Training in the USA (incl Florida!)
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Flying School-USA
Hi,
I am planning to start my CPL course from january next year. Could you please suggest me that which one of the following institute is best?
1) Delta Connection Academy
2) Panam Academy
3) Kemper Aviation
4) Flight Safety
Please help me searching the good one or whether all are good, please advise me.
I am planning to start my CPL course from january next year. Could you please suggest me that which one of the following institute is best?
1) Delta Connection Academy
2) Panam Academy
3) Kemper Aviation
4) Flight Safety
Please help me searching the good one or whether all are good, please advise me.
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Aus
Francesco,
As you are a US citizen you do not need to go to any of the big pilot factory schools. You are very lucky to be able to attend any so called "mom and pop" shop, that's what we call them here in the US. In most cases these are no-nonsence smaller flight schools or clubs, where you can find very experienced flight instructors that don't build their time on your dime. Plus, you can get much more flight time and experience for the same money. (a C172 rents for $74, the C150 is $46, intstructors are $18 for basic and $22 for advanced training, this is considered very cheap even by US standards) At my place we have 19 rental aircraft, this on its own puts some of the big name schools to shame.
Plus a lot of aircraft owners on the field are older people who like to take younger pilots with them on group trips for added safety, specially once you get your instrument rating. On these trips you are mostly the PIC, since these owners are not building time for any job, they're just happy to go somewhere and have you take them there on their airplane.
To make a long story short I strongly encourage you to look around for smaller schools and PM me for details if you need pointers, since some of these are harder to find on the internet.
As you are a US citizen you do not need to go to any of the big pilot factory schools. You are very lucky to be able to attend any so called "mom and pop" shop, that's what we call them here in the US. In most cases these are no-nonsence smaller flight schools or clubs, where you can find very experienced flight instructors that don't build their time on your dime. Plus, you can get much more flight time and experience for the same money. (a C172 rents for $74, the C150 is $46, intstructors are $18 for basic and $22 for advanced training, this is considered very cheap even by US standards) At my place we have 19 rental aircraft, this on its own puts some of the big name schools to shame.
Plus a lot of aircraft owners on the field are older people who like to take younger pilots with them on group trips for added safety, specially once you get your instrument rating. On these trips you are mostly the PIC, since these owners are not building time for any job, they're just happy to go somewhere and have you take them there on their airplane.
To make a long story short I strongly encourage you to look around for smaller schools and PM me for details if you need pointers, since some of these are harder to find on the internet.
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j1 visas
Hey, looking to study in the states under the J1 visa.
Looking for a flight school in florida that will stand me in good stead for getting a job when i finish. Thinking about doing both JAA and FAA.
Narrowed it down to:
OFT
Flight Safety
Delta Flight connection
Any opinions?
Much appreciated
Cheers
Looking for a flight school in florida that will stand me in good stead for getting a job when i finish. Thinking about doing both JAA and FAA.
Narrowed it down to:
OFT
Flight Safety
Delta Flight connection
Any opinions?
Much appreciated
Cheers
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There will be good and bad points to every school that you go to but I would like to share my experience with you so that if you are considering Naples Air Centre you might be able to make a more informed decision. I will begin with the bad points so that I can finish on a positive note.
BAD POINTS
Their communications leaves a lot to be desired. When you book your course with them they send you out their Student Manual. Mine told me that I started on the Tuesday. But in fact when I arrived they told me that I was a day late and that they always start training on the Monday and I should have known that.
I had also requested that I do my MEP there at the same time. I was told on the phone a number of times that I was booked in, but never confirmed it in writing. And you guessed it. No instructors available.
