My honest review of MRO Aviation in Granada
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2024
Posts: 11
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From: Bradford
My honest review of MRO Aviation in Granada
As far as I can tell, MRO Aviation of Granada is an aviation mechanic who has decided to try his hand a pilot flight training after the involuntary liquidation of Fly In Spain of Jerez in 2025. Judging by Google reviews he seems to have amassed a large number of very happy customers for the aviation mechanic side of his business.
I was formerly a student of Fly in Spain where I, amongst others, had a very bad experience. As far as we can tell, Fly in Spain was run into the ground by management and a large number of students lost thousands of euros in deposits. I was lucky in that I only lost my time and was prevented from finishing my PPL.
Before approaching MRO Aviation, I asked my old friends from Fly in Spain if anybody know anything about this new school, and I was told it was started by Fly in Spain's former mechanic and that the receptionist from Fly in Spain may have joined the business too, which didn't bode well... However, the owner of MRO Aviation assured me that his business runs under different rules, and so I gave him the benefit of the doubt.
My review of MRO Aviation is limited to the onboarding stage. I think the review is useful in that
1. It will give you the opportunity to judge the professionalism and kindness of the staff at MRO Aviation from the perspective of a former student of Fly in Spain.
2. It will give you the opportunity to consider where MRO Aviation's claim to credit prior hours accumulated at UK CAA approved schools is true.
3. It will give you the opportunity to see how internal communications work at MRO Aviation.
Here goes...
MRO Aviation's website currently says:
"Recognition of prior hours: We validate flight hours completed at other EASA or UK CAA approved schools to accelerate your training.
For various reasons, a Spanish flying school that accepts hours from UK CAA approved schools would be an absolute godsend to me, so I was very excited and immediately made contact over the weekend using the whatsapp number provided on MRO Aviation's website. The owner responded immediately and enthusiastically on Saturday evening as follows (I was later informed that I had interfered with the owner's leisure time over the weekend by contacting him via his website using the whatsapp number he publishes there...)
Owner: Hello!!
Owner: Tell me what you need
Me: ppl training
Owner: Could you write to the admin responsable on Monday?
Owner: From 9am Monday it's ok
Owner: We will help you
So I got in touch with the receptionist describing my circumstances in detail and asking her to confirm the school can accept hours from UK CAA approved schools. Possibly before realising I am a former student of hers from Fly in Spain she asked me for my signed training records and sent me a detailed itemised quote for training amounting to 3,845,00 euros including
2,460 euros flight time
500 euros ground school
315 euros written tests
170 euros for the skills test
300 euros for the theory access
100 euros for admin.
At this time, both the owner and the former FIS receptionist seemed to me to be ready to take my money and admit as a student. In my experience schools don't waste time generating quotes and requesting training records when they're too busy to take on new students.
However, rather than transferring cash and records immediately, I repeated my request to the receptionist Cristina to confirm the school accepts hours from UK CAA approved schools. After several prompts she told me they do not. Disappointed, I drew the school's website to her attention, which clearly states that UK CAA hours are accepted towards the EASA license at this school, and asked her to confirm the school's website is wrong. She refused to confirm either way.
So, still hoping the school's website was correct, I contacted the owner again, and this is where the conversation started going badly wrong. I'll reproduce it here for you to judge for yourself, bearing in mind the school appeared to be ready to take me on as a student:
Me: I asked reception to confirm this [UK CAA school hours are counted towards the training total] claim is true, and initially she ignored the question, but after pushing several times she now says the claim is wrong. If she's right, this is extremely disappointing, and, with respect to you, I would strongly suggest you change your website so it doesn't make this false claim. Please let me know definitively, will you accept hours obtained at UK CAA approved schools or not?
Owner: I will check later
Owner: Travelling
Owner: Regards
Owner: I will check now with Cristina but we are so so full and maybe we are not interested
At this point I got back to the receptionist who confirmed they had availability from the 23rd March, just 3 weeks away, which, in addition to having received a detailed quote and request for my training records, strongly suggests to me that they were not too busy, especially given I only needed about 12 hours training, and wouldn't be ready for 3 weeks anyway.
