PPL – Changing flight schools

Good luck to you and hope it all turns out for the best for you.

It is the due laws of libel that I was being wary about. I agree constructive criticism is a good thing and axe-grinding isn’t. I don’t think Spartan is the axe-grinding type but we all need to be careful about libel, hence the comment.

Melv

Not just that but only having experienced one flying school I don’t have much to measure them against so it could just be that I was expecting way too much.

Having said that I’ve spent the afternoon at another school getting to know the owners and the senior instructors and they seem a lot better. I’m going to sleep on it, have a few trial lessons at different places and then make the decision.

Many thanks to you all for your advice.

Regards, S

No axe to grind, but I see nothing wrong with somebody in Spartan’s position posting “I am at school X and I’m 7 hours into my JAR-PPL(A) and while I’m still excited about flying, I’m not enjoying …… ”

Due concern for the laws of libel, but passing on a personal feeling could be valuable to others and could persuade the errant school to change its ways.

Moggy

It is the due laws of libel that I was being wary about. I agree constructive criticism is a good thing and axe-grinding isn’t. I don’t think Spartan is the axe-grinding type but we all need to be careful about libel, hence the comment.

Melv

I don’t know where you are in the country, and I certainly don’t want to see the name of the school you are not happy with posted here, but there are going to be others in the vicinity.

No axe to grind, but I see nothing wrong with somebody in Spartan’s position posting “I am at school X and I’m 7 hours into my JAR-PPL(A) and while I’m still excited about flying, I’m not enjoying …… “

Due concern for the laws of libel, but passing on a personal feeling could be valuable to others and could persuade the errant school to change its ways.

Moggy

Thruxton has a website with guest book, forum and pics, a bit like here…

Unfortunately, the fellow member who did it had a fall out with the owner of the club and is not maintaining it any more, which is a shame really:

http://www.thruxton-flying-club.ndo.co.uk/

However the info is still up to date as I write. You will probably see some of my pics or some of my posts on the forum. The trouble we have is that not that many people either know about it or are interested or are computer-minded, so that we were only a handlful of users.

Regards,
Steph

Mmmm, probably not that different in terms of distance to me! I am in Basing Grad and it is about 40 minutes for me if I were to drive at the legal limit! If you whiz down past Marlborough, through the Speed Camera Drive to Tidworth it’d only take you about the same. There is not a huge amount of choice within easy reach of you really. I’d suggest a whiz down to Thruxton to have a word with them. The food has recently improved no end too.

Do they have a website I could check out for more information?

Cheers, S

Just a bit too far for me, only ever make it to Thruxton to see the motor racing occasionally. I’m further north, just west of Swindon in fact.

Cheers again, S

Mmmm, probably not that different in terms of distance to me! I am in Basing Grad and it is about 40 minutes for me if I were to drive at the legal limit! If you whiz down past Marlborough, through the Speed Camera Drive to Tidworth it’d only take you about the same. There is not a huge amount of choice within easy reach of you really. I’d suggest a whiz down to Thruxton to have a word with them. The food has recently improved no end too.

MH

I seem to recall there was quite a good thread on the subject of full time instructors some months ago. Lots of very worthwile contributions from some of the more experienced guys on here; Moggy, Skybolt, even MH 😉 Can’t locate the thread at all though (damned search function! 🙁 )

As far as changing flight schools is concerned, I’d concur with everything that’s been said. If you’re not happy, change. The hours do count, the exercises you’ve covered should have been noted in your comments column in the logbook, and your school SHOULD let you have a copy of your training record. If they don’t give you a copy, or don’t keep training records at all, you decision to change is immediately justified.

When it come to looking for an alternative school, as others have said, take your time to look around. Go visit, talk to them about what you need, how they operate. Look at the aeroplanes – they don’t need to be sparkling clean, but you are looking to check that they’re well maintained. Don’t just go on price – if the hourly rate advertised is too low to be true, it usually is. What are the hidden extras? Are VAT, instructor time and landing fees included? Once you’ve narrowed it down to one or two possibles, go and take a twnty minute trial flight with each. See how that compares between the two, and against your current school.

True, it might take a few weeks to change and find somewhere you’re happy with, but ultimately remember it’s your money and you have the power to decide where and when to spend it. 😉

Good luck.

Interesting thread… The place that I did my trial flight with was good so I’d be tempted to stick with them, but I’ll certainly shop around when it comes to making the decision.