The first few days of my JAA/CPL went fine but then my instructor told me that we would have to get this done in two weeks because he’s taking the best part of the third week off and their was no other JAA instructor’s available. (Bearing in mind that they advertise that you should allow for four weeks to complete the course)
After the first week the constant nervous twitching and snatching back of the controls by the instructor really started to irritate me. I’m not going to pretend that I flew the perfect lesson every time we went up, but call outs like “Airspeed” and “Bank Angle” would have been more appropriate and considerably better for the confidence. When I confronted him about this I got my first glimpse of his bad temper. With a how dare I criticise his style of teaching attitude. From this point everything I did was wrong and we were no longer going to finish in the two weeks and not only that but they hadn’t checked the availability of an examiner. He wouldn’t be available until at least the day I was due to return home nearly five weeks after my arrival. I should have jumped ship at this point but it was a difficult move to make as I had brought my wife and new borne baby all the way from the UK for the duration of the stay.
I persisted with the plan that things would be better on his return and I would sit my test on my last day and catch up with the family in Miami that night.
Well things went from bad to worse. The atmosphere it the aircraft you could cut with a knife. Then out of the blue I turned up for a lesson and he told me that it was up to ME to find a new instructor because he was sick of these shower of B*******ds (the owners of the school). But that this was a good thing because all the other FAA instructors were cheaper. On the same day he tore strips out of someone else’s PPL student in front of everyone for completing his solo circuits without the supervision of his instructor. When I personally witnessed him getting instructions to do exactly that. When I tried to make him aware that the young lad had only done what he was told I then became the focus of his aggression.
Things did get a little better when I started to fly with a guy I could get on with. But we couldn’t fly the Arrow because they had only one and it needed a new engine but not to worry it SHOULD be ready in time for my 170A with you know who.
Well there are no prises for guessing the result of the 170A. He felt that I was not ready for the test because of FREDA checks every ten minutes other than every fifteen. And many more. I can’t remember the half of them because he refused to give me a copy of his notes for that day but there was a lot along the same line. Again I’m not going to pretend that it was perfect far from it. But too many FREDA checks “come on.” I have my suspicions that the examiner was never booked and therefore I was never going to pass the 170A.
I decided to contact Bristol whom I had booked for my IR to ask them could I continue with them and if so what I needed to do. They could not have been more helpful. What I needed was a copy of my training and my log book signed off. This is where they added insult to injury. On settling my account the owner who you might have thought would be at least a little apologetic WRONG. He insisted that the hours that I flew with the second instructor would have to be full JAA rates because he insisted that the second instructor was qualified to teach JAA/CPL which I suspected then and know now was a lie. When I challenged my first instructor to verify the conversation we had previously about the reduced rates he denied all knowledge of our conversation and squared up to me as though to fight. I have always tried to pacify myself with people and treat folk with respect but found myself in new territory here. I turned away, walked up to the owner agreed to settle the account including the additional charge which by now I had given them over $7000.As this would be the fastest way to get out of the place. When I asked him for my student records he said that will be an additional 4 something dollars for the photocopies. Their arrogance astounded me.
I have never pretended that I’m any better than anyone else. But I returned back to Bristol I received excellent instruction and passed CPL first time. And a series one pass in my IR with one or two hours over the minimum requirement. Which I suppose makes me pretty average.
GOOD POINTS
The weather was great.
If you do decide to go consider my advise.
• Get everything in writing. When you arrive they’ve got you by the short and curly’s. What are you going to do? Go home?
• Choose your instructor carefully. Unless you already know it all.
• Bring your own headset. They make a tidy profit out of not telling you to bring one and then either renting you or selling you one when you get there.
• If your allergic to cats DON’T GO
• If you don’t like cats DON’T GO
• If you don’t mind cats, but can’t stand being covered in their fir. DON’T GO
• Don’t ask too many questions. But if you do be prepared. They will note down their time and it will appear on your bill.
• Be prepared. You might spend over $7000 not including flights and accommodation and still come home with nothing.
BAD POINTS
Their communications leaves a lot to be desired. When you book your course with them they send you out their Student Manual. Mine told me that I started on the Tuesday. But in fact when I arrived they told me that I was a day late and that they always start training on the Monday and I should have known that.
I had also requested that I do my MEP there at the same time. I was told on the phone a number of times that I was booked in, but never confirmed it in writing. And you guessed it. No instructors available.
