Stapleford
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: London, Berlin, Bucharest
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im in the middle of my IR over there and yes the sim is realy busy at the moment as there are atleast 7 people i can think of including myself, that have started within 2 weeks.
as for the cpl, yeah you will get lessons canx for flight tests and so on which is expected, but i still managed to get it done in about six weeks with some realy crap wx holding me back as well. saying that i had my ME done in less than a week from first lesson to skills test.
ive flown with a few of the instructors now and have no complaints. they make sure you know when you mess up but in a good way and you can have a joke about as well with them.
you will alwase have one or two minor things your not happy with but that is expected everywhere you go and not only in this industry. my good experiances far outway the one or two little things, and even if your not happy with somthing if you bring it up it usualy gets sorted.
as for the cpl, yeah you will get lessons canx for flight tests and so on which is expected, but i still managed to get it done in about six weeks with some realy crap wx holding me back as well. saying that i had my ME done in less than a week from first lesson to skills test.
ive flown with a few of the instructors now and have no complaints. they make sure you know when you mess up but in a good way and you can have a joke about as well with them.
you will alwase have one or two minor things your not happy with but that is expected everywhere you go and not only in this industry. my good experiances far outway the one or two little things, and even if your not happy with somthing if you bring it up it usualy gets sorted.
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: boscastle
Age: 55
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Choices !
I was going to go to Stapleford to do my IR/CPL course and had paid a deposit but then a couple of the guys that I studied with at London Met went to Bonus Aviation and were nothing but impressed. They both achieved first time passes on the IR and the CPL course and had nothing but praise for the school, its instructors and head of training Peter Godwin. I phoned Bonus and they said they can start my IR course at the end of August so I'm going to go there instead.
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FL260
Age: 43
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Thanks people for your replays. Busy I don't mind at all, I just didn't fancy getting there and getting pushed from pillar to post!.....
Just out of interest, do you stick with one instructor or does it depend on the day/ time etc??
Thanks again
Just out of interest, do you stick with one instructor or does it depend on the day/ time etc??
Thanks again
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Europe South
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CFI
Hi Guys!!!
Avoid Stapleford Flight Centre at all costs !!! Especially CFI Colin Dobney(Unfriendly and can be Very Rude especially as an examiner and hungry for money) Avoid their old Seneca 1 as well. Very expensive school with lots of hidden costs. Need to be a lot more organised and friendly.
Consider Spanish Schools in Madrid (Aerofan) especially for Renewals.
Goodluck!!!
Avoid Stapleford Flight Centre at all costs !!! Especially CFI Colin Dobney(Unfriendly and can be Very Rude especially as an examiner and hungry for money) Avoid their old Seneca 1 as well. Very expensive school with lots of hidden costs. Need to be a lot more organised and friendly.
Consider Spanish Schools in Madrid (Aerofan) especially for Renewals.
Goodluck!!!
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: In t'sky
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Rubbish. Absolute Tosh.
There's pages upon pages of people here singing Stapleford praises, why should it be avoided so much? What exactly is your experience?
Colin doesn't have a lot of time for people who don't pull their weight, and might come across like that, but he's a nice guy, when he calls you a c*** it's probably because he likes you!
Horgy
There's pages upon pages of people here singing Stapleford praises, why should it be avoided so much? What exactly is your experience?
Colin doesn't have a lot of time for people who don't pull their weight, and might come across like that, but he's a nice guy, when he calls you a c*** it's probably because he likes you!
Horgy
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Brentwood
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Staplefords a very friendly professional school
Theres nothing wrong with Stapleford's fleet or their staff. 'like Mr Horgy says Colin doesn't suffer fools he's like the Simon Cowell of Flight instructors.
You have'nt been very explicit as to why you are whingeing you sound to me like your just trying to promote Madrid
You have'nt been very explicit as to why you are whingeing you sound to me like your just trying to promote Madrid
Last edited by twizzinav; 29th Oct 2008 at 17:40.