Owner: Hello Alex, I was checking the booking, and all the thing we have. Sorry mate, but I can't provide you the thing [UK CAA school hours are counted towards the training total] you need now. Not because we can't do it. We CAN do it. But actually we are full, and don't have space for another guy. I'm sorry about that, but you need to go to another school.
Me: Reception said you're free from the 23rd March. Shall we proceed?
Owner: No sorry, we will check it together, and it's not possible.
At this point the conversation began to develop a more frank and negative tone, with the owner of the school ending up saying "You are silly." and "Of course I wasn't wrong not to pick you up, that's for sure." and "It's my business, it doesn't matter what reception says, I decide".
The owner then started sending me unsolicited messages including videos of the club's aeroplanes narrated in Spanish. I believe this was in an effort to prove the school is busy.
In summary, my experience has given me the strong impression that there is a breakdown between what reception believes the school can offer, what the website says the school can offer, and what the owner decides the school will offer on the spur of the moment, possibly influenced by the perceived tone of the customer and/or the customer's experiences at previous flying schools.
I do suspect, but cannot prove, that the Cristina working at MRO Aviation is the same Cristina that used to work at Fly in Spain, and that she may have told the owner of MRO Aviation not to take me on based on her experience of my complaints while I was at Fly in Spain. If this is true, then this is very sad, because the Cristina from Fly in Spain is very well aware of how badly I was treated during my time there, and should really have been rooting for me in her new role at MRO Aviation.
Notwithstanding, in my experience, the owner seems to be easy to anger, and on a totally different page to his staff re. what services he offers, and how busy his school is. The owner may be a wonderful mechanic, but my experience communicating with the owner and the receptionist Cristina leaves me concerned that this may be the kind of flying school where progress is highly personality dependent and not solely focussed on ability, dedication, and a willingness to pay.
I was formerly a student of Fly in Spain where I, amongst others, had a very bad experience. As far as we can tell, Fly in Spain was run into the ground by management and a large number of students lost thousands of euros in deposits. I was lucky in that I only lost my time and was prevented from finishing my PPL.
Before approaching MRO Aviation, I asked my old friends from Fly in Spain if anybody know anything about this new school, and I was told it was started by Fly in Spain's former mechanic and that the receptionist from Fly in Spain may have joined the business too, which didn't bode well... However, the owner of MRO Aviation assured me that his business runs under different rules, and so I gave him the benefit of the doubt.
My review of MRO Aviation is limited to the onboarding stage. I think the review is useful in that
1. It will give you the opportunity to judge the professionalism and kindness of the staff at MRO Aviation from the perspective of a former student of Fly in Spain.
2. It will give you the opportunity to consider where MRO Aviation's claim to credit prior hours accumulated at UK CAA approved schools is true.
3. It will give you the opportunity to see how internal communications work at MRO Aviation.
Here goes...
MRO Aviation's website currently says:
"Recognition of prior hours: We validate flight hours completed at other EASA or UK CAA approved schools to accelerate your training.
For various reasons, a Spanish flying school that accepts hours from UK CAA approved schools would be an absolute godsend to me, so I was very excited and immediately made contact over the weekend using the whatsapp number provided on MRO Aviation's website. The owner responded immediately and enthusiastically on Saturday evening as follows (I was later informed that I had interfered with the owner's leisure time over the weekend by contacting him via his website using the whatsapp number he publishes there...)
Owner: Hello!!
Owner: Tell me what you need
Me: ppl training
Owner: Could you write to the admin responsable on Monday?
