Orlando Flight Training
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FL260
Age: 43
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Ive read all those posts but im after loacl info more than anything. I think each person will have there own experiance and views. I'm planning to take it as I find it and try to enjoy my training and my first step to being an airline pilot.
The way I look at it is of course they are only interested in your money to a certain point, after all it is a business and thats what they are there to do 'take your money' but as long as I get treated fairly and come home in one piece
with my JAA PPL i'll be well chuffed
!!
The way I look at it is of course they are only interested in your money to a certain point, after all it is a business and thats what they are there to do 'take your money' but as long as I get treated fairly and come home in one piece
with my JAA PPL i'll be well chuffed !!
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Mordor :(
Age: 53
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In defense of OFT
I did my ME CPL skills test at OFT in November, and found them very helpful. My training was all done at MFC in Canada, but then the weather broke and was unable to take my skills test there. As OFT is also associated with Cabair i phoned them. The man i spoke to was Andrew Mclaird, who at short notice arranged my skills test and accomodation, he was very helpful and had me finished within a matter of days.I thought that this was more than fair, after not doing my training with them.Their prices seem to be average, and their aircraft seem to be the same as most flight schools i have ever been to.A word of caution, do not under any circumstances get on the wrong side of Morag in despatch, keep that in mind and you should enjoy your time there !
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Midlands, United Kingdom
Age: 54
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Happy with OFT
Greetings,
I've had two visits to OFT and both had issues. The first was my cross country requirements for the FAA IR was insufficient due to an error on my part. For the FAA ticket, flight time can only qualify as cross country if it involves a landing (even just a T & G) at an airport a minimum of 50nm from the starting point. My Instructor, Jean Pierre and the then Chief pilot Dirk helped me to complete a mini hour-building program within my course to help me walk away with the Rating achieved. Although it was my fault for not checking the finer points mentioned on the website, all was sorted. It's also best to keep a close eye on your account. One issue of being charged for somebody else's tuition was very quickly sorted with a humble apology from the front desk. Thank You Wanda.
The second was for the FAA CPL. The Qualifying cross country was not valid for the skills test because of the clause requiring a landing at an airport at least 250 nm from the original point of departure. Again, it was most likely myself who was to blame for not checking, however in my defence, my flight which included a 250nm-plus leg (ie south to KVRB, North to KTLH and back to KVRB via KISM and then back to KISM) was approved by my instructor . It did not qualify since at no point was I more than 250nm from KISM. A very annoying technicality given by my Flight Examiner was that had I stopped for the night at KVRB (Or even landed before midnight and departed after midnight!!)on my first visit during this flight, all would have been OK. OFT were very apologetic and tried to help but I had one day to go and the thunderstorms would not allow me to complete this flight that afternoon and I had to walk away empty handed on that occasion. I have been offered 'block rates' and discounted student housing for the completion of this course which the School doesn't have to do, but it's a very nice gesture of goodwill as well as a very helpful action to complete what I went to do.
I do intend to go back since I am impressed by the way they do help when things do go wrong. Also Morag on despatch owes me twenty lashes for not closing a VFR flight plan on time(!) I was told that on that occasion that the issue was quickly resolved by a quick 'phone call from the Tower and that to be mindful that Search and Rescue may be involved if it happens again. That was it, a good piece of constructive criticism in the form of an unofficial rollocking. Also, Pat Denton is teaching me the finer points of playing American Football.
I have to agree with the last post that sometimes things do go wrong, but by speaking to the right people and from my past experiences I don't think that there is much that cannot be corrected. The 'extra curricular activities' of joining fellow students and instructors alike at the Winghouse (as well as other grubhouses) was a delightful addition to the visits to Kissimmee even though my wife has barred me from visiting the Winghouse. I think she had a problem with me being served by well-endowed waitresses wearing skimpy black swimsuits.
On the whole, do your homework, keep to your mission and keep an eye on your account. Any issues at all, raise them with fellow students, Your Instructor, Jean Pierre, or even the delightful Ms Jessica Roldan. Nicely said, Mr (or Ms) Hobbit1983.