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Surrey
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I totally agree with twizzinav and MrHorgy! I completed my CPL, ME and IR with Stapleford earlier this year and from my experience rate the school and their staff very highly. My instructors were excellent and made the courses very enjoyable
I suggest that you should perhaps be a bit more organised before going into any flight training. There are always 'extras' in flight training, Stapleford is no exception, however they do make any additional costs very clear in their course brochures.
What exactly were your 'hidden' costs?
Very expensive school with lots of hidden costs. Need to be a lot more organised and friendly
What exactly were your 'hidden' costs?
Join Date: Mar 2006
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I too will back those positive comments on CFI and school alike.
If you feel you get a harsh hand off colin then you sure as hell aint gonna last in the airlines when someone decides to have a word with you, and yes i think when he does call u something it probably is because he likes you, or at least dislikes you less.
I had a great time in SFC many years ago 03/04, Tried hard and on occasion needed to be pointed in the right direction by which Colin was happy to do as only he knows how, Anywho good school then and i gather now, all the people with me then were employed within a year or so and as for myself I have been through a few airlines now and finally happy in the one i am now.
Good luck
If you feel you get a harsh hand off colin then you sure as hell aint gonna last in the airlines when someone decides to have a word with you, and yes i think when he does call u something it probably is because he likes you, or at least dislikes you less.
I had a great time in SFC many years ago 03/04, Tried hard and on occasion needed to be pointed in the right direction by which Colin was happy to do as only he knows how, Anywho good school then and i gather now, all the people with me then were employed within a year or so and as for myself I have been through a few airlines now and finally happy in the one i am now.
Good luck
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: USA/UK
Age: 52
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Can't accept this about Stapleford/Colin Dobney. Very good flight school.
Colin does tell it like it is though...chances are if he told you you were rubbish....you were probably rubbish.
Lets have a bit more detail about the axe you're grinding.
Colin does tell it like it is though...chances are if he told you you were rubbish....you were probably rubbish.
Lets have a bit more detail about the axe you're grinding.
I have never experienced any hidden costs at SFC. I have asked for print outs of my account on a number of occasions and every time the figures have added up - apart from one accidentally duplicated entry which was found quickly - and the figures for my PPL, CPL and ME were roughly as estimated by SFC when I signed up.
Colin Dobney is an interesting character. He doesn't appear friendly when you see him wandering about the FTO, but one-on-one he is a decent guy. And I'll tell you something else, he's an excellent instructor too, with a surprisingly fatherly style, completely at odds with his public and 'test' persona, but he won't pander to your ego and will tell you when you've done something stupid.
As others have said, if you have a problem with Colin you'll have big problems in the cut-throat industry, and SFC is a pretty good bet when it comes to matching pounds spent to qualifications earned.
Colin Dobney is an interesting character. He doesn't appear friendly when you see him wandering about the FTO, but one-on-one he is a decent guy. And I'll tell you something else, he's an excellent instructor too, with a surprisingly fatherly style, completely at odds with his public and 'test' persona, but he won't pander to your ego and will tell you when you've done something stupid.
As others have said, if you have a problem with Colin you'll have big problems in the cut-throat industry, and SFC is a pretty good bet when it comes to matching pounds spent to qualifications earned.
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: UK
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I for one didn’t find any hidden costs, thorough research before enrolling with an FTO should in most cases avoid this problem. Every FTO has ‘issues’ but it is evident from most of the threads discussing SFC that they have generally very good feedback.
Ahh Hsifalcon, that’s a bit harsh on Colin, were you feeling a tad fragile at the time?!
Have to say, I found Mr CD to be extremely obliging during my training with SFC…
Carey Hunt
Ahh Hsifalcon, that’s a bit harsh on Colin, were you feeling a tad fragile at the time?!
Have to say, I found Mr CD to be extremely obliging during my training with SFC…
Carey Hunt
Join Date: Aug 2008
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I will be starting this month with Stapleford for my PPL on the long road towards an airline career. I can only give feedback and comments on the services I have recieved and that is my 5 PPL exams already taken. The examiners are very very very kind and polite and the CFI, he is the kindest examiner I have ever experienced.
