AWA
 

Hey mohammad, I was also a victim of poor treatment at AWA, ‘bumped’ for international students like you, but its good to see this coming out now and maybe something will happen about how AWA management thinks more about its bank balance than paying customers, but as long as they keep their so called accounts manager in the place then expect no change. :ugh:I agree with your comments but I'm confused.... , there is a standards manager and a training manager at AWA but they are not the same person. The standards manager is a highly qualified instructor and the training manager has a PPL. I found him to be an ok sort of guy who helped me and others out. As far as I know he has never said he had any other flying quals except for years of experience in aviation. Maybe he told you different or you are mixing them up. He’s one of the better ones, but that’s saying something! Anyway it realy doesn’t matter who is ‘management’ at AWA as the only one who makes decisions is Phil and the others have to toe the line to save their jobs so the buck rests with him.
Im outta there now but I hear the place is falling apart, instructors leaving or being pushed, no new students, same old aircraft, same old attitude towards customers. Can someone tell me what the general manager actually does. Anyone found out yet?

AWA GM
 

Sleeps with the boss?

Unhappy AWA customer......
 

I to am an ex awa student........only just found this site whilst talking to other pilots about drama's with flight training schools and a coulple of them already new about what I was talking about due to this site, so I thought I'd come on to see it for myself.

I must admit, pretty much every point the people have said here I have experienced myself......

We all know someone whom whats to get into flying and I will be keeping them and thier money well away from AWA.

If I had a dollar for each instructor that has been hired and fired from that place in the last three or four years I would nearly have my course fees back........It sounds like it is really going down hill there now, only wish I was around to see it......second thoughts......nope.....very glad I'm not...

"Training standards manager" the one that sits in his office all day, giving the worst advice to students and only holds a PPL but says he has a multi IFR.

We wont see a change anytime soon the accounts manager will always be there since he is best friends with the general manager. I'm not too sure what the general managers position is but when i use to go there she would just sit on the computer all day, Phil wouldn't have a clue what is going on there all he just want to see is more money in that account and not worrying about customer service, most probably why they just send ridiculous bills like landing fees of $2000, extra $10000 for IFR we aren't stupid enough to pay it so everyone just leaves.

It seems like Phil is in denial of his school falling apart when all of us have given enough advice, but now more and more people have decided its enough and aired their opinion here on this forum.

Just a Misunderstanding with these Job Titles at AWA
 

G'day,

Just to clear things up with these job titles at AWA. The 'Training Standards Manager" was a nice fella. As I am aware, he was hired by AWA in this position and to assist in the development of the Air Asia Training program. Once the Air Asia Training Program was implemented, he was given the flick. Poor guy had come from the U.K with his family and was given a days notice to leave. Highly qualified, AWA's loss!!:ugh:

The 'Training Manager' is the fella who sits in the instructor office all day, for name sake we shall call him 'Teflon'. He's the one who collects the complaints and does nothing with them. It's interesting, when he's away, things run a bit more smoother than usual.

With respect to those who have confused these titles, I can understand fully. The school has managers for everything. "Too many chiefs and not enough indians". They all try to prove their existence! With the turn over at that place you wouldn't know who is who. One day you're having lunch with your new instructor and the next..... their know where to be seen.

Cheers
OzzyBob84

Managers, serfs, whatever...
 

Gee OzzyBob84 are you angry! You musta had a worse trot than myself. I still think no matter who the Chiefs are, the Big Gun and his offsider call the shots. Maybe the complaints from Teflon weren’t heard. Anyways some of us have got flying to do so im outta here. Much more interested in the facts than the bitching. No good for the career. Suggest you move on too...

I think we have all heard enough about AWA & there problems. To answer the original question about schools in Australia.

AWA aren't the only school at the Gold coast. I converted an oversea's PPL to an Australian licence at Air GoldCoast. They dont have the flashy hanger & brand new planes that AWA do but i got what i paid for. After every flight I was invoiced & it was itemised with cost of A/C , cost of instructor, landing fee,s & airways charges. No hidden extra's or charges & a small well run & friendly admin department.
The instructors were young & might have been waiting for that elusive twin or jet job to pop up but they new there stuff & were helpful & friendly.

They use C172s which are oldish but they have a maintanance facility in the hanger next door to the school so the A/C are kept in good condition.

South East Queenslands weather is very predictable , hot, humid & afternoon storms during summer & perfect clear flying weather during winter so if you plan it right you dont loose many days due weather.
I only flew about 8 hrs at Air Gold Coast but was happy with the service & they haven't had a bashing on pprune like AWA.

139BOY.

AWA
 

Gud'Day Boys,

I agree and disagree with what has been said above about AWA, but going back to the original question, I believe with flying schools, there will always be problems anywhere we go.

In the same AWA, there are students who achieved their goals in 11 months and there are students who are on their 3rd year without a CPL licence! So, in any academy, it all depends on how focused and determined you can get with your training. The harder you push, the faster you get through!

Training Manager does not have all the flying qualifications but why does he need them anyway? He is ground based and runs the show from his office, with many years of experience in what he does, you don't know what he does because he does not work for you, but if you fellas recall what was happening from 2007 till Apr 2009 before the training manager arrived, hellow!!! Go Check the archives and see for yourself!

