@ozzybob84

I really really really have absolutely nothing to AWA management, I know you think I am but you are wrong and you are directing your 'issues' at the wrong person, obviously your experience has been alot worse than mine I don't really understand why that is but hey there you go. And just for the record I know exactly who you think I am, and you are probably right about what you think of that person, personally I just stayed well clear, kept my head down and got on with the course and i never had any issues with anybody.

If you were chucked out to make way for Air Asia then I agree that is unacceptable, this is all well after my time and I guess then I was lucky I was not around to see it. I find it hard to beleive your claims of instructor student ratios in my time there was roughly 1/4 and to be honest they spent most of their time trying to convince the foreign guys that they needed to book some flights. I took advantage of this and had GFPT out of the way in 6 weeks, PPL flights in 3 weeks and then in to ground school for CPL. I do agree with you on the dutchess, thats on its last legs but no worse than you will experience when you do find a charter job. Personally I think it actually made me a better pilot flying that thing as it set me up better than any G1000 equipped aircraft would have. I guess it did spend more time in at Air Gold Coast than it did being used but its an old aeroplane.

Your claims regarding the G1000 ''endorsement'' I actually find quite funny :}anybody with out the brains to go and look at the relevant CASA documents can easily ascertain there is no such thing and I have no sympathy for anybody silly enough to get charged for one.:ugh: I bet you could count on one hand the amount of G.A companies flying G1000 equipped aircraft.

If you want a good laugh take a look at the Australian Wings Academy website:

"AWA has a policy of limiting each instructor with four full time students at any one time."

and

"Students are able to book or check their roster over the internet"

LOL! :ugh:

@OZVANDRIVER

I don't understand what you are getting at, I was fully able to book flights and check my roster for up to two weeks ahead over the internet. The system had its moments (it liked to crash) but it wasn't too bad. I believe they are still using the same system as I am still able to log in.

Instructor student ratios were approximately 1/4 so again i'm not sure what you are actually getting at. Your not doing much to convince me to change my opinion on the place.

@ Aviator1982

I am confused aviator1982. you keep digging yourself into a bigger hole every time you post something on here...it’s interesting!

Quote...
“I will not be commenting any further I do not wish to get involved with an argument which has nothing to do with me"

Well we all know that didn't happen! I guess thats what we call a lie? This is the same sorta thing as to what AWA management do...hmmmm

Quote...
“No really I am not AWA management, I finished my course 12 months ago"...you also funny enough agreed with the dutchess that has to go into maintenance. Well when you were "supposedly" doing your training, AWA had only at that time a Seminole and not a dutchess!
Could you please be elaborate…it seems your story does not match….Another lie perhaps? ...hmmmmm

Finally my last point…

Im afraid you are in denial
“AWA, no it can’t be a bad place!" "when I did my training it was good and it had 1/4 student ratio"

Aviator1982 what I am trying to say is nothing stays perfect forever, and ultimately people and businesses change, for the good and bad. Now, you have some persona that AWA is all good and happy days....well it isnt. There are a handful of postings on here which all highlight certain things that are wrong with the school. Things that were brought to the schools attention more than one time! However, they failed to listen and now are ultimatly paying the price!

Open your eyes and ears to these comments. I believe no one would come onto to pprune and bash a school for no apparent reason. There is a reason to why so many people are telling future students / instructors about this place. As we do not want to see future people come here and experience the things we have!
I am sure you are an intelligent individual and can see and understand what is taking place...

Cheers
Pilot1991

@Aviator1982 - I'm not actually trying to change your opinion - in fact none of my comments were directed at you, I just want to warn others.

But since you addressed a couple of points towards me I guess I'll bite:

Your were able to book flights over the internet? This is most definitely not the case now. The way in which flights are booked changed 3 times in the year I was there - and at no time were students able to book flights themselves as the website implies.

As for the 1:4 instructor to student ratio: my instructor personally told me she had 9 students following the 'departure' of other instructors. This magical ratio that we have heard so much about was certainly not enforced as per AWA 'policy'. If you PM I will happily provide you with more details.

I am not suggesting that AWA should be perfect at everything all the time, but for crying out loud do not put something on your website if you cannot even follow through with it!

