hijack - Unknown deductions? Now farbeit my place to comment on your situation but, mate, seriously, you let them get away with taking $4k without chasing them up! If a letter didn't work I would be banging on their door asking why they thought they could simply keep my money. Thats a serious amount of money so I would not be a happy chappy, as I'm sure you're not!!!!
Jock 113 - Comments are a bit personal but I'm not getting into an argument on here. However I have to say that as the guy above said, we are the customer and it isn't unreasonable for us to discuss any possible safety issues to do with operating an advanced bit of kit that could kill when all is said and done.

Anyway, depsite all of this I've made the decision to still go to OFT. Afterall they are JAA approved and if things were that bad then I'm sure they wouldn't be allowed to carry on instructing. When all's said and done I'm going out there to get a PPL and come home. As long as OFT deliver that at a price not disimilar from the published $8220 then I'm happy. But like any prudent pilot on ANY aircraft I will be carefully pre-flighting and making sure things are 110% ok before I taxi anywhere!! :)

I am not being picky here, but just to warn you the facts of what they've did.

4k is nothing. It just shows how much their integrity worths for running a business like that.

Oh don't get me wrong, I'm not having a go but just trying to find out exactly how they managed to rob you of 4k! Just incase I need to be watching out for any sligh manouvers when im out there that's all! But as I said before; $4k is alot of money and if that were me I would be either banging on their door or instructing a solicitor.
The way I see it, $4k (£2k) represents an MCC! Well whatever happens, good luck fella. Hope you manage to get it back! :ok:

Hi Chris,

I sent you a PM.

Sam.

First i will like to address the issue of OFT quoting less than what you will eventually pay for.Being an ex OFTstudent, i think the problem has to do with communication.OFT gives you a quote for only the minimums required and i believe if you are able to complete within the required minimums, you should be fine.However, this is not realistic because of two reasons.One has to do with not flying for some days as a result of weather,mtx issues,or instructor unavailablity.As a result, you incur more money on accomodation and other incidentals.The second reason has to do with your ability to learn fast and the kind of instructor you have.You might be lucky to have a good instructor and you are not been able to fly well at the beginning,not soloing till maybe after 25 hours,or failing your checkride,etc.As result, it it might take you more than 50hours to get your ppl.You might also be unlucky to have a bad instructor whose only interest is to get hours from you and will rather sign you off at a late stage after getting many hours from you and teaching nonsense to you.(that i was a victim of)

However, above is what you can find in any flight school around.

What we normally did at that time was to request for our account printout on daily basis.I recall that on several occassions when something was wrong,Jessica Roldan will always refund the money back.And in most cases,it was as a result of the despatchers making a wrong posting into your account.

When i decided to leave OFT to another school, i had like 5,000USD in my account but Jessica was able to send my check to me on my time.

On the issue of safety, aircraft availability, guys you get what you pay for.If you desire something cheap or want to cut costs, it always gets back to you.You get what you pay for.And as Chris Squire suggested, he will ensure he does his preflight very well, which is key to your survival.

And i think the ladies working at OFT are wonderful people and will always make you smile..I rest my case, but please i am not pro-oft.I have just stated the facts as they are.

Jaa Atpl
 

Hi Sloan,

Really appreciate the heads up again. I think the ATPL is a Modular Course with Cabair so no real OFT approval but may I ask if Miguel is the FAA instructor your referring too please?

Considering the ATPL with other providers works out to be around 52k GBP I think OFT still is a good deal?

It is not Miguel i that i am talking about. Im not gonna name the person (it used to be my co-worker...) My point in saying this isnt to talk bad about the instructor but to share my consern having someone teaching subjects they have never gone through themself.

OFT
 

Sloan,

Appreciate your information. I'm trying to acertain whether the chool is still run this way. Obviuosly concerned with the amount of cash I'm outlaying. Could you possibly just let me know whether your co-worker is still at OFT. Complete discretion assured.

Also, how are job prospects looking for you after OFT?

I agree On the JP guy. He's not interested in anything but misleading you.

His biggest line : I'll see what I can do

That doesn't mean he is going to look into it.

This line was given to me to keep me quiet I kept coming back and checking that he understood my situation but later I get billed for something he was going to sort out, Infact he knowingly knew I wanted to switch packages he knew that there was an alterantive and a cheaper package but didnt offer it me.

I am pretty sure the instructor is working there still... Dont get me wrong, she might do a good job in the classroom, but i am surprised it is completly by the book.... You shouldnt have any problems getting work there after you are done... They are always looking for instructors, and there is a shortage in US in general. On the positive note, OFT pays the instructors pretty good as far as instructors go.