The PPL was clearly explained and I was stressed the fact that the PPL package provides 45 hours which are minimum for PPL issue. I was informed an average student requires an extra 10-15 to pass the skills test. This is very polite of them as they could have easily told me 45 hours are more than adequate to pass the skills test.
One grudge I have with Stapleford is the fuel surcharge they are adding to each flight when fuel is now less than $70 a barrel. That is very unfair and the management clearly need to review this factor.
Overall, its a pleasant experience so far. I will be writing a PPL diary very soon when I start which will include all good and bad points I will experience. It will be very beneficial for any potential Stapleford student.
G-XO
The PPL was clearly explained and I was stressed the fact that the PPL package provides 45 hours which are minimum for PPL issue. I was informed an average student requires an extra 10-15 to pass the skills test. This is very polite of them as they could have easily told me 45 hours are more than adequate to pass the skills test.
One grudge I have with Stapleford is the fuel surcharge they are adding to each flight when fuel is now less than $70 a barrel. That is very unfair and the management clearly need to review this factor.
Overall, its a pleasant experience so far. I will be writing a PPL diary very soon when I start which will include all good and bad points I will experience. It will be very beneficial for any potential Stapleford student.
G-XO
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: U.K.
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For what it's worth I finished with Stapleford 3 years ago and completed the course in minimum hours, which I would say is a testament to the quality of the instruction you receive there rather than my ability. I left there and was employed within a month for a jet job, once again down to the training I received at Stapleford. I would recommend that anyone looking to become a pilot seriously considers Stapleford, however at the present time I would recommend avoiding aviation like the plague as you wont get a job!!!! As for Mr Dobney he has the look of a complete C***T, but is really a very decent sort of chap and a excellent instructor.
2LateLunches out
2LateLunches out
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: London, Berlin, Bucharest
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i did all my training with SFC from ppl to IR. i have nothing but good things to say about the quality of instruction. all my instructors have been very good. like anywhere you will have one or two instructors that have different teaching methods to what fits you, but all you have to do is say and it will be sorted.
currently stapleford has a very very high first time pass rate for the IR, if not the best in the country at the moment.
the fees i paid in total was more or less as expected but the fuel surcharge was imposed when i had just started so did increase the overall cost.
Colin is an experianced instructor and does know what he is doing. all he does is sits there and lets you get on with the flying. any mistakes you make he WILL let you know about on the ground in a direct way. he does not butter anything up.
regarding jobs, well ive finished all my training at the worst possable time so i cant blame stapleford for the economic downturn. however still trying!
currently stapleford has a very very high first time pass rate for the IR, if not the best in the country at the moment.
the fees i paid in total was more or less as expected but the fuel surcharge was imposed when i had just started so did increase the overall cost.
Colin is an experianced instructor and does know what he is doing. all he does is sits there and lets you get on with the flying. any mistakes you make he WILL let you know about on the ground in a direct way. he does not butter anything up.
regarding jobs, well ive finished all my training at the worst possable time so i cant blame stapleford for the economic downturn. however still trying!
Join Date: Apr 2008
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Hey im joining SFC in a week, so really looking forward to experiencing all these positive things you guys are talking about. When I went to visit the staff were very friendly, and they really didnt delay me AT ALL. So any experience I have so far with them its good 
SVoa
SVoa
Join Date: Jan 2008
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Stapleford Costs
This thread, amongst others, combined with approximately 2 year's worth of research and visits and PRuNe-ing and reading brochures and attending open days and seminars etc.etc. has led me to make my final decision; to undertake my training at Stapleford.
If possible, could someone who has trained at SFC possibly PM me? I have made a spreadsheet estimating the amount of money I will have to spend to complete my training, complete with contingencies and extras, and would like some help figuring out whether it is a fair plan, and if others who have trained there can associate with the prices I have estimated.
Thank you in advance.
rriisshhii
If possible, could someone who has trained at SFC possibly PM me? I have made a spreadsheet estimating the amount of money I will have to spend to complete my training, complete with contingencies and extras, and would like some help figuring out whether it is a fair plan, and if others who have trained there can associate with the prices I have estimated.
Thank you in advance.
rriisshhii