Owner: From 9am Monday it's ok
Owner: We will help you
So I got in touch with the receptionist describing my circumstances in detail and asking her to confirm the school can accept hours from UK CAA approved schools. Possibly before realising I am a former student of hers from Fly in Spain she asked me for my signed training records and sent me a detailed itemised quote for training amounting to 3,845,00 euros including
2,460 euros flight time
500 euros ground school
315 euros written tests
170 euros for the skills test
300 euros for the theory access
100 euros for admin.
At this time, both the owner and the former FIS receptionist seemed to me to be ready to take my money and admit as a student. In my experience schools don't waste time generating quotes and requesting training records when they're too busy to take on new students.
However, rather than transferring cash and records immediately, I repeated my request to the receptionist Cristina to confirm the school accepts hours from UK CAA approved schools. After several prompts she told me they do not. Disappointed, I drew the school's website to her attention, which clearly states that UK CAA hours are accepted towards the EASA license at this school, and asked her to confirm the school's website is wrong. She refused to confirm either way.
So, still hoping the school's website was correct, I contacted the owner again, and this is where the conversation started going badly wrong. I'll reproduce it here for you to judge for yourself, bearing in mind the school appeared to be ready to take me on as a student:
Me: I asked reception to confirm this [UK CAA school hours are counted towards the training total] claim is true, and initially she ignored the question, but after pushing several times she now says the claim is wrong. If she's right, this is extremely disappointing, and, with respect to you, I would strongly suggest you change your website so it doesn't make this false claim. Please let me know definitively, will you accept hours obtained at UK CAA approved schools or not?
Owner: I will check later
Owner: Travelling
Owner: Regards
Owner: I will check now with Cristina but we are so so full and maybe we are not interested
At this point I got back to the receptionist who confirmed they had availability from the 23rd March, just 3 weeks away, which, in addition to having received a detailed quote and request for my training records, strongly suggests to me that they were not too busy, especially given I only needed about 12 hours training, and wouldn't be ready for 3 weeks anyway.
Owner: Hello Alex, I was checking the booking, and all the thing we have. Sorry mate, but I can't provide you the thing [UK CAA school hours are counted towards the training total] you need now. Not because we can't do it. We CAN do it. But actually we are full, and don't have space for another guy. I'm sorry about that, but you need to go to another school.
Me: Reception said you're free from the 23rd March. Shall we proceed?
Owner: No sorry, we will check it together, and it's not possible.
At this point the conversation began to develop a more frank and negative tone, with the owner of the school ending up saying "You are silly." and "Of course I wasn't wrong not to pick you up, that's for sure." and "It's my business, it doesn't matter what reception says, I decide".
The owner then started sending me unsolicited messages including videos of the club's aeroplanes narrated in Spanish. I believe this was in an effort to prove the school is busy.
In summary, my experience has given me the strong impression that there is a breakdown between what reception believes the school can offer, what the website says the school can offer, and what the owner decides the school will offer on the spur of the moment, possibly influenced by the perceived tone of the customer and/or the customer's experiences at previous flying schools.
I do suspect, but cannot prove, that the Cristina working at MRO Aviation is the same Cristina that used to work at Fly in Spain, and that she may have told the owner of MRO Aviation not to take me on based on her experience of my complaints while I was at Fly in Spain. If this is true, then this is very sad, because the Cristina from Fly in Spain is very well aware of how badly I was treated during my time there, and should really have been rooting for me in her new role at MRO Aviation.
Notwithstanding, in my experience, the owner seems to be easy to anger, and on a totally different page to his staff re. what services he offers, and how busy his school is. The owner may be a wonderful mechanic, but my experience communicating with the owner and the receptionist Cristina leaves me concerned that this may be the kind of flying school where progress is highly personality dependent and not solely focussed on ability, dedication, and a willingness to pay.
Last edited by T28B; 13th April 2026 at 17:16. Reason: edited per request by OP per the PM sent to Admin
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
From: Spain
Anything linked to FIS is asking for trouble. It is a shame really as FIS was great at just doing PPL’s when it first started. Then they joined up with the notorious SC at Wingglinder. That guy destroyed the business!
