AUPRT at FAS Pilot Academy, Greece
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Joined: Jun 2025
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From: Switzerland
AUPRT at FAS Pilot Academy, Greece
I just did AUPRT with FAS. 1250 all-in, 3.5 hours block with DA20-C1 (July 2025).
First off I am really happy I made the effort to go fly in Greece. The scenery is beautiful and the experience with the Air-force/former NATO fighter instructors of FAS was outstanding.
The Training:
1 morning theory, in Markopoulo
1 flight from Megara airport (1.9 hours block) for the main manoeuvres overview and demo
1 other flight (1.6 hours) for mostly spins in a more fluid way
They were very accommodating regarding scheduling, so your curriculum may differ (dates but not block hours), to your advantage.
In conclusion I am very happy with the training, the people and the fleet (my training was a fun one, I must admit...). The entire training went as planned and revealed (after comparing everything I paid including transport and hotels) to be cheaper than what I have seen in other places. Instructors also gave me further advice on my flying skills, I had interesting discussions in the hangar and also got the opportunity to see good airmanship practices in flight (coming out of 95 hours PIC, it was great to see someone else flying with more experience).
I listed the PROs and CONs below. Full prices paid are also listed thereafter.
Pros:
- great availability and fast answers by marketing/admin
- good pricing for AUPRT
- instructors very accommodating, friendly and knowledgeable. Both for theory and practical were former fighter pilots, and they were really nice, friendly and experienced in every possible way. I also had exchanges with other FAS instructors and students: very good spirit
- planning was also very accommodating
- aircraft (DA20-C1) is great to fly for the first time (which was my case), and extremely well maintained. The DA20-C1 does accommodate AUPRT however its has a few limitations with spins. Some other aircraft like C152 or Extra 200 allow for more intense manoeuvres like fully-developed spins but this is not prescribed in EASA. Personally I'm ok with doing only incipient spin recoveries, you still experience 2Gs during recovery and the point is to understand how to get out of the stall (release back pressure) and how the speed suddenly rises before you ease out of the dive, making you aware of structural limitations while experiencing the startling effect. Aerobatics is another topic here since it is about anticipating entry and exit of maneuvres.
- FAS students have all told me they were happy here. There is a positive, healthy and pro-active mindset between students and also with the instructor
- There is enough free parking for everybody land-side of Megara airport
- good greek weather (except with Meltemi wind from the North, but that was not a problem for our flights)
- the scenery was outstanding (we did maneuvers near Corinthia first, then for the second flight, time and conditions allowed for a bigger tour via Poros, Ydra, Spetses, Kranidi, Nαfplio, and Corinthia again, thereby offering an unforgettable tour of the islands)
Cons:
- megara airport via public transport (to get a taxi from megara station to megara airport is anxiogenous, and uber from the city is around 60, so make sure you have ample time-buffer since buses will not really respect schedules). Best option: come with your own car or rent one. You could also stay over in Pachi (coastal town near the airport) but as far as I have seen, prices were high and there are no buses to the airport; so it is the same to get to Megara airport irrelevant from whether you come from the train station, from Megara town or from Pachi: you would rely on unpredictable availability of taxis and uber taxis.
- long waits and last-minute re-scheduling because of slots allocated due to Athens TMA being congested (a problem everywhere around athens) or military parachute activity within Megara vicinity. I have talked to other students from other schools and they sometimes had to wait 2-3 hours at the hangar, but mostly those for ICAO-EASA conversions. I was lucky not to have delays.
Operationally:
Try avoiding the peak heat seasons.
Plan for delays when already landing in Athens and getting around.
12 Uber taxi from Airport to Markopoulo (you can take the train to Koropi and a bus to Markopoulo, or a bus direct to Markopoulo, but it is annoying and the schedules are inconvenient). Here is the timetable of the bus from Athens airport to Markopoulo:
30\night hostel in Markopoulo while visiting the school and getting onboarded administratively
Got a SIM nova (18\month, unli data and calls). Needed to call taxis, communicate with hotel eventually, and also in case of emergency.
2.30 train to Koropi then 1.20 bus to Markopoulo for the AUPRT briefing
1.20 bus Athens centre to Roufa or, then 2.30 train to Megara station
10-12 taxi from Megara station to Megara airport (Gates are where the schools are; on uber or google maps, just search for "Superior Air")
35\night for the cheapest single room in Athens (Monastiraki)
Dinner: 10-14
Going back home: 9 train to Athens airport (Syntagma)
One valid option would be to rent a car from the outskirts of Athens or from Markopoulo and base yourself there. Trains and buses and taxis are annoying but will still be cheaper if you are patient. One problem is the uncertainty of getting to Megara airport from the station, calling taxis and them not answering, or no uber available (very frequent issue). Engage conversation with fellow pilots waiting at the station: you might be saved by a Gulf air student picking up a school mate as I was on my first day there.
Final Recommendations:
Download Freenow and uber, and also apple pay (Your card may not work and many people pay with their phone). Also have some euros in cash, one taxi in Megara told me at the end of the ride it was "cash only" although there were signs in the taxi saying it was illegal to ask for cash only.
Athens is dirty and disorganized; plan to be able to move around comfortably (no big suitcases etc).
Public transport is bad, you can't buy tickets in stations sometimes, although you can buy them in the train. Best would be to stay 1-2 nights near Megara, and then if you would have the opportunity to get some culture time in from this incredible historical site which Athens is, plan 1-2 days as a tourist there when your training is done, rather than staying on the centre and commuting from there for your flights.
