Goulburn Flight Training Centre
 

Does anyone know if Goulburn Flight Training Centre in Australia is a good school? and how much flying activity there is at that school?

Would be very thankfull for tips and information about this school! :)

Hello Hlamberg,

Yes, GFTC is a good school. I just completed my instructor rating there and found the instructors very good and friendly.
It is a small school that has just started out. Because they are small the instructors have time to brief you and you get individual attention.
They have new accommodation at the airfield which makes it easy to concentrate on learning.

Also, because the training area is right by the airport, you don't waste time and money flying to a specific area, which is the case in Sydney, Melbourne and most capital city GA airports.

I wasted a lot of time and money at other schools in Australia, and only wish I had started with GFTC sooner in my career.

Good Luck

blueyonder10

If you're looking for training other than Instructor Ratings I'd be inclined to wander next door to Goulburn Aviation. They've been operating in the Goulburn area since 1993 and the Instructors have a lot more experience under their belt. There seems to be a bit of a revolving door at GFTC - a past instructor tells me they've been through about 6 instructors in the past six months. Goulburn Aviation's training rates also appear to be quite a bit cheaper (and they use a Warrior instead of a 150). Goulburn Aviation also run the BBQ's on the first Saturday of each month as they're passionate about the social side of Flying also.

If you're looking to get an Instructor rating my personal opinion would be to go with an established and well-regarded school. All these things add up on the resume over time.

Best of luck with the decision-making.

Thank you both for your answers!
I am interested of getting a Instructor Rating at Goulburn Flight Training Centre because they garantee employment for 12 month. Do you know approximately how many flight hours a flight instructor gets at GFTC monthly?

hlamberg
Initially I didn't get many hours. However, it did pick up after the first few weeks. And after 2 1/2 months I moved back to Adelaide with 100 instructional hours to work for a sausage factory. I quite enjoyed my time at GFTC and am glad I worked there first. Even though initially the hours don't clock up super fast, you do get valubale experience that opens up a lot of doors. The only reason I left was because I had family commitments in Adelaide. The student instrutors that have left all have left because they have found jobs where they can get more hours, more money or are closer to home.

As far as PokeyDokey's recommendation goes, Goulborn Aviation is only open on the weekends and don't even have a twin aircraft. GFTC are open 7 days a week and have a better selection of aircraft. GFTC also seems to be more professional and their senior instrutors have been around a long time and are well regarded.

Regards

blueyonder

Is Goulburn Aviation the one owned by a full time CASA staff member?

I'd be very wary of the "guaranteed employment" offer. I'd be more inclined to ask for a "guaranteed hours" offer. With some of the operators who offer what GFTC offer you'll find the employment they offer will be purely on a casual basis and you'll be expected to hang around 8 hours a day seven days a week if you want to fly.

You're asking the right questions hlamberg - especially considering the amount of money you're about to spend. Blueyonder has put the hours he got on the table. My feeling is GFTC will take as many people as they can for the "Instructor Rating with guaranteed employment" offer so the hours the instructors fly each month will get split between however many people they have sitting in the hanger at any one time.

Goulburn is a very small market and it is generally very quiet. The total hours possible for "true" training (ie not instructor ratings) is really quite limited.

I take the quote about GFTC being "more professional" than Goulburn Aviation as a bit odd though. The only difference I see between the two is that GFTC makes all their Instructors wear full uniform whereas GA is a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Professional in appearance does not equate to professional in attitude. One of the instructors at GA's got 30,000 hours mainly instructing under their belt and you'll find it hard to get them out of their jeans and old cap but I don't think that makes them less professional than a 300 hour Grade III in full uniform... They're both catering to different markets I suppose - GFTC is really pushing their Flying Instructor ratings whilst GA has always been a school focused on training PPL and Recreational pilots. Hence the reason GA don't have a twin also I'd imagine although they do train in a pretty nifty C182 turbo as well as a Cirrus and retractable Bonanza.

CASA STAFF MEMBER
 

Yes, Goulburn Aviation's CFI is a full time CASA staff member.

The owner of Goulburn Aviation is employed by CASA as an Aviation Safety advisor. She does not hold any delegations or "powers" and was asked by CASA to apply for the job because of her depth of knowledge and high regard in the industry. She prepares and presents the Avsafety seminars and other educational material aimed at maintaining or expanding pilots and engineers safety standards and enhancing their knowledge.

GFTC was started by an ex-employee of CASA also which sometimes creates confusion...

Director and shareholder of GFTC Pty Ltd
 

The person who is a director and shareholder of GFTC [Goulburn Flight Training Centre Pty Ltd] when the application for the AOC was made to casa, was employed in CLARC in Canberra at the time.

I understand, this person is now no longer a director and shareholder of GFTC.

One can only imagine why!!!

Maybe no longer a CLARC casa staff member, no longer useful!!

OR did the helpful FOI suggest that this change would expunge the record and the person could escape prosecution???

Of course we know, ASIC records are for ever!!!