Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > Wannabes Forums > Professional Pilot Training (includes ground studies)
Reload this Page >

Paying FTOs all up front.....terrible idea?

Wikiposts
Search

Notices
Professional Pilot Training (includes ground studies) A forum for those on the steep path to that coveted professional licence. Whether studying for the written exams, training for the flight tests or building experience here's where you can hang out.

Paying FTOs all up front.....terrible idea?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 15th October 2009 | 10:14
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: ****
Paying FTOs all up front.....terrible idea?

Hi guys,

I'm about to undertake an integrated course, and wanted to ask if any of you had an opinion about paying an FTO all up front? It definitely saves money and hassle, however in these tough times is it a risk just not worth taking?

IF someone like Oxford, Cabair, or FTE were to go under, (unlikely I know) would there be any protection for the students?

I know there are previous threads on this, just wanted a more up to date opinion.

Thank you all for any replies,

All the best

M.M
magnificent_man is offline  
Old 15th October 2009 | 11:35
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: 3000'
If you want to risk losing 60k+ be our guest!

No where is secure, especially at the moment. Is the saving worth the risk?
av624 is offline  
Old 15th October 2009 | 11:42
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 545
Likes: 0
From: Herefordshire
Do you have money to burn...or are you mad?

If you can afford to lose that huge sum of money, go ahead!

What makes you think that your chosen FTO is protected against insolvency?

Have you read none of the hundreds of threads on this very subject?

Protect your cash at every stage...pay as you go and use your plastic!

(Doh! This is a wind-up...right?)

Jeez Good luck anyway bm
BoeingMEL is offline  
Old 15th October 2009 | 11:51
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 339
Likes: 0
From: Derby
Paying everything

Up front is daft in general.

In this sort of economy especially suicidal.

No, you'd never be protected if they went under.

Pay as you go is safer.

Anyone wanting everything up front is wanting to stay afloat to pay their debts etc.
OneIn60rule is offline  
Old 15th October 2009 | 12:10
  #5 (permalink)  

Hovering AND talking
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 5,711
Likes: 1
From: Propping up bars in the Lands of D H Lawrence and Bishop Bonner
Oxford, Cabair, or FTE were to go under, (unlikely I know)
What, like Pan Am?

Even the biggest and ostensibly most successful businesses can go bust. Personally, it wouldn't surprise me if one of those three mentioned went belly-up in the next 12 months.

Cheers

Whirls
Whirlygig is offline  
Old 15th October 2009 | 12:16
  #6 (permalink)  
v6g
 
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 252
Likes: 0
From: Canada
Originally Posted by whirlygig
Even the biggest and ostensibly most successful businesses can go bust. Personally, it wouldn't surprise me if one of those three mentioned went belly-up in the next 12 months.
Agreed. (in fact almost expected in my opinion)
v6g is offline  
Old 15th October 2009 | 13:00
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 516
Likes: 0
From: Northampton
Whirlygig and v6g,

Oh God, don't say things like that, can you imagine the swamp of threads that would start shooting out of the ground here! It'd be like War Of The Worlds all over again!
Halfbaked_Boy is offline  
Old 15th October 2009 | 13:22
  #8 (permalink)  
 
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 497
Likes: 2
From: In the doghouse
Dont pay upfront.Maybe and just maybe for small sections of the training if you can get a discount.Apart from some of the possibilities already mentioned there are more than enough horror stories on just this subject and the world doesn't need another one...

The FTO is providing you with a service which you are paying for with your hard earned(borrowed/stolen/begged) dollar.You are employing them, and you should suck them dry for every bit of info, experience, expertise and anything else you can get from them to improve your knowledge, and never let them forget(politely of course) that it is their sole duty to provide you with that service.If they've already got all your money they may not be as nice as they might be if they think you might go elsewhere if they're not coming to the party.Treat em mean and keep em keen..

And a note-If you are a lazy bugger who does no work and expects them to drag you through then forget everything I just wrote and wack all you have on their front desk..
Homesick-Angel is offline  
Old 15th October 2009 | 15:57
  #9 (permalink)  
25 Anniversary
 
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 1,846
Likes: 4
From: Bristol, England
The two reasons an FTO would ask for cash up front are (1) because they're short of cash and (2) to guard against students legging it before they've paid their bills. The second seems reasonable to me and I can't disagree with an FTO requiring you to keep a balance in your account roughly equivalent to a day's flying. This could easily be a grand, though, if you're doing IR training. If you're offered a discount for cash walk away, it's category one.

Edited to add: Integrated FTOs should have a stage payment plan in place.
Alex Whittingham is offline  
Old 15th October 2009 | 16:14
  #10 (permalink)  
15 Anniversary
 
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 332
Likes: 0
From: In Exile...
Never pay up front more than you can afford to loose / write off. Simple.

And one of Cabair / Oxford / FTE will go pop within the next 12 months. Fancy your chances, do you?
x933 is offline  
Old 15th October 2009 | 16:25
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,199
Likes: 3
From: Hunched over a keyboard
We certainly don't ask students to pay up front - we just ask them to clear their account at the end of the day. We also only ever ask for a £200 deposit - just enough to show good faith on both sides when booking a course.
moggiee is offline  
Old 15th October 2009 | 16:54
  #12 (permalink)  
Halfwayback's Avatar
Moderator
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,522
Likes: 7
From: England
Magnificent Man

As you state, this is a subject that has been very well discussed. I know you say you were looking for an update and I think you have got your answers above.

So before the thread is hijacked with the banal comments that usually accompany this topic, I am closing the thread.

HWB
Halfwayback is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.