I've had two visits to OFT and both had issues. The first was my cross country requirements for the FAA IR was insufficient due to an error on my part. For the FAA ticket, flight time can only qualify as cross country if it involves a landing (even just a T & G) at an airport a minimum of 50nm from the starting point. My Instructor, Jean Pierre and the then Chief pilot Dirk helped me to complete a mini hour-building program within my course to help me walk away with the Rating achieved. Although it was my fault for not checking the finer points mentioned on the website, all was sorted. It's also best to keep a close eye on your account. One issue of being charged for somebody else's tuition was very quickly sorted with a humble apology from the front desk. Thank You Wanda.
The second was for the FAA CPL. The Qualifying cross country was not valid for the skills test because of the clause requiring a landing at an airport at least 250 nm from the original point of departure. Again, it was most likely myself who was to blame for not checking, however in my defence, my flight which included a 250nm-plus leg (ie south to KVRB, North to KTLH and back to KVRB via KISM and then back to KISM) was approved by my instructor . It did not qualify since at no point was I more than 250nm from KISM. A very annoying technicality given by my Flight Examiner was that had I stopped for the night at KVRB (Or even landed before midnight and departed after midnight!!)on my first visit during this flight, all would have been OK. OFT were very apologetic and tried to help but I had one day to go and the thunderstorms would not allow me to complete this flight that afternoon and I had to walk away empty handed on that occasion. I have been offered 'block rates' and discounted student housing for the completion of this course which the School doesn't have to do, but it's a very nice gesture of goodwill as well as a very helpful action to complete what I went to do.
I do intend to go back since I am impressed by the way they do help when things do go wrong. Also Morag on despatch owes me twenty lashes for not closing a VFR flight plan on time(!) I was told that on that occasion that the issue was quickly resolved by a quick 'phone call from the Tower and that to be mindful that Search and Rescue may be involved if it happens again. That was it, a good piece of constructive criticism in the form of an unofficial rollocking. Also, Pat Denton is teaching me the finer points of playing American Football.
I have to agree with the last post that sometimes things do go wrong, but by speaking to the right people and from my past experiences I don't think that there is much that cannot be corrected. The 'extra curricular activities' of joining fellow students and instructors alike at the Winghouse (as well as other grubhouses) was a delightful addition to the visits to Kissimmee even though my wife has barred me from visiting the Winghouse. I think she had a problem with me being served by well-endowed waitresses wearing skimpy black swimsuits.
On the whole, do your homework, keep to your mission and keep an eye on your account. Any issues at all, raise them with fellow students, Your Instructor, Jean Pierre, or even the delightful Ms Jessica Roldan. Nicely said, Mr (or Ms) Hobbit1983.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: UK
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JAA Training at Orlando Flight Training
Hi everyone,
I've read the forum on OFT but want to know more about the JAA training on offer at the school, specifically the Pro-Pilot course.
- What is the JAA Groundschool like?
- How people found coming back to the UK to convert their FAA Single IR to a JAA Multi IR?
- The pros and cons of the Pro-Pilot course in general?
Thanks in advance.
I've read the forum on OFT but want to know more about the JAA training on offer at the school, specifically the Pro-Pilot course.
- What is the JAA Groundschool like?
- How people found coming back to the UK to convert their FAA Single IR to a JAA Multi IR?
- The pros and cons of the Pro-Pilot course in general?
Thanks in advance.
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: U.S.A
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i am due to start at oft in the next two weeks. please is any body out there at oft aat the moments to tell me more about the school, state of a/cs and life at orlando.A PM will do.
cheers
cheers
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Ooh arrgh land
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People,
any experiences wrt hour building at this school? (thats JUST hour building), ala, what are the a/c like, do they let you take the a/c away over night, that sort of stuff!
Thanks again, regards to all,
bigals
any experiences wrt hour building at this school? (thats JUST hour building), ala, what are the a/c like, do they let you take the a/c away over night, that sort of stuff!
