Whats the difference?
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Join Date: Mar 2006
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Whats the difference?
Ive been looking around at various schools for training and theres allsorts of different prices out there but one thing ive noticed is that theres also allsorts if different training periods. Some places I looked at in Canada the training lasts for 3 months and some places I looked at in the UK the training lasts 9 months and costs 3 times as much. Is this because they UK conforms to JAA standards and Canada/America doesnt?
What on earth do they teach in the UK that they dont teach in Canada that lasts 6 months? And also, is it worth it to pay the extra for this? Does this extra 6 months and the resulting qualifications give me more chance of getting a job at the end of it?
The country where I do my training is not really an issue for me. I would really like to do my training outside of the UK and then to work outside of the UK. Especially somewhere like Canada or Alaska.
Can anyone tell me their stories of where they decided to train and how it went and their regrets and stuff they were glad they did? I would love to hear about it. It seems like every country has different standards.
If there was one place in the world that you could do your training at and location and money wasnt a factor in your decission (just quality of training and job prospects at the end if it) where would it be and why?
What on earth do they teach in the UK that they dont teach in Canada that lasts 6 months? And also, is it worth it to pay the extra for this? Does this extra 6 months and the resulting qualifications give me more chance of getting a job at the end of it?
The country where I do my training is not really an issue for me. I would really like to do my training outside of the UK and then to work outside of the UK. Especially somewhere like Canada or Alaska.
Can anyone tell me their stories of where they decided to train and how it went and their regrets and stuff they were glad they did? I would love to hear about it. It seems like every country has different standards.
If there was one place in the world that you could do your training at and location and money wasnt a factor in your decission (just quality of training and job prospects at the end if it) where would it be and why?
Hovering AND talking
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Are you talking PPL or CPL?
There are all sorts of things to consider. One school could quote the time including ground exams and another could quote the flight school only? You need to ask what EXACTLY is included in each package.
Per hour, USA and Canada (plus other Commonwealth countries) will be cheaper but you need to look at the validity of each licence in another country.
I have it from hearsay that there are things taught in a JAA UK syllabus that are not taught under FAA, for example, engine off landings to the ground.
As for your last question? If money were no object, I would learn (as I am doing) to fly in the UK. Why? Because that's where I want to live and work.
Let's face it, whilst we don't get the extremes of weather that can be seen elsewhere in the world, we do get very localized weather. I was flying today in glorious sunshine with only a few scattered clouds at a height far higher than I would reach only to be told by ATC that there were thunderstorms a few miles away!
The advice I was given (and I think was good advice) was to train in the country in which you wish to work. You also have to consider visas and work permits.
Cheers
Whirls
There are all sorts of things to consider. One school could quote the time including ground exams and another could quote the flight school only? You need to ask what EXACTLY is included in each package.
Per hour, USA and Canada (plus other Commonwealth countries) will be cheaper but you need to look at the validity of each licence in another country.
I have it from hearsay that there are things taught in a JAA UK syllabus that are not taught under FAA, for example, engine off landings to the ground.
As for your last question? If money were no object, I would learn (as I am doing) to fly in the UK. Why? Because that's where I want to live and work.
Let's face it, whilst we don't get the extremes of weather that can be seen elsewhere in the world, we do get very localized weather. I was flying today in glorious sunshine with only a few scattered clouds at a height far higher than I would reach only to be told by ATC that there were thunderstorms a few miles away!
The advice I was given (and I think was good advice) was to train in the country in which you wish to work. You also have to consider visas and work permits.
Cheers
Whirls
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It is my CPL(H) I want to go for.
I would really love to do what some pilots do and follow the work around the world as the seasons change. How do people do that if they need to take different exams and get different visas for every country they go to though?
To start off with though, I would just like to get my foot in the door first so to speak
I would really love to do what some pilots do and follow the work around the world as the seasons change. How do people do that if they need to take different exams and get different visas for every country they go to though?
To start off with though, I would just like to get my foot in the door first so to speak
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Difference in time is because of the amount of theory required to take your ground exams.
For the FAA licence, all you need to do is memorize questions and answers, then get somebody to sign you off, for the JAA it's another story.
BUT I GUESS THECONTROLLER WILL BE GLAD TO ANSWER YOUR TYPE QUESTION "HOW DO I BECOME A PILOT"....
For the FAA licence, all you need to do is memorize questions and answers, then get somebody to sign you off, for the JAA it's another story.
BUT I GUESS THECONTROLLER WILL BE GLAD TO ANSWER YOUR TYPE QUESTION "HOW DO I BECOME A PILOT"....
... hows things going with you LB
Elena,
The Acme School of Aeronautics (real school...honest!) pioneered the rote memory concept of passing FAA written exams. That works only as far as passing the written goes.
Unlike the CAA checkride....the FAA system has a very stiff oral exam prior to the flight check. Sheer memory will not survive that.
Unlike the CAA, during the oral exam you will be asked to draw diagrams of all the systems on the aircraft and be able to explain how the systems function in detail. Thus you will have to answer far more quesitons about systems than done on a technical exam in the UK.
The average oral exam takes about 3-4 hours if done correctly and the flight check will take about half that....depending upon overall performance. If one is found weak in any area of skills....then one can expect to perform as many tasks as it takes to satisfy the examiner of your competence or lack of.
