KLM Flight School (KLS)
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KLM Flight School (KLS)
I have received the following message, and wonder if any of you can help with more information?
I've heard a rumour that the KLS (the private KLM flying school based near Groningen in Holland) has lost its licence to train pilots due to various scandals recently. I have also heard that it might be taken over by another group or possibly close. Is there any truth to these rumours?
I have a son who spent 6 months getting through the tough intake procedure and another 5 months waiting for a required mini-physics course to take place. if all goes according to plan he should start at the
school later this year. Both he and the whole family would be devastated if this turned out not to be possible.
Can anyone put my mind at rest?
Over to you guys.
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Scroggs
Wannabe Forum Moderator
[email protected]
I've heard a rumour that the KLS (the private KLM flying school based near Groningen in Holland) has lost its licence to train pilots due to various scandals recently. I have also heard that it might be taken over by another group or possibly close. Is there any truth to these rumours?
I have a son who spent 6 months getting through the tough intake procedure and another 5 months waiting for a required mini-physics course to take place. if all goes according to plan he should start at the
school later this year. Both he and the whole family would be devastated if this turned out not to be possible.
Can anyone put my mind at rest?
Over to you guys.
------------------
Scroggs
Wannabe Forum Moderator
[email protected]
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There was a thread running on this in R & N ( http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/For...ML/013664.html )
There was an article in one of the Dutch newspapers, I think, a couple of weeks ago about this same subject as well. I will look through the stack of newspapers in my garage and see if I can find it.
There was an article in one of the Dutch newspapers, I think, a couple of weeks ago about this same subject as well. I will look through the stack of newspapers in my garage and see if I can find it.
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Unfortunately somebody has started this rumour some time ago and now it's finding it's way into the world. As I am student at the KLM Flight Academy I was startled as well by this rumour and needless to say, we (our class) wanted a full explanation from the school as it took us by surprise as well.
According to a school spokesman, this rumour is based on nothing and they were very annoyed with the fact that someone had started this rumour on the internet which puts the school into a bad daylight.
However, there is some truth in the rumour. Last year, we had a terrible mid-air collision involving two training aircraft, whereby two of our students and one instructor were fatally injured. This accident was investigated by three separate committees and resulted in a list of serious short-comings that had been lingering below the surface and indirectly manifested themselves in the well-known chain of events that led to the accident. Therefore, the dutch CAA (RLD/NLA) forced the school to take immediate action to improve its weak spots that had been discovered during the accident investigation. Not complying with the requirements from the dutch CAA, could mean that their flight training oraganisation license would be suspended. Needless to say the school took immediate action to implement the recommendations made in the investigation reports. This has been done in close relationship with the dutch CAA and according to a school spokesman,'the dutch CAA is satisfied with the improvements made over the last year and a suspension of the training license is totally out of the picture...'.
So far 'the good news'. On the other hand, the planning of the school leaves a lot to be desired. Last three months I have been working for a living, because there was a shortage of instructors at our training facility in the USA and thus we had to temporarily interrupt our training.
Twin engine training takes place on two Beech Barons in Eelde (The Netherlands), which is not sufficient to achieve the desired throughput of students. This is currently the biggest bottleneck of the training program.
The school is now very much aware of their planning problems and are making very hard efforts to prevent the problems we are suffering from for the classes to start. They got rid of IAPT, their training facility in Tucson, Arizona which was one of the bottlenecks. From now on all students will be trained at the Pan Am Flight Academy in Fort Pierce, Florida. After some start-up problems there, it finally seems that this part of the training will no longer be a problem. I myself will leave to Florida on May 28th and hope that our high expectations will be met.
Furthermore, a third Beech Baron will be added to the fleet this summer/automn, thus taking away the second bottleneck. Also a back-up facility for the full-flight simulator training (MCC/Jet Conversion Course), which now takes place on an Airbus A310 simulator, is looked for.
Therefore I have good hope that the KLS has left their main problems behind and can look forward with a fresh-mind. It's a pity for the classes that are currently enrolled, that for them most solutions seem to be too late to prevent any further delay. But for the classes to come, things look much better.
I hope I have taken your doubts partly away and that your son will enjoy every day of its training. The quality of the training has never been in doubt, which is supported by the fact that 'our' ab-initio students land their first job at companies like KLM, KLM Cityhopper, Lufthansa, Alitalia and Austrian Airlines.
If you want first-hand information you can always call the school and ask your questions. That's what we as students do all the time. In every case that gives the school the feeling that they are carefully watched and this may motivate them even more to deliver the product that you as a student are entitled to. (You have paid them a lot, a lot of money)
Good luck
According to a school spokesman, this rumour is based on nothing and they were very annoyed with the fact that someone had started this rumour on the internet which puts the school into a bad daylight.
