New Zealand - Training Schools and Job Prospects
Join Date: Jul 2005
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If the shoe fits I suppose
Incidentally, I hear that the student loan thing has been specifically cancelled with Heli-Flight with their University tie up. Why could that be I wonder? Recognition of their decline? Reducing the number of companys at the student loan piggy trough?
There's too many reasons not to pause for thought
Incidentally, I hear that the student loan thing has been specifically cancelled with Heli-Flight with their University tie up. Why could that be I wonder? Recognition of their decline? Reducing the number of companys at the student loan piggy trough?
There's too many reasons not to pause for thought
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Australia
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NZ Standards
A friend of mine recently flew with a CPL with 400hrs, and an ag rating.All of his training was done in NZ. My friend was considering becoming chief pilot for the kiwi trained pilots new company in Australia.
The kiwi trained pilot took off 3 times without knowing how much fuel he needed for the flight. 3 times he departed without noting engine start and departure time.
He had NEVER heard of checking flight controls for full and free movment before starting the engine.
He admitted that the only time he flight planned in the 400hrs was when he was doing his navigation exercises, and had never flown more than 90miles from his home airport.
I have worked with quite a few Kiwi's and the majority of them have ordinary navigation skills as a result of learning in NZ...... But it was quite clear in this case that this guy was not taught the very BASICS.
I'd give NZ a miss alltoghether...... all i can suggest is do your research.....it's your money!!
The kiwi trained pilot took off 3 times without knowing how much fuel he needed for the flight. 3 times he departed without noting engine start and departure time.
He had NEVER heard of checking flight controls for full and free movment before starting the engine.
He admitted that the only time he flight planned in the 400hrs was when he was doing his navigation exercises, and had never flown more than 90miles from his home airport.
I have worked with quite a few Kiwi's and the majority of them have ordinary navigation skills as a result of learning in NZ...... But it was quite clear in this case that this guy was not taught the very BASICS.
I'd give NZ a miss alltoghether...... all i can suggest is do your research.....it's your money!!
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: All The Places I Shouldnt Be
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Gasgen - In part I agree with you, yes do your homework about ANY school you intend to train with. BUT bagging the whole of NZ because of what you heard about one school is a bit stiff dont you think. About the same as me warning everyone to steer clear of Australian schools because of the antics of Becker Helicopters 
NZ has some bloody good instructors such as Bruce Harvey, Simon Spencer Bower (over 10,000 hrs teaching in the R-22 alone), and many many more. Are there a lot of instructors who have less hours than some of their students, hell yes, and its not just the case in NZ. What about at HAI in Florida, where do you think most of the instructors got their start
How you can generalise and say that most kiwis have bad skills because they were trained in NZ is beyond me. Maybe its just another one of those times where Aussies love to heap ****e on the Kiwis, but hey, everyone has their opinion.
Ned
NZ has some bloody good instructors such as Bruce Harvey, Simon Spencer Bower (over 10,000 hrs teaching in the R-22 alone), and many many more. Are there a lot of instructors who have less hours than some of their students, hell yes, and its not just the case in NZ. What about at HAI in Florida, where do you think most of the instructors got their start
How you can generalise and say that most kiwis have bad skills because they were trained in NZ is beyond me. Maybe its just another one of those times where Aussies love to heap ****e on the Kiwis, but hey, everyone has their opinion.
Ned
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Ned,
I have worked with lots of very talented Kiwi pilots. I am not bagging the whole of NZ. What i said was the majority of NZ trained pilots have ordinary navigation skills as a result of learning in NZ. This is what they have told me. It would be pretty hard to get lost over there.....
In this particular case, the student was from a wealthy family and he did not have to work for his licence at all.But the flying school who has a very experienced CFI (12,000 hrs +), still took his money without ensuring that he new the basics.
This sort of thing seems to becoming more prevelant all over the world.There are 3 flying schools in Australia that i would suggest to avoid at all costs.
I have worked with lots of very talented Kiwi pilots. I am not bagging the whole of NZ. What i said was the majority of NZ trained pilots have ordinary navigation skills as a result of learning in NZ. This is what they have told me. It would be pretty hard to get lost over there.....
In this particular case, the student was from a wealthy family and he did not have to work for his licence at all.But the flying school who has a very experienced CFI (12,000 hrs +), still took his money without ensuring that he new the basics.
This sort of thing seems to becoming more prevelant all over the world.There are 3 flying schools in Australia that i would suggest to avoid at all costs.
it would be pretty hard to get lost over there ...
I turn my GPS off and leave maps at home when i fly over here , its that easy to navigate.
People in glass houses .... Aussie training has to take a look at itself as well !
Last edited by EMS R22; 14th Aug 2005 at 03:48.
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Yes EMS I have flown a few hundred hrs in NZ and I used a map pencil, rule and a watch (bit old fashioned eh)..... What an awsome country to see from a helicopter.
Kiwis I have worked with have told me that when you learn to fly in the area that you have been living in all your life , and have more than likley flown around before with friends or family, your instructor can only assume that you can navigate.(is that right?)
