Which Flight School To Choose From (USA)

[preduk]

Flights Schools in Canada or America??

Hey guys!

Looking for a bit of advice, sorry if this topic came up I had a look but couldn't find anything.

My cousin is interested in doing his PPL abroad.

I'm looking for good schools in Canada or America which does JAA PPL training for a good prices and offers good quality flying and instructors.

I am mainly looking for somewhere in Toronto, as I have family there but if anyone has any suggestions (even in Europe) then please fire them to me.

Thanks!

Preduk

[Effee]

Moncton Flight College.

[nibi786]

Moncton Flight College...

YES!
This place is excellent - the JAA license is the best option for a european person as it allows them to exercise license priveleges in europe...and the Moncton Flight College is excellent - not only that it is the only JAA approved training provider in Canada, and is affiliated with the big boys, Cabair!
I am currently at the college doing my commercial license and gained my PPL last year with MFC. I have nothing but praise for this place! any questions?
ping me an email

nibi

[justjoshing]

Flight schools in the USA

Does anyone know of any good flight schools in the USA,or even the best one out there.I hear you can do a full JAA intergrated course in the USA for half of what it costs here.I have searched for this but could not find any relevent topics.I do hope I did not offend anyone by asking a question.

[wannabe there]

I've had a look on here and seen a mixed bag of reviews for all the JAA schools in the US (more bad than good!!). My own opinion is that you never know for sure unless you try, so I'm off to Orlando Flight Training in January (to do PPL only) despite the bad press. Don't think anyone can say for sure which one is the best... guess you'll just have to do your research and see which one best suits your needs mate

[davey147]

There arn't any flight schools in the USA that offer an Integrated JAA flight training course.

My advise is if you go to the States to do your training, stick to the FAA only schools, such as FlightSafety, then do you JAA conversions when you come back.

[phantomcruiser07]

The problem with doing FAA only and re converting once back in the UK is that you have to do the ATPL theory and you wont be able 2 do it while doing FAA only licenses as you'll have to complete the FAA theory as well, correct me if 'm wrong.

[captain_rossco]

Of those i know who have gone through the system, it would appear that pp/ hour building etc is well served in the states, but completion or the IR/CPL is more likely than not, better done over here, after all its this airspace you are interested in working in!

You cant do your (JAA) IR there anyway.

Regards

CR

PS. You may wish to have a scan through the Prune and see what those who converted (FAA to JAA) licenses actually thought of it, rumour has it that a fair few people take a bit of getting used to it!

[davey147]

The speed of converting licences and ratings is all down to the individual, some people take longer than others, you should know yourself whether your a fast learner or not. Most people I know have converted back in the UK with no problems, and the cost has been minimal too.

[187nj]

From FAA to JAA

what do you have to do to convert your license?

[Poeli]

my god pls use the search function on this forum

[soaring.high]

Dear Fellow Aviators,
Warm regards.Hope all of you are flying high !! I need a little bit of your help to decide which flight school I should choose.I am an Indian citizen.I hold FAA CPL ( ASEL+IR / AMEL+IR).I have decided to obtain CFI & CFII ratings (MEI later on) and build 800-1000 hrs giving flight instruction (Staying legally in US !!).Can any one suggest a flight school which will help me achieve my goals? (Not only getting CFI & II ratings is important but also building up flight hours is equally important to me).I have been contacted by The Delta Connection Flight Academy and they claim they will interview me after complition of CFI & II ratings and if I clear the interview I shall be given an opportunity to work with The Delta Connection Academy as a paid Instructor and I can build about 800 Hrs of flight time.Do you think the interview process will be transparent and I shall be given a fare chance? I am an alien pilot,how can they offer me to work with them?(Which clause or immegration law?).I do not intend to stay in US.I just need to get my CFI & II ratings and build about 800-1000 hrs.Any feedbacks on The Delta Connection academy? Fees is high(around $15k for CFI & II ratings) but they offer to build flight time after complition of the courese(Probably the only flight school that I have come across which offers that kind of a deal that too legally!!).Can my fellow aviators suggest me a better option?
P.S : Staying permanantly in US is not my intention !! (making my self clear after reading the other threads..lol!!) Since I hold FAA certificates I have no option but to train in US and build some flight time after that.