Thanks again, regards to all,
bigals
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: england
Age: 45
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I think there getting better
Make sure you take out the extra insurance, was $100 for the year when I was there,, i friend of mine went recently and was not told about it and had an accident with an aircraft fire and it cost him about £1500 I think!!!! he was not told about the insurance thing which was a bit wrong, but I dont know the full details of it.
also AOPA can supply you with renters insurance and legal cover, well worth the $50ish it costs, especialy in a game where your renting $50k machines on a daily basis.
as for taking aircraft overnight, they did when I was there, but you had to book a few days in advance so they can work the shedual and also they had a min daily hour requirement, but not a problem if you going somewhere like the keys and staying overnight and flying back the next afternoon once sober!!! lol
last bit if advice,, CHECK YOUR RATES AND RECIPTS!!!!! its easy to lose $$$$ with out noticeing when hour building.
also AOPA can supply you with renters insurance and legal cover, well worth the $50ish it costs, especialy in a game where your renting $50k machines on a daily basis.
as for taking aircraft overnight, they did when I was there, but you had to book a few days in advance so they can work the shedual and also they had a min daily hour requirement, but not a problem if you going somewhere like the keys and staying overnight and flying back the next afternoon once sober!!! lol
last bit if advice,, CHECK YOUR RATES AND RECIPTS!!!!! its easy to lose $$$$ with out noticeing when hour building.
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Virginia
Age: 37
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Oft Flight Instructor
Hey it's me BG from OFT. I taught there from May 2006 through Oct 2006. If there are any students out there perhaps from BCUC or what not that are interested in comming back to the states hit me up sometime. Perhaps a night on the town is doable. My email address is my full name kinda like this ***jaming****[email protected] You fill in the blanks. Hope to hear from some of you!
onefatpilot - you must have really caught him on an "off" day, my dealings with JP, i found him to be a great guy, bent over backwards to help me and me and fellow friends spent many an evening in the company of JP and staff from OFT and had a great time - in fact, looking forward to getting back out sometime soon to catch up with them all !!
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Chester
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Ditto as above OneFatPilot and BenAek. Was considering doing my CPL there, but not now after the way JP threatened to cancel my visa if I went to another flying school. What a 
!
!
Join Date: Feb 2006
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As far as I'm aware, the school cannot cancel nor refuse to transfer visa's. I advise anyone in this situation to contact the local INS.
Last edited by SD.; 4th Apr 2007 at 13:34.
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Amsterdam
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SD, as a temporary student you've got an M-1 visa. Such a visa is "sponsored" by a specific training organization, whether it's a university or a flight school. You cannot train at any other facility on such a visa. In fact, the organization that sponsors your M-1 visa is actually listed under "annotation" on the visa itself. (And yes, I did get my passport out to check that!)
So technically if you start training with another facility on your current M-1 visa you're in breach of your visa regulations. There's two ways this can be handled:
- The school is not cooperating with you, for whatever reason. In this case they have every right (and maybe even an obligation under TSA rules) to report YOU to the INS. Who will probably fine you, cancel your visa altogether and then deport you.
- The school is cooperating with you. In which case they can probably act as some sort of intermediary between you and your "new" flight school in such a way that technically you're still training at your old school, but the old school buys whatever services they need for you from the "new" school.
I'm not too sure about the obvious third way: You could try and contact the INS yourself, see if you can get your visa changed to another flight school. But I don't know if the INS allows this.
Whether the school wants to cooperate is probably up, to a large extent, to your own attitude towards the school, and the reason for switching. But switching schools, as a foreign student, is not an automatic right under the terms of your M-1 visa. And in certain cases, in the heat of an argument, the school may just use that against you, to "encourage" you to sit out the contract that you signed with them for instance.
So before everybody starts judging OFT (or any other school) badly because somebody was "threatened with deportation", I'd like to know the circumstances under which that happened. I, for one, had no problems with them. And when the weather threatened to upset my exam schedule seriously, they were very cooperative in letting me find a solution to do my exams at another school. (In the end that solution was never required. The weather got better in the nick of time.)