The first few days of my JAA/CPL went fine but then my instructor told me that we would have to get this done in two weeks because he’s taking the best part of the third week off and their was no other JAA instructor’s available. (Bearing in mind that they advertise that you should allow for four weeks to complete the course)
After the first week the constant nervous twitching and snatching back of the controls by the instructor really started to irritate me. I’m not going to pretend that I flew the perfect lesson every time we went up, but call outs like “Airspeed” and “Bank Angle” would have been more appropriate and considerably better for the confidence. When I confronted him about this I got my first glimpse of his bad temper. With a how dare I criticise his style of teaching attitude. From this point everything I did was wrong and we were no longer going to finish in the two weeks and not only that but they hadn’t checked the availability of an examiner. He wouldn’t be available until at least the day I was due to return home nearly five weeks after my arrival. I should have jumped ship at this point but it was a difficult move to make as I had brought my wife and new borne baby all the way from the UK for the duration of the stay.
I persisted with the plan that things would be better on his return and I would sit my test on my last day and catch up with the family in Miami that night.
Well things went from bad to worse. The atmosphere it the aircraft you could cut with a knife. Then out of the blue I turned up for a lesson and he told me that it was up to ME to find a new instructor because he was sick of these shower of B*******ds (the owners of the school). But that this was a good thing because all the other FAA instructors were cheaper. On the same day he tore strips out of someone else’s PPL student in front of everyone for completing his solo circuits without the supervision of his instructor. When I personally witnessed him getting instructions to do exactly that. When I tried to make him aware that the young lad had only done what he was told I then became the focus of his aggression.
Things did get a little better when I started to fly with a guy I could get on with. But we couldn’t fly the Arrow because they had only one and it needed a new engine but not to worry it SHOULD be ready in time for my 170A with you know who.
Well there are no prises for guessing the result of the 170A. He felt that I was not ready for the test because of FREDA checks every ten minutes other than every fifteen. And many more. I can’t remember the half of them because he refused to give me a copy of his notes for that day but there was a lot along the same line. Again I’m not going to pretend that it was perfect far from it. But too many FREDA checks “come on.” I have my suspicions that the examiner was never booked and therefore I was never going to pass the 170A.
I decided to contact Bristol whom I had booked for my IR to ask them could I continue with them and if so what I needed to do. They could not have been more helpful. What I needed was a copy of my training and my log book signed off. This is where they added insult to injury. On settling my account the owner who you might have thought would be at least a little apologetic WRONG. He insisted that the hours that I flew with the second instructor would have to be full JAA rates because he insisted that the second instructor was qualified to teach JAA/CPL which I suspected then and know now was a lie. When I challenged my first instructor to verify the conversation we had previously about the reduced rates he denied all knowledge of our conversation and squared up to me as though to fight. I have always tried to pacify myself with people and treat folk with respect but found myself in new territory here. I turned away, walked up to the owner agreed to settle the account including the additional charge which by now I had given them over $7000.As this would be the fastest way to get out of the place. When I asked him for my student records he said that will be an additional 4 something dollars for the photocopies. Their arrogance astounded me.
I have never pretended that I’m any better than anyone else. But I returned back to Bristol I received excellent instruction and passed CPL first time. And a series one pass in my IR with one or two hours over the minimum requirement. Which I suppose makes me pretty average.
GOOD POINTS
The weather was great.
If you do decide to go consider my advise.
• Get everything in writing. When you arrive they’ve got you by the short and curly’s. What are you going to do? Go home?
• Choose your instructor carefully. Unless you already know it all.
• Bring your own headset. They make a tidy profit out of not telling you to bring one and then either renting you or selling you one when you get there.
• If your allergic to cats DON’T GO
• If you don’t like cats DON’T GO
• If you don’t mind cats, but can’t stand being covered in their fir. DON’T GO
• Don’t ask too many questions. But if you do be prepared. They will note down their time and it will appear on your bill.
