Aerofan, Spain

[jococ3]

Anyone got any info on doing my ME IR conversion with Aerofan ? What they're like etc....

Or if anyone has any info on any other good Flight Schools in Spain that would be great ?

Thanks

[Walk the line]

Quality instruction...timely courses, flight test when YOU are ready-great customer service too. Don't listen to any of the rumours-they are not going out of business, the aircraft are well maintained etc etc. The instructors are excellent, knowledgable and committed. The people who try and pull Aerofan down are rival schools and possibly some bitter students! It's very reasonably priced too

[LH2]

My experience with Aerofan is limited, but I would not say their airplanes were the best equipped or maintained I have ever flown. Neither were the worst, in all fairness.

However, the biggest problem I see though is not so much the school itself as the airport they fly from. From a safety point of view, Cuatro Vientos is overcrowded with small aircraft and helicopters, and under-equipped to handle all the traffic in a safe manner. It is also unusual for Spain in that you are not flying in controlled airspace so you do not get the level and quality of experience you would normally get elsewhere in that country. Lastly, it is VFR only which makes it rather awkward for IR training, as you would imagine.

Oh, one last thing... I find Madrid to be a dump, but that's an entirely personal view.

As I said, nothing against Aerofan, I just think there are better options out there.

[Jamongris]

I've read good and bad Aerofan reviews too, but generally people talk highly of their English instructor and planes.

They certainly have recently revamped their offices in Cuatro Vientos, which isn't a sign of them being in trouble.

LH2 is correct though about the level of traffic there. The area around Whisky point, and a nearby aerodrome called Casarrubios I find particularly worrying. It is indeed VFR only too, so I believe a lot of the schools doing IR training use Valencia for instrument practice, which implies you may well be better off going there in the first place.

I did think it was controlled though. You certainly can't depart or arrive without a flight plan and it sits right under the Madrid TMA. Am I misunderstanding the use of the word ?

Re Madrid itself, she who must be obeyed is from there, so no comment from me

[LH2]

I did think it was controlled though

Apologies, my mistake. LECU is indeed a controlled airport with its own CTA (no CTR, being visual only). What I meant to say was that the airspace around it is uncontrolled. As soon as you leave the CTA they ask you to squawk standy... apparently because their SSR equipment is so old that they will lose you anyway So I was told by one of the instructors working there anyway.

she who must be obeyed is from there, so no comment from me

[jococ3]

Thanks

Thanks for all the advice....

[hughesyd]

SSR problem is also due to the aproach of aircraft to Barajas and the proximity of cuatro vientos uder the tma and the military airfield 1.5 miles away. Madrids a fantastic city if you get out, explore and get a social network. The area that the airport is in is crap but thats miles outside the city centre. I lived in Madrid for 2 years while i did my ATPLs, had a great time.The IR course is very good, although it is true that instrument aproaches are carried out at other airports.

[jococ3]

Any idea how far away roughly these other Airports are ? How long flying time away ?

[overclock25]

About ATPL Distance Learning

Anyone knows if is possible enroll to ATPL Distance Learning in Spain???

I'm a PPL holder and I want have training there for CPL/ME/IR but I have no time for full course ATPL.

Aerofan does it??

Thanks a lot guys

[hughesyd]

Aeorofan doesnt do it, but Aeromadrid does. i did my ATPLs there.

[overclock25]

Thanks a lot!

I intend ATPL Distance Learning...You know about how long is tha theory in terms of weeks??? Most people finishes ATPL between 7 to 12 months....
And if I'll finish all subjects, can I have training in another flight school in Spain? For example, ATPL DL in Aeromadrid and CPL at AEROFAN?

Thanks

[Jamongris]

Valencia is about 2 hours flying from cuatro vientos.

You can do the flying training with any of the schools, regardless of who and where you did the ATPL.

I have no idea of the flats, but if you know where they are, ie their addresses, I'm happy to give advice re getting to the airport from there.

AeroMadrids' distance ATPL course is only in Spanish and, despite what the website says, is not working at the moment. I know, because I'm trying to do it Do NOT enrol with them for this, they're fine for other things though.

[overclock25]

Dear friend,
thank you for your post.

You Know if in Spain is it possible to enroll to any ATPL distance learning?
Valencia???

In Spain the CPL/ME/IR is cheaper than other countries for this reason i WANT have my studies there....

[Jamongris]

As far as I know there isn't in Spain. I was thinking of doing my distance learning with Bristol in the UK, and then doing my flight training in Madrid because I live there and there is as you say a big cost difference.

AeroMadrid, with whom I did my PPL, told me that this was possible, so in theory that it was I would now recommend you do. However, the reason I didn't is because the Spanish authority (DGAC) do not have a reputation for being very helpful with this sort of thing. Futhermore, AeroMadrid tend to tell you anything to get you to enrol, and then tell you of problems once you are on their course. With my PPL, they said I could do the course in English. Once I was on it, I was told the exams had to be taken in Spanish and blamed the DGAC

Maybe you could try talking to the DGAC in advance and see what they say. If they're helpful, then I would recommend you do your distance learning in the UK.

[hughesyd]

Jamongris, sounds like you have had problems at Aeromadrid and a slightly different experiece from myself although you are right about the distance learning part. It was only last year that i did my ATPLs with Aeromadrid, and that was all in english, in fact i have a friend who is still there on a english speaking course. They always have about 3 classes full of international students runing at any one time. These classes are mainly intergrated students, but i was modular and did the theory part in the same class, as was about 3 others while i was there. The majority of the students are Dutch, but there were english, irish and italian all in my class. They dont advertise a "distance learning" course in english, but heres how i did mine. I paid just for the ATPL course, which involved me going to the classes in the evening i think it was from about 5 until 9pm. All the lectures were in english and the majority of the lecturers were excelent, being serving iberia captains, Madrid university proffesors and military jet pilots. when it came to the exams, you sit them mixed with the spanish but you get a english exam paper, so the DGAC do sit exams in english. Aeromadrid dont advertise a modular course as they make more money from intergrated students, but if you phone and ask them , they will allow you to do just the ATPLs if you want, after all , they cant resist turing your money down!!. If anyone needs a contact there then PM me.

Beleive it or not, i have had a good experience with the Spanish DGAC, which did surprise me considering their reputation. I requested to do the CPL in the UK and the UK be the state of licence issue.To my surprise they not only agreed but drafted a full letter, stamped and signed to the UK CAA, which the UK caa have also accepted!.

[overclock25]

Dear hughesyd,

did you do ATPL Full Time or DISTANCE LEARNING???

I'm interested to ATPL DL, but I don't know if there are any schools in Spain for this....


Let me know anything about this kind of theoretical course....

Thanks a lot

[hughesyd]

Overclock, read my reply to jamongris above, it was actually for the benifit of yourself as well!.