UK flight school

[PA-28 CLOUD SURFER]

Is there anybody out there who knows which out of Bristol flight school and Bournemouth flight school offers the best cpl/ir training? I don't think i can afford OATS so what is the next best option.

I have heard Bristol is prefered by airlines! Is this true,

any help will be greatly welcomed.

Surfer

[Bodie]

I have heard Bristol is preferred by airlines! Is this true,

The only people who will say that is true are the people who trained at Bristol. Don't be restricted to just a handful of training schools by "so called" reputation, there are a fair few out there at the moment that offer high quality training.

If it's CPL/IR training, then why not consider Billinsair at Cranfield. The prices are some of the best I've seen, and for the IR they offer 25 hours Piper Arrow III Turbo, 25 hours Seneca II Turbo. I spoke to Mike there a while back and he sounded very committed to quality training, taking many dissatisfied students from both Oxford and Bristol (Nothing to do with Bristol Ground school which is a separate and excellent company). An IR with no simulator work at under 10k inclusive has got to be worthwhile looking in to.

http://www.billinsair.freeserve.co.uk/

Bodie

[PA-28 CLOUD SURFER]

thanks

Bodie,

Thanks for the reply, i have taken your advice into consideration. The reason i have chosen Bristol or Bournemouth for my fATPL is mainly to do my groundschool and then head to Aussie to do the flying part of the license as it is cheaper. It came down to Bristol or Bournemouth because i have a house in Bristol and my parents have a house in Bournemouth therefore it would cost me if i choose to go to Cranfield. In your reply it seems that you don't rate Bristol very much, can you explain to me why, and by any chance did you go to Cranfield and if not do you work there??

Any replies would be much appreciated

Surfer

[Bodie]

Hi PA-28 CLOUD SURFER

Can't speak from experience from either Bristol or Oxford, I'm merely pointing out that these well known schools are not the be all and end all.

I'm sure Bristol is a good school, but I know of one guy that spend an auful lot of money there and eventually left CPL/IR'less.

However, this is only one side to the story - factor in personality and ability, and it could be that this guy wasnt cut out for it.

Bodie

[carbonfibre]

Best CPL / IR

Thats a difficult question to ask, and its a little subjective, i have been looking for an IR school for some time and have visited a few, look around you may be suprised biggest is not always better for you, a friendly environment may help as opposed to the stricter regime of a larger school.

I would not jump into starting it, have a look around make an informed decision, not based on other peoples choices or experiences, but what you see and how it fits in with you.

Big reputations and big schools can lead to disspointment if your more used to the personal touch

Take the time to visit, thats all i can say after talking to them you will soon drop some but others stand out a mile

Happy hunting

[Send Clowns]

I would always recommend you come and see us and any other school you are interested in if you are able, and as others have said look at all options. You are welcome to look round here any weekday, or the flying side at weekend. There is also an open day tomorrow to the whole school.

All the schools are approved by the CAA to the same standards, so offer at least a minimum level of training - of course I would say that we are superior, but so would an instructor from any school - and all help you achieve the same licence. Many also claim some relationship with some airlines (we certainly can), but this is at best that your CV will go to them if they are hiring. The most important difference between the schools is in atmosphere. You really must visit to see if you can be settled and comfortable for a fair amount of time at the school.

Hope to see you here soon for a visit

Send Clowns
Ground Instructor
Bournemouth Commercial Flight Training

[Alex Whittingham]

I've never heard any real evidence to suggest the airlines prefer any school over another. I can thoroughly recommend BFC but PAT or BCFT in Bournemouth will do an equally good job for you, as will a number of other schools around the country.

[Martin Barnes]

An interesting post! The decision to train from EGHH or EGGD
is a matter of personal choice. As the owner of BFC I can assure you the schools at EGHH offer a first rate package equal to the product we offer.

I am most disturbed by the inference that the product offered
by our organisations is in anyway inferior to the Oxford product.

At the moment the IR market has too many training providers
which is why we are offering The 50 hr course for just 8k.

The bottom line is to look for a combination of CAA test availabilty
. Plenty of equipment i.e. 2 Sims and 6 Aircraft plus warm feeling from past students.

Good Luck

[Delta Wun-Wun]

It has already been said that all the schools teach to at least a minimum standard. Pick a short list and then go and visit. The final choice will come down to which one you are more comfortable with.