Is it worth getting AOPA/PFA to lobby for a change to the rules for becoming an instructor? It certainly seems as if the requirement is a bit excessive – and an enthusiastic, dedicated instructor has got to be better than someone who’s treading water until they get their bus drivers licence. A naive view probably, but hey we’re a democracy, right? (stop laughing at the back)

John C
Who’s never let knowledge and experience get in the way of a good discussion

There was a survey once in “Which” magazine that said the two tings people didn’t change often enough were banks and doctors. You could add Flight Schools to this!

Obviously I’ve been spoilt in the past – previous flying experience being as an air cadet – flying with the RAF from Southport. The RAF guys always seemed to love what they were doing and love taking you up.

The problem with training in this country now is that the requirements needed to become and instructor are so great that most of the people doing it are on the route of hours building for an ATPL. Some of these make excellent instructors, but for others teaching is a bore that is getting in the way of their 767 captaincy and you are just a number that is required to get them where they want to go, what you want to do is less important to them (sound familiar?).

Ah that explains a lot.

I learned to fly at Thruxton and still fly from there. The CFI has been flying since God was a boy and is great. Of the other instructors, two are on their way to ATPL jobs but are good instructors (if they read this I will deny I said this . . .) and the other is a committed full-time instructor.

Just a bit too far for me, only ever make it to Thruxton to see the motor racing occasionally. I’m further north, just west of Swindon in fact.

Cheers again, S

There was a survey once in “Which” magazine that said the two tings people didn’t change often enough were banks and doctors. You could add Flight Schools to this!

You are being sensible to want to cover ground that you are not happy with. Let’s face it the veg can sting if you hit it! I dunno where you are in the country so can’t make recommendations, but if you are not happy with the attitude of the school then it implies that you will notice when you are are happy! Seriously, talk to the school, visit, ask to speak to one or two of the instructors. I am sure they will take a couple fo minutes between lessons to have a word. You should get a feel if they are enthusiastic and committed.

The problem with training in this country now is that the requirements needed to become and instructor are so great that most of the people doing it are on the route of hours building for an ATPL. Some of these make excellent instructors, but for others teaching is a bore that is getting in the way of their 767 captaincy and you are just a number that is required to get them where they want to go, what you want to do is less important to them (sound familiar?).

I learned to fly at Thruxton and still fly from there. The CFI has been flying since God was a boy and is great. Of the other instructors, two are on their way to ATPL jobs but are good instructors (if they read this I will deny I said this . . .) and the other is a committed full-time instructor.

I have even considered taking my isntructor’s rating but with a full commercial groundschool (a large percentage of which I would never use) and Commercial rating and an instructors rating I will spend close on ten grand for the privilege. I just want to teach people in my spare time to fly tailwheel (tailwheel instructors are getting thin on the ground) but the cost is against it at the moment. I wouldn’t mind if everything I had to do to get there was relevant, but it is not.

Melvyn Hiscock

Firstly if you are not happy with your school and the training, or even if you simply do not get on with your instructor, change schools. You are paying a lot of money and you are entitled to feel you are getting value.

Quite.

As for keeping the hours, providing that they were done and logged correctly then there is no problem. You have been learnign as part of a fixed syllabus and all entries in your logbook should show which exercise you have flown. An instructor is going to be able to assess your ability pretty quickly and will soon find out if there are holes in your training. You hours, however, count.

Smashing, I’d probably like to redo some (all) of the syllabus as I don’t feel that the instructor managed to actually impart much knowledge. It would be depressing to find that the money spent on those hours had been totally wasted though – so good to hear they can count.

Get a copy of the Pilot magazine “Where to Fly Guide” and study it hard. Make some phone calls, get out and visit some places but if you are not happy, change. There are no penalties and it is the right thing to do.

Melvyn, thanks for the reply much appreciated. Obviously I didn’t do that good a job of vetting this lot before I parted with cash, so are there any obvious questions or things I should look for when choosing a replacement?

Cheers, S

Firstly if you are not happy with your school and the training, or even if you simply do not get on with your instructor, change schools. You are paying a lot of money and you are entitled to feel you are getting value. I don’t know where you are in the country, and I certainly don’t want to see the name of the school you are not happy with posted here, but there are going to be others in the vicinity. Take some time to travel around and go see them, talk to the instructors and tell them your concerns about the place you are with (and again you don’t have to name it) and you will soon get a feel for which ones are good and helpful.

As for keeping the hours, providing that they were done and logged correctly then there is no problem. You have been learnign as part of a fixed syllabus and all entries in your logbook should show which exercise you have flown. An instructor is going to be able to assess your ability pretty quickly and will soon find out if there are holes in your training. You hours, however, count.

Get a copy of the Pilot magazine “Where to Fly Guide” and study it hard. Make some phone calls, get out and visit some places but if you are not happy, change. There are no penalties and it is the right thing to do.

MH