Changing Flying Schools During Training

[Guest garrett81]

Hi Guys,

 

i have a couple of questions in regards to changing schools midway through my student raa certificate.

 

can i transfer to a new school? or is it a little more complicated? and do i get the option to have a trial flight to see if i like the instructor and aircraft and so on? if so does anybody know any good ultralight schools in the surrounding areas of melbourne who have a sting or tecnam p92 echo super training aircraft? i started learning on the tecnam and then moved onto the sting and i love it (except for the slightly anoying fishtailing in straight and level cruise flying) . I would rather not have to learn another layout just yet!

 

further, due to the move and the recent startup of my business i have not had a lesson in a while say 3 months. i am not sure 100% on what the time frame is for completing my initial cert and what the time frame is in between lessons obviously the longer in between the more inefficient my learning but it has been unavoidable latley and probable in the near future.

 

if anybody has any knowledge that may enlighten me as to the answers to theese questions it would be much appreciated.

 

thanks guys

 

Garrett

 

 

[Guest Sabre]

Hi Garrett,

 

I changed schools after about eight hours due to work issues. I then had a break for about a year and then started again with Australian Pacific Aviation out of Jacobs Well . I had a TIF and away I went again.

 

You need a minimum of 20 hours dual and solo but a good instructor want give you a certificate unless he thinks you deserve it which could mean more hours......

 

Melbourne hey...brrrr...to cold stay up here...lol

 

Cheers

 

 

[Guest garrett81]

thanks,

 

i think i may have picked a bad time of the year to move down. i would much prefer to stay up here!

 

i just hope the flying is as good down here as it is in the gold coast training area!

 

garrett

 

 

[Admin]

Hi Garrett

 

There are a few schools down in the outer areas of Melb but unfortunately none that I know of have a Tecnam or a Sting. In fact I haven't heard of any schools that have a Sting on-line for training.

 

There are 4 schools in the outer areas and 1 being Oasis in inner Melb at Point Cook. Oasis has both Jabirus and a Gazelle. There is also Lilydale with Jabirus, Tooradin also with Jabirus, Tyabb with Gazelles and Penfield with a Texan and Gazelles.

 

Anyway you can transfer at any time to any other school and the only 'cost" to your training plan may well just be a flight with a new instructor, who you have carefully picked, for him to ascertain what you have learnt to date. Your log book only says your hours but not to what level you have been trained at and as each school have different ways in training and different levels of expected competency this "check" flight would be somewhat mandatory. Once you get that out of the way you are on your training plan again most likely where you left off from the other school.

 

Good luck and remember whether you have an instructor sitting next to you or not it is still all time in the air and the fun of being there!

 

 

[Guest garrett81]

Thanks Ian,

 

I was hoping it was as easy as that. I currently fly with SCENIC RIM AVIATION out of boonah QLD and murwullimbah NSW airfields, started in the tecnam and my instructor has recently purchased a sting as his new training aircraft.

 

So it looks like ill be flying a different plane in melbourne, what would be my best option a jab, texan or gazelle? i have never talked to anyone who has flown any of theese aircraft as the training planes up here (the gold coast and surrounds) seem to focus more on the Tecnam and Sting and an Allegro's.

 

i will have to do some research on them, but really i just want to fly!

 

thankyou for your help guys.

 

 

[Admin]

Garrett

 

Fortunately every aircraft is different as you know otherwise there would only be 1 aircraft if they were not. Every owner will say their aircraft is the right one and they may be correct but it is the right one for them.

 

This is just my opinion and that is all:

 

The Gazelle is a fantastic trainer, easy to fly and I believe helps you to get your licence quicker. BUT, some say that the Gazelle does teach you to fly but doesn't teach you to be a pilot - there are no flaps and speed isn't a worry as much as the more sophisticated ones.

 

The Jabiru has a different control layout to the "conventional" recreational aircraft but they are the most popular. With flaps you do have to watch your speed and that is another thing to concentrate on whilst you are learning.

 

The Texan is a low wing and therefore different to a high wing when in ground effect and they are still only legal, I believe, to somewhere around 450kg MTOW although they are about to go up to the standard 544kg - or so I am told.

 

The important thing is not just the aircraft but the instructor that will make all the difference - you have to click with them and feel comfortable and then half the battle of the right type of aircraft is already won.

 

Have a read of the training page on this website for some tips.

 

Another thing to consider down here in Melb is the weather - it can get very discouraging to a student early on in their training if they feel they are just fighting the wind and not learning anything or not making the steps forward that they thought they should be making.

 

Another alternative is if you have the capital and the time you could go further out of Melb and have a type of live-in course. I went to Shepparton who now have Tecnams and stayed in the caravan park opposite the airfield and had 2 to 3 lessons a day - got my certificate in a Gazelle pretty quickly and then went back to Oasis and did my Jabiru endorsement and then when I bought my CT I then went to Shepp and got endorsed in that. Nathan at Shepp is a fantastic instructor and the same goes for Kris K at Oasis. I looked at a few other schools by just going to them for a chat and didn't feel I clicked with the instructors so I gave them a miss.

 

Hope this helps but ultimately it may take a bit of time on your side looking, talking and checking out and even after all that you may still end up changing schools again mid stream but as I said enjoy the hours in the air - that is the main thing!

 

 

[Guest garrett81]

Thanks Ian, will look into it. thanks for the tips

 

 

[facthunter]

Changing schools.

 

garrett81, get your log book signed by your previous organisation. so there is no question of the hours being counted. (this is only important if you go through on the minimum times). I think you are being unduly anxious,for if you get a good instructor, it will all come together nicely. If you get to fly another kind of aircraft, that is all part of your experience overall. Melbourne area can be windy,and if this bothers you,you may get tired of waiting for a calm day. The Gazelle is generally considered to be the best,(easiest to handle) in windy conditions,& the most forgiving , so that may be a consideration , but not essential.. N....

 

 

[Guest garrett81]

Thanks,

 

I think i may be giving the wrong impression, personally for me i couldnt care less if it takes me 20, 30 or 100 hours to complete, and i am never going to be able to fly without another pilot with me anyway so im not bothered about the times or such, i would have liked to kept going in the sting which i have just moved into from the tecnam (personal Preference) but its all flying and as long as i can fly im happy,

 

wind is not really an issue, i fly in strong wind up here and am used to the delays. and the deathly feeling of bringing an aircraft in on one wheel hoping that there is no sudden gust of wind right at the crucial moment.

 

so im sorry if i did give you all the impression that i am rushing to get through my cert in the minimum 20 hours, would be nice but i fly for the experience and the fun and because i am lucky to be able to not to be better then anyone else or any other motive.

 

But thanks alot guys for all of your answers and suggestions its great to know that your all out there and i cabn learn from your experiences

 

 

[Admin]

That's a great post Garrett! ;)