Last edited by Gus slayer; 5th March 2026 at 16:09.
Joined: Mar 2026
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: Knokke
MRO Aviation Granada - Spain
I feel compelled to respond to the review posted by “xoriatis,” as my personal experience at MRO Aviation in Granada has been completely different.
I started my PPL training at the beginning of February this year with zero prior flying experience, and I can honestly say the experience has been outstanding so far.
First of all, the staff is incredibly friendly and always ready to help. From day one, I felt welcomed and supported—whether it’s scheduling flights, answering questions, or simply taking the time to explain things properly. That kind of accessibility and attitude makes a huge difference, especially as a beginner.
What really sets MRO apart from the larger flight schools in the Malaga/Granada area are three key factors:
I started my PPL training at the beginning of February this year with zero prior flying experience, and I can honestly say the experience has been outstanding so far.
First of all, the staff is incredibly friendly and always ready to help. From day one, I felt welcomed and supported—whether it’s scheduling flights, answering questions, or simply taking the time to explain things properly. That kind of accessibility and attitude makes a huge difference, especially as a beginner.
What really sets MRO apart from the larger flight schools in the Malaga/Granada area are three key factors:
- You actually fly—a lot. At many bigger schools, students often complain about delays and limited aircraft availability. Here, I’ve been able to fly consistently, which means real progress and the ability to obtain your license in a reasonable timeframe.
- Instructor stability. One of the biggest advantages is that you can complete your entire training with the same instructor. That continuity is invaluable for learning efficiency and confidence. From what I’ve seen and heard, this is rarely the case at larger schools in the region, where instructor turnover is high.
- A close-knit environment. MRO is a smaller school, and that’s a major strength. You’re not just another student in a system—you quickly become part of a group of like-minded people. It genuinely feels like a community of friends and colleagues, all sharing the same passion for aviation.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2024
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Bradford
This sounds lovely Alex, and it's exactly what I was looking for when I first approached MRO Aviation. I'm glad you had a good experience. As you can see from my original post, and the follow up below, my experience has been the complete opposite to yours. I have now been threatened with having my future ruined.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2024
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Bradford
After reading my post MRO Aviation got in touch again. The red and underlining have been added to draw attention to what I consider the most egregious sections of the messages received.
MRO Aviation: Good morning
MRO Aviation: I'm seeing from your online posts that you enjoy conflict and trouble. I just saw a post and I have proof that we simply haven't hired you, not because we can't, but because my school is extremely full and I'm not interested in the kind of work you bring in. I'm politely requesting that you remove your damaging and unfair posts about us today, otherwise I will take legal action. I will write to the CAA and our friends so that you'll have problems with them when you apply for your license, among many other things.
MRO Aviation: As you can imagine, I have very powerful connections everywhere and could ruin your future, especially by spreading lies and nonsense about my company. So please remove this post or we will be forced to take further action...
Me: Happy to delete any part of what I wrote that is factually incorrect. Please feel free to quote any falsehoods contained. However, if i continue to receive threats from you I will publish them alongside the original post.
MRO Aviation: You can do whatever you want
MRO Aviation: You will be in my focus
MRO Aviation: Good morning
MRO Aviation: I'm seeing from your online posts that you enjoy conflict and trouble. I just saw a post and I have proof that we simply haven't hired you, not because we can't, but because my school is extremely full and I'm not interested in the kind of work you bring in. I'm politely requesting that you remove your damaging and unfair posts about us today, otherwise I will take legal action. I will write to the CAA and our friends so that you'll have problems with them when you apply for your license, among many other things.
MRO Aviation: As you can imagine, I have very powerful connections everywhere and could ruin your future, especially by spreading lies and nonsense about my company. So please remove this post or we will be forced to take further action...
Me: Happy to delete any part of what I wrote that is factually incorrect. Please feel free to quote any falsehoods contained. However, if i continue to receive threats from you I will publish them alongside the original post.
