And the Island Coastal Aviation website shows a ton of recent testimonials from pretty happy customers from practically everywhere -- tells me this guy is good and has an international rep.

I know nothing about this company, but I have to ask....does any company website post testimonials from unsatisfied customers? It seems a bit of an odd way to assess anything much about a company other than they are good marketers.
I do know one company (not this one) that posts some amazing testimonials, ..international students too....And they are a terrible at what they do for the most part. But the one in ten students that like them get their testimonials placed on their website.

...now back to topic...

...now back to topic...

One does not need an I.Q. above the temperature of a refrigerator to understand that T.C. will not make negative comments regarding any company with an active approved operating certificate.

trey kule wrote:

And the Island Coastal Aviation website shows a ton of recent testimonials from pretty happy customers from practically everywhere -- tells me this guy is good and has an international rep.

I know nothing abourt this company, but I have to ask....does any company website post testimonials from unsatisfied customers? It seems a bit of an odd way to assess anything much about a company other than they are good marketers.
I do know one company (not this one) that posts some amazing testimonials, ..international students too....And they are a terrible at what they do for the most part. But the one in ten students that like them get their testimonials placed on their website.

...now back to topic...

And there is no way that these can be fake testimonials, it is the internet and everything posted on here is true.

I have seen instructors make posts on here about thier school assuming the guise of a student. I even got "told off" by one such poster after I called them on it.

Lurch

P.S I have no info/opinion on the above schools

So... You suggest that they call TC, and then you call them stupid for following your own advice?

trey kule wrote:

And the Island Coastal Aviation website shows a ton of recent testimonials from pretty happy customers from practically everywhere -- tells me this guy is good and has an international rep.

I know nothing about this company, but I have to ask....does any company website post testimonials from unsatisfied customers? It seems a bit of an odd way to assess anything much about a company other than they are good marketers.
I do know one company (not this one) that posts some amazing testimonials, ..international students too....And they are a terrible at what they do for the most part. But the one in ten students that like them get their testimonials placed on their website.

wirez wrote:I second that. Trained with ^&* in Cowichan Lake a couple years back. Satisfied customer.

Did some mountain flying with Tom a few years back. FYI, while there, I actually saw the real e-mails and letters that those testimonials on the website are quoted from. I helped out one rainy day by transcribing a few of them into text documents for posting when the website was just being built. Those people were really genuinely happy to share their experience.

Yes, I'm sure people don't necessarily write to tell an operator how UNsatisfied they are... but you can take the website testimonials at their word (they are definitely not "faked"). Hope that clears that question up, at least.

So...we have some people here who are really positive in their opinion of the owner of the school in question.

And we have some who are not so positive in their opinion.

The positive ones seem to be inexperienced in aviation, or at least this sector of avition.

The not so positive ones seem generally to be high time experienced older people., and some know the history behind all these issues.

Interesting huh?

Cat Driver wrote:So...we have some people here who are really positive in their opinion of the owner of the school in question.

And we have some who are not so positive in their opinion.

The positive ones seem to be inexperienced in aviation, or at least this sector of avition.

The not so positive ones seem generally to be high time experienced older people., and some know the history behind all these issues.

Interesting huh?

I like to think I'm quite experienced in aviation, specifically the training sector of the West Coast. And I am more aware of the history than you might think. So let's not generalize...

But I'm not really interested in swapping credentials. I've had bad experiences with many different schools, and good ones with others. It's just business. You do the best you can.

Look, I'm sure many students have had a great experience. But, it comes down to this: do you want to support those who are good for the industry, treat people properly, pay their employees properly, keep their employees and passengers safe and not take advantage of low hour pilots and those who don't know better or who get promised positions that never seem to materialize, or those who do treat you students and low time pilots ethically.
Over and out.

Look, I'm sure many students have had a great experience. But, it comes down to this: do you want to support those who are good for the industry, treat people properly, pay their employees properly, keep their employees and passengers safe and not take advantage of low hour pilots and those who don't know better or who get promised positions that never seem to materialize, or those who do treat you students and low time pilots ethically.
Over and out.

You are wasting your time trying to convince some of these people here cessnafloatflyer.

Students are hardly the best segment of aviation to judge the quality of their trainers, ignorance of the subject they are learning was why they took training in the first place...therefore their trainer is awesome.