SFT No longer???
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It is all well and good saying that you should pay by credit card......but not all of us have a credit limit of £12,000 to pay for an IR!!!!
Not sure about you, but I have no job as I gave it up to follow my dream, so a bank would be bloody stupid to give me a card with that sort of limit!!!
The people that have been stung by SFT did think about this eventuality before commiting themselves to the course. I checked out there credit status and took provisions to hols all of my money in a separate joint account. If the company had closed before I had started my IR, then I wouldn't have lost so much money. As I was only ten hours into an IR at the time, I lost all of my IR and MCC money.
So it just shows that you cn be as carefull as you like but sometimes 'S**t happens' and there is not a damn think that you can do about it!!
I just hope that something can be done to secure students money. Help from the government, or maybe even a governing body for Commercial Pilot Students?? I just hope that people can learn from what has happened to myself and my close friends, and that it doesn't happen again!!
MM
Not sure about you, but I have no job as I gave it up to follow my dream, so a bank would be bloody stupid to give me a card with that sort of limit!!!
The people that have been stung by SFT did think about this eventuality before commiting themselves to the course. I checked out there credit status and took provisions to hols all of my money in a separate joint account. If the company had closed before I had started my IR, then I wouldn't have lost so much money. As I was only ten hours into an IR at the time, I lost all of my IR and MCC money.
So it just shows that you cn be as carefull as you like but sometimes 'S**t happens' and there is not a damn think that you can do about it!!
I just hope that something can be done to secure students money. Help from the government, or maybe even a governing body for Commercial Pilot Students?? I just hope that people can learn from what has happened to myself and my close friends, and that it doesn't happen again!!
MM
Flies for fun
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Dead easy really (assuming that you have access to 12,000 quid, just phone the credit card company (number on back of card or statement) tell them that you are making an advance payment of 12,000 or whatever into your account and then pay the merchant by credit card - hey presto, you just paid 12.000 quid by credit card when your limit is only £500 !!
It's when you spend the money but don't have the necessary funds to repay them when the fun begins!!!
It's when you spend the money but don't have the necessary funds to repay them when the fun begins!!!
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Just heard from a well-placed source within GAPAN that the CAA are progressing plans to force training organisations to ring-fence customers' pre-payments (escrow accounts or whatever)
The word is that they will make the approval conditional on suitable arrangements being in place. No safeguards - No approval. This will also apply to PPL schools overseas when they come under the approval umbrella next year.
The word is that they will make the approval conditional on suitable arrangements being in place. No safeguards - No approval. This will also apply to PPL schools overseas when they come under the approval umbrella next year.
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I can understand paying a deposit to secure a place on a course, but paying for the whole lot up front is just giving them an interest free loan. A solvent organisation wouldn't need payments in advance to continue trading so these holding accounts shouldn't worry those who have been able to survive the costs of JAR etc. But why have a holding account? Give them your money in installments, in the meantime see if you can earn a bit of interest on it yourself.
If I was doing my training now I would consider seriously picking only organisations who don't insist on one up-front payment. When I did do my training ten odd years ago I never paid a penny up front, that was the norm then, so it can be done. And yes all my training was done in Bournemouth with organisations that are mentioned on this thread, and recently demised.
If I was doing my training now I would consider seriously picking only organisations who don't insist on one up-front payment. When I did do my training ten odd years ago I never paid a penny up front, that was the norm then, so it can be done. And yes all my training was done in Bournemouth with organisations that are mentioned on this thread, and recently demised.
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What does/did the S stand for in SFT?
On the paying up front point, obvious that you wouldn't want to pay a huge amount for a long course over months/years. On the other hand, for a short cheap course, the saving may be justify any risk. Also, from the flying schools' position, you'd be a bit anxious about anyone who could disappear without any realistic chance of collecting what they owe.
On the paying up front point, obvious that you wouldn't want to pay a huge amount for a long course over months/years. On the other hand, for a short cheap course, the saving may be justify any risk. Also, from the flying schools' position, you'd be a bit anxious about anyone who could disappear without any realistic chance of collecting what they owe.
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Querry, the S stands for Simulator. From the days when that was just what they did. Before my time though.
As a student, SFT came over as the best school. Later as an instructor on their Aztecs, SFT was by far the best+ to work for. Colin Green really tried hard, both to keep students and staff happy, and to run a profitable business. If more students had passed their exams and got onto flying,(I'm not blaming them), then the school would probably still be running.