MRO Aviation: You can do whatever you want
MRO Aviation: You will be in my focus
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
From: Spain
After reading my post MRO Aviation got in touch again. The red and underlining have been added to draw attention to what I consider the most egregious sections of the messages received.
MRO Aviation: Good morning
MRO Aviation: I'm seeing from your online posts that you enjoy conflict and trouble. I just saw a post and I have proof that we simply haven't hired you, not because we can't, but because my school is extremely full and I'm not interested in the kind of work you bring in. I'm politely requesting that you remove your damaging and unfair posts about us today, otherwise I will take legal action. I will write to the CAA and our friends so that you'll have problems with them when you apply for your license, among many other things.
MRO Aviation: As you can imagine, I have very powerful connections everywhere and could ruin your future, especially by spreading lies and nonsense about my company. So please remove this post or we will be forced to take further action...
Me: Happy to delete any part of what I wrote that is factually incorrect. Please feel free to quote any falsehoods contained. However, if i continue to receive threats from you I will publish them alongside the original post.
MRO Aviation: You can do whatever you want
MRO Aviation: You will be in my focus
MRO Aviation: Good morning
MRO Aviation: I'm seeing from your online posts that you enjoy conflict and trouble. I just saw a post and I have proof that we simply haven't hired you, not because we can't, but because my school is extremely full and I'm not interested in the kind of work you bring in. I'm politely requesting that you remove your damaging and unfair posts about us today, otherwise I will take legal action. I will write to the CAA and our friends so that you'll have problems with them when you apply for your license, among many other things.
MRO Aviation: As you can imagine, I have very powerful connections everywhere and could ruin your future, especially by spreading lies and nonsense about my company. So please remove this post or we will be forced to take further action...
Me: Happy to delete any part of what I wrote that is factually incorrect. Please feel free to quote any falsehoods contained. However, if i continue to receive threats from you I will publish them alongside the original post.
MRO Aviation: You can do whatever you want
MRO Aviation: You will be in my focus
professional company makes threats of that sort. This reminds me of my days at FIS. SC from Wingglider was a specialist in threats of those sorts, I’m not surprised its carried on to another company.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2024
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Bradford
It's sad to think of all the young people and their well-meaning parents spending tens of thousands of euros trying to get into an aviation career, only to be treated like dirt, and then threatened like this if they complain. It's bad enough that the training costs so much, and the job, assuming you ever get one, pays so little, without being being treated badly by flying schools. I really think more people should call this kind of behaviour out, via reviews etc, and report it to CAA, EASA etc.
Joined: May 2026
Aviation Qualifications: SLF
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: Spain
Just as it seems!
Hello everyone,
Alex you have made good decisions not coming here.
I am a student here and the representation of the boss through your texts is exactly the way he is.
There has been a mass exodus of students due to a good few reasons.
1: The instructors are straight out of their qualification and are TERRIBLE. I had one instructor called Mohaned. He is a BULLY with 0 regard for the students time or money. Some days we will be sitting with the engine running 30 minutes whist he tells me I’m doing everything wrong even though I follow the checklist EXACTLY this is the same in the air also. I have raised concerns regarding the weight and balance as taking off with full tanks puts us over by 100lb and his response is ‘you did it wrong’ no I didn’t!
2: The owner Fran is not there most of the time and I have never met Cristina. I have heard the Cristina was a major part in FlyinSpain a company that went into liquidation leaving students out thousands of euro in deposits. There seems to be a threatening tone from them regarding money. I have never let my account be in the negative but some students maybe 200-400 in the negative and he has messaged them saying he will cancel their license and use his ‘contacts’ so they will never get a job. I have raised concerns about Mohands teaching to the boss only to be told ‘I’ll look into it’ there has been numerous complaints and nothing has changed.
