Fligh training in Ireland
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: ireland
Flight training in Ireland
hi all,
I am new here, great website you have going...
I am thinking about doing an integrated course here in Ireland and just wanted to know if anyone had any experience with the national flight centre in Dublin or Atlantic flight training in cork?? any info on selection assessments and general info and anyones experience would be great. i have done a search on this site and cant find any information apologies if i have missed it....
feel free to close thread if this has been already covered.
I am new here, great website you have going...
I am thinking about doing an integrated course here in Ireland and just wanted to know if anyone had any experience with the national flight centre in Dublin or Atlantic flight training in cork?? any info on selection assessments and general info and anyones experience would be great. i have done a search on this site and cant find any information apologies if i have missed it....
feel free to close thread if this has been already covered.
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
From: Airspace
First of all, selection assessments are a pile of crap. They are a marketing tool (They somehow make a school look good to the un-trained eye).
Really mate, there is only one question that needs to be asked here ! HAVE YOU GOT THE CASH? Can you afford the course?
If you can afford it, then go of and do it.
Atlantic in Cork is a great place to do your ATPL ground school & Instrument Rating.
Usher Aviation in Sligo Airport or Newcastle Airport is a great place to do the PPL.
DONT PAY UPFRONT FOR ANYTHING! NEVER MAN.
Treat this like learning to drive a car, ONLY pay per flying lesson. NEVER, EVER PAY €€€€€ UP front or you are only a big eijet if you do.
Very hard to get a job as a pilot.
Goodluck.
Cheaper to do JAA CPL in america!
p.s If a School tells you there is a pilot shortage or they predict a pilot shortage they are only talking pure
to you and ONLY WANT YOUR MONEY.
Really mate, there is only one question that needs to be asked here ! HAVE YOU GOT THE CASH? Can you afford the course?
If you can afford it, then go of and do it.
Atlantic in Cork is a great place to do your ATPL ground school & Instrument Rating.
Usher Aviation in Sligo Airport or Newcastle Airport is a great place to do the PPL.
DONT PAY UPFRONT FOR ANYTHING! NEVER MAN.
Treat this like learning to drive a car, ONLY pay per flying lesson. NEVER, EVER PAY €€€€€ UP front or you are only a big eijet if you do.
Very hard to get a job as a pilot.
Goodluck.
Cheaper to do JAA CPL in america!
p.s If a School tells you there is a pilot shortage or they predict a pilot shortage they are only talking pure
to you and ONLY WANT YOUR MONEY.
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 628
Likes: 0
From: Ireland
The NFC only just started their integrated course. So the only people with experience of that will be the current students. So I doubt you'll get much information on that situation.
But they've trained many a pilot over the years, including me, (partially). I never had any real problems with them.
Don't know anything about Atlantic. Their integrated course is brand new too. But the have a good reputation.
If it's a choice between the two I would pick the one you're closest too.
You didn't mention PTC and I won't either.
Agree on the selection tests. They're a marketing tool for one thing and for another they're a way of eliminating complete duffers who would make the school look bad if they got onto an integrated course. I spoke to one senior Instructor at a school and asked him why they had introduced a pilot assessment. He told me it was just because the other schools, sorry 'Flying colleges' had them and they had to compete.
But they've trained many a pilot over the years, including me, (partially). I never had any real problems with them.
Don't know anything about Atlantic. Their integrated course is brand new too. But the have a good reputation.
If it's a choice between the two I would pick the one you're closest too.
You didn't mention PTC and I won't either.
Agree on the selection tests. They're a marketing tool for one thing and for another they're a way of eliminating complete duffers who would make the school look bad if they got onto an integrated course. I spoke to one senior Instructor at a school and asked him why they had introduced a pilot assessment. He told me it was just because the other schools, sorry 'Flying colleges' had them and they had to compete.
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: ireland
thanks for the replies
I echo both your thoughts on the pilot assessments i am sure there are many successful and competent pilots out there that have never taken these tests.