OFT
 

Hi again,

Any provider can get CAA approval to run a modular course. The Chief Ground Instructor has to be CAA approved and choses who is suited for Instruction.

I'm doing the ATPL route so not becoming an instructor. I'll be doing my MCC and IR in the UK for direct Airline entry.

The school has to be approved of course, which OFT is. For this approval the requirements are:

A HOT (they have one)
An approved CGI (got one of those too!)
An quality manual, and a theoretical training manual (They are Cabair, so they use the same approved documents)

The CAA requires notification of all instructors that will deliver the theoretical knowledge, but they cannot actually approve or deny the suitability of an instructor. This is the CGI's responsibility to deem them suitably trained for the task. The notification is however, not a JAA requirement, so the CAA cannot enforce the notification process of instructors used. But the CGI and HOT do have to prove that instructors are trained, deemed suitable to solo in class, and are periodically checked for competence, knowledge, and instructional technique.

Instructors are sampled without prior notice of who or when, during CAA inspections. They can then deem the lecturer as either satisfactory or unsatisfactory. All sampled instructors at OFT have been found to be satisfactory.

Incidentally S10an, the lady you are referring too is also a JAA approved flight instructor, a position that does require approval and a fixed training program.

Why question a product that is producing over 90% first time pass rates time after time, and in one month accomplished a 100% first time pass rate?

I hope this clears up any confusion.

IBR

"Its the FAA PPL theory that we still need to pass. This is what i'm studying with Gleim. Just friendly pointer, you could arrive at study it all there."

There's also a oral exam involved on an FAA checkride that can be pretty tough if you're not prepared for it.

I'll Be Realistic

I know that she is a JAA approved instructor... As i already stated, i used to work there, and i was a JAA approved instructor as long as i worked there..
I never said the instructors dont know what they are doing. Getting certified as a JAA instructor when you already are a FAA flight instructor is a joke... There is no difference flying the airplane JAA or FAA.
What i am pointing out is that you have someone teaching you the ATPL groundschool which never did go through that specific program. They dont posess the JAA ATPL/Frozen ATPL.
There is a BIG difference between FAA & JAA ground/written exams..

My point is... Would you spend your money learning French from a french native or someone that took classes in highschool????

What if the French Native doesn't speak Engligh? :rolleyes:

I know what you are saying, but its the point that you are making that is wrong. If you didn't go through the process yourself, and didn;t see the results, how can you pass judgment on their ability, or the schools ability to deliver the product. I'm all in favour of wannabes being cautious, and having direct feedback from people in the know, who have had experience. Where possible, these people should make an informed decision themselves with the best available information to them.

What that may mean, before investing 1000's of dollars is to get on a flight to the school, and go and visit for a few days. Consider it a holiday if you will. If the school has something to hide, they will be found out. If not, they have a new customser.

But what they must not do, is listen to someone who has an opinion of the training process, and to it's relativity or indeed quality. What you are questioning, is the JAA system ("how did they get that one approved"). They did, where they were required to. Now the only question left is, does it work? Only two things can be satifactory for that question. 1. School results, which can be shown to them, and to a lessor extent, 2. students opinions. I say lessor extent, because I have seen too many students over there on daddys money who treat it like a vacation. If they fail exams due to not putting in the work, the only thing you can blame the school for is not thowing themout!

But what a prospective student must not do, is take the opinion of someone who has not done the course themselves at the school, and who may be an ex-employee, from a different department. Thats just asking for here-say, which is :mad:

IBR

I'll Be Realistic,

You are extremly defensive on this subject. Makes me think you work @ OFT in recruiting. I never said what they are doing is illegal, i was wondering how it was done.
As i said, I did work there, up to the point when they started the ATPL groundschool. I also KNOW that they have done JAA ppl training for students before the FAA instructor received any type training or checkout. The topic is OFT, and I give my experience in this field.
Who is more reliable? Someone selling the program or students and instructors living it first hand.

any student from oft(orlando flight training)
 

hi guys i'm looking for students from oft to know more about the school the planes the instructors, because i'm from spain and i'm thinking going there for my jaa license . please sent me a private message or an email to proseller11 @hotmail.com

thanks guys

s10an

Nope, I don't work there, but I did when you were there, and I just don't see the point in mindless "mud slinging" or the reporting of gossip. It doesn't help students get informed information.

I maintain the best thing some one can do before investing thousands in a career is to ay a few hundred quid and visit all the places they are thinking about.