3: The aircraft. When I first contacted I made it clear that I wanted to fly the c172 due to the increased safety (more power and range) and the fact I have experience flying this type. They said this was not a problem. Once I arrived at the hangar it was sitting in the corner with the wings off and engine out and it allegedly has been crashed months prior. This was NOT communicated.
the other 2 aircraft (150s) are old but mostly taken care off. There is one with 100hp that uses the whole runway when taking off and climbs at 200-300fpm on a warm day. I had expressed concern about this but it was shut down saying there is enough runway. High density and a heavy instructor in an underpowered aircraft what could go wrong? The other aircraft is an aerobatic so had additional power however it comes at a 30€ per hour premium that isn’t clearly stated once you sign up. It hasn’t got a VOR NAV radio and also seems to be neglected with things taking long to fix like nav lights and fuel gauge.
4: Scheduling is a pain. You get the eobt and eet late at night before your flight in the morning, of course it is understandable but it could be better. You will be scheduled to fly 5 days a week but in reality you will be lucky with 3 due to breakdowns, scheduling and weather.
5: Ground School. The ground school is stupid, you pay the instructor 60€ PER HOUR to read off a screen and explain something that could be done on YouTube. I would recommend getting your groundschool elsewhere.
I DO NOT recommend here at all. DO NOT SEND THE 2~ 3,000 DEPOSIT before you start as this place could have the same fate at FlyinSpain. The 4 weeks is IMPOSSIBLE and is just flat out fake advertising, you fly from an airport with no public transport you need a car.
Alex you have made good decisions not coming here.
I am a student here and the representation of the boss through your texts is exactly the way he is.
There has been a mass exodus of students due to a good few reasons.
1: The instructors are straight out of their qualification and are TERRIBLE. I had one instructor called Mohaned. He is a BULLY with 0 regard for the students time or money. Some days we will be sitting with the engine running 30 minutes whist he tells me I’m doing everything wrong even though I follow the checklist EXACTLY this is the same in the air also. I have raised concerns regarding the weight and balance as taking off with full tanks puts us over by 100lb and his response is ‘you did it wrong’ no I didn’t!
2: The owner Fran is not there most of the time and I have never met Cristina. I have heard the Cristina was a major part in FlyinSpain a company that went into liquidation leaving students out thousands of euro in deposits. There seems to be a threatening tone from them regarding money. I have never let my account be in the negative but some students maybe 200-400 in the negative and he has messaged them saying he will cancel their license and use his ‘contacts’ so they will never get a job. I have raised concerns about Mohands teaching to the boss only to be told ‘I’ll look into it’ there has been numerous complaints and nothing has changed.
3: The aircraft. When I first contacted I made it clear that I wanted to fly the c172 due to the increased safety (more power and range) and the fact I have experience flying this type. They said this was not a problem. Once I arrived at the hangar it was sitting in the corner with the wings off and engine out and it allegedly has been crashed months prior. This was NOT communicated.
the other 2 aircraft (150s) are old but mostly taken care off. There is one with 100hp that uses the whole runway when taking off and climbs at 200-300fpm on a warm day. I had expressed concern about this but it was shut down saying there is enough runway. High density and a heavy instructor in an underpowered aircraft what could go wrong? The other aircraft is an aerobatic so had additional power however it comes at a 30€ per hour premium that isn’t clearly stated once you sign up. It hasn’t got a VOR NAV radio and also seems to be neglected with things taking long to fix like nav lights and fuel gauge.
4: Scheduling is a pain. You get the eobt and eet late at night before your flight in the morning, of course it is understandable but it could be better. You will be scheduled to fly 5 days a week but in reality you will be lucky with 3 due to breakdowns, scheduling and weather.
5: Ground School. The ground school is stupid, you pay the instructor 60€ PER HOUR to read off a screen and explain something that could be done on YouTube. I would recommend getting your groundschool elsewhere.
I DO NOT recommend here at all. DO NOT SEND THE 2~ 3,000 DEPOSIT before you start as this place could have the same fate at FlyinSpain. The 4 weeks is IMPOSSIBLE and is just flat out fake advertising, you fly from an airport with no public transport you need a car.
