Paying upfront vs pay-as-you-go: accelerated training
 

The general advice on this forum is to pay-as-you-go for training rather than pay upfront. I'm wondering whether this is still good advice for intensive PPL training in the US?

The main risk with paying up-front seems to be that if the company goes out of business, you lose your money. I can see how this would be a risk if you were training over a long period (eg, one lesson a week or ATPL intensive which takes months). But the probability of this happening in the 4 weeks (or so) for PPL seems very small.

The other reason if that if you haven't paid upfront and are unhappy with your training, usually you can leave and go elsewhere. But if I'm already in the US (maybe on M1 visa), that may not be an option.

Are there other issues I should be thinking about?

Generally the advice is still sound - NEVER EVER PAY FOR TRAINING UPFRONT - once the have the money you will most probably get treated badly

If you must pay up front:

Check with your Credit Card Company whether the company going bust would be covered under the Card's insurance policy and if so, pay by credit card.

Been there, done that, worn the t-shirt.

Biggles

Biggles is spot-on..
 

... I always suggest those contemplating paying up-front should always ask themselves this question:

"Can I afford to lose this money?"

It really does become a no-brainer at that stage.

Good luck anyway. bm.

Tell that to those poor souls who paid up front in the 4 weeks prior to PFT going under.

NEVER pay up front

Hear Hear never ever pay up front .
Where I did my training we paid a couple of grand at time when it was gone we topped up , alhtough this may seem ,like we are paying up front when doing an IR or flying a twin a couple of grand doesnt last long . If they want you to pay full cost of course up front the tell them to rearrange this famous phrase "ockf uff"

I agree the biggest issue is once they have your money you do not have a stick , you have just given them your stick

Time and time again we advise not to pay large amounts up front. Time and time again schools go tits up with few obvious signs to the potential customer, taking advanced money until the end. Why would you think it will be any different at any school you're considering?

I'd go with the advice of Biggles etc, don't pay everything up front, as long as there is the potential for getting more money out of you you are of value to the training establishment. That being said, the majority of schools I encountered when starting out were totally honest and above board, however it only takes one piece of human pond scum to tarnish the whole industry.