Airways Flight Training Exeter
Join Date: Jan 2004
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Also, highly reccomend them. Fully inclusive price including as much coffee/tea as you can drink and parking at the airport (otherwise £5 a day!!). Exceelent instructors and highly professional and helpful.
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LOB
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: UK
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Airways are very good. The trainers are vastly experienced and professional but the school maintains a friendly club like atmosphere, you're made to feel at home and valued. There's a nice atmosphere at Exeter and its ideal, I think, for training, busy enough to get a feel for commercial operations but not too busy so you cant concentrate on whats being taught. Money wise they are great, I don't remember paying anything until I'd finished and never got hassled. When I did it the cost quoted was inclusive of everything, the only extra was landing fees on a trip to Guernsey as it was a nice day. They are very flexible as well and can fit your training in around your timescales.
Good luck and enjoy.
Good luck and enjoy.
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: UK
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I found the military guys struggled just as much. The skills for flying a Tornado at 500ft or a chopper are a bit different to those required in a Duchess tracking an NDB with a cross wind in IMC and one engine!
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Far East
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Sure they struggled a bit, but in my experience they picked it up extremely quickly and were very sharp indeed. Particularly the Harrier guys who had enormous mental capacity, rarely got overloaded and who had incredible handling skills. Duchess flying at 130kts certainly is different for them though.
I found the presence of the military guys lent a bit of interest to the atmosphere and was generally surprised to see that they are not all cocky so and so's that I mistakenly anticipated!
I found the presence of the military guys lent a bit of interest to the atmosphere and was generally surprised to see that they are not all cocky so and so's that I mistakenly anticipated!
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: UK
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Airways Flight Training - No Worries!
Top CFI, very very experienced instructors, & a lovely gall in the front office who drives a really old scruffy red car. 
They are THE BEST your money can buy. I did my CPL and ME/IR at AFT, and if they can get me through both my flight tests first time and on budget, they must be good!
They are THE BEST your money can buy. I did my CPL and ME/IR at AFT, and if they can get me through both my flight tests first time and on budget, they must be good!
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: UK
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Can't recommend them highly enough. Just completed my conversion from FAA to JAA IR/CPL (after attending Riverside in the States) and managed to get first time passes in both.
Great atmosphere at the school, great instructors (they manged to get me through!) and a good airport to train from (some commercial traffic but not too much to get in the way).
Great atmosphere at the school, great instructors (they manged to get me through!) and a good airport to train from (some commercial traffic but not too much to get in the way).
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: UK
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Riverside Flight Center
chipieflyer,
what are your thoughts about riverside? did you already have a PPL (or other licence(s)) when you went there or did you train from 0 hours?
are their PPL instructors generally newly-qualified low-hours pilots or are they more experienced? what was the quality of instruction like and what condition are there planes in? Do they have maintenance facilities on site etc?
Is the instructor:student ratio okay? Any other information and opinions would also be appreciated!
Thanks
what are your thoughts about riverside? did you already have a PPL (or other licence(s)) when you went there or did you train from 0 hours?
are their PPL instructors generally newly-qualified low-hours pilots or are they more experienced? what was the quality of instruction like and what condition are there planes in? Do they have maintenance facilities on site etc?
Is the instructor:student ratio okay? Any other information and opinions would also be appreciated!
Thanks
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Down a Tin mine......
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Did My CPL and IR there - all i can say is they are fantastic !!, all instructors are retired airline pilot's - so you get proper instruction and not just some hour builder instructing you.
They have a very high reputation within the industry and this shows as they have a waiting list for people wanting to do courses there as they are continually full.
brgds
W.G
They have a very high reputation within the industry and this shows as they have a waiting list for people wanting to do courses there as they are continually full.
brgds
W.G
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I did my IR there about 2 years ago....cannot recommend them highly enough. As previous posts say....everything included in the price which is very competitive!
All the instructors are extrememly experienced, and the exeter airport has all the things you need for the training radar, ndb ils etc and there are good airports around it BRS BOH YVL etc for those training routes.
I would use them again without hesitation!
tomcs
All the instructors are extrememly experienced, and the exeter airport has all the things you need for the training radar, ndb ils etc and there are good airports around it BRS BOH YVL etc for those training routes.
I would use them again without hesitation!
tomcs
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Scotland
Age: 38
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Airways Flight Training or PAT
Hello,
Are there any past or present students from either outfits above who can give me a little bit of insight on their standards of training etc (CPL/IR/ME)...
I've done a search and theirs not much on Airways and PAT (sorry scroggs, but their generic name and shortened alias of PAT was murder to find search results!! but i'm sure the masterful Searching Scroggs may proove me wrong!)