G-HALE i hear you on the no money up front and if a schools talk about pilot shortages etc.. i have been researching this for quite a while now its just coming near the point where i need to act. both mentioned schools seem to keep advertising and marking ploys to a low which seems good and both schools only take 8 students a year which is a big difference from our pilot processing factories across the water..(no disrespect to anyone who has trained across the water)
Corsair i understand both are new to the integrated scene but both schools seem to have what looks to be valid testimonial of students from the school who have gone on to fly with some of the well known airlines i suspect these would be modular students??? with out opening a can of worms on the whole modular v integrated debate can you say how they would of went on to gain their employment i.e would the have just got their necessary licenses and applied for vacancies or would the college themselves recommend them to airlines or open certain doors for them?? is it a case were airlines either in a direct or indirect way contact such schools and say give me your top 5 for interviews??
I echo both your thoughts on the pilot assessments i am sure there are many successful and competent pilots out there that have never taken these tests.
G-HALE i hear you on the no money up front and if a schools talk about pilot shortages etc.. i have been researching this for quite a while now its just coming near the point where i need to act. both mentioned schools seem to keep advertising and marking ploys to a low which seems good and both schools only take 8 students a year which is a big difference from our pilot processing factories across the water..(no disrespect to anyone who has trained across the water)
Corsair i understand both are new to the integrated scene but both schools seem to have what looks to be valid testimonial of students from the school who have gone on to fly with some of the well known airlines i suspect these would be modular students??? with out opening a can of worms on the whole modular v integrated debate can you say how they would of went on to gain their employment i.e would the have just got their necessary licenses and applied for vacancies or would the college themselves recommend them to airlines or open certain doors for them?? is it a case were airlines either in a direct or indirect way contact such schools and say give me your top 5 for interviews??
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: In two, very different worlds
Fligh training in Ireland
Suggest you visit NFC in Weston...they're Integrated Course has been on the go for longer and the school has been around for a LONG time...good reputation with the airlines too
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 220
Likes: 0
From: London
From experience I cannot really rate the national flight centre in Dublin.
Their integrated stuff might be ok but I wasn't impressed with the modular training.
I actually ended up going to Iceland to do my IR conversion and was very impressed with the training, the cost of the training and the beautiful country itself.
Their integrated stuff might be ok but I wasn't impressed with the modular training.
I actually ended up going to Iceland to do my IR conversion and was very impressed with the training, the cost of the training and the beautiful country itself.
Last edited by AlexanderH; 5th July 2012 at 22:37.
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: UK
Hi, I have an associate who just did IR/ME/MCC in ATFA. He recommended it VERY highly, the guys seem to be genuine, helpful, none of them have a stuck up attitude at all, he said it was a great place to learn! Also the positive is that apparently all of the guys he flew with are airline pilots and do the training in spare time. So in all a very good 
I'm playing with the idea of going there, but moving to Ireland im not sure if it will effects me in terms of licencing and so forth (im near london should prob pop down to CAA but never have the time).
But this is all perspective from one guy, one review, i havent seen it personally and also this place doesnt say much about AFTA too... So would be good to get some ideas and comments!
I'm playing with the idea of going there, but moving to Ireland im not sure if it will effects me in terms of licencing and so forth (im near london should prob pop down to CAA but never have the time).
But this is all perspective from one guy, one review, i havent seen it personally and also this place doesnt say much about AFTA too... So would be good to get some ideas and comments!
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 513
Likes: 0
From: all over the place
Atlantic in Cork have some recent additions to the staff that improve an already improving company, I would give them a serious look if I was training again.
Avoid like the plague, Clearsky or anything at Waterford. See the PTC florida ops closure thread so you are fully informed.
Good luck
Avoid like the plague, Clearsky or anything at Waterford. See the PTC florida ops closure thread so you are fully informed.
Good luck
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 5,552
Likes: 25
From: ME
EI737..... try reading this thread as it paints a picture of the other side of the situation, especially for older people who may have family/housing commitments. It's worth reading all 7 pages.
http://www.pprune.org/professional-p...er-guys-1.html
http://www.pprune.org/professional-p...er-guys-1.html
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: ireland
I have recently seen a picture on a magazine and it shows a certain (sneaky) Captain that was at PTC, now playing a big part at AFT. Any thing he say's, just think the opposite and that is more correct. Enjoy if u go there, they have nice planes up there.
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: Antipodes
To rankace
I think you are mixing up AFT (Atlantic Flight Training in Coventry) and AFTA (Atlantic Flight Training Academy in Cork - which is mentionned in this thread). Unless I'm mistaken, the place where "the certain (sneaky) captain that was at PTC" is now is AFT in Coventry, and not AFTA in Cork.