• Be prepared. You might spend over $7000 not including flights and accommodation and still come home with nothing.
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Would it be beneficial to travel to america to get a PPL and an ATPL??
I have seen many adverts for professional pilot training in the USA, one of which was in Naples in Florida, this one caught my eye and after looking at the financial side of the course it would actually be cheaper. I am just wondering if anybody has had any experience of this??
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Jaa Training/jaa Schools Usa
Hi, Im spanish guy desperate triying to find a school in US wich provide JAA training or courses for international students up to 1000h flying time, without do any conversion. Thats a very important point. As i dont live in the US is very difficult to choose the proper schoold cos I have no idea how they are.. I just can see the webs and that it not enought. So could anyone give me a hand? Please anyone knows any good one? any recommendation or suggestion?Thank you very much guys.
PS: I will appreciate any honest opinion.
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Jaa Training/jaa Schools (usa)
Hi, Im spanish guy desperate triying to find a school in US wich provide JAA training or courses for international students up to 1000h flying time, without do any conversion. Thats a very important point. As i dont live in the US is very difficult to choose the proper schoold cos I have no idea how they are.. I just can see the webs and nothing else. I´ve been looking around two in Florida, Orlando Fligth Training and European Flight Training, but would like to know the opinion of someone who has been there doing hes training. So could anyone give me a hand? Please anyone knows any? any recommendation or suggestion?Thank you very much guys.
PS: I will appreciate any honest opinion.
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JAA schools
Gernie,
You need to do a lot more research on the system of the FAA and the JAA. You CANNOT do JAA training entirely in the US without a conversion! And you don't need to buy 1000 hours, if you do (and want to) you should not be a pilot at all. You will buy however, training and gather knowledge and experience. So if you want to be a pilot in the EU you should do your PPL in Spain, then do the fATPL ground school, then perhaps you should go to the US to build time and experience. Then continue the rest in Spain. Or you can find the cheapest integrated course in Europe and do everything at one place, there's a good chance it might be right there in Spain or Greece. Read all the threads on aerodynamics, aerofan, adventia, egnatia and you'll see and read all the threads about conversions and you'll see how difficult and costly it is both in time and money.
You need to do a lot more research on the system of the FAA and the JAA. You CANNOT do JAA training entirely in the US without a conversion! And you don't need to buy 1000 hours, if you do (and want to) you should not be a pilot at all. You will buy however, training and gather knowledge and experience. So if you want to be a pilot in the EU you should do your PPL in Spain, then do the fATPL ground school, then perhaps you should go to the US to build time and experience. Then continue the rest in Spain. Or you can find the cheapest integrated course in Europe and do everything at one place, there's a good chance it might be right there in Spain or Greece. Read all the threads on aerodynamics, aerofan, adventia, egnatia and you'll see and read all the threads about conversions and you'll see how difficult and costly it is both in time and money.
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you'll see how difficult and costly it is both in time and money.
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JAA in the USA - good or bad
I'm in the US at the moment doing some hour building, which i'm nearing completion of...
Initially my plan was to do my FAA IR and Multi - then to come back to the UK and do a conversion and CPL..
However, friends have suggested that I just go to a flight school that offers JAA licences in the USA - therefore not having to do conversion courses etc.. back in the UK.
(Plus it would be much cheaper!!)
I've got an FAA PPL(A) - and i haven't actually flown in the UK at all!
If I did do all of my flying in the USA (even though getting JAA licenses) would I be shooting myself in the foot with regard to getting a decent job in an airline??
Is (or has) anyone been in a similar possition? what do people suggest?
I would really appreciate any advice or comments that anyone could offer...
Paul
Initially my plan was to do my FAA IR and Multi - then to come back to the UK and do a conversion and CPL..
However, friends have suggested that I just go to a flight school that offers JAA licences in the USA - therefore not having to do conversion courses etc.. back in the UK.
(Plus it would be much cheaper!!)
I've got an FAA PPL(A) - and i haven't actually flown in the UK at all!