Thanks in Advance.Happy landings !!

[a.mandon]

I am an alien pilot,how can they offer me to work with them?(Which clause or immegration law?).I do not intend to stay in US.I just need to get my CFI & II ratings and build about 800-1000 hrs.Any feedbacks on The Delta Connection academy? Fees is high(around $15k for CFI & II ratings)

Actually after completing your degrees, you are ACTUALLY never able to "work" in the States.
The only possibility you have (after asking immigration) is to have your visa extended (6 months to be renewable for another 6 months) to have the right (I don't remember the exact terms) "to practice in the field related to your studies".

Delta academy is good and very Pro, as well as the Gulfstream Academy in Florida (Airline Career Pilot Program in combination with Gulfstream First Officer Program).

By the way about your remark ("I do not intend to stay in the US"). In case you change your mind ! only 2 tangible possibilities are offered:

• You stay 2 years with an American girl and then marry her (US immigration is very smart at finding bull..it marriage)
• You invest at least $ 1 million in the States.

Other waiting list for legal immigrants stands from 2 to 15 years (and if your name is Mohamed, it's longer!).

[soaring.high]

Hey

@a.Mandon,
Thanks for the informative post mate.So are you giving a "Thumbs Up" to the delta connection academy?Do you think they are trust worthy and will live up to their reputation? I agree they will not be able to hire me as an employee but they can give me an opportunity to work with them as a trainee or an intern to gain some industry experience which is completely legal, right?
As far as Gulf Stream Academy Paid FO programme is concerned I am not too positive about it.I (on the personal basis ) dont feel like buying the FO hours!! (On the top of it,The Gulf stream FO programme is far more expensive than taking the CFI & II ratings).

By the way about your remark ("I do not intend to stay in the US"). In case you change your mind !

Well buddy if I had to change my mind I wouldnt have made the remark at the first place !!

Any body else who want to provide their advise or comments about The Delta Connection Academy or any other school who might show some interest in taking me under their wings as an intern or trainee CFI after complition of the course?

[MartinCh]

Why would you believe they'd sort the visa issues for you at Delta??
Easy to promise 'chance'.. I think Delta is pretty damn expensive.
What's wrong with the place you studied at?
Why didn't you think of doing full monty up to CFI/II at school with past J1 visa options, to be able to instruct?

You're not likely to secure work visa just like that.
Doing aviation foundation course at community college on F1 visa programme, all the same time doing CFI/I at affiliated flight school (thus considered 'on campus' if working there part time after finishing the rating/cert). How about that? There are some colleges that'd waive about half of the fees for already CPL/CFI holders, ie not having to do PPL, IR etc modules theory that costs. Not cheapest way, but fairly foolproof regarding visa status. They tend to be 2yr, after first year you could get OPT 1yr work visa for 'placement' as instructor, if you need it, saving dosh that you don't need to pay for second year, since you're there for hours.

Why would you say your FAA certs are useful only for USA? You can always convert. Also, some Asian countries can validate FAA ratings more easily, for instruction.
Plenty US CFIs looking for work, considering the job market and the 1500TT thing that followed some high profile crashes in recent months. So yes, it's possible that way, but not a sure deal recipe either. I can't recommend anything, just giving you a hint, where to look.

[soaring.high]

@Martinch,
Thanks for the post mate.Well I know its easy to offer a "chance" but right now Delta is the only school which is offering me that chance.I know they are on the expensive side but they are the only one who are offering on campus work(Possible!!)
The school from where I did my flight training has lowered its standards.There arent too many instructors nor the aircrafts left.It took me a year to finish off my training up to CPL (SE,ME&IR),My visa was of 1 year so I had to leave US.I had planned to get CFI & CFII ratings after CPL but just couldnt get the ratings because of lack of time.I inquired with the school management about J-1 visa and they said it was not possible to issue a J-1 Visa.(Same was the case with other schools as well)
Do you know any community college & a flight school affiliated to it which will provide me those benifits which you discussed in your post?(take a note that I am an Indian citizen residing in India fyi).
I know that I can convert the FAA certificates to any other certificates but trust me its easier said than done.Atleast as far as the conversion process in India is concerned...its a pain in the ass.It takes people years(yup thats right years.!!) to convert their certificates into DGCA certificates.Yes there are other asian countries where the conversion process is much simpler than the Indian one but again I need a work permit which is again a tricky issue!!