However, there is some truth in the rumour. Last year, we had a terrible mid-air collision involving two training aircraft, whereby two of our students and one instructor were fatally injured. This accident was investigated by three separate committees and resulted in a list of serious short-comings that had been lingering below the surface and indirectly manifested themselves in the well-known chain of events that led to the accident. Therefore, the dutch CAA (RLD/NLA) forced the school to take immediate action to improve its weak spots that had been discovered during the accident investigation. Not complying with the requirements from the dutch CAA, could mean that their flight training oraganisation license would be suspended. Needless to say the school took immediate action to implement the recommendations made in the investigation reports. This has been done in close relationship with the dutch CAA and according to a school spokesman,'the dutch CAA is satisfied with the improvements made over the last year and a suspension of the training license is totally out of the picture...'.
So far 'the good news'. On the other hand, the planning of the school leaves a lot to be desired. Last three months I have been working for a living, because there was a shortage of instructors at our training facility in the USA and thus we had to temporarily interrupt our training.
Twin engine training takes place on two Beech Barons in Eelde (The Netherlands), which is not sufficient to achieve the desired throughput of students. This is currently the biggest bottleneck of the training program.
The school is now very much aware of their planning problems and are making very hard efforts to prevent the problems we are suffering from for the classes to start. They got rid of IAPT, their training facility in Tucson, Arizona which was one of the bottlenecks. From now on all students will be trained at the Pan Am Flight Academy in Fort Pierce, Florida. After some start-up problems there, it finally seems that this part of the training will no longer be a problem. I myself will leave to Florida on May 28th and hope that our high expectations will be met.
Furthermore, a third Beech Baron will be added to the fleet this summer/automn, thus taking away the second bottleneck. Also a back-up facility for the full-flight simulator training (MCC/Jet Conversion Course), which now takes place on an Airbus A310 simulator, is looked for.
Therefore I have good hope that the KLS has left their main problems behind and can look forward with a fresh-mind. It's a pity for the classes that are currently enrolled, that for them most solutions seem to be too late to prevent any further delay. But for the classes to come, things look much better.
I hope I have taken your doubts partly away and that your son will enjoy every day of its training. The quality of the training has never been in doubt, which is supported by the fact that 'our' ab-initio students land their first job at companies like KLM, KLM Cityhopper, Lufthansa, Alitalia and Austrian Airlines.
If you want first-hand information you can always call the school and ask your questions. That's what we as students do all the time. In every case that gives the school the feeling that they are carefully watched and this may motivate them even more to deliver the product that you as a student are entitled to. (You have paid them a lot, a lot of money)
Good luck
Guest
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Scroggs,
In my opinion no worrys mate! I also read the Dutch article. I try to be as objective as possible hence I asked KLS for some clarification. Like Pionoman wrote, the head of training from the KLS has also assured me that there is no reason to believe de KLS would lose their training license.
I sincerely believe that KLS is worth heir money especially when one finishes his study and has to apply for a job as a low timer. The only way of distinguishing oneself from other lowtimers is the name of the school one attended.
I for one has to believe my statement because I am commencing training at the KLS the 20th of August. Mayby your son goes to the same class? You mind asking him if he wants to correspond with me so we can get acquainted?
Good luck with your son's choice and remember:
Keep 'em High!
Bertus
[This message has been edited by FL077 (edited 23 May 2001).]
In my opinion no worrys mate! I also read the Dutch article. I try to be as objective as possible hence I asked KLS for some clarification. Like Pionoman wrote, the head of training from the KLS has also assured me that there is no reason to believe de KLS would lose their training license.
I sincerely believe that KLS is worth heir money especially when one finishes his study and has to apply for a job as a low timer. The only way of distinguishing oneself from other lowtimers is the name of the school one attended.
I for one has to believe my statement because I am commencing training at the KLS the 20th of August. Mayby your son goes to the same class? You mind asking him if he wants to correspond with me so we can get acquainted?
Good luck with your son's choice and remember:
Keep 'em High!
Bertus
[This message has been edited by FL077 (edited 23 May 2001).]
Guest
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Thanks for the replys, peeps. I asked the question as it had been asked of me. It wasn't a subject I knew anything about, and I knew that some of you guys would know the situation. As you can see from the original post, the questioner was worried for his son, so I felt honour-bound to pass it on. The gist of your answers - that all is well - has been passed back.
Once again, thanks!
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Scroggs
Wannabe Forum Moderator
[email protected]
Once again, thanks!
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Scroggs
Wannabe Forum Moderator
[email protected]
