Frequently Asked Questions

AEROS is an EASA Approved Training Organisation for Modular Commercial training, including all PPL related, CPL, MEP, IR, FI, CRI, TRI and will celebrate its 30^th year anniversary this year.

Currently Aeros has 5 Flight Training bases located at Cardiff, Coventry, Gloucester, Nottingham and Doncaster- all bases hold commercial approval, with the fleet of over 35 aircraft (those owned by Aeros or leased on exclusive contract) maintained by Aeros own Engineering facilities in Gloucester which is full EASA PART145 and Part M approvaed. In summer the fleet expands with “short term lease” additions to help the requirement.

Aeros owns 3 Simulators (Multi engine only) located at Gloucester and Coventry.

All Aeros aircraft are insured for Civil Use of MOD airfields.

Are you ELCAS approved?

Yes, we are. In fact, we have been ELCAS approved for the past 10 years, and we have successfully kept our approval every single year as ELCAS requirements grow more demanding, without ever loosing or having the approval suspended. Our ELCAS provider number is 1506.

What is the syllabus for CPL and ME/IR?- Generic CAA syllabus is defined in CAA standard Documents 1 and 3. Also can be found in our CPL and IR Approvals manuals on site (link can not be provided due to copyright). There is no syllabus for QMP conversion, as the instructor will follow the afro mentioned CAA documents to prepare the student for the test.

What does ground school consist of?

Aircraft type specific, CPL and IFR profiles, flight planning, VFR navigation, general handling profiles for each test, performance planning and mass and balance planning.

What are the estimated costs for the course?

Including landing fees, approaches, VAT, instruction, aircraft hire, exam fees etc.- Depends on the aircraft chosen and the training required. Commonly between £5300 (Ground-school, TWIN ONLY: 4 hrs training, 6-8 landings and 4-6 approach fees, 2 tests solo hire, Approaches/landings for test, 2 CAA test fees (£775 each) paid to the CAA) and £6700 (ground-school, TWIN ONLY: based on 8 hrs training, 10-12 landing fees and 8-10 approach fees, 2 test solo hire, approaches/landings for test and 2 CAA test fees). The prices include VAT. CAA fees are non VATable. Common training profile last between 1.5 and 2 hrs, test profile is commonly under 2 hrs for a QMP. The cost can be reduced considerably by using an MOD airfield for movements, as this saving will be passed directly to the student. The cost will be reduced by using Single engine a/c for CPL and twin simulator. Out of hours and weekend QMP training/tests will receive 10% discount (this excludes CAA tests fees and full £775 will need to be paid for both tests). Full quote can be obtained through Aeros Gloucester. Training in the DA42 is £50 per hour more expensive.

How long do you plan for us to take to complete the course?

1-2 weeks. We have experience of completing QMP conversion within 3 days. We recommend to set aside 2 weeks for (inevitable) weather delay and CAA Examiner availability, also if the time limit was pressed to one week, we can book an examiner upfront before the course began and work towards the completion date.

What aircraft do you have for the training?

For QMP conversions we use: for single engine CPL PA28-201 Arrow, analogue cockpit; for multi engine CPL and IR: Seneca 2, analogue cockpit; Tecnam P2006T Glass cockpit G950 and Diamond DA42 Glass cockpit G1000. Tecnams and Diamonds are new aircrafts.

Exeter have a simulator phase, why don’t you?

We have simulators available for the conversions completed at Gloucester and Coventry, also Coventry simulator is available for conversions completed out of Nottingham. In the past and currently, QMPs do not choose to use the Simulator themselves and prefer to go straight into the aircraft. CAA does not mandate the use of the Simulator for the QMP conversions, leaving it as a personal choice. Aeros owns 2 analogue FNPTII and has recently purchased a DA42 glass cockpit simulator, which should be operational at Coventry from the end of July 2016.

How far in advance can I book?

12 month in advance. ELCAS funding has to be applied for at least 30 days before the course start date. To guarantee the dates, instructor and a/c availability Aeros will request £250 deposit 2 month prior to the course start date, up until then the dates are flexible and can be moved. Operations will do their best to accommodate any changes in dates, but sometimes it might be not possible within the period of 2 month prior to the course.

Can I do renewals with you in the simulator?

Yes, every other re-validation can be done in the Simulator within the validity of the rating. If the rating has expired, the renewal will have to be done in the aircraft.

Can I fly at weekends?

Yes, Aeros operates 7 days a week, all year round including bank holidays, with a short closure for Christmas break. Main Commercial training hours 8:30-17:30 Monday to Friday. QMP conversion training carried out after 17:30 and during the weekend will be discounted at 10%.

Are the examiners ex military?

The examiners for initial CPL and IR tests are being allocated by the CAA Flight Test Bookings based in Gatwick, some of them are ex-military. The examiners accept the test booking based on their location geographically.

What is your pass rate?

Aeros pass rate across 5 sites is 100% on full time courses- I believe this pass rate does not account for ICAO conversions.

How long is my licence valid for?

CPL license is lifetime. IR rating is valid for 1 year.

Can two of us complete the course at the same time and back seat each other?

Yes, back-seating is highly recommended. Also, as we are running commercial courses based on 2 students per instructor (for the reason of back-seating), having dual QMP will be very practical and will possibly save on required training to achieve test standard due to wider exposure.