Naples Air Center (NAC) for fATPL
 

Hi all,
seen a lot of mixed reviews for this school. Basically, I'm thinking about going out there because I've not found any recent posts yet.

Firstly, I've seen that they've had their EASA licenses revoked as of 2014, however, their certifications state otherwise on their site, and I haven't seen a post after the date that they were apparently re-issued.

I have a pilot friend in Fort Myers who has gone to check it out, he says it's all looking professional and all ATPL Groundschool exams are done in Orlando with permission from Bristol GroundSchool.

Has anyone been there recently or can anyone help me out? Are they certified? I can't see why they'd have the certifications on their website and lie about it as that would be a lawsuit waiting to happen?

Also I've heard even though the EASA license is revoked, because they are a satellite base for Bristol ground school this doesn't matter?

There's a CAA standards document (31) that will tell you what school is allowed to do what.

Hi, where abouts would I find this? I googled CAA standards documents (31) and read through a PDF but couldn't find Naples on the list, it all seemed to be UK organisations.

NAC have said that their license was never revoked and a friend visited, asked them about the revoked license and they even showed their last EASA inspection certificate dating back a couple of months ago.

Cheers

Matt,

The approval process for ATOs under direct EASA oversight is particularly contrived. FITA in Melbourne for example recently spent upwards of two years going through that process at considerable expense (6 to 7 figures).

Satellite training facilities located outside the EASA Member States need not be operated under direct EASA oversight, but are instead overseen by the competent authority responsible for the parent ATO. Andrewsfield Aviation, whose reputation is exemplary, is now acting as the parent ATO for NAC and I would therefore expect a high standard.

Stay away.
There's nothing but grief waiting for you.
Looks professional? Well maybe if you don't look hard enough.
But then again they've always been good at keeping up appearances.
But that's all it is, appearances.
There is really no single reason good enough for you to go do your exams there.

* I understand this may not be the most helpful post.
They've had at best a very checkered reputation and the fact they got revoked and are now operating under an umbrella construction shouldn't instill any confidence.
Do your self a favor and keep looking.
Choose a school that has a lot of good recent reviews and ideally you can visit them and get a feel for the place.
If you're only interested in the ATPL exams you might as well do them in the UK with one of the "big" names.

On the contrary to the above I know ex students who trained there who now fly big shiny jets, go figure....

Selfin:
I see! Is this since they had their license revoked? I assume it would be a lot better now. I'm really debating it, despite the bad name as I haven't seen any posts since the license revocation!

B2N2:
I'm interested in doing 0 hours through to my frozen ATPL. I have friends that live 30 minutes from there and they said I can stay with them so that's the reason I've been debating this school so much, the price and how close it is. Are there any other schools in the Fort Myers/Naples area that actually have a good reputation and are cheap? I was looking at Gulf Coast but thats $76,000 instead of NAC's $39,000. Do you not think since they're working as a satellite base now, they have improved? I was going to go to PTT Aviation in Leeds to do it (£47,000) and heard that their students can choose to either study at NAC through PTT or go to PTT in Leeds.

Cheers for the replies guys.

Finally hearing some good feedback. How did they rate their experience, do you know?

Ok you need to understand that may have nothing to do with where they did their training rather how well they performed in interviews.
Then again if there has been enough years ( experience) between NAC and that 'shiny jet job' there may be no correlation at all.
Mind my words, there have been more students that met grief then that met success.
And your $39,000 will turn into $70,000 in the blink of an eye.
Read the fine print and the 'no reimbursement' policy,

I understand! Just got off the phone with bristol groundschool and they've said they're completely approved and all exams will count. I've also rang Andrewsfield aviation and they've confirmed the same thing. What hidden costs would there be, do you know? I've already totted up things like equipment and examiner fees and the $39k is now $45k, but I can't think of anything else they would throw on top of that?

Cheers

I'm going to go for it I think. After the feedback I've received from 2 very accredited schools here, it's changed my mind. I think since the license revocation and the fact bristol and andrewsfield have stepped in, things have changed.

Matt, as soon as you're eligible here on the forum send me a PM.
I can call and explain a couple of things to you.
Keep in mind that Bristol or whomever has no clue or interest in how the practical side of the school is run.

MattMurphy.

Matt are you sure that Bristol Ground School really is connected with Naples Air Centre?

The Bristol.GS forum lists the foreign schools which are connected to Bristol GS and this list does not include Naples Air Centre. Alex Whittingham (the owner of Bristol GS) is a leading light in the Wings Alliance scheme and Naples Air Centre is not listed as a member of that organisation.

I suppose it is possible that Bristol GS are supporting them, but keeping them at arms length, but I really don't believe that this is how Bristol GS does business.

Matt no offense but it reads like you're suffering a little from what's called 'confirmation bias'.
You've already made your decisions and information which alligns is accepted and information which doesn't is discarded.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias

Now this is perfectly normal ;) however it can color your gathering of information.