Where can I find a good flying School
 

G'day lads,

AVIATOR1982 – your comment is not necessary towards my question!:cool:

I’m currently attempting to find a decent flying school for my nephew. I’m a pilot myself though I’m quite out of touch when it comes to flying schools. In my day there were very few, but today there is over 100 on the east coast of Australia alone. My nephew and I visited Australian Wings Academy a couple of months ago and found their operation quite disgraceful and unprofessional. The school’s staff, were either very out of touch with the reality of the industry, or were playing car salesmen. Either way I feel terrible for those who have been roped into their fiction of aviation.

On a lighter note, does any person have any advice on MFTA in Victoria? Are their instructors sociable (down to earth)? Do they keep their word? What are these hidden fees and do you have any advice on how to avoid them? And do you finish in the time specified?

Just some advice for ex flying students: Keep your chin up. I have experience many company’s very similar to Australian Wings Academy. Unfortunately they always seem to survive. Most of the time they change there name every couple of years and move shop. But eventually they will get found out. The best advice I can give you all is stick together. You have all obviously had a difficult time but just remember that everyone who can’t make it in aviation works in a flying school. Any person who becomes an aviation manager is either too scared to fly or isn’t intelligent enough to make it into an airline. Last time I checked I wanted to fly the aircraft not let someone do it for me. I promise to all of you… “every dog has his day”. Good Luck :ok:

Sincerely
VIRGIN FO

@ Auspilot101

I just want to say thanks for your post! I found it very interesting with your opinions about AWA as well as the industry itself.

I have heard from a lot of people on pprune as well as word of month that redcliffe is a really good school, as well as chopperline. I know a lot of ex AWA students have headed up the coast there, and from the sounds of it are really enjoying themselves! They say they have good staff and actually listen to what their students (customers), have to say!

Also it is wayyyy cheaper than AWA. Tell your nephew to go take a look at both of them!

I have also been told by AWA instructors that MFT are good as well. Numerous instructors at AWA give them a decent rap.

Cheers

OZVANDRIVER, Fair enough I guess. I fully realise everybody's experiences and opinions differ, I just wanted to put forward my view on my time there and I don't think I should have been shot down and accused of being some management asshole for doing that.

Pilot1991 if you sucked any harder it would start coming out of your backside.

Enough said I think !

Hang on a sec, MFTA is at YMNG and MFT is at YMMB - don't confuse the two. I believe MFTA almost exclusively trains Chinese cadets.

However I don't think much of the aerodrome now - landed there last week on 23 and it was in a poor state of repair, with many gaps in the tarmac to wreck your undercarriage, besides sprouting lots of weeds. Very sad to see it degenerate to that (I used to train at YMNG years ago when it was nice and quiet). Now the airstrip is overloaded with aircraft from 3 flight schools based there (not counting visiting aircraft doing IR practice) and the airport owner has the audacity to charge hefty landing fees ... you've gotta see the state of the runway to believe it.

@ Aviator1982

your so childish.....you still didn't answer the questions I asked....proving my point further by the way....thanks!

Aero Dynamic Flgiht Academy at Caboolture (about 47km north of Brisbane in Queensland) is a nice small flight school.
I did my CPL there and it was great fun. Went on fly aways each year to places like air shows and camping to a close island. I cant compare it to other schools because I didnt go else where but the guy who runs it is great value and its a fun environment to do it. Worth investigating.
Best of luck, study hard and have fun.

Aviator1982 As you have said that students go over time on their GFPT overruns some can't even help it when they just get absolutely :mad: instructors that just fly with you for the hours wont drop names, OR when a good instructor gets fired for standing up to something that is right and then we would have to change to another instructor therefore having to do another check flight!!!
And higher standards to enter the course... Pfft that would never happen seeing as they are in for the money and promising you a job at JETCRAFT (Flying citation jets ect).. that is giving JETCRAFT a bad name, wonder how they would react if they heard that, it seems like they have tried to say that to auspilot101's nephew, but people aren't stupid.

Aviator1982 if you work for AWA i suggust you start looking for some work elsewhere as i see a violent storm ahead. For once maybe you will TRY and get some work done! But damage has already been done :D

We'll keep you updated in the next few days

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Phil Sweeney, CEO of Australian Wings Academy (AWA). I have been following with great interest the threads which have been posted onto PPrune regarding this Academy, and have been both surprised and disappointed at some of the alleged comments being made.
It is clearly evident that through a general lack of understanding or appreciation for the complexities and workings of our operation, certain understandable yet inaccurate assumptions have been reached, and whilst I fully appreciate that current and past students have the right, and may even have justifiable reason to air their views on this forum, I would like to extend as always, an invitation to those students to address their concerns, suggestions and/or ideas for improvement via my personal email address which follows, and I welcome the opportunity to discuss with them, the issues that have caused such vitriol.

