TA Aviation/ MK Flying School Cranfield- Ops Suspended
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Join Date: May 2011
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TA Aviation/ MK Flying School Cranfield- Ops Suspended
Not posted on pprune before, but couldn't find anything on this and wanted to warn other potential customers.
I will shortly be moving to the Milton Keynes area and was looking for a flying club to hire from and just heard some disturbing news from a friend. Apparently all TA Aviation/Milton Keynes Flying School operations were suspended by Cranfield on thursday. My friend tells me that rumors have been circulating Cranfield for some time and that the owner was recently MOR'd by Cranfield ATC. I'm amazed at what a short phone call to a friend has revealed and seems to have been common knowledge at Cranfield for some time.
Hopefully no unsuspecting students will be out of pocket due to this suspension... Has anyone else heard more?? Might start looking elsewhere!
I will shortly be moving to the Milton Keynes area and was looking for a flying club to hire from and just heard some disturbing news from a friend. Apparently all TA Aviation/Milton Keynes Flying School operations were suspended by Cranfield on thursday. My friend tells me that rumors have been circulating Cranfield for some time and that the owner was recently MOR'd by Cranfield ATC. I'm amazed at what a short phone call to a friend has revealed and seems to have been common knowledge at Cranfield for some time.
Hopefully no unsuspecting students will be out of pocket due to this suspension... Has anyone else heard more?? Might start looking elsewhere!
I think if I was looking for "sensible" (reasonable price and reasonable aeroplane) rental at Cranfield, having hung around there a fair bit over the last few years, and flown the aeroplanes of most of the "FBOs" at Cranfield, I'd look at Billins. All companies have their faults of-course, and Cranfield itself is far from perfect, but they seem the least problematic of those I've had any dealings with there. That said, the company you've mentioned, I've so far missed - looks like I have done for good now 
As for common knowledge - first I'd heard of it, and I'm there a lot, and there's never a shortage of airport gossip at EGTC. Possibly somebody's just been bending your friend's ear at some point and I wouldn't discount the possibility that what you're hearing is all nonsence.
If it's a permanent move, the best deals at EGTC tend to be a share in a syndicate who lease their aeroplane back to one of the flying schools when it's not being used by syndicate members. I certainly know of a C150, AA5 and PA28 operated that way at Cranfield, and there are almost certainly some others that I don't know. Typically the schools tend to have first call at weekends, but if you do most of your flying in the week, you can generally do very well.
G
As for common knowledge - first I'd heard of it, and I'm there a lot, and there's never a shortage of airport gossip at EGTC. Possibly somebody's just been bending your friend's ear at some point and I wouldn't discount the possibility that what you're hearing is all nonsence.
If it's a permanent move, the best deals at EGTC tend to be a share in a syndicate who lease their aeroplane back to one of the flying schools when it's not being used by syndicate members. I certainly know of a C150, AA5 and PA28 operated that way at Cranfield, and there are almost certainly some others that I don't know. Typically the schools tend to have first call at weekends, but if you do most of your flying in the week, you can generally do very well.
G
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Thanks for the recommendation Genghis. As I said new to the area, so any information is appreciated. I'll have a look at Billins, also thinking of popping into Bonus for a look as well.
Feel free to PM me if you want to meet over a cup of tea sometime and chat about flying at Cranfield. As I said, I'm around fairly regularly and know the place as well as most.
G
G
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Must just be a rumour
Hi Sadam,
I've just found this post on TA Aviation Ops Suspension. I had a trial flight with them only last month! I had a superb time and its really increased my ambition to become a profesional pilot. Infact I might start my PPL training with TA Aviation after I've got a bit of cash together.
TH
I've just found this post on TA Aviation Ops Suspension. I had a trial flight with them only last month! I had a superb time and its really increased my ambition to become a profesional pilot. Infact I might start my PPL training with TA Aviation after I've got a bit of cash together.
TH
From what I'm hearing around Cranfield over the last couple of weeks, it is a lot more than just a rumour. Sounds like some fairly sound reasons behind the school being closed down as well.
Doubtless more official stuff will come out in due course, so I'm not going to repeat what I've heard since doubtless some of it is exaggerations, just say that if any of it is true, the CAA were quite right to contribute to the school's closure.
G
Doubtless more official stuff will come out in due course, so I'm not going to repeat what I've heard since doubtless some of it is exaggerations, just say that if any of it is true, the CAA were quite right to contribute to the school's closure.
G
Join Date: Jul 2011
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Hi All,
This is my first post here, so hello everyone!
I am really gutted that they have been shut down! Here's my story.
I had a trial flight booked (was a xmas prezzy!). I thought I would wait until the "summer" to take the flight when the weather was clear and sunny etc. I spent about two weeks trying to get through to them on their phone number, and by email and heard nothing.
Finally I contacted the airport administrators and they told me that they have had their buiness suspended by the CAA.
The lady said that it will be atleast three months before they are up and running again?
Will they be up and running again?
What has happened to them? It all seems shrouded in secrecy. No message on their website and no information at all!!