[DownIn3Green]

SoaringHigh...

A Mondon is not very accurate on his facts...Many schools offer ATP courses where you earn your CFI's and then stay on for up to 2 yrs until reaching the 1,500 minimum...

As for staying in the US MARRIAGE is the worst thing you can do if you aren't in the US on a FIANCE visa...period....that's the fact...

[soaring.high]

@DownIn3Green,
Thank you very much sir for your post.Do you know any flight school which offers such a deal as mentioned in your previous post?(cfi to atp ratings with 1500 hrs of TT ).And do they accept international students in such courses?I think it is a great option if it works out.
I dont intend to stay in US permanantly.I just need to get the ratings and build a few hours.So marrying a US gal is deffinately not on the cards for me!!

[MartinCh]

SoCall,

Although you know a lot, I think you confuse 'post-J1 F1' with F1 for sort of proper academic studies with some flight training attached, ie Associate degrees. Now I realised I used the 'UK term' *foundation degree* - same thing, but different word, ie part of bachelor's.

Most community colleges, if not all, that do their Associate in airline whatever (read, meant for flight training, to get federal loans and credits for UVSC etc later, since it's more common to expect a degree in the US to sift through CVs) do it via F1 visa. It'd qualify him to work 'on campus' 20hr/week with unlimited hours during break/holidays, straight after CFI/I if he's offered job. That's all hypothetical, no guarantee.

SH,
I think you made a mistake there, regarding your visa etc. Sure, if you didn't know about J1, or changed your aims after you did most/all of your training, that's understandable.
M1 visa you were on, you were able to extend by applying for another 3-6 or whatever months that'd be reasonable for the extra ratings required. Not sure another 12 months would go down well for only CFI/I ratings, but anyway.

Also, while it can be pain in ass, dealing with it, you could have also applied to another school and change your schools while on M1, before it expired, ie start of the 30 days grace period to leave the country. It's easier to change status onshore, than going through the whole thing of entry clearance, visa and flights up and down.
The school has to (supposed to) sign the papers to 'release you' and check that you're going to legit place, but then it'd be the other place sponsoring your visa/for your status to maintain. This could be the source of haggling.

SCA,
Downin3Greens probably meant H-3 visa, as 'trainee'. It's bit pricey and takes some paperwork for employer to do. I've read/been told by some individuals who did it/could do it, in the past, about it. The whole idea of that, is that the 'ATP course' needs a trainee to build time, to get the magical 1500TT and hence he'd qualify for specific 'training instructing' allowance. I know, kinda strange concept to grasp, but that's how it works. Training towards certificate that requires hourbuilding (=instructing). There are few limitations, numbers of these are limited to individual employers etc. Not well known thing, as many schools can't or won't bother with the paperwork involved.

Example? Palm Beach State - Affiliated Flight Schools It used to be WPB Community College, renamed past year or two. They'd give you a credit for FAA ratings in possession for the Associate. You've got choice of two schools here, for example. I don't think it's very cost effective way to build hours, but if you really, really need to stay in the USA... It'd be long shot sorting all this if they aren't likely to hire you.
I know more stuff about F1 with community colleges for rotary flying from other parts of US.

Anyway, SH, could you not have done part of the CFI training before doing CPL checkride, saving flight hours needed? Or was it 'policy' of school, only starting after CPL checkride passed? Too late now. I think - not certain - that at least part 61 rules allow for that.

[vasiokata]

:P

Hello,I would like to know if someone has ever heard about Ahart Aviation Services flight training organisation in California.I accept advices from all!