Anyone who knows me will acknowledge my ‘open door’ policy at AWA. It remains open, and continues to provide an opportunity for students to air their grievances, or offer constructive criticism to me personally, or to other members of our management team. It is therefore understandably disappointing to discover that a small number of clearly aggrieved students have chosen to overlook such an opportunity, but instead feel inclined to broadcast their own anonymous, misguided opinions over the internet.

It would appear that the principle protest is over the handling of our finance policy. For clarity, yes, we do operate a very strict finance policy. This is entirely as a result of our being too lenient and trusting with students in times gone by. Regrettably, and as usual, the few have spoilt it for the many. There have been many instances in our history where AWA has agreed to provide significant extended credit, or physically loaned considerable sums of money to students to assist them in the completion of their studies, and despite repeated promises of repayment, nothing as a consequence has or will be forthcoming. Our commercial and common sense decision to remain solvent to cater for current and future students of AWA, completely dictates the present finance policy in operation.

I would like to think that my email inbox will soon include mail from the aggrieved parties in question so that we can enter into, and address any matters that have arisen within this forum. The absence of any such mail will only lead me to assume that the comments being made have no foundation or substance.
I look forward to hearing from you.
[email protected]
Regards,
Phil Sweeney
CEO, AWA.

For PRS_AWA and others
 

I find it very interesting PRS_AWA that you have taken note of this particular thread. All students have aired their grievances with you or management and nothing was done. Students still inform management to this day of how unhappy they are with their course progression... still nothing. PRS_AWA, not one person in the last 2 years has finished their course on time. You and your management staff have criticized students for their lack of ability/motivation. So technically your school, is saying that 100% of its student are to blame for their delay?? Not likely! :=

AWA has offered no reimbursement to any students due to AWA's inefficiency (AND WE ALL KNOW, IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF UNSEASONAL WEATHER AS THIS IS YOUR ONLY EXCUSE). The school hasn't even offered an apology to any of its students, just excuse after excuse. For some unknown reason when students do complain to PRS_AWA or management, they are offered only excuses and not answers (nor resolution). And when a student does complain, management pile 4 staff into the office with you by yourself. HHHHmmmmmm..... any person know's that that's an intimidation tactic. It must make you all feel big when your talking down to an 19 year old.

Students who pay the amount of money that we've paid deserve service; all we found and received were lies. Also, Not one of my invoices was correct in my entire time I was with AWA. And what I found interesting, every invoice I received was an overcharge in your favor. :=INTERESTING! :confused:

As paying customers, we don't need to care about the workings or appreciate the complexity of your operation. We are paying for a service!!! If you wish to run a legitimate business, then do it honestly without ripping students.

“Hi ……..
I am writing to inform you that I am unable to keep honouring your course fee that is now more than 12 months old when the course that you are undertaking is a 1 year course, and we have been severely hit by cost increases during this time.

We have calculated the difference between the current course fee and the fee you are enrolled on only for the stages you are yet to complete. The differences are as follows:

CPL – (Five Digit Sum)
MECIR – (Four Digit Sum)

We understand this is a significant sum to be faced with, and we understand it may impose financial difficulty on you. However the matter needs to be addressed and we would ask you to contact either myself or …… to discuss further.
Regards
……”
:D:rolleyes:
This is one of a thousand reasons why we don't wish others to fall into the same trap that PRS_AWA offered. Many students received this email from PRS_AWA who were over their 12 month course period. Once again, NO STUDENT HAS FINISHED THEIR COURSE WITHIN THE REQUIRED AMOUNT IN 2 YEARS. I've written this to inform others of my experience at AWA. The stress and the financial loss that I've suffered from AWA's incompetence has been unforgivable.

Sincerely,
OzzyBob

[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']G’day Phil

I found your post very amusing!
Really? I mean really you’re that shocked what has been said here?
Just for the record I am not going to send you an email. What I will say will be said in this forum, as I do not want other people making the same mistake I and all the other ex AWA students did!

Many people including myself all went to your so called “open door” policy. Majority of the time I went, you were not on site, and the people you have employed are absolutely useless!

