You might want to consider Algoa. Never flown there myself, no affiliation, but they more often than not get a good rap on the net. Also a nice location on the coast with variable weather and at an airport with approach facilities. If I did it again I think thats where I would go.

Personally, I think 43rd is too expensive, and you might not like the regimented style, especially if you are older. There is no doubting the quality of their training though - went there myself, but it was cheaper and smaller then.

Progress also offers quality training aimed at the commercial student but a bit more personal and smaller than 43. Theres also APTRAC at Port Elizabeth...dont know much about them though.

Dont ignore the smaller operators. Many of them offer quality training and a more personal approach. As always, choosing the right instructor is as important as the school, if not more so. Best would be to come out to SA and go and visit the schools yourself - have a great holiday at the same time.

Hello everyone!

I'd like to go for a CPL, ME, IR from scratch and whatever else that fits in my budget. I have e-mailed several schools in SA in the past month, and I've got quotes that include accommodation. They sound good, however, these are cost breakdowns, and I'd like to come up with some kind of an estimate.

I'd like to get some info from people who have done their training in SA recently. What should I expect in total cost after a one year training with the above mentioned ratings? Did you spend as much as you had calculated before training? Do I need more money than the school says? How much more?
Let's assume that I'm an average guy, with average skills, and average beer consuming habits.

thanks

Ronnie

Flight training college ??????????
 

Hello people,

Just wanted to find out if anyone has any information about the following school based out in South Africa. The price is really good. They're quoting £19K for the full training including accommodation and meals. The license would have to be converted on returning to the UK but I'm guessing that it shouldn't cost more than another £5K.

Ballistic

When you say full training I assume that is from 0 hours to the SA CPL with a ME/IR. The £ 19 000.00 is a bit unrealistic. The pound is very strong against the South African Rand at the moment, but that is a artificial thing ( our politicians screwed up somewhere , again! ) and will be restored in the next few months.
To convert that to the Uk CPL ME/IR is going to cost you between £ 10500 to £13 000. Not including the MCC.

You will have to do your research again and do not forget CAA fees, groundschool and aircraft rental for the test.

Phone any school in the UK that do convertions and you will get to that prices.
Cheers
GgW

Does anyone have experience with Nelair Flight Training or th-aviation-connexions? Is this the same company? They are located in Nelspruit.
Can You recommend them?

Flight training at Nelair/Th-aviation
 

Some words on Nelair (Th-aviation connexions is the recruitment company for Nelair flight academy.)

I just got back from Nelair a couple of days ago. Did my PPL there and had the time of my life. It is definitly not regimented as i guess 43 is,rather laidback and personal. The joke on base was that it would make an excellent sitcom with all the different personalities(no names,you know who you are :p ).
Training is on C150`s & C172`s and they also have some Cessna twins for the commercial students.
The airfield is perfect for training as the runway is short,very narrow,downhill sloping,always warm,humid,bumpy conditions and it`s at 2900 ft elevation. It is also located inside the Kruger mpumalanga international airspace which gives you atc training once outside the circuit. The surrounding scenery of the Loweld area is spectacular as well. You have the Drakensberg to the west with enourmous plateau mountains and huge canyons,and the Kruger park to the east. All 30 minutes from the airfield. Perfect for x-country.
Nelair also has it`s own maintainance and charter on the airport and there are several other companies including the local police helicopters,fire-bombers etc. The charter business operates numerous different aircraft such as B200 & 1900`s, LET`s, Gulfstreams, Caravans, several piston twins and C206 etc. Planes are coming and going all the time, so there`s alot going on.