If I did do all of my flying in the USA (even though getting JAA licenses) would I be shooting myself in the foot with regard to getting a decent job in an airline??
Is (or has) anyone been in a similar possition? what do people suggest?
I would really appreciate any advice or comments that anyone could offer...
Paul
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USA vs UK JAA CPL training ques.
Hello ,
Just wondering how it is looked at by employers if JAA training is done in the USA. I am currently doing the JAA ATPL's and I am considering where to do the CPL/MEIR/MCC. I am looking at doing the ME CPL in the USA, and then doing the IR somewhere reputable in the UK.
Is this a good way to go or am I better off spending a extra 10,000 pounds to do it all with one provider in the UK ?
Any info/advice would be great
thanks
Just wondering how it is looked at by employers if JAA training is done in the USA. I am currently doing the JAA ATPL's and I am considering where to do the CPL/MEIR/MCC. I am looking at doing the ME CPL in the USA, and then doing the IR somewhere reputable in the UK.
Is this a good way to go or am I better off spending a extra 10,000 pounds to do it all with one provider in the UK ?
Any info/advice would be great
thanks
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Personally I think any employer couldn't fault any astute wannabe for training to UK standards in an environment that is 1/3 the cost of here across the board + no landing and approach fees.
Correct me if I'm wrong (there are plenty on here who will) but I am led to believe you have to do the IR in UK airspace if you sat CAA ATPL's.
If they have an issue with it then they should start taking on cadets again. As that is not going to happen so they should be content that there are a steady stream of people out there willing to self fund their own training.
Obviously a lot of people make a big deal over the RT differences and standard of training but thats mostly hearsay by those who have never ventured far from a PC copy of FS2004 or a little grass strip in Kent. Don't judge a nation with 450,000 GA pilots by a few dodgy schools.
Also remember, a person who has a bad experience will tell 7-8 people, a person who has had a good one, 1-2.
I don't see any more N registered planes fall out the sky (by proportion) than G registered ones.
I decided to do my conversions in the UK as I wanted to do so in the DA-42 and as yet no CAA approved schools do so either in other European states or in the US so I was limited. But I did do plenty of research into where I went and what options were open to me.
Correct me if I'm wrong (there are plenty on here who will) but I am led to believe you have to do the IR in UK airspace if you sat CAA ATPL's.
If they have an issue with it then they should start taking on cadets again. As that is not going to happen so they should be content that there are a steady stream of people out there willing to self fund their own training.
Obviously a lot of people make a big deal over the RT differences and standard of training but thats mostly hearsay by those who have never ventured far from a PC copy of FS2004 or a little grass strip in Kent. Don't judge a nation with 450,000 GA pilots by a few dodgy schools.
Also remember, a person who has a bad experience will tell 7-8 people, a person who has had a good one, 1-2.
I don't see any more N registered planes fall out the sky (by proportion) than G registered ones.
I decided to do my conversions in the UK as I wanted to do so in the DA-42 and as yet no CAA approved schools do so either in other European states or in the US so I was limited. But I did do plenty of research into where I went and what options were open to me.
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School In The Us
Hi all, I'm looking for a flight school in the US where I can get my CPL+multiengine+seaplane rating.
There are many, but do you have an idea of a school on a nice location, with beaches bloseby? I want also enjoy m time there
Happy new year
There are many, but do you have an idea of a school on a nice location, with beaches bloseby? I want also enjoy m time there
Happy new year
I'm not entirely sure about seaplane school, but I remember that there were $hit tins of seaplanes operating around Seattle, Washington when I was there last...that might be a good indiaction of a place to go for that rating...sorry, but the water is cold in Washington state and I'm not sure the beaches 'bloseby' are any good
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Los Angeles
Hello,
Do you know of any schools in Los angeles that have JAA flight training? And if you can tell me something about them, good and bad, it would help.
JonasRaf
Do you know of any schools in Los angeles that have JAA flight training? And if you can tell me something about them, good and bad, it would help.
JonasRaf