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Well I know that both the Bournemouth schools and the Bristol school mentioned have a well established reputation for quality training.

By personal preference I think going for schools in the second tier of size/marketing is probably wise. You get a good ratio of quality to cost.

I've used and taught at all sizes of FTO for those that don't know.

Good luck in your training.

WWW

[Bodie]

PA-28 CLOUD SURFER

Didnt reply properly to all you questions! I don't work at cranfield or for Billins, but I have visited on a couple of occasions and liked what I saw.

Bodie

[John Pearce]

Another option is Aeros at Gloucester for your CPL and IR training.

I completed my CPL there in Feb. First rate training on PA 28 and then the PA 28 RT 201.

I'm currently on my FI course with them, and looking at doing my IR there towards the end of the year.

I'm very happy with the training and treatment I've received from them. I also use their fleet for self hire "jollies" all well equipped tidy aeroplanes.

Worth speaking to them about training.

[cfb]

CPL / IR Choice of FTO

All of the previous posts seem to take mostly subjective or personal views. Its not just the money you are going to spend, its the quality of your training and whether you are going to achieve that all important 1st time IR pass that matters. Therefore take time to consider some important points :

The location
> If the airport has only 1 runway, (Bournemouth and Bristol) will you always be within your crosswind limit and able to fly as planned.
> If the airport has a lot of commercial traffic, how much time might you spend waiting at the hold, or orbiting N or S while the heavy stuff departs or lands, let alone being told to break off your ILS because a 767 is gaining on you.
> What is its elevation, e.g. Bristol is 622 ft, in theory thats a 530 ft lower cloud base than EGBJ when a warm front is coming through.
> How easily will you join controlled airspace, and and at what level - check the published SIDS and STARS
> What is the lowest level for the airway you will be joining - is your training aircraft turbo-charged and able to get up there quickly.
> Is the twin you are going to do the IR on De/Anti iced. If not, how many days will you lose because of a low level icing forecast, even in summer.


Take time to visit the FTOs' and ask questions - being friendly and drinking coffee is not enough,
> Meet the Instructors - are they just a bit older than you, hours building perhaps on a salary of maybe £10-15K / yr, or are they 3000 hr plus professionals earning £35 - 45K / year with real experience and knowledge to impart to you.
> How many students to each Instructor, 2 is ideal, and will you always fly "back to back" with another student.
> Ask to see the Training Manual. What is the syllabus - what exercises / routes will you fly.
> During the 50 hr IR course, how many and what type of approaches can you expect to fly and where will you fly them.
> What will you spend on approaches (base and away) in addition to the course fees.
> How many Long Briefings can you expect, and on what subjects.
> Ask to see the Quality Manual - how will your progress be recorded / assessed.
> Is there a Student Reference Study Guide for additional self study - how extensive is it.
> How is the charged time calculated - block to block, airborne + 10, airborne + 15 etc.

There really are a lot of things to consider before you can be sure that you actually made an informed decision, rather than acting on an impulse, feeling or hunch.
Whilst there are a few "wise boys" out there, you generally get what you pay for, especially when it comes to Instructors.

Good luck

[Send Clowns]

Obviously I am not entirely unbiased, working for BCFT, but having originally trained for my IR in Bournemouth (with a different FTO, no longer in business) I can say that none of cfb's points about location were any sort of a problem. The advantages of onsite facilities - NDB, ILS and CAA flight examiners - and the good weather in the South West (also applies to Bristol in my experience of the city, though I think we have statistically more sunshine than anywhere else in the UK) were far more important.

Commercial traffic was rarely an issue, enough to keep interested in future career, not to keep students circling. I never joined on a SID or STAR, always very simply as instructed by ATC, who are some of the best, friendliest controllers I have encountered at civilian airfields (as a place they all remember from training perhaps it is a favourite posting!). Any quicker to altitude and I would have to have been working 19 to the dozen, and icing was never an issue, not a single day lost despite that fleet only having one anti-iced aircraft (not sure about ours, I teach groundschool not IR).

I completed my IR training in 6 weeks despite only flying once a day (by my own choice).

[cfb]

IR Training

Jetblast Rat,
I read your reply with interest.
From what you said, I assume that your IR training didn't include flying either a SID, or STAR, or any real experience of actual icing conditions.
I must say that I'm glad that my IR included all 3, and for real, - does that mean I get to wear the Tee-Shirt ?