Is FlightSafety worth $7920?

[diggertwo]

From the PilotBug blog

Recently an unemployed friend of mine wanted to get a type rating in a Citation Excel. After calling FlightSafety and being quoted an off the street contractor price of $27,600, he then called Simuflight. Their price was far, far lower, to the tune of $19,680. Now I am curious, is the training that much better in a FlightSafety training center? Is it $7920 better?


Given that these two training programs are essentially the same, I can only think that the reason for the difference is name recognition. To the world, FlightSafety is an outfit that non-pilots trust, but much like which college you went to, it mostly doesn’t matter after the first job.

 

[brokeflyer]

yes, flightsafety is much better training....you get what you pay for. IF you want a type rating, go to simuflight....if you want a type rating and actully know something about the plane that is useful, go to FSI.

you get what you pay for....there's a reason why FSI is the most expensive

 

[TMMT]

Ygwypf

 

[avbug]

Personally I prefer simuflite. FSI has no better name recognition than simuflite....they're on par with one another. I think the manuals and the instruction are better at simuflite, or have been in my own experience.

Does your friend have a job lined up for that type, or is he looking to spend the money in the hopes someone will hire him? If he's simply taking a shot in the dark, there are probably better ways to spend his money. If he's looking to do contract work and has some lined up, and has the experience to qualify him (the type rating isn't enough), then it may be worth his while.

It's a lot of money to blow on a few letters on one's certificate, if one doesn't have a ready use for it.

 

[JAFI]

It's a lot of money to blow on a few letters on one's certificate, if one doesn't have a ready use for it.

I agree, unless he/she has some one who says -get the type and you got a job - he may find a better way to spend the money.

Any education or experience has value BUT - A type rating with out flight time in that aircraft has a questionable value....IMHO.

 

[LR60BOY]

I got my Excel type at Simuflite a little over a year ago. I have to completely disagree with avbug on this one. Every day a found differences between the manuals and what the instructor had said. I was told that the Books were derived from the Bravo/Ultra. Thats fine but, the information needs to be correct before you start handing them out to people that pay a lot of money to be there.

There were certain things asked in my oral............my response "would you like the book answer, the instructors answer or what the guy who gave me my practice oral said?" When I brought this issue up, I was told, "yeah we know about that........put it in your critique" I did.

Other than that school, I've been an FSI client my whole career other than this example. Simuflite left a very bad taste in my mouth.

FWIW