PPL training is primarly focused on the flying part so be prepared to do some studying on your own. There is PPL ground school,but it is of the "rush through the basics" type.
The commercial students are trained by a 70-something veteran who has over 300 typeratings & 18000 hours,this guy has flown everything from spitfires to jumbo`s and have unlimited knowledge and stories. The guy is living aviation history and the students seemed privileged to have him has instructor. :D

On the downside: Well,Nelspruit ain`t exactly the centre of the universe..On the social side the biggest happening is (fanfare) The MALL. This is where everybody in the greater Nelspruit area gathers. It`s the local francise of hell. As for nightlife there are two or three decent places,unless you like afrikaaner-folkmusic-trance-remixes & barfights :ugh: Then you`ll be in for a treat.
Spend your money on a rental car instead and travel around,there`s a lot to see. Also, beware of the chief of the kitchen on the school. If you don`t eat your food,she will give you hell. She also shouts at the VIP guests on the charter planes for not eating their inflight meal! As i said,it would make a great sitcom..:E

So it`s definitly a great place to do the PPL/vacation thing. Most do it in 5 weeks and it`s cheap. You also meet a lot of interesting people of all ages and all walks of life.

As for the CPL i guess it`s the place you would go to if bush flying on small props is in Africa is your thing. It`s not a bus-737 pilot-factory and the instructor teaches you things that`s not in the books:}

Ok,sorry guys for making this a bit too lenghty,but i had a hard time finding anything on Nelair/th-avaition before i went down there..Hopefully this will help somebody.

Do not hesitate to send me PM or email.

Studies at 43Air School
 

I am new to PPrune, and am on the verge of embarking on my dream.

On the verge well, am still working to earn enough to pay for my courses at 43 Air School in South Africa and expect to kick start only around August 2008. Don't want to wait but have to, financial constraints.

I would like to make all possible cost savings however.

I have requested for quotations from 43 at different periods, and have noticed that they seem to increase in amount each month. What increases is not course fees but accomodation.

I would like to get advice from anybody who lives around in Port Alfred/or has done his cpl at 43 to tell me if it is possible to arrange for alternative accomodation around in port alfred and roughly how much would that cost.

Right now accomodation is costing R5000/month according to 43 quotation.

Thanks and wish me luck!:cool:

I will definitely need all the luck to start at the age of 28 in 2008.:E

Accommodation in SA
 

5000R per month does seem expensive. i also thought the same as you. I have a few 2 bedroom properties in a sought after area of Cape Town that i rent out for about 1000R less than that.

43 quoted me 5000R per month 2 weeks ago.

i also do not intend to start until 2008, but am also considering UK to train as i am British.

hi
 

Try Federalair!!!!!
Lot of European pilots...

Training schools in Port Elizabeth SA
 

Hi,

I'm going to be spending a few months in Port Elizabeth and I thought that I would do my 50 hours solo/cross country down there as I am working towards my JAA CPL.

I have contacted two training schools for information and prices.

Aptrac airline training and Progress flight academy.

If anybody has had any first hand experience or has any reliable knowledge of either school, I would be very grateful.

Thanks

T-H

There's lots of information about training in South Africa >>> HERE

I haven't looked to see if there's anything about the schools you mention but, if not, you could ask.

Go to Progress...

Highly recommend them, I did my training there.

Egyptair
where did you complete your training?

Just as an idea as to the cost of training in S.A:
I completed my ComIF (SE) + instructors rating earlier this year and it set me back around R180000 for all the flying/instruction/exams etc. Or there about's - so S.A is def one of the cheapest around.....

:)

I'm looking for a serious flight school that offers building hours on a B737NG-300-900. I need to build my hours and fast. Any suggestions in SA?

BOY ! ya must having a lot's of puppies to build up hours on a Boeing :}:}:} Take me with ya for some rides :} But did you mean that you have a type rating on NG's, and that you want to find a company that could eventually take you up for a kinf of line training to get the 500H on type ?

Back to the training in SA, I did my PPL/NR at Lanseria with a school that wasn't that good in managing there business ! After, I was hiring Lanseria Flight centre aircrafts, nice one, good condition, but I do not know anything about there training. It is said that it's nice, but I do not like the attitude of there CFI. At the end of the day, arn't we with our money ?

Good luck Egyptair.