First off I am really happy I made the effort to go fly in Greece. The scenery is beautiful and the experience with the Air-force/former NATO fighter instructors of FAS was outstanding.
The Training:
1 morning theory, in Markopoulo
1 flight from Megara airport (1.9 hours block) for the main manoeuvres overview and demo
1 other flight (1.6 hours) for mostly spins in a more fluid way
They were very accommodating regarding scheduling, so your curriculum may differ (dates but not block hours), to your advantage.
In conclusion I am very happy with the training, the people and the fleet (my training was a fun one, I must admit...). The entire training went as planned and revealed (after comparing everything I paid including transport and hotels) to be cheaper than what I have seen in other places. Instructors also gave me further advice on my flying skills, I had interesting discussions in the hangar and also got the opportunity to see good airmanship practices in flight (coming out of 95 hours PIC, it was great to see someone else flying with more experience).
I listed the PROs and CONs below. Full prices paid are also listed thereafter.
Pros:
- great availability and fast answers by marketing/admin
- good pricing for AUPRT
- instructors very accommodating, friendly and knowledgeable. Both for theory and practical were former fighter pilots, and they were really nice, friendly and experienced in every possible way. I also had exchanges with other FAS instructors and students: very good spirit
- planning was also very accommodating
- aircraft (DA20-C1) is great to fly for the first time (which was my case), and extremely well maintained. The DA20-C1 does accommodate AUPRT however its has a few limitations with spins. Some other aircraft like C152 or Extra 200 allow for more intense manoeuvres like fully-developed spins but this is not prescribed in EASA. Personally I'm ok with doing only incipient spin recoveries, you still experience 2Gs during recovery and the point is to understand how to get out of the stall (release back pressure) and how the speed suddenly rises before you ease out of the dive, making you aware of structural limitations while experiencing the startling effect. Aerobatics is another topic here since it is about anticipating entry and exit of maneuvres.
- FAS students have all told me they were happy here. There is a positive, healthy and pro-active mindset between students and also with the instructor
- There is enough free parking for everybody land-side of Megara airport
- good greek weather (except with Meltemi wind from the North, but that was not a problem for our flights)
- the scenery was outstanding (we did maneuvers near Corinthia first, then for the second flight, time and conditions allowed for a bigger tour via Poros, Ydra, Spetses, Kranidi, Nαfplio, and Corinthia again, thereby offering an unforgettable tour of the islands)
Cons:
- megara airport via public transport (to get a taxi from megara station to megara airport is anxiogenous, and uber from the city is around 60, so make sure you have ample time-buffer since buses will not really respect schedules). Best option: come with your own car or rent one. You could also stay over in Pachi (coastal town near the airport) but as far as I have seen, prices were high and there are no buses to the airport; so it is the same to get to Megara airport irrelevant from whether you come from the train station, from Megara town or from Pachi: you would rely on unpredictable availability of taxis and uber taxis.
- long waits and last-minute re-scheduling because of slots allocated due to Athens TMA being congested (a problem everywhere around athens) or military parachute activity within Megara vicinity. I have talked to other students from other schools and they sometimes had to wait 2-3 hours at the hangar, but mostly those for ICAO-EASA conversions. I was lucky not to have delays.
Operationally:
Try avoiding the peak heat seasons.
Plan for delays when already landing in Athens and getting around.
12 Uber taxi from Airport to Markopoulo (you can take the train to Koropi and a bus to Markopoulo, or a bus direct to Markopoulo, but it is annoying and the schedules are inconvenient). Here is the timetable of the bus from Athens airport to Markopoulo:
30\night hostel in Markopoulo while visiting the school and getting onboarded administratively
Got a SIM nova (18\month, unli data and calls). Needed to call taxis, communicate with hotel eventually, and also in case of emergency.
2.30 train to Koropi then 1.20 bus to Markopoulo for the AUPRT briefing
1.20 bus Athens centre to Roufa or, then 2.30 train to Megara station
10-12 taxi from Megara station to Megara airport (Gates are where the schools are; on uber or google maps, just search for "Superior Air")
35\night for the cheapest single room in Athens (Monastiraki)
Dinner: 10-14
Going back home: 9 train to Athens airport (Syntagma)
One valid option would be to rent a car from the outskirts of Athens or from Markopoulo and base yourself there. Trains and buses and taxis are annoying but will still be cheaper if you are patient. One problem is the uncertainty of getting to Megara airport from the station, calling taxis and them not answering, or no uber available (very frequent issue). Engage conversation with fellow pilots waiting at the station: you might be saved by a Gulf air student picking up a school mate as I was on my first day there.
Final Recommendations:
Download Freenow and uber, and also apple pay (Your card may not work and many people pay with their phone). Also have some euros in cash, one taxi in Megara told me at the end of the ride it was "cash only" although there were signs in the taxi saying it was illegal to ask for cash only.
Athens is dirty and disorganized; plan to be able to move around comfortably (no big suitcases etc).
Public transport is bad, you can't buy tickets in stations sometimes, although you can buy them in the train. Best would be to stay 1-2 nights near Megara, and then if you would have the opportunity to get some culture time in from this incredible historical site which Athens is, plan 1-2 days as a tourist there when your training is done, rather than staying on the centre and commuting from there for your flights.
