Hey KrisramJ,

I'm booked into bristow for this november to start the FAA Pro Pilot Course. Did you go over on the J-1 visa?


Cheers,
Wardy

Has anyone gone over there with a wife/partner/significant other recently?

I'm starting on the FAA Pro course in November, and I'm taking my wife with me.

Just after some advice about how previous students partners have got on. I'm thinking about things like work, sharing accomodation or getting our own place and dealing with me constantly studying for 9 months.

I'm glad she is letting us put our life on hold for a couple of years, so not taking her is not an option. No kids that I know of, so thats not a worry.

Cheers

TJF97

Hey Wardy

I went there on J-1, yes. There were a few cheeky buggers who went over a few months before (on an M-1 visa I think) and did their private then returned to Europe, got the J-1 and went back out to Florida to continue their training. It bought them an extra 3 months at the end for hour building as a CFI.

I chose not to do that because I was told it could jeopardise the J-1, but at the end of my time in the USA I wished I'd had that extra time. It *really* sucks having to leave a job that is building your hours at an obscene rate and having to give up the student base you've worked so hard at building up. It forces you to step out into the turbine world though, so it's not all bad!

Kris

Life after Bristow Academy??
 

If you don't mind me asking, what do people end up doing after Bristow Academy? I only ask because a guy I work with, his brother was at Bristow's and he is now a working in an office!! He came home early with just his CPL and didn't do anything with it.

Do people carrying on instructing in JAA land or do the majority go to the "rigs"??

I'd personally like to come back to my day job and carry on where I left off. Then do the onshore charter work on my days off, I currently work 4 days on 4 days off.

Thoughts/ info please.

You could get your hands on £40k and do an initial ME-IR, opening up a few doors.

Ex HAI
 

Love the videos etc....takes me back to my time there May 2003 to Oct 2004 (JAA course 9), what a place to learn to fly, and so many different people from so many varying backgrounds...wish I was going again.

Best of luck to all of you heading out there soon! :ok:

JAA/FAA Bristow academy student
 

Hi,

Please could a Bristow academy student, private message me. Preferably someone who has nearly finished the JAA/FAA program. I'd just like to ask few questions.

thanks
Jon

March 2009 FAA Course
 

Anyone out there heading to BA for the March Course?

I started the FAA commercial course this month.nice balance of groundschool and flying.The weather is great,flying with doors off quite a lot,beats the Emerald Isle any day! Apart from the lack of mountains of course.And as S76driver said, so many people from different countries.

Hi Jon I finished there in September, this was my video of my year out there. I was JAA22


I injoyed it very much, it's hard work and a great school.

Feel free to PM me if you have some questions

Peter

@Pilot.Pete

Nice video, nice helicopters, nice landscape :D

I just wonder: is there a dresscode at bristow, do the students have to wear those white shirts and dark trousers?

Yes there's a dresscode for the JAA course (black slacks, white shirt, no tie, black shoes), not so for the FAA students... except that there is a policy to wear long pants and proper shoes to fly - makes sense if you are looking at snake bites in the swamp after an emergency landing; won't help you much with the alligators though! :eek:

thanx for the info Phil77 :ok:

And you really think that "black slacks" will save you from a snake bite?? I guess you never saw the picture of the snake eating the alligator down there huh? I would rather take my chances with a gator.

Reminds me of my time at Bristow Academy when it was still HAI in '06.... the practice areas where over swamps with hunters going after gaiters right near where we were doing auto's, etc.

Had a bit of fun chasing boar, doing quickstops...

Very professional outfit.

Good for Samantha that she is now President.

Anyone know if Pat is still involved? (I went to them because my instructor in Wycombe used to fly with him in California and said to look him up... good guy (both of them)

Pity about the “Corporate Bristow” input, however the old HAI approach still seems to be working. Check for hidden costs into 2009 (never did trust Bristow Corporation after being shafted in 1985).
Well done Sam, and a :ok:Happy New Year.
outhouse

birddog

Not quite....Unless you know what we do not....

Bristow Academy formerly Helicopter Adventures Inc - Helicopter Flight Training

Gordy: I was thinking more of the smaller species and other critters that bite... I know that a f*** python might not be bothered with a little bit of clothing :(
I'd rather wade a swamp in jeans than boardshorts, but that's just me :\

Patrick now lives in Houston (Bristow HQ) - I stand to be corrected.

current situation
 

Hi Guys,

I'm going to enroll in Bristow academy in June 2009 FAA/JAA.

Could someone please kindly give me an update on the current situation over in Florida.

Are people still managing to find work after qualifying to FAA CFII, or have things slowed down dramatically?

any advice would be greatly appreciated.

thank you.
Jon

I fisnished BHA april last year.
It was a great year and it has been a lot of fun.
I spent my time in Windover oaks with a roommate.
Not as fancy as Summerhill but it was good enough for us.
Besides the course fee and a car we did spent about $1000
a month each on rent, gas, internet connection, food and other bills.

I'm, after doing my IR in Denmark, working for CHC Netherlands
together with two classmates and a fourth guy from the next
course. Two other ex-BHA did their job interview last month. So
there are job oppurtunities for people graduating BHA and with
a low amount of flying hours.

Feel free to PM me......

Dennis