I see you use the same name on APC forums. Care to PM me with who you are? I am suspecting you worked there twice before moving to the EMB 145. Am I close?

Hi All

I've opted to stay well clear of OFT. As mentioned in my previous posts, its difficult to pass too much judgement on an FTO that I haven't actually been to but I'm just not prepared to risk it with the hurrendous reports that have been posted and have been PM'd to me. I'm not looking for an argument on here but reports of instructors verbally abusing students really bothers me and that isn't my idea of good customer service when spending £10k or more!

I spoke to Cabair today....the "21 day PPL" is soon to be axed due to the lack of instructors. In my somewhat humble opinion this isn't necessarily a bad thing anyway.

So on that note....anyone planning to start JAA PPL Course in Moncton on 24th March?

Cheers

Chris :)

hi guys well just some updates on the current situation at oft....
1 yes none of the atpl instrutors holds a JAA ATPL
2 most of the extra cost is from what i hear due to bad instruction that causes students to complete the licenceses with far more hours than needed
3 two instructors "left" at the end of the last module and only one has been hired....
4 there are problems with the cgi attitudes and some students wonder about his real background, rumor has it that he got the job because of his friendship with the school's owner

Jesus Christ!

Gets better and better doesn't it! Definitely made the right choice and really looking forward to Moncton now!

I still think alot of these US FTO's are what you make them and they're all having a hard time of it at the mo to be fair. But don't get me wrong, there isn't any excuse for some of the things that seem to happen there!

:)

OFT
 

Hi Plinky,

Hope all the OFT Post's haven't discouraged you too much. Are you doing any theory prior to PPL?

I'm flying out on the 2nd so have Great Christmas If I don't hear from you before.

By all means email when you arrive - [email protected]

OFT
 

Hi all,

I too had the same experience as the poster above.
I too didn't get my PPL done due to lack of hours.
When I tackled JP & my instructor about the fact I needed to get it done in 21 days, JP laughed and said nobody gets it done in 21 days!
This really annoyed me, I felt conned. I arrived on Wed with view to starting Thurs but didn't start flying untill Monday!
Monday was apparently the day all the courses started but booked me in for Thursday.
All they want is your money. To be realistic, you need at least 5 weeks to get it done, I had done all my exams prior to going to get a headstart but it made no difference.
I think OFT's only use at present is good for hour builders, but I hear that there are far too many of them now too.
They're just too greedy and sooner or later people will stop going

oft?
 

Ciao all!! I am Italian and would like to get the frozen atpl licence at OFT! Every licence is jaa approved exept IR. So I have to convert only IR( I'll do it in the UK, in Italy it cost 20000). But I wonder if i can follow an english corse. I mean: I will study technical words never heard before. Do they help foreign students?? I don't know whether to go through with pro pilot course or not!!please help me!! I think is difficult to follow a lesson without understanding!! Thank you....grazie a tutti

Hi all

I was booked with OFT to complete a CPL ME course. I've been training part time at Multiflight but couldn't finish the course due to the weather and work commitments. I thought an intensive 2 weeks in Orlando was the way to go and booked with OFT in October.

I got the email about lack of Instructors, then a phone call 48 hours before I was due to travel saying there was no point in coming because they didn't have a CPL ME instructor to fly with me. Apparently a guy from CABAIR was supposed to be going out but cancelled at the last minute.

I know it was short notice and all but on the phone they seem a reasonably genuine outfit. Any thoughts on whether I should wait for their staff troubles to subside, or find another FTO ?

Cheers
Andy

Hi,

My experience (and that of friends) is that OFT are good (not fantastic, but not at all bad). My impression is that the majority of posters are the minority of complainants (people are always noisier in complaint than in satisfaction - unfortunately).

Stick with them, and if (as has just happened) things don't go as planned, work together for a solution - you'll find one that keeps everyone happy.

Sam.

Second that..
 

I second that.
They got me through my JAA CPL in 9 days! Including test. Which was a full 1st time pass. Took me 2 months to get there though with the new TSA 'visa' requirement. Be prepared to spend one WHOLE sweaty day in the American Embassy, alongside 400 other people trying to get USA visas. Pleasant..