I was told by the instructors at AWA that all complaints had to go to the “Training Standards Manager”. So I and many other students did! We laid down all comments to him and he said he would change the things we had discussed. Well Phil just for your information this never happened! Could you please explain to me what Training Standards Manager means? And what the job implies?

The list of things I am about to state is factual. You know it and I know it. These are all true

Air Asia students get provided with transportation to and from Archerfield to write their exams! (lucky for me I’m from oz and therefore I had a car to do so, I drove a lot of people who were internationals as they did not have their own transportation)

It’s interesting how AA students get priority of the school. Am I right?
Also to add on the favoritism, AA students were given the right to be taught ground school in the big classroom, away from the noisy hanger. Before the AA students came there, there were Aussies in that room and once AA came to the school, you kicked all of us out (halfway through a class by the way) and moved us to the portable outside in the hanger. (Where you can hear every plane start up, taxi, and takeoff)! Hardly a study area don’t you think?

I had to laugh at your “strict finance policy” Simply putting invoices on post it notes does not qualify for “strict”. I have received many invoices from Dean and yourself that have one large sum number in the upper right hand corner. On that entire white page there is NO breakdown of these numbers. I had to ask you three times to do this.

Now Phil, when you go out for dinner and the bill comes at the end. Does the restaurant write one sum on a page? Or does the sum get broken down (ex. Beer, salad, main, etc)? Could you please answer this question for me!

And your questioning why were angry at the school? And why were writing this on PPRuNe?

Phil, I want you to feel that you are in our shoes. Imagine yourself paying 100,000 to be at a so called “good” school, and then to find you being kicked out of a classroom because a bunch of Airline sponsored cadets are going in there! Would you not feel a bit angry towards the school? I mean come on…

Recently; I went to dinner at the Versace. You and I both know it is an expensive place to eat and dine. Prior to going you expect the service, food, and the experience as a whole to be A+. Well during dinner my main meal was undercooked, and our waiter was horrible (not pleasant, didn’t care, and got our orders mixed up). Now if you were paying 100+ dollar dinner and ultimatly getting the same service standard at hungry jacks, would you not feel the need to complain and voice your opinion? Please answer this question as I am intrigued.

Well I did voice my opinion. I spoke to the manger at the restaurant and he could not agree more with me. He knew that if he did not fix this issue he could lose a returning customer. So he offered to pay for the main meals, and offer a free dessert as well. Now looking back on the experience there…yes the meal was under par…however the staff there quickly resolved the issue (reimbursing me of the meal, and took 100% responsibility)

there is a moral to this long story, and I think you know what I am getting at.
We (AWA students) have put a hell of a lot of time and money into our training, and we have received nothing in return. Not even an apology from any of the management staff.

[/FONT]
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']I am not sending you an email as I don’t need too, I have repeated myself to you lot on more than one occasion.

You are all too focused on AA and not on the self funded students who have had to work day and night to live this dream of one day becoming an Airline Captain.


[/FONT]

Hi Phil,

Thanks for acknowledging this thread - I think it is fair enough that you post your response on here. However, whilst you do make some fair points you did not address any of the issues directly. Instead you simply dismiss our concerns as "inaccurate" and "misguided".

Exactly which of the points put forward are "inaccurate"? I'm not saying that disgruntled students are always correct but I can empathise with most of the concerns others have raised (e.g. being moved into the shipping-container 'classroom' in the hangar, invoices with no break-down etc etc).

Finally to suggest that our comments have 'no foundation' because we don't email them to you personally just defies logic. Would you really dismiss so many concerns simply because they do not appear in your personal email? Denial is a dangerous thing.

Look forward to reading your reply Phil.

Cheers, Oz.

International Students in Queensland
 

Hi have read the response from Mr Phil from Australian Wings Academy and i was most dissapointed to think he doesn't know what goes on when he does know exactly what is going on.

I certainly agree with Pilot1991 and Ozyvan driver. Most students are not saying anything to you Mr Phil because nothing is done. Your training manager has been sitting on our feedback for nearly a year now and nothing was done.

Instead of doing a new survey at the AWA school you should listen to past comments instead of wasting time and giving the training manager something to do.

When feedback was told to you, there were excuses made or you blamed the students and you showed us arrogant and contempt. Your management spoke to us as if we were simple and were not educated. I will remind you that most students from Asia have one or two degrees with them. Mr Phil you also spoke to your instructors rudely swearing and yelling at them,treating them like worthless dogs, i do not like that open door policy. That is why all your good instructors have gone away. How many students and instrucotrs have left AWA since 2008/2009 alot! People have many choices now and if you are over priced and give bad service your business will suffer as yours is now.