I'm not defending AWA and I'm not recommending it, this is what I think of AWA and its departments, rest be on you!

Ground School- Is very very poor and CPL+IREX+ATPL will cost you 10,000 and abit more, you will be kept in the hangar with all the noise and the GS Manager will kick you out of class whenever he feels like it as if he pays for it, so do not apply for their GS/Theory!
Flying/Instructors-you will get high standards and airline operation-like training from great instructors who will break rules inorder to assist you getting faster through and minimize your dual hours! But make sure you do not let anyone else know of your relation with your instructor otherwise he/she will be out of AWA before you know it!
Fleet-Amazing Cessna 172's, well maintained by Air Gold Coast and DA40's by the internal engineering department (but due to the poor Beechcraft they have, do your Instrument rating somewhere else unless if they change their Twin and RG which might never happen)
Accounts-We will give Dean his own department, this man(if he is one) knows what he is doing but thinks that us(customers) are fools! His invoices never undershoot! They will always be more than what you have to pay, so, make sure you go through with him and be hard on him, he seems to be softer when you show him a real man's face! You'll pay Less!
Admin/Management-here I'm talking about the top management team, they do not know and are not bothered to ask on what is going on, all they want to see if money flowing and Phil will respond to you within minutes if you write to him about applying, do not joing until you are satisfied otherwise you will be just like everyone else complaining when its already too late!

1. Your ASIC, Student Pilot Licence and Medicals are with you.
2. You are aware of what you are shceduled to do throughout the course.
3. Do not just fly duals without doing your maths, these over runs are all dual flights!! You need your solo hours so don't worry about them.
Have your 150 total flying hours, with minimum 20 cross country hours and minimum 70 hours PIC and do your CPL test!

If Dean invoices you on the over runs right after GFPT, tell him to keep his invoice and you will adjust your flying hours later on your course because they are all HOURS!!!

Talk to people who have been there and learn from them!

I'm not here to argue, defend or offend anyone, I'm here to help the new comers and guide them through a better path! I'm still an AWA student and I'm taking the challenge, avoiding what others did wrong and guess what! They Can't Catch Me!!!

Your Pilot In Demand!!! ;)

@PilotinDemand,

Great post...I think some of us ex-students got a bit carried away but I think what you write is fair. Every flying school will have its good and bad points - just so happens that AWA has a few more bad ones!

i agree with ozvandriver...but im still waiting on phils response as i am waiting for my answers.

obviously phil, you have no response for us and the other viewers on this forum. Proving that our posts are not...false....

thank you

pilot1991

pilot1991 - I wouldn't hold your breath for a response...I doubt he even reads this thread anymore, afterall denying problems is much easier than dealing with them.

You can run but you cant hide... You know its going to catch up to you, be in denial but its not going to be easy at the end
Phil how about you email me your response if you don't want to post on this forum?

Mohammad

Aerocadet,
Have a look at Professional Pilot Training at Coffs Harbour, NSW.

The have an excellent record with their loyal airline customer base, and take a proportion of self financed pilots.

They are not the cheapest, on the face of it, but they will not run you to the end of a contract and fail, either. Indeed, all students do a 30h check, and anybody who is not going to make it through is given the choice at that stage.

After the 30h check, the survivors have a better than 95% pass rate for the usual CPL/multi/MECIR, and for airline cadets, the pass rate back home for type ratings is 100%.

I would point out is that my only connection to the PPT is dealing with the output, and I have been most impressed with the high and uniform standard.

Tootle pip!!

Anyone have a recommendation for a school at Bankstown in Sydney? Alot of the bigger schools have closed up recently and I'm not familiar with the smaller ones.

Camden would also be a good option, but more of a last resort. A drive out to CN is a good 2 hours for me.

Air Gold Coast
 

Hi all,

I'm looking into a CPL-A conversion near in SE QLD. Im currently CPL-H living on the gold coast and looking into Air Gold Coast.

Just looking for feedback good/bad, seems like a good operation.

Cheers.......

auto_junkie,

If youre on the Gold Coast the choice is easy - Air Gold Coast. Pop into Australian Wings Academy if you want but try not to laugh when they quote you prices.

hey guys, was just chatting to a mate today and Australian Wings Academy have lost a bunch of admin staff and instructors recently. The place was run so badly I don't know how the boss expects to take all this on himself now.

Also apparantly there is only one theory instructor left who is occupied with the airline cadets. So basically if you're a self-sponsored student then you have no choice but to self-study. $90k well-spent. :ugh:

I am not a student of AWA nor I will ever be by judging from the things I have read about them here. My oppinion is that you can get s**t without paying for it. I bet the effect of these conversations are not very good for their reputation....

OK to the real issue now, Im looking for good integrated ATPL courses in Australia. I read an article in a Finnish flying magazine about a Finnish dude who got his JAA ATPL in Western Australian Aviation College and he had only good things to say about them and it was one of the best moves of his life to improve his career. Im very interested of this school so any info would be appretiated :) Ive noticed some ppl here have been trough this course themselves so you can PM me if possible please!

Aus training
 

Hi Ollie

PM me for some info