So technically if you start training with another facility on your current M-1 visa you're in breach of your visa regulations. There's two ways this can be handled:
- The school is not cooperating with you, for whatever reason. In this case they have every right (and maybe even an obligation under TSA rules) to report YOU to the INS. Who will probably fine you, cancel your visa altogether and then deport you.
- The school is cooperating with you. In which case they can probably act as some sort of intermediary between you and your "new" flight school in such a way that technically you're still training at your old school, but the old school buys whatever services they need for you from the "new" school.
I'm not too sure about the obvious third way: You could try and contact the INS yourself, see if you can get your visa changed to another flight school. But I don't know if the INS allows this.
Whether the school wants to cooperate is probably up, to a large extent, to your own attitude towards the school, and the reason for switching. But switching schools, as a foreign student, is not an automatic right under the terms of your M-1 visa. And in certain cases, in the heat of an argument, the school may just use that against you, to "encourage" you to sit out the contract that you signed with them for instance.
So before everybody starts judging OFT (or any other school) badly because somebody was "threatened with deportation", I'd like to know the circumstances under which that happened. I, for one, had no problems with them. And when the weather threatened to upset my exam schedule seriously, they were very cooperative in letting me find a solution to do my exams at another school. (In the end that solution was never required. The weather got better in the nick of time.)
Join Date: Dec 2005
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If you decide to transfer to a different school, OFT, or any flight school for that matter just has to transfer your visa over to the other school. This can be done in a matter of minutes and I know for a fact that OFT have done it before. The student is issued with a new I-20 with the name of the new school on it.
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Amsterdam
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Good. But I expect that you've got to talk to the school AND to the INS first, before you start training at that other school. And nobody is legally required to cooperate. So if you ruin the relationship with either of them, they might just not want to help you.
So, still, I'd like to know what happened before someone was "threatened with deportation".
Also, does the INS issue a new visa as a matter of course, or do they require a more or less valid reason?
So, still, I'd like to know what happened before someone was "threatened with deportation".
Also, does the INS issue a new visa as a matter of course, or do they require a more or less valid reason?
Join Date: Feb 2007
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I "dealt" with JP sept-oct 2005 when I was there for a three-week PPL. But I only saw him once, I think, when I arrived at the school and he showed me around, went over the paperwork with me and such. I did not have any serious problems while being there, so I never needed to speak to him at any time.
I was there when the new chief pilot (Simon something) came on board and I found him a nice chap, easy to work with. The few problems I had were solved to my satisfaction, eventually, by him.
I was there when the new chief pilot (Simon something) came on board and I found him a nice chap, easy to work with. The few problems I had were solved to my satisfaction, eventually, by him.
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Bristol
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"Anyone heading to HAI in the near future?
What courses you doing??
I'll be over there soon enough doing JAA/FAA CPL and FAA CFI!"
I thought you were off to do your helicopter licenses Sean?
What courses you doing??
I'll be over there soon enough doing JAA/FAA CPL and FAA CFI!
" I thought you were off to do your helicopter licenses Sean?
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Ballymacnigdonglemor
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Ya 
Im going to HAI alright, just to do a PPL H though...Have decided that airline career is best for a few years first then move into Commercial choppers....
Who here has done the JAA ATPL ground school at OFT and how did you get on?
Cheers for replys
Sean
Im going to HAI alright, just to do a PPL H though...Have decided that airline career is best for a few years first then move into Commercial choppers....Who here has done the JAA ATPL ground school at OFT and how did you get on?
Cheers for replys
Sean
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: england
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I heard somewhere that all flight schools are money grabbing whores! so just watch your wallet with them all!
I have used 6 flight schools for training and rental in my 4 and a half years flying now and 5 of them were very good! not going to say who the 6th was that I was dissapointed at! ;-)
I have used 6 flight schools for training and rental in my 4 and a half years flying now and 5 of them were very good! not going to say who the 6th was that I was dissapointed at! ;-)