Pro Pilot Course
 

Hi everyone,
it's my first post here and think this is a really good community where to find a lot of informations.
The object of my question is the Pro Pilot Course at OFT.
I read that there are 24 weeks of ground school, in the phase 1 of the course.
I'd like to know, from somebody who was there, if the 14 examinations requested can be done there, while going on with the other phases, or if I'm supposed to do them when I'll be back to my country.
I can't find this information on their site but it's really important to me.
I know that if you just attend to the ground school, that is 27 weeks long, you do the 14 examinations at the end, in the last 3 weeks, but I can't find if it's the same way for the Pro Pilot Course.
Thank you all in advance.
See you,

Cerealkiller

My understanding of the Pro Pilot Course ground school is that it is divided into three 8 week modules, each being 6 week lectures, 1 week selfstudy followed by a week og tests.

I am more concerned on the pro pilot course which I am going to take this year at OFt is initial ground school for PPL. I am not sure if I am supposed to self study for that or if there are any lectures.

Thanks for your quick answer sTaurinn, I really appreciated.
Where did you find that description? I couldn't find it in their website.
If it's a supposition you did, I'd like also to know, from somebody that attended to the Pro Pilot Course, if it's really like you said.
Thanks again,

Cereal

PPl
 

Hi guys,

I wondered if a visa is required for the PPL course as it only lasts 21 days...
Thanks,

So here's a rumot for you.

OFT is moving out of congested KISM.. How soon? Who knows!

hi!! In the italian forun orlando flight training has not a good reputation becouse people say they don't help foreign students! Is that true? Can someone tell me his experience? thanks!!!! ciauzz!

"nh2301 So here's a rumot for you.

OFT is moving out of congested KISM.. How soon? Who knows!"

I highly doubt that for several reasons.

1. Marc has invested too much money into KISM to move now. The building on the approach end of 6 and the old American Fliers building within the last year.

2. 2/3 of the traffic is OFT. Moving that many planes to another airport will just congest that one. And god help you if it would be to an uncontrolled airport. Indian, Brits, and Icelanders all doing their own thing in the pattern? No thanks.

3. Housing. Nearly 95% of all of OFT's clients require housing. Finding an airport with that much available housing would be rough.

4. Instructors. Hard enough to find find/ keep instructors now. Imagine having to start fresh in a new area.

Crazier things have happened there, but I call bs on this rumor.

As a current student of OFT, i thought it appropriate to report on whats going on there NOW. I too got the email about lack of instructors, and in 3 weeks ive done 15hrs towards my PPL. Although i am doing well, going solo in 2 lessons time. Met JP a couple of times, he seems ok from what ive seen. A lot of students have, shall we say 'billing issues' from their accounts. But i guess as long as you check your balance and query anything thats not correct then nothing should go wrong. There are loads of indian students, but the whole place has just been split into two parts. One building on the west of the airport is now for all the FAA students, and the old building next to the kissimmee airport terminal is for the JAA students. I lost a week of training because of this change, my original instructor was being moved to the JAA side, and as my PPL is FAA, i had to change. apart from that, im doing well. Staying with family so no accomodation needs which is one less hassle. Some students on the same course as me are STILL in the $50 a night hotel due to a shortage of student accomodation.

im going to OFT for the pro pilot course
 

hey im starting my JAA pro pilot course with OFT on the 7th of april. hopefully its going to be a good experience. did some research into it and have decided its the best choice and cheaper than cabair nyways. so any pointers from people who are going there or have been would be useful! also if youre attending the same course PM me.

It has always struck me as odd that people who have a problem with JAA training at OFT (and/or MFC) do not take up their gripes with Cabair. After all, it is Cabair that hold the approvals and are, therefore, responsible for the training. Whereas it is difficult to pursue a claim against OFT under US legislation after the course is finished, it is much easier to prosecute a claim against Cabair, a UK company, who are, actually, responsible for the training provided by both OFT and MFC.

It seems self-evident that, should the training provided by Cabair in Kissimmee or Moncton not meet the same standards as that provided at Cranfield or Bournemouth, it is Cabair that should be held to account and not their sub-contractors. Remember that, although you might pay your money to OFT or MFC, your contract is, in reality, with Cabair since it is they who hold the approval.

ummmm interesting point that above. Thinking of going OBA or OFT for 75 hour package and JAA CPL..... anybody with any recent experience of either??? Have OFT got things back in order after reading a few posts on this thread about instructor/student ratios etc.

If it were your money.....OBA or OFT???? or back to square one with a compltely different option????

Cheers.

Sparx

OBA vs OFT
 

I went through the same OBA vs OFT depate when I was deciding where to finnish my PPL. For me cost was a big issue so I listed all the costs and OBA came out as the clear winner. With OFT there are alot of additional charges that you need to take into account. $50 hotel per night, SEVIS, TSA, fingerprints.

Obviously this is only one criteria to basee a decision on but if cost is a deciding factor its good to list everything out.