If you read this Colin/Chris good luck in whatever new venture you go into. It was a pleasure to work for you in 99. I really did feel bad leaving for an airline job.
As a student, SFT came over as the best school. Later as an instructor on their Aztecs, SFT was by far the best+ to work for. Colin Green really tried hard, both to keep students and staff happy, and to run a profitable business. If more students had passed their exams and got onto flying,(I'm not blaming them), then the school would probably still be running.
If you read this Colin/Chris good luck in whatever new venture you go into. It was a pleasure to work for you in 99. I really did feel bad leaving for an airline job.
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The school I train wiyth requires you to credit your account with at least £500 at a time (although you could credit more if you liked!), this was run down until it reached about £75 and then you had to top up again to a min of £500.
Great idea as if anything did happen you did not kiss goodbye to the whole of your piggy bank! And of courese you paid the amounts using your CC so you can claim the money back if you did get stung.
Julian.
Great idea as if anything did happen you did not kiss goodbye to the whole of your piggy bank! And of courese you paid the amounts using your CC so you can claim the money back if you did get stung.
Julian.
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Thanks for that history, Eddy, but I don't understand the 'If more students had passed their exams and got onto flying'.
Surely SFT was paid for people training for, not passing, exams? Or do you mean that poor results have led to reduced business for SFT?
I cannot comment on the quality of instruction at SFT, but it doesn't surprise me that there wasn't enough flying. When I went there, admittedly years ago, SFT was obviously a nine to five place, even in the Summer.
Surely SFT was paid for people training for, not passing, exams? Or do you mean that poor results have led to reduced business for SFT?
I cannot comment on the quality of instruction at SFT, but it doesn't surprise me that there wasn't enough flying. When I went there, admittedly years ago, SFT was obviously a nine to five place, even in the Summer.
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When I did my IR there and GFT's it was certainly not a 9-5 operation. Airborne in the Warrier at 0600 - lovely summer weather great memories . Sad to read that so many people are now very worried about the financial consequences. Good luck to you all.
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Not long ago, on this and similar topics, Send Clowns & Co (but no-one official) were blathering about 'profitable', 'promising' etc. S...FT.
Since then- NOTHING.
So what's happened?
Since then- NOTHING.
So what's happened?
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Query,
I think what was meant about 'if more students passed there exams" was the fact that not many people were transfering from the groundschool to the flying side!!! This meant that SFT could not take any money from those students on the groundschool module. The problem being the conversion to JAR from CAA and the fact that the CAA came up with some bizzare rulling that you must pass all of you ATPL subjects before you could attempt the CPL GFT!!!! (not sure of the rule as integrated students pass the CPL before the second set of ATPL subjects!)
I was stung by this one. I had two subjects to complete but decided to start my flying. Other students decided to get their groundschool finished first. Over the last few months (anyone from SFT can correct me if I am wrong!!) only a few students transfered to flying...which inturn caused cash flow issues.
I am not defending SFT as I have been stung very badly, but I cans see that there are many factors that have contributed to there downfall. I just hope that lessons can be learned from others misfortunes!!
MM
[ 16 November 2001: Message edited by: Midland Maniac ]
I think what was meant about 'if more students passed there exams" was the fact that not many people were transfering from the groundschool to the flying side!!! This meant that SFT could not take any money from those students on the groundschool module. The problem being the conversion to JAR from CAA and the fact that the CAA came up with some bizzare rulling that you must pass all of you ATPL subjects before you could attempt the CPL GFT!!!! (not sure of the rule as integrated students pass the CPL before the second set of ATPL subjects!)
I was stung by this one. I had two subjects to complete but decided to start my flying. Other students decided to get their groundschool finished first. Over the last few months (anyone from SFT can correct me if I am wrong!!) only a few students transfered to flying...which inturn caused cash flow issues.
I am not defending SFT as I have been stung very badly, but I cans see that there are many factors that have contributed to there downfall. I just hope that lessons can be learned from others misfortunes!!
MM
[ 16 November 2001: Message edited by: Midland Maniac ]
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Sorry folks - hit the hundred on this one so it's time to close it. You may well want to save a copy for future reference and you're more than welcome to restart the thread.
Rob Lloyd
Rob Lloyd
