CFS and Billins is your best bet.

I wouldnt be handing over any money to Bonus, their staff are leaving in droves, unsurprisingly since the Airport served them notice to Vacate Cranfield.

So far as I know, it was Bonus Engineering who have been pushed out, not Bonus Aviation. And I think that 3 instructors have left recently? Significant, but scarcely droves.

When I did my CPL at Bonus they never asked for a penny up front, and whilst I choose to fly elsewhere now, they were never less than totally honest and professional. I've seen nothing to change that view.

G

If this is so then perhaps Cranfield will have a change of heart now Cabair has departed (again.....) Can they afford to lose two substantial customers?

CFS most definitely,
The quality of training there is much better

And sadly Bonus Aviation are long gone too.............

Didn't think there were any schools left at Cranfield now at all.

Holy thread resurrection Batman !
 

Billins and Azure are certainly still there, and I think at-least one other: CFS ?

The issues are all to do with real estate, and they're being argued about - but the basic fact of having aeroplanes there and teaching on them is not troubling anybody particularly.

G

pay AS you fly, not before!
 

Eome, this thread is actually PROOF that all us greybeards who say NEVER be tempted by "save money pay up front" schemes or deals or promises.....in the School of Aviation, that should be your first lesson.

Running a flying school is almost as good a business proposition as running a yacht. It is a large empty hole into which money is poured by enthusiasts supported by suckers.

Also, paying AS you fly keeps you solvent. You may wish to do some of your training in Florida or Texas, or Scotland, which if the Cranfield flying school has locked up your money, will cause you problems. Hold onto your cash and stay flexible.

Don't say you havn't been warned

Seen on the Elstree website that Billins are moving in next year.




http://www.londonelstreeaerodrome.com/blog/index.html

I was speaking to Richard Billins a few days ago. Apparently just after he committed to Elstree, Cranfield offered him a 5 year lease on an acceptable lump of accomodation at EGTC! It sounds like he's going to go with the opportunity and run in future from both sites.

G

Reputable business
 

For years Billins Air Services has run a reputable business at EGTC offering a reasonably priced product that avoids the hidden charges and loaded contracts that were the stock in trade of the former competitors down stairs.

It is good to see such a business expand to another location.

NOTE, I have no connection with Billins Air Services apart from having known the management for more years than the MD would care to remember !

My son and I learned to fly with Billins Air Services earlier this year. His pre-payment plan is great value and his instructors are great. To hear that Richard is staying as his own entity at CFD is great news for Ppl training.

I hope that this apparent 'change of heart' by the aerodrome operator will see recreational flying remain at CFD.

I believe all flying schools at cranfield are gone, apart from 1 or 2,
Cranfield flying school and i think Billins.
i know cranfield flying school have the pay as you fly scheme.
that way you only pay for what you do on that day and don't
have to give any money upfront.

so i don't know why mary meagher is saying "which if the Cranfield flying school has locked up your money, will cause you problems"
that is clearly incorrect information and a load of :mad::mad::mad:

Its not rubbish and it was a general comment about all flying schools.

Those of us that have been in the game for only 10-15 years havve seen millions of pounds of students cash dissapear with flying schools going bust.

Some of which were recieving similar posts as your own days before the doors shut.

If you can afford to loose the lot then feel free to take a deal. If you can't don't pay up front.

This goes for every flying school in the country/world

Mad Jock's right:

I know of one poor sod who lost thousands when Cabair went t*ts up not all that long ago.

He moved to an alternative school only to lose a second slice of cash when that school went bust.

Last I heard he'd given up.....

Sorry for the thread drift but is Cranfield worth a visit? Caff rating etc? Flown past it a million times but never actually dropped in.

...so, in the long run a happy ending then. Perhaps he'll have a successful career in an industry that isn't going/hasn't gone to the dogs?

It's a university with an airfield on the side, which at the very least makes it unusual.

Eateries where I'm often found when on site:-

- Cafe Pacific, next to the flying schools, basically a high quality pilot's greasy spoon - nothing special, but that done well. Typical lunch about £6.

- Cafe Bookshop, about five minutes walk from the flying schools - all day, food, pasties, baked potatoes, stunning cakes, good range of teas and coffees, browse leisure and professional (aviation and management mostly) reading. Typical lunch about £7.

- Cranfield Social Club: "home cooking", fresh made pizzas or salad bar 12-2: bar 12-late, basic but bi and friendly. Mix of university and airfield people found in there most lunchtimes and evenings. Next to the Cafe Bookshop, typical meal a bit under a fiver.

There are other places on campus - the Student Association usually do a good curry, but I tend to avoid as it makes me feel old.


I'm not sure if you can just walk in, but there's a little gas turbine engine museum on campus somewhere, and a few other artefacts - the front end of a Nimrod and 747 simulator in the atrium of the engineering school building.

The library has one of the best collections on aeronautics in the country, housed in a building purpose designed by Sir Norman Foster - and that you can certainly just walk in. It's a few minutes from the flightline, and easy to find.


Standard landing fee last month in my sub-1000kg single was £6.50, I think that training IAPs are £16 or thereabouts - more approaches than you can shake a stick at (but not a VOR any more).

G

Thanks Gheng, looking for somewhere to go next Sunday afternoon. The Nimrod sounds interesting, my flying buddy has 11,000 hours on them, I'm sure he would want a look.

I doubt very much you'll get in that building on a Sunday, certainly not without university ID.

G