Orlando Flight Training
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Join Date: Jan 2008
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Orlando Flight Training
G'day.
Has anyone been to OFT over the past year and studied for there JAA-FCL?
If so, would you share your experience's, bad points and good points with us.
I'm considering going in April.
NSN
Has anyone been to OFT over the past year and studied for there JAA-FCL?
If so, would you share your experience's, bad points and good points with us.
I'm considering going in April.
NSN
Join Date: Aug 2007
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I was all signed up for their 21 day PPL course however had an e-mail from them just before Christmas advising that they have a severe shortage of instructors at the moment and are struggling to fit one flight per student per day in, and if I still wanted to go I should allow at least 6-8 weeks for the PPL, so think you might struggle getting a place.
Pretty soon after paying my deposit months ago I decided I was not going to go there, for various reasons, so was just gonna gulp and take the loss of the deposit, so it was a bit of a bonus to get it back! I have to say that I was mightily impressed with their honesty, and it would appear that maybe they are cleaning up their act for the future? However it would appear they can be discounted now due to lack of capacity.
Pretty soon after paying my deposit months ago I decided I was not going to go there, for various reasons, so was just gonna gulp and take the loss of the deposit, so it was a bit of a bonus to get it back! I have to say that I was mightily impressed with their honesty, and it would appear that maybe they are cleaning up their act for the future? However it would appear they can be discounted now due to lack of capacity.
Join Date: Oct 2007
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I recently had an introductory lesson with a FI who trained at OFT, he told me that for hour building they're fine, but keep away if you want instruction since it's of a poor level and you'll probably need way more hours than you would at another flight school.
Join Date: Nov 2006
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FTO in London Suburbia
Ditto that,
I wanted to do my ppl in florida, even after reading all the lovely stuff on here.
Through meeting an FI who did his PPL at OFT, and it was said that the quality of training was whack (in comparison to th UK).Also Ive personally conversed with a training 'coordinator' at OFT, who said '8 to 11 weeks for a PPL' and 'earliest we can get you in is August'.......
Hence Im doing my PPL here in London. Whether is depressing here, but I reckon I can beat 11 weeks !
That said, its more expensive here, so I need to find a way of keeping my modular training costs down, without comprimising the quality .....
I wanted to do my ppl in florida, even after reading all the lovely stuff on here.
Through meeting an FI who did his PPL at OFT, and it was said that the quality of training was whack (in comparison to th UK).Also Ive personally conversed with a training 'coordinator' at OFT, who said '8 to 11 weeks for a PPL' and 'earliest we can get you in is August'.......
Hence Im doing my PPL here in London. Whether is depressing here, but I reckon I can beat 11 weeks !
That said, its more expensive here, so I need to find a way of keeping my modular training costs down, without comprimising the quality .....
Join Date: Aug 2007
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Newstudentneil
Yes I have completed my PPL and am now trying to fit in the NR..only 1hr cross country to go.. and have started my ATPL theory.
Just started thinking through the best way to obtain the hours building. any thoughts ?
Didn't know I had ever contemplated not completing PPL
Just started thinking through the best way to obtain the hours building. any thoughts ?
Didn't know I had ever contemplated not completing PPL
Join Date: Jul 2006
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Like you I have decided to do my training in the UK.
21 days is unlikely to complete your PPL in any school in Florida due to either the shortage of CFI's or AC's going Tech.
If you do manage to get the JAA PPL done out there the standard isn't as good, a bad thing if you're looking to 'go all the way' as it'll give you bad habits.
In my eyes it seems beneficial to me to do my PPL at a school I'd be looking to do my CPL/MEP/IR. If Florida still looks appealing after gaining my PPL/Night/IMC maybe I'll spend a week at a school while on holiday and do some hour building or an aerobatics course.
You'll find 16 pages on OFT here:
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=212516
Good luck.
(Edited to add - 'ignore my PPL talk .. you just posted you have a PPL')
21 days is unlikely to complete your PPL in any school in Florida due to either the shortage of CFI's or AC's going Tech.
If you do manage to get the JAA PPL done out there the standard isn't as good, a bad thing if you're looking to 'go all the way' as it'll give you bad habits.
In my eyes it seems beneficial to me to do my PPL at a school I'd be looking to do my CPL/MEP/IR. If Florida still looks appealing after gaining my PPL/Night/IMC maybe I'll spend a week at a school while on holiday and do some hour building or an aerobatics course.