Both outfits are virtually the same in price, both offer use of FNPT 1 free during training and both are based at well equiped airfields (bournemouth and exeter).
Airways look like they have a A-list of well experienced instructors which stands out a bit.
Thanks,
Are there any past or present students from either outfits above who can give me a little bit of insight on their standards of training etc (CPL/IR/ME)...
I've done a search and theirs not much on Airways and PAT (sorry scroggs, but their generic name and shortened alias of PAT was murder to find search results!! but i'm sure the masterful Searching Scroggs may proove me wrong!)
Both outfits are virtually the same in price, both offer use of FNPT 1 free during training and both are based at well equiped airfields (bournemouth and exeter).
Airways look like they have a A-list of well experienced instructors which stands out a bit.
Thanks,
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bournemouth UK
Age: 49
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I can't comment on Airways, but I can recommend PAT.
Take a look at this thread http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=233912
The above link contains links to all of the other PAT threads that I know of.
SW
Take a look at this thread http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=233912
The above link contains links to all of the other PAT threads that I know of.
SW
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ...back of the drag curve
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Oh yes, AFT gets my vote.
They got me, a confirmed VFR man more used to flying non-radio vintage kites than airways, through the multi IR with a first time pass....
PS there was a slight incentive on my part, in that I didnt have any more money left to re-take it.....
They got me, a confirmed VFR man more used to flying non-radio vintage kites than airways, through the multi IR with a first time pass....
PS there was a slight incentive on my part, in that I didnt have any more money left to re-take it.....
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: UK
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Have to agree with most of the posters on here about the quality and value given at AFT. The instructors when I was there a few years back now, were pin sharp and did all they could to get you through in min time but not at the expense of slack instruction.
At the time I was there the operation was highly thought of (as was Bristol G/S) by guys needing to do courses in their allocated leave periods and the school geared up to this mentality.
Not all the studes were ex FJ mates and not all of us had the spare capacity of others (my sim buddy was at the time down from a Yeovilton SHAR sqn and to watch him make origami birds whilst flying a S/E NDB and turn around in his seat to discuss the nights beer plan, was.........). Well thats how unfazed he seemed to be by it all unlike me, learning the black art of NDB's and gates and pre-gates!!!
Not wishing to blow my own trumpet, just showing that with the right instruction and motivation (and a bit of previous flying experience) you don't have to sell your soul to the devil (or bank manager) and do heaps of flying. I did 6 sorties of around one hour and then the IRT with a first time pass.
Thank you AFT
At the time I was there the operation was highly thought of (as was Bristol G/S) by guys needing to do courses in their allocated leave periods and the school geared up to this mentality.
Not all the studes were ex FJ mates and not all of us had the spare capacity of others (my sim buddy was at the time down from a Yeovilton SHAR sqn and to watch him make origami birds whilst flying a S/E NDB and turn around in his seat to discuss the nights beer plan, was.........). Well thats how unfazed he seemed to be by it all unlike me, learning the black art of NDB's and gates and pre-gates!!!
Not wishing to blow my own trumpet, just showing that with the right instruction and motivation (and a bit of previous flying experience) you don't have to sell your soul to the devil (or bank manager) and do heaps of flying. I did 6 sorties of around one hour and then the IRT with a first time pass.
Thank you AFT
Last edited by K.Whyjelly; 9th Mar 2007 at 10:49. Reason: inability to spell!
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Scary Eire
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Accomodation in Exeter?
Right,
I am off to Airways in a few weeks after a long agonising weighing up of who to go to for my IR...phew!
Can anyone reccommend some good value accomodation in Exeter for during my IR?
I am off to Airways in a few weeks after a long agonising weighing up of who to go to for my IR...phew!
Can anyone reccommend some good value accomodation in Exeter for during my IR?
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Blighty!
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There's a great little B & B called saundercroft, 5 mins drive from the airport, as well as a seperate room where you can set all your books up in to study.
pm me if you want the phone number
svenny
pm me if you want the phone number
svenny
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: UK
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I completed my CPL & IR there last year.
It's a top school with excellent instructors. Brian and the team really do make you feel at home. You won't feel like just another number or pound sign. The instruction is great and they are really helpful and patient.
I'd recommend that you go and pay them a visit. I made my mind up on my first visit there and so did everyone else I met there.
I'd recommend them to anyone looking to do their CPL/IR.
It's a top school with excellent instructors. Brian and the team really do make you feel at home. You won't feel like just another number or pound sign. The instruction is great and they are really helpful and patient.
I'd recommend that you go and pay them a visit. I made my mind up on my first visit there and so did everyone else I met there.
I'd recommend them to anyone looking to do their CPL/IR.