I obviously want my money back so I can get flying at another school at Cranfield!
Anyone with any info please pm me as I am interested. Thank you.
This is my first post here, so hello everyone!
I am really gutted that they have been shut down! Here's my story.
I had a trial flight booked (was a xmas prezzy!). I thought I would wait until the "summer" to take the flight when the weather was clear and sunny etc. I spent about two weeks trying to get through to them on their phone number, and by email and heard nothing.
Finally I contacted the airport administrators and they told me that they have had their buiness suspended by the CAA.
The lady said that it will be atleast three months before they are up and running again?
Will they be up and running again?
What has happened to them? It all seems shrouded in secrecy. No message on their website and no information at all!!
I obviously want my money back so I can get flying at another school at Cranfield!
Anyone with any info please pm me as I am interested. Thank you.
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I honestly think you can wave goodbye to your money, sorry. The way these things tend to go is the business folds and leaves creditors out of pocket. The VAT man is usually 1st in line to pick over the bones and unfortunately you are way down at the bottom.
In order to get anything back the business would have to go into receivership and then you lodge a claim as a creditor. I've heard of major insolvencies where 10 pence in the pound gets paid out.
That's why I asked if you'd paid upfront for the course as that would be a very bitter pill to swallow.
The only thing I can suggest is to visit other establishments at Cranfield and see how willing they are to help. Meanwhile keep trying with the school to see if they will honour your booking at some time in the future.
Good luck,
SGC
In order to get anything back the business would have to go into receivership and then you lodge a claim as a creditor. I've heard of major insolvencies where 10 pence in the pound gets paid out.
That's why I asked if you'd paid upfront for the course as that would be a very bitter pill to swallow.
The only thing I can suggest is to visit other establishments at Cranfield and see how willing they are to help. Meanwhile keep trying with the school to see if they will honour your booking at some time in the future.
Good luck,
SGC
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Hey SGC,
Thank you for your quick reply.
So the company have gone bust essentially then? I thought there was some sort of breaking of the CAA law or something.
That is such a bummer! I am glad that I didn't have thousands paid upfront for the full PPL!
What I have managed to do, as I was getting no response from the company telephone number or email, is get a letter sent to the milton keynes flying school's owner (Terry) I believe. The administrators at Cranfield have been really helpful and have said they will forward it to his address as they cannot give it to me because of data protection, which is fair enough.
I just hope that I at least get some response, the one thing that really gets my goat in these situations is the lack of information available to the customer! Rumours and here say don't satisfy me!
Anyone else who is looking to try and get their money back may find the above information helpful maybe!
On a side note, I will obviously be looking to go elsewhere, I spoke to a chap from Cranfield Flying School last night and he seemed good, they said I could do my PPL pay as you go. Are they likely to go bust, lol? One bad experience has scarred me now!
Thanks for all your help.
Thank you for your quick reply.
So the company have gone bust essentially then? I thought there was some sort of breaking of the CAA law or something.
That is such a bummer! I am glad that I didn't have thousands paid upfront for the full PPL!
What I have managed to do, as I was getting no response from the company telephone number or email, is get a letter sent to the milton keynes flying school's owner (Terry) I believe. The administrators at Cranfield have been really helpful and have said they will forward it to his address as they cannot give it to me because of data protection, which is fair enough.
I just hope that I at least get some response, the one thing that really gets my goat in these situations is the lack of information available to the customer! Rumours and here say don't satisfy me!
Anyone else who is looking to try and get their money back may find the above information helpful maybe!
On a side note, I will obviously be looking to go elsewhere, I spoke to a chap from Cranfield Flying School last night and he seemed good, they said I could do my PPL pay as you go. Are they likely to go bust, lol? One bad experience has scarred me now!
Thanks for all your help.
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Hi UV,
Yeah thanks for that, as mentioned it was a Christmas present so it was like a voucher.
But I will inform people not to bother in the future and just write me an IOU or something lol
Yeah thanks for that, as mentioned it was a Christmas present so it was like a voucher.
But I will inform people not to bother in the future and just write me an IOU or something lol
In perspective, we're presumably talking about a 30-60 minute trial flight costing somewhere in the range £100-£200. Painful, but a tiny amount compared to a whole PPL course of £6k or so.
G
G
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Just to be fair and clear I don't know this organisation's solvency and its current trading position.
What I was trying to spell out is an oft told tale found here with regular monotony. Hence why the last line about keeping on trying should still stand until any official notice appears.
Keep us all posted if you make progress.
SGC
What I was trying to spell out is an oft told tale found here with regular monotony. Hence why the last line about keeping on trying should still stand until any official notice appears.
Keep us all posted if you make progress.
SGC
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Yes - Terry Ackeryod has taken £155 from me for a one-hour flight for a friend on her retirement knowing full well he couldn’t provide the service. The man’s little more than a thief.
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Yes - Terry Ackeryod has taken £155 from me for a one-hour flight for a friend on her retirement knowing full well he couldn’t provide the service.