You'll find 16 pages on OFT here:
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=212516
Good luck.
(Edited to add - 'ignore my PPL talk .. you just posted you have a PPL')
Join Date: Nov 2006
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Just to add...I had a look at South Africa for my PPl. Based on ntheir prices, just over £10,500 will get you PPl. Night Rating, 150 hrs inc cross country, twin engine rating AND acomodation. Plus searching on here and google hasn't really pulled up any negative comments. South Africa will also make a welcome change from South West London as well
Join Date: Feb 2007
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"If you do manage to get the JAA PPL done out there the standard isn't as good, a bad thing if you're looking to 'go all the way' as it'll give you bad habits."
The standards are the same as in the UK. What is different is that it's not in the UK. You can talk about all the difference in the UK for RT, airspace, and such, but its not the same as flying in that environment.
However, being someone who has flown in both systems, they have high standards. They just emphasize different things.
Steep turns are steep turns. Landings are landings. Slow flight is slow flight. Both are taught almost exactly the same.
The differences come in stalls and nav. FAA treat stalls as if you will be stupid and eventually stall the plane and teach you to recover from there. The JAA teaches you to avoid it and recover before it happens. Nav in the US is taught by using pilotage, dead reckoning, and radio nav. UK nav really emphasizes the dead reckoning.
Learning to fly in the US won't necessarily give you bad habits, but there will be a learning curve transitioning when you get back home.
The standards are the same as in the UK. What is different is that it's not in the UK. You can talk about all the difference in the UK for RT, airspace, and such, but its not the same as flying in that environment.
However, being someone who has flown in both systems, they have high standards. They just emphasize different things.
Steep turns are steep turns. Landings are landings. Slow flight is slow flight. Both are taught almost exactly the same.
The differences come in stalls and nav. FAA treat stalls as if you will be stupid and eventually stall the plane and teach you to recover from there. The JAA teaches you to avoid it and recover before it happens. Nav in the US is taught by using pilotage, dead reckoning, and radio nav. UK nav really emphasizes the dead reckoning.
Learning to fly in the US won't necessarily give you bad habits, but there will be a learning curve transitioning when you get back home.
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Very well said WOODY946
I laughed when I read that post about bad habbits, all aircraft fly the same with reguards basic to aerodynamics
I have a JAA FATPL which I finished off in Europe and A FAA CPL MEL IR AND CFI, and I have to say FAA pilots in my experiance are a lot more confidant.
heres my reason,,, MONEY! uk students fly into small little airfields due to cost which is fine, but its good to get into busy airspace, out in the states I was regular doing approchs and full stops into Orlando Int, Miami, Atlanta,, lined up between loads of 747's 777's A340's,,, its busy RT and you have to know your Sh%T of they will tell you to get the F7CK out of there
also the mention on doing full stalls,,, same for Multi flying, you do full feather shutdows and air starts,, very valuable I think than just simulating zero thrust.
but my big thing is the oral exams for your flight tests,,, we can all learn the questions and answer them, be it with the gleim for FAA or the Confuser for JAA exams,,,, the real test of knowlage is sat in a small room across from the examinor asking you questions on every aspect of your training, if you dont know it they quickly know and grill you harder to press upon you the need to know it for when he comes back for your re-test!
I laughed when I read that post about bad habbits, all aircraft fly the same with reguards basic to aerodynamics
I have a JAA FATPL which I finished off in Europe and A FAA CPL MEL IR AND CFI, and I have to say FAA pilots in my experiance are a lot more confidant.
heres my reason,,, MONEY! uk students fly into small little airfields due to cost which is fine, but its good to get into busy airspace, out in the states I was regular doing approchs and full stops into Orlando Int, Miami, Atlanta,, lined up between loads of 747's 777's A340's,,, its busy RT and you have to know your Sh%T of they will tell you to get the F7CK out of there
also the mention on doing full stalls,,, same for Multi flying, you do full feather shutdows and air starts,, very valuable I think than just simulating zero thrust.
but my big thing is the oral exams for your flight tests,,, we can all learn the questions and answer them, be it with the gleim for FAA or the Confuser for JAA exams,,,, the real test of knowlage is sat in a small room across from the examinor asking you questions on every aspect of your training, if you dont know it they quickly know and grill you harder to press upon you the need to know it for when he comes back for your re-test!