As i mentioned there are some schools in OZ that should be avoided. I find it unsettling meeting low hour (but qualified CPL), pilots who show little knowledge of the basics.The worst example i have heard recently was a CPL with nearly 500hrs and he didn't know what a knot was. He could not work out simple calcs like @ 100kts, how long would it take to fly 150nm...he lost his wizz wheel but was given the answer three days later!
This guy is now taking your mum on a joy flight....scary huh!!
Kiwis I have worked with have told me that when you learn to fly in the area that you have been living in all your life , and have more than likley flown around before with friends or family, your instructor can only assume that you can navigate.(is that right?)
As i mentioned there are some schools in OZ that should be avoided. I find it unsettling meeting low hour (but qualified CPL), pilots who show little knowledge of the basics.The worst example i have heard recently was a CPL with nearly 500hrs and he didn't know what a knot was. He could not work out simple calcs like @ 100kts, how long would it take to fly 150nm...he lost his wizz wheel but was given the answer three days later!
This guy is now taking your mum on a joy flight....scary huh!!
Join Date: Mar 2005
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Metch,
I have trained with heli-flight reicently and found them to be a very friendly and proffesional outfit.
I see you are from bristol, so am i, so if you would like a first hand one on one talk then PM me and i will give you contact details.
There seems to be a lot of whinging on here from many kiwi's i can only hope these are not people i trained with, allthough i suspect so.
For my two pence, If you are of the get up and go variety then you will do very well with heli-flight, if you are of the laid back or plain LAZY variety (like some were (2 years on and still no CPL)) then you are likely to be overlooked by the instructors and rightly so, I personally self studied for all but NAV and passed all first time, I also did my 152 Hrs in 9 months, so by no means are you 'just another number'.
The instructors were very knowledgeable and helpful, and i can give them nothing but praise.
Some people seem to have problems with heli-flight and i suspect that they are the previously mentioned LAZY variety,
and before i get a sl**ing, NO just cos i was a private student did not mean i got preferential treatment, i was just pro active about it. Like skidbiter123 said, just be there all the time you can learn alot that way.
Thats enough from me for now.
PS Skidbiter123, tell me whats going on, did canada not work out, are you going for your c cat?
F2E
I have trained with heli-flight reicently and found them to be a very friendly and proffesional outfit.
I see you are from bristol, so am i, so if you would like a first hand one on one talk then PM me and i will give you contact details.
There seems to be a lot of whinging on here from many kiwi's i can only hope these are not people i trained with, allthough i suspect so.
For my two pence, If you are of the get up and go variety then you will do very well with heli-flight, if you are of the laid back or plain LAZY variety (like some were (2 years on and still no CPL)) then you are likely to be overlooked by the instructors and rightly so, I personally self studied for all but NAV and passed all first time, I also did my 152 Hrs in 9 months, so by no means are you 'just another number'.
The instructors were very knowledgeable and helpful, and i can give them nothing but praise.
Some people seem to have problems with heli-flight and i suspect that they are the previously mentioned LAZY variety,
and before i get a sl**ing, NO just cos i was a private student did not mean i got preferential treatment, i was just pro active about it. Like skidbiter123 said, just be there all the time you can learn alot that way.
Thats enough from me for now.
PS Skidbiter123, tell me whats going on, did canada not work out, are you going for your c cat?
F2E
Join Date: Dec 2004
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I have to agree with
with the last comment ,sounds like p4pilot was one of the students who just couldnt make the grade or the exams ,proberly found it a bit harder than his last job flipping burgers.Then has the balls to blame it on every one else as to why they failed proberly a nagging wife in the background asking why they have a huge student loan and no licence,easier to pass the blame i bet.
gasgen, I agree there are some poorly trained pilots out there.
On your point about living in the area you train, this might be the case with some people but I moved to the other end of the country and found naqvigating bloody hard.
On the whole I still think NZ has better training than Aus , but I would never say anything like that on pprune!
On your point about living in the area you train, this might be the case with some people but I moved to the other end of the country and found naqvigating bloody hard.
On the whole I still think NZ has better training than Aus , but I would never say anything like that on pprune!
Join Date: Oct 2005
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seems the
Masterton base is like a ghost town these days with two instructors there with not even a 1000 hrs between them and one of them should lose some weight and wash(summer is coming).It used to a be a first class school a few years back with great instructors then it got to big to soon and lost the personal touch.
Join Date: Jun 2003
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Biffed,
I thought being trained by a company and then getting a job as a Instructor/Line pilot in that company would be a good thing.How else are guy's going to become worldly experienced Helicopter Pilots like you must be!!!!Just remember it is not always time that makes a good pilot!!!!
I thought being trained by a company and then getting a job as a Instructor/Line pilot in that company would be a good thing.How else are guy's going to become worldly experienced Helicopter Pilots like you must be!!!!Just remember it is not always time that makes a good pilot!!!!
