Whats the catch? European Flight Training
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 38
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From: London
Whats the catch? European Flight Training
Hi all,
I won't start flight training for a few years yet, but am casually checking out my options and I stumbled across European Flight Training and it seems a little too good to be true. Their airline pilot program firstly is £35,800, ($59000) which is very cheap, this even includes accomodation and FI rating.
They also make some bold claims; "No programme offered by any other school is as successful as EFT's Airline Pilot Programme™ in consistently placing graduates in full-time employment as professional pilots upon completion of their training."
And secondly, "EFT's APP™ graduates are guaranteed employment as intern flight instructors with EFT", which is an incredible offer really. "Graduates of our Airline Pilot Programme™ become part of the EFT team as paid intern flight instructors upon successful completion of their course, providing them with the necessary flight experience to successfully seek employment with an airline."
I'm guessing that as the school is called "European" flight training that this course is designed for non-US citizens, so how can they offer you employment? (visa-wise etc)
They also give you tips on how to choose a good flight school, what to be careful of etc etc. It is a very fancy website and looks very legit.
They offer so much, so it has me thinking, what is the catch? They make you pay in installments $20k, $15k, $15K, $10k. From the look of the pictures they don't seem short of cash (great looking facilities, swimming pool, volleyball pitches etc) and about to collapse with your installment. They claim to be a relatively small organisation, and not a 'pilot factory' and they claim ample numbers of aircraft for training.
Something has to be up right? link: European Flight Training
I looked on the SEVIS list of approved schools (i.e. ones which can sponsor a visa I believe) and they weren't on it, at least not under the EFT name. Surely this whole organisation can't be training illegal aliens!?
Anyone able to shed any light on this? Hope is as legit as it seems though- cos I'll be off there asap!
Paperplanes
I won't start flight training for a few years yet, but am casually checking out my options and I stumbled across European Flight Training and it seems a little too good to be true. Their airline pilot program firstly is £35,800, ($59000) which is very cheap, this even includes accomodation and FI rating.
They also make some bold claims; "No programme offered by any other school is as successful as EFT's Airline Pilot Programme™ in consistently placing graduates in full-time employment as professional pilots upon completion of their training."
And secondly, "EFT's APP™ graduates are guaranteed employment as intern flight instructors with EFT", which is an incredible offer really. "Graduates of our Airline Pilot Programme™ become part of the EFT team as paid intern flight instructors upon successful completion of their course, providing them with the necessary flight experience to successfully seek employment with an airline."
I'm guessing that as the school is called "European" flight training that this course is designed for non-US citizens, so how can they offer you employment? (visa-wise etc)
They also give you tips on how to choose a good flight school, what to be careful of etc etc. It is a very fancy website and looks very legit.
They offer so much, so it has me thinking, what is the catch? They make you pay in installments $20k, $15k, $15K, $10k. From the look of the pictures they don't seem short of cash (great looking facilities, swimming pool, volleyball pitches etc) and about to collapse with your installment. They claim to be a relatively small organisation, and not a 'pilot factory' and they claim ample numbers of aircraft for training.
Something has to be up right? link: European Flight Training
I looked on the SEVIS list of approved schools (i.e. ones which can sponsor a visa I believe) and they weren't on it, at least not under the EFT name. Surely this whole organisation can't be training illegal aliens!?
Anyone able to shed any light on this? Hope is as legit as it seems though- cos I'll be off there asap!
Paperplanes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 919
Likes: 0
From: uk
EFT shares facilities and aircraft etc with Ari Ben aviator and it is this name which will appear on your visa.
Also the $59,000 is the bare bones price and doesn't get you a JAA IR or MCC, or any medical, visa, flights, exam fees, skill tests etc, I would expect to allow £10-15k (providing you pass all courses first time in minimum hours) to cover all the previous and a JAA IR conversion and MCC course to allow you to apply for European airline jobs.
Also the $59,000 is the bare bones price and doesn't get you a JAA IR or MCC, or any medical, visa, flights, exam fees, skill tests etc, I would expect to allow £10-15k (providing you pass all courses first time in minimum hours) to cover all the previous and a JAA IR conversion and MCC course to allow you to apply for European airline jobs.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: London
Thanks for that, yes seemed too good. The exam fees would probably add on 10k, and the JAA IR a further 6-7k and 4k for an mcc, just glancing at a few school's price lists. So that would mean this route would total nearing 80k. Guess it depends on how much they pay you as an 'intern'! Still an interesting way of going about training and you could potentially end up with 1000+hrs.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: London
Thanks SoCal App for your input. I wonder what the likelihood of actually being able to stay in the U.S. would be for a rookie pilot. It does all seem very complicated and a little suspicious! I wonder if there are any guys out there who have successfully gone down this route.
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Spain
I'd like to know if there is at least one person there to help you if you are having trouble studying, if there are many 'i-just-fly-for-hours' instructors over Ari ben and EFT, if you had any major problems with them... stuff like that, the -human- part of the training, 'cuz I'm sure they are money-seekers (like all of them).
(Interested in the new APP)
(Interested in the new APP)
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 514
Likes: 0
From: earth
Eoon, I cannot comment on any of he comments above you, but to your questions...
I did my CPL at EFT in 2005, at the time my was instructor Iain Poll, he is still there also is Matthew Adams and Thomas Jensen. I hope that helps.
FC
I did my CPL at EFT in 2005, at the time my was instructor Iain Poll, he is still there also is Matthew Adams and Thomas Jensen. I hope that helps.
FC
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: Europe
I had good experience with Iain, Matthew & Thomas, all great guys to fly with, they consider you as a customer and offer their help... And you are free to ask questions (believe me, I had plenty).
Last edited by tume; 5th November 2010 at 20:46. Reason: typo