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that's right, I have seen FAA pilots being sent back to home 5 minutes later...
the examiner asked 3 questions, as the student didn't know it, he told him it would be better to not even "start" the test.These questions were very basic.
I am still surprised that there is no Instrument written exam under the JAA system.
All is included in the 14 ATP test, but no specific IFR written test.
I don't think one system is better,I think a 40 hours pilot is still a 40hours pilot.
the examiner asked 3 questions, as the student didn't know it, he told him it would be better to not even "start" the test.These questions were very basic.
I am still surprised that there is no Instrument written exam under the JAA system.
All is included in the 14 ATP test, but no specific IFR written test.
I don't think one system is better,I think a 40 hours pilot is still a 40hours pilot.
Join Date: Feb 2007
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Just so I don't feel completely guilty hijacking this thread:
OFT does have some newer airplanes. They have (last I heard) two brand new 172's with G1000's (glass panels) in them. And the price isn't much higher than the normal 172's. They don't even smell of stale sweat and desperation, yet.
Stay away from the 152's. The last 152 was made in 1985. And nearly all of them have been used for flight training, so that means they have taken a beating for at least twenty years each. They aren't as solid feeling as the Warrior/ Cadets so (to me) they aren't quite as easy to teach landings in.
There are a few nice Cadets/ Warriors there. If you get the block rate, all the PA-28's cost the same, just be sure to schedule out the plane early, at least three to four days ahead. The other nice thing about going with a four seat aircraft is that you can ride in the back and watch your friend make mistakes you can learn from. And vice versa. Humility loves company.
OFT isn't the only place with instructor problems. Airlines in the states are hiring pilots with fresh commercial pilots certificates, so why instruct to build time? Ormond Beach, Naples Air, Oxford, ect are all running into the same problem.
My advice, ignore the 21 day bs, figure six weeks for a PPL, double check your account regularly while there, and 2/3 of your problems go away. Also, if you plan on staying to hour build, get your FFA PPL first, then convert it to JAA when you get back. Otherwise, you will be flying as a student pilot even after completing your JAA skills test since you won't have your license until you get back to the UK. The FAA certificate will be valid the minute after you pass your test.
OFT does have some newer airplanes. They have (last I heard) two brand new 172's with G1000's (glass panels) in them. And the price isn't much higher than the normal 172's. They don't even smell of stale sweat and desperation, yet.
Stay away from the 152's. The last 152 was made in 1985. And nearly all of them have been used for flight training, so that means they have taken a beating for at least twenty years each. They aren't as solid feeling as the Warrior/ Cadets so (to me) they aren't quite as easy to teach landings in.
There are a few nice Cadets/ Warriors there. If you get the block rate, all the PA-28's cost the same, just be sure to schedule out the plane early, at least three to four days ahead. The other nice thing about going with a four seat aircraft is that you can ride in the back and watch your friend make mistakes you can learn from. And vice versa. Humility loves company.
OFT isn't the only place with instructor problems. Airlines in the states are hiring pilots with fresh commercial pilots certificates, so why instruct to build time? Ormond Beach, Naples Air, Oxford, ect are all running into the same problem.
My advice, ignore the 21 day bs, figure six weeks for a PPL, double check your account regularly while there, and 2/3 of your problems go away. Also, if you plan on staying to hour build, get your FFA PPL first, then convert it to JAA when you get back. Otherwise, you will be flying as a student pilot even after completing your JAA skills test since you won't have your license until you get back to the UK. The FAA certificate will be valid the minute after you pass your test.
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And back to the 7500 squawk:
virginpilot1087 and dartagnan,
The main reason is for the JAA not having a written for the IR is because their regulations are geared mainly to the airlines. The FAA regs are still written to allow that 60 year old guy go fly his J-3 Piper Cub around with as little hassle and as safely as possible. Its still possible to fly a vast portion of the States without a radio or transponder, or filing a flight plan.
virginpilot1087 and dartagnan,
The main reason is for the JAA not having a written for the IR is because their regulations are geared mainly to the airlines. The FAA regs are still written to allow that 60 year old guy go fly his J-3 Piper Cub around with as little hassle and as safely as possible. Its still possible to fly a vast portion of the States without a radio or transponder, or filing a flight plan.