B2N2:
I understand this yeah, but the fact they're also affiliated with Andrewsfield Aviation for the flying side of the school makes me wonder? Thankyou, I'm away for the next 2 days but I will as soon as I'm back. I just find it so hard to get my head around, they're supposedly linked with Bristol, Andrewsfield and even PTT in Leeds give their students a choice between Leeds or Naples to do their training. So why would so many schools be involved with them if they weren't legit?

Keith:
I rang them and asked them directly, they said that Naples is indeed a satellite base for their groundschool. I will ring them tomorrow and ask why it is not listed on the forums.

My favourite place in Florida for EASA training is Florida Institute of Technology in Melborne.

This is where Bournemouth Commercial Flight Training send their integrated PPL to CPL/IR/ME with ATPL writtens passed too.
Sorry, but I can't bring myself to say 'frozen ATPL', because it isn't.

But housing is a big part of the total cost.
And if I had a free place to stay in Ft Myers, then I'd likely go with Naples Air Centre, but it wouldn't be my first or second choice if I was paying for housing too.

I don't actually know where my second choice would be.
Maybe San Diego California.
I didn't care for Space Coast at Merritt Island, nor the place at Sanford.
And I haven't visited Naples Air Centre yet.
Their reputation precedes them.
I don't know if my daughter is even going to bother with the EASA thing, as she is dual national.

With the FIT program, you stay on the university campus.
I've spoken with the FIT chief flight instructor who is also an EASA examiner. You can do the CPL in Florida with them too. He's a nice Irish lad named Anthony.

If you have friends in the US.
Why are you going with a program like this at all.
See my recent post on something like 'best way to the flight deck', and see if your not better off doing it on your own.

I would think you may wear out the welcome mat staying with them for the ground school portion.
My way, you'd only spend two, six weeks blocks with your boots under their dining room table.

Sure, this sounds good. I've emailed them to ask what the total running cost would be with university accommodation included.

Just out of interest what do you mean I'd only spend 3 months at their house? What would that 3 month involve? Is it not 0 hours -> ATPL at FIT?

Cheers, I'll do some research now

Someone please explain these two links aswell:

EASA Training at Naples ? Andrewsfield Aviation

why would they state this on their website if it wasn't legit?

Also this:

https://www.multiflight.com/do-your-...t-multiflight/

"We work with our training partners Bristol Ground School and Naples Air Centre in Florida to deliver you first class ATPL training."

Matt.

Slow down.
You are making a very big decision involving a lot of money.
Do not jump at anything.

The main reason why I like doing things on my own is.
When I first arrived in America almost 40 years ago armed with a UK PPL/IMC and about 200 hours.
I had already signed up and paid a deposit with National at St Petersburg.
Upon arrival every student I spoke so said it was awful.
So I got a refund and went to St Pete Air World.
I felt I was getting the run around there too.

So I tapped into the old timer 'good olde boy' network of local flyers.
They fixed me up with just what I was looking for, a Comm/Inst/Multi in about three weeks.
All the other student only talked with other students.
Not me, I immediately got to know the locals, and absolutely loved the place.

I had a A&P mechanics licence, and wanted to go to flight engineer school as soon as possible.
I knew that was my best way into the cockpit of an airliner.

You are talking about doing everything in one place and paying a lot of money up front to a place you have not seen.
That makes about as much sense as buying a mail order bride from a photograph.
Your beautiful Thai girl may turn out to be a beautiful Thai boy.

If you do it my way.
You go to Ft Myers and get a PPL and 100 hours in six weeks or so.
Then you go home and do the ground school.
Then you return to the US and do an instrument rating and get to 150+ hours.
Then you go to PTT in Leeds or what ever school is nearest to you in the UK.

It's all outlined in the 'best way to the flight deck' thread.

My opinion is you also need to listen to and thank B2N2. Whilst I don't agree with him on everything.
What I do appreciate is him and anybody else taking the time and effort to try to help the younger generation.
Sometimes, well actually quite often.
I wonder why I bother at all.
Because most often I'm thanked with silence.

Oh, about FIT. It's not all about the price. It's about value for money.
Nothing is worse than having paid money to a company you don't like.
I only ever pay as I go.

button_push_ignored:

Thankyou so much for all of this honestly, don't think I don't appreciate it because I do, this is the reason I came to this forum so every reply I will take onboard :) Basically, I was initially looking at doing an integrated route which was £95k+, so this is monumentally cheaper by all means which is probably why I'm quick to jump to the idea of doing this course.

It's always good to hear past experiences too, last thing I want is to be out of pocket.

However, personally I would like to get all of my training/exams done under one roof, which is why I've been looking at these courses.

Just out of interest, say if I went to the US and got an FAA PPL and FAA instrument rating, would this not conflict with EASA?

Once again, thankyou!