I am also wondering why you are trying to open a new school at Gunedah and calling it Australia Asia Flight Training when it shows Australian wings academy bannerss on the website. I will also NOT recommend students go to Australia Asia Flight Training (AAFT).:= It will still be run by AWA management. Also this forum is for sharing information and assisting people - you are not liking this forum because the truth is becoming clear to more people now. And the AWA strict finance policy is about making money and that is all.

We have saying where i come from - what is going around comes around

Oman and other international students should go to Chopper line at coloundra or RMIT Melbourne and make sure you have good english .

Ghandi

AWA Flight Training
 

Hi to all. I'm also a X student of AWA and have had the same problems as the rest, being over charged, course running well over time, told one thing and delivered onther. Anything that comes out of AWA's mouth unfortunatly cant be trusted, they will tell you anything to get you in the door, and once they have you they treat you like S*** .

They will over promise and underdeliver.

I wish i never went there.

Australian Wings Academy
 

Phil
We have tried to throughout the time at AUSTRALIAN WINGS ACADEMY and mentioned to your training standards manager on a number of occasions, our suggestions on what/how you could improve. The people whom actually had given their opinions when the “training standards manager” first started his position aired their opinions but no action was taken. And those who gave a negative opinion were given a hell of a time at the school some of them had to change school. I recall at one stage of my training when everyone was given a green form to give their suggestions and nothing out of that suggestion form was ever taken into place, and we were just treated like spastics. Phil I’d also mention that if there is such thing as a training standards manager at AUSTRALIA WINGS ACADEMY he should know every students need not just make things up saying he is multi engine command instrument rating/instructor rated and then lying to students saying that he will teach them. I say he wouldn't have a clue on how to start the dutchess just as much as how well you don't know how to run your school. So I think it would be better off that we give our opinions on this forum so I and those who have fallen in the traps, would like to help others not to make the same mistakes as a lot of us have done.

As AUSPILOT101 mention those “everyone who can’t make it in aviation works in a flying school. Any person who becomes an aviation manager is either too scared to fly or isn’t intelligent enough to make it into an airline”
Can see the standards of teaching drop dramatically, as cost cutting and keeping the inexperienced instructors = Bad teaching = unproperly trained pilots. And lying to get the job later will cause problems down the track, when they lack experience in aviation, and can/will cause business to fold.

There are many other students including the Air Asia cadets who would like to express their feelings and criticize to you personally but have learnt from others not to do so because of the consequences of their actions if done so. There are more students past and present that will join this forum and will not be threatened and intimidated by your staff.

I recall on one occasion where you and 3 other staff interrogated a student at one time, you don’t see that at other schools and is a very bad business practice, and another occasion where a instructor had taken a student outside and YELLED on top of her voice abuse which is not appropriate for a customer paying top dollar, that instructor was praised for her action.


AUSTRALIAN WINGS ACADEMY does not operate on a strict finance policy I can gather ATLEAST 3 bills that you have sent students and had just given a digit for on a piece of sticky note or a ripped up piece of paper
E.g. Commercial over run$10000 CAN SHOW PROOF OF THAT
Landing fees $2500 CAN SHOW PROOF OF THAT
Air services charges $3000 CAN SHOW PROOF OF THAT
Without a break down on what there is needed to pay and when we voice our actions your response to us would be pay now no talking or threaten to cancel our visa/exam.
And how about those students who you have to refund money to? There are student there that are still waiting for THEIR… THEIR money to be returned not yours.

I wish to hear your concern on this forum so everyone can see what is being said instead of being so denial and telling us to send you an email of concerns, when we have already given you enough opinion! You can dismiss our concerns and be denial but you know it will always catch up to you.

Mohammad.

AWA
 

I have read the following with great interest.

Based on my experience at AWA many of the posted comments are true.
I now wish I had found a better school for my training.
Mr. P... be man enough to face the facts & deal with YOUR problems.
The buck stops with you!

The school does over charge & break promises. Mr. P your business is just about worthless so take the medicine & fix the problems. You may yet be able to salvage something from the ashes. It a such a shame to end this way as many of the staff are great people & deserve better.

Wingsnot!