The end result is the same....except under the CAA system one will have a treasure trove of trivia stored away that is wonderful fodder for discussion at the pub but does little for your real life flying. On the other hand, the FAA system tests your knowledge of what one needs to know to be to aviate safely and omits much of the trivia.
That is why it takes far longer to complete the CAA course.
The Acme School of Aeronautics (real school...honest!) pioneered the rote memory concept of passing FAA written exams. That works only as far as passing the written goes.
Unlike the CAA checkride....the FAA system has a very stiff oral exam prior to the flight check. Sheer memory will not survive that.
Unlike the CAA, during the oral exam you will be asked to draw diagrams of all the systems on the aircraft and be able to explain how the systems function in detail. Thus you will have to answer far more quesitons about systems than done on a technical exam in the UK.
The average oral exam takes about 3-4 hours if done correctly and the flight check will take about half that....depending upon overall performance. If one is found weak in any area of skills....then one can expect to perform as many tasks as it takes to satisfy the examiner of your competence or lack of.
The end result is the same....except under the CAA system one will have a treasure trove of trivia stored away that is wonderful fodder for discussion at the pub but does little for your real life flying. On the other hand, the FAA system tests your knowledge of what one needs to know to be to aviate safely and omits much of the trivia.
That is why it takes far longer to complete the CAA course.
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SASless
I agree with you, I never said that passing the written was the only knowledge you needed in order to get your licence, I was just refering to the AMOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE, most of it useless, which is needed in order to get a JAA licence, at least in France.
Plus everything is much easier in the states (vs France): with a sign-off, you can just walk in any testing facility and bingo, you have the written behind you. In my country, you have an exam date every 2 months, and before to go in any CPL school you must go through an evaluation, based on geometry and maths, not that difficult, but still another hurdle for some. Plus the cost of the medical around 400$, etc...
At the end, I much prefer the FAA, more practical and down to earth, and CHEAPER...
Visa for us non American, is the main problem, not the training itself!
I agree with you, I never said that passing the written was the only knowledge you needed in order to get your licence, I was just refering to the AMOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE, most of it useless, which is needed in order to get a JAA licence, at least in France.
Plus everything is much easier in the states (vs France): with a sign-off, you can just walk in any testing facility and bingo, you have the written behind you. In my country, you have an exam date every 2 months, and before to go in any CPL school you must go through an evaluation, based on geometry and maths, not that difficult, but still another hurdle for some. Plus the cost of the medical around 400$, etc...
At the end, I much prefer the FAA, more practical and down to earth, and CHEAPER...
Visa for us non American, is the main problem, not the training itself!
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I went to Acme School of Aeronautics, the blue test guilds were a must. What you did when you when there is that you had to get the exam out of the way first. You studied a lot and I mean a lot and there was two ground instructors that did nothing but help you prepare to take the exam. This was before the freedom of Information act, a good grade on an exam was 85 and dam few did better than 88 or 89 back then. Now they just publish the exam and guys get 100. Back then you did an instrument rating in a 172 for 24 bucks an hour with an Instructor, that was 1976. They had a Bell 47 for guys doing helicopter for around 90 bucks and a Piper Aztec for multi for 124 an hour. The School was run by Retired Airforce Pilots, the guy that wrote the Blue Test guides was a Airforce Colonel. He would go take a test and get a 69 on it and then write test like questions for the study area's.
As for the question of where to go and what have you, well FAA is a no BS way of getting it done, because flying is not considered to be a big deal in the States, There is a lot of Aviation here, more in some of the smaller states than in some Countries. Europe is a whole different ball game, they tend to make it very time consuming and costly. Why? I have no Idea. The US is a good place to go to flight school, since 9/11 its become more of a pain as far as paper work goes. Canada is also a good place to fly and I would think the same for OZ and NZ.
As for the question of where to go and what have you, well FAA is a no BS way of getting it done, because flying is not considered to be a big deal in the States, There is a lot of Aviation here, more in some of the smaller states than in some Countries. Europe is a whole different ball game, they tend to make it very time consuming and costly. Why? I have no Idea. The US is a good place to go to flight school, since 9/11 its become more of a pain as far as paper work goes. Canada is also a good place to fly and I would think the same for OZ and NZ.
There will always be people arguing about who's license is better - but once you've got 1000hrs it really doesn't matter.
Personally I went FAA - because its cheaper to get an FAA license, and because I wanted to work there. For the cost of getting a JAA CPL, you could get a FAA CPL, convert it to JAA and still have change. I'm frankly surprised anyone does all their training in the UK anymore.
In your situation you should look at where you want to work to see what kind of license you need. Of course, if you need to get a lot of hours to work there you'll probably want to consider instructing in the US - like everyone else!
Personally I went FAA - because its cheaper to get an FAA license, and because I wanted to work there. For the cost of getting a JAA CPL, you could get a FAA CPL, convert it to JAA and still have change. I'm frankly surprised anyone does all their training in the UK anymore.
In your situation you should look at where you want to work to see what kind of license you need. Of course, if you need to get a lot of hours to work there you'll probably want to consider instructing in the US - like everyone else!
