply have to get used to it or they should tell me to get lost...then i will go somewhere else.
Do your OWN homework
Thats what i am doing...thats why i am so confused and asking all these questions.
Get off your backside and go to these places and talk to them yourself. For Christ sake.
I will be going to australia in july to search some schools,after i finish searching europe...See i am off of my backside...Oh and remind me which is your flying school so i dont come...otherwise it was your request for me to stay away...
don't come to my school PLEASE
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Old 6th Jan 2009, 01:09
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pacificflight.com.au
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Old 7th Jan 2009, 16:44
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If you want to be treated like a professional and taught to think for yourself go to Bill Whitworth. He is a gentleman and will do everything to make sure students acheive what they are capable of in the time frame available to them. When you finish with Bill you can rest assured that you will be safe and competent.
As an aside, in December one of his students finished his commercial and was hired the next day. The reason; Bill is so highly thought of that employers seek his opinion on stidents and act on it.
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Old 7th Jan 2009, 23:07
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Whitworth Aviation

www.whitworthaviation.com.au

+1 For Whitworth Aviation
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Old 8th Jan 2009, 00:31
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yougank
i am about to begin at Schofields - FAA CPL to CASA CPL
If you like - send me a PM and we can combine knowledge
good luck
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Old 8th Jan 2009, 18:04
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Hello.
Thankyou all for your responses.I see the best in bankstown is whitworth,PFS,sydney aviation college.I will check them all when i visti australia.I Have also seen on the internet about a school called aerospace aviation.Are there any opinions?
Thanks
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Old 8th Jan 2009, 18:34
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I would stay away from aerospace, basair also. They all are a bit of a sausage factory.

Check out schofields-flying-club.com.au/

Well worth a check out on your tour of Bankstown
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Old 8th Jan 2009, 19:58
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Hello.When you say a sausage factory what do you mean?
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Old 8th Jan 2009, 20:10
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Students and Money are fed into one end of a machine.
The machinery is started.
A short time later a string of PPLs' emerge from the other end of the factory.
The factory is cleaned and the above process is repeated.
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Old 13th Jan 2009, 21:01
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Hello all!
Thankyou again all for your information
Does anyone know anything about proflite?
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Old 14th Jan 2009, 06:35
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that was english?....

Last edited by DanArcher; 14th Jan 2009 at 07:31.
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Old 14th Jan 2009, 07:23
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that was english
Just without the vowels
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Old 14th Jan 2009, 07:44
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Aerospace is definitely not the worst on the field! They are a sausage factory but their quality of students is much better than the average.

Look for instructor / student ratio or at least someone who'll be responsible for your progression. You don't want to become 'lost in the system' which happens often at the larger schools.

What's Curtis like these days? They were great a few years ago when I was there
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Old 14th Jan 2009, 10:31
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I've done a bit of training at both Schofields and whitworths so can't really comment on any of the other schools.

I'd heard good things about Schofields but they're having severe growing pains. They used to be a good club but have turned into another sausage factory as of late. Some of the instructors there are good, others strut around waving their brand new grade 3 rating around like its made of gold. They have some ok planes, but the majority are overworked and undermaintained. Don't believe me? In the past month, I've heard both their arrows on the radio 7 times at YSBK with gear troubles.

If you can get a good instructor there (and there are some), then go for it. However if you're not just a little pushy, expect to end up at the back of a line that never ends struggling to find bookings and airworthy planes.

I've only done a little bit of training at whitworths but have thoroughly enjoyed it so far. The instructors there are knowledgeable and experienced and always go out of their way to answer questions

If you're looking for quality training and happy to move around, I'd steer clear of bankstown. While there are exceptions, the majority of schools at Bankstown are focused primarily on maximising throughput and profit rather than looking out for the student. The majority of instructors at Bankstown are just counting the hours until they can get the hell out of instructing and into a jet job with minimal or no experience whatsoever outside of instructing (ie they've gone straight from their CPL -> NVFR -> I.R.).

Find a school where the instructors actually want to be there and instructing. Have a look at the condition of their planes. Are they looked after and clean or tidy and falling apart. Make sure their instructor(s) have a broad background. While it's always going to be the case that there are instructors out there with 200 hours (blind leading the blind), there should also be experienced instructors there to supervise. Have a look at their booking sheet and see how full they are (can be good or bad obviously).

Have a look at where they get their maintenance done (whether it's "in house" or not). This can be an advantage as you can see the aeroplane "naked" and not only learn more about the machine you're flying, but also ask the mechanics about anything.

What sort of connections do they have? Will they be of any use in getting your first job? Again, be careful what they say to you here. Best to speak to past students.

What is the pass rate and waiting time on their CPL flight tests? Is the CFI a hands on bloke or someone who just comes in every now and again to have a look at things and sign some paper.

If you can, try and spend at least a day at a prospective school, watch how they go about it, and talk to current students. All other things being equal an Instructor who has industry experience and a grade 1 rating will be better and worth paying more for.

There are thousands of questions that you can ask, but the main thing is to be comfortable with the surroundings. Are the instructors and staff friendly, happy and easy to get along with? Nothing worse than having to sit in with a bloke who is **** all the time and doing more bitching about his lot in life than teaching you to fly...............

The best thing to do is after you've narrowed it down to 3 schools go for a TIF with each one.

Take careful note of how they welcomed you, gave you a suitable briefing, gave you much of the stick time, debriefed you, and whether you felt you wanted to train there.

Don't make the decision until after the third flight. Yeah, it will cost you extra for those 2 flights which didn't corrugate your iron, but you will be happier in the end.

Good luck, wherever you end up choosing.
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