Goodyear Arizona OAT on the cheap?
 

Seems things have changed since my day- I heard that things aren't so good out at Goodyear- 'backseating' aircraft for hours at a time- no OAT rep out there- miles from anywhere...sorties at 5am....can anyone out there tell us what's going on?

Don't know about the OAT situation but sorties at 5.00 am may be to fly in nice still air to avoid turbulence later in the day.

hi all
well just to clear up some of the "hype" thats on ehre about OAT and Goodyear that people have heard
firstly - we do not start flying at 5am....the flying program runs from 6am through the whole day and through to the night....students actually request to fly at 6am and much prefer this time than any other time of the day!!!
as regards your comments about backseating....not sure who your source is but u got totally the wrong end of the stick here - you are assigned a flying partner and you can if you so desire backseat their flights and they backseat your flights - not all of them are possible as some are solos for a start - most of the backseating i did was to learn what we are being taught and to get more familiar with the area and it was 100% useful.....other backseating was on nav trips where one would fly out to somewhere and the other back which is much more fun than flying local!!!
It is not feasibly possible to backseat more than you fly!!!
i don't quite understand how there is no OAT rep outhere either?? the place is run by oxford....i agree there have been teething problems and not everything has run as smoothly as we would or oxford would have liked but everything has either been sorted or is getting done....AP himself was here the first few weeks making sure everything is ok and has been back when the new courses come out....also other staff from oxford have been here along with the staff that are here at present!!
as regards being miles from anywhere - a bit exaggerated - the base here is not in a "prime" location as was scottsdale being in the middle of the city!! although we do have to travel upto scottsdale if we want to go out or anything there are plenty of shops/restaurants etc within a few minutes drive (i say drive as you try walking in 40C heat!!!)


anyway just to finish...beign out in goodyear myself i can reassure people that things "are good"!!

regards
adam

Microfilter, suggest you need to check your sources as they're incorrect on several counts. As a student currently at GYR, I can help correct the inaccuracies:

Yes students back seat each other, but if they are backseating who is in the frontseat? Answer another student! And then they will swap over.

GYR is a fully operated OAT base and is staffed only by full time employees of OAT, several who have come either from Oxford or SDL.

Training does start at 6am. But as pointed out by Groundloop training in the desert requires an early start as temperatures can exceed 43c by 2pm during summer, so training in that kind of weather would be difficult. This is standard practise for all flight schools in this area. Furthermore most airlines will operate flights starting at these times, so early mornings/late nights are an occupational hazard for all in (and hope to be in) the airline industry.

Hope this is of some help.

R

thanks for the info- can you run through what you do after flying/evenings etc....what's it like being marooned out there? Do you wear orange jumpsuits?

Well on campus, there are extensive sports facilities including basketball courts, tennis courts, volleyball court, swimming pool. Indoor games there are table tennis, pool etc.

If you're into shopping (and clothing is very cheap out here), there are approximately 3 malls within a 30 minute drive.

There are loads of restaurants and supermarkets within 2 miles of the airfield.

Those of us who are legally allowed to drink have even ventured out to Scottsdale and Tempe which are the nightlife mecca's of Phoenix and people travel from all over to get to.

However the biggest miss is that there isn't an english pub (with an open fire even though it would have to be air conditioned) 2 minutes walk, selling english beers, with Sky Sports and a beer garden next to a river. Then I would be totally satisfied! :O

R...

PS: We have also been having weekends away and as a group have so far visited;

LA - Universal Studios theme park etc.
Las Vegas - what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas
San Francisco - Seafood and Alcatraz
Seattle - home of Starbucks?
Tucson - Pima Air & Space and Davis Monthan (spotters paradise)
San Diego - great beaches (spotters paradise)
New York - see a concert

I heard that when you get there you get instructions reminding you to wash every day? Is that true?

hi
let not forget what we are here for now?!?!
were here to train to be pilots - this isn;t a holiday camp where we moan about location or other stuff like that - were here to fly - the facilities for that are much better and is less busy than scottsdale which makes it perfect for students to learn - there are plenty to do in your own social time...
looks as if some people just want ot find holes in the program here...

adam

hahaha
man u hear a lot of wierd stuff!!!!!!!
one guy was sent back to get a shave by his instructor for lookin a scruff and that was it!!!
we did get a welcome pack which stated to keep clean as its not nice being in an aircraft with someone who smells - perfectly reasonable statement to me....so anymore nit picking?!?!
seriously man u need to go out and get some fresh air

adam

sent to get a shave? Notes telling you to wash! Bizarre...

only thing i see as bizarre is your perception of OAT!!!
does it really matter about some words on a leaflet that half the course didn;t even probably read?!?!
where here to be "professional" pilots not nit pickers mate!!!
lets keep to the good stuff eh?

adam

Can anyone else see anything strange with being told to shave and how to wash? Does this also happen at Cranfield or at Bournemouth? It would be interesting to hear. What length of facial hair is acceptable in the cockpit?

i hear OAT are opening a kindergarten/creche where u can go cry and moan with all the other babies?!!
ingeniuous idea i must say!!!

now now- don't lose your cool in the cockpit... I'm waiting for some other views. It does seem that some people have been institutionalised- for them it may be too late- but- just stand back for a moment- if you can and think on that- you are being told that you must wash yourself daily. Can you not even see that may be just a touch patronising? Can any free thinkers out there give us a view?

Microfilter

I think I speak for many people when I say that we are getting a little bit tired of your vendetta against OAT. You never cease to amaze me with some of your comments. You really need to get some reliable sources.

As for being advised to shave, wash...Perfectly acceptable in my opinion. OAT, and many other FTO's wish to create a professional atmosphere. Would you turn up to your job with an airline looking like :mad:? I think not. As has been pointed out, no one wants to sit next to someone in a close environment who has not has a shower.

ok but surely everyone automatically has a shower several times daily? What's going to happen when these guys have to cook themselves breakfast? Mind you in Langford I suppose that wasn't a problem either.....

Yes, agreed, I assume most people probably do take a shower several times a day, especially in the heat of Arizona. However, I'm sure there are also one or two who may not have considered it as a top priority.

If you were on a professional training course with me, and I had to share a small, stuffy cockpit with an unwashed, unshaven you, you're damn right you'd be sent back to remedy the situation. Whatever your perception of your 'rights' as an individual, you are training to be a member of a professional team which represents safety and responsibility to the travelling public, and you have to be bearable in close company. If you can't cope with that, or understand why a certain minimum standard of presentation and cleanliness is required, you're in the wrong business. Perhaps self-employed builder's mate might be more appealing to you?

Scroggs

Some people really do not realise how badly they can hum in the cockpit! There is a point where you **HAVE** to intervene - and having been there done that myself, I can't say it was fun for me nor the malodourous student!

Surely by briefing on this before getting underway with the course, people who shower regularly can bring their sloping shoulders into action or likewise those that don't can avoid an embarrassing situation!!

I wouldn't take offence to such a thing.

Microfilter:

I too would send a colleague working for me home for not shaving. Contrary to what some might think, there is no such thing as an anarchist's freedom where we can all do whatever and ignore others around us.

Perception of professionalism in all areas is important, and aids to put someone in a certain state of mind.

Go home and moan about your local postal service - you might achieve something then.