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Be Informed: Spot Fake Aviation Schools with these Warning Signs!

Studying to be a certified pilot in the Philippines is very expensive – and when we say expensive, we mean thousands and thousands of cash. This fact may be intimidating to genuine pilot enthusiasts, but for do-no-gooders? Aviation can easily be turned into a shining, shimmering illegal money-maker.

Believe or not, people with this kind of malice actually exist, and they take delight in deceiving people with substandard and unauthorized services in exchange of their money. Unfortunately, a lot of aspiring pilots fall prey to these fakes that hinder them from reaching that pilot license. Some lose hope entirely, if not the means to continue their studies.

So protect yourself, your finance, and your dreams. By keeping these warning signs in mind, you will save yourself from being duped out of your money, time, and flying goals:

SIGN #1: Photos are overselling the actual school

The great thing about modern technology is it allows us to inquire about a lot of things in the comfort of our homes. But in case of inquiring aviation schools, it’s crucial for you to check the physical school as well.

Why? Simple. Photos posted on the websites of these fake aviation schools could very well be manipulated using editing softwares like Photoshop. They may not even be real photos of the facility at all!

So, visit the school. It doesn’t matter if your transportation to that school costs P500 or it’s a hassle for your schedule. Go out of your way to make sure that you will be in good hands. Being sure to the school where you’re investing your money is important – and it will be worth it.

SIGN #2: Fees that are way below the standard training cost

As much as we love discounts, discount offers from aviation schools are sketchy. If the standard training price is worth about P1 million, and a school offers it a marked down rate of say, P800 thousand, then by all means double check the credibility of that school.

Legitimate aviation schools charge expensively because of the facilities that will be involved in the training aren’t exactly low-cost. Remember that you will be taught how to fly so these schools must have state-of-the-art equipment to simulate the flying experience as close to the actual thing as possible. Of course there will also be times that you will be working on the real thing and that entails costly expenditures.

Pilot training doesn’t come cheap but it’s an investment that will bear fruits in the long run so might as well put your money where it will count the most.

SIGN #3: Background is sketchy

Check the school’s history like a detective. Scour the net and find all that you can about the school. Read write-ups, testimonials from current and past students.  If you know some people working in the industry – ask people if the school has had accidents in the past. Search if they have renowned graduates currently working as legitimate pilots. Also, don’t get fooled by the fancy words plastered all over their website.

Doing these may help you filter the right school for you and cross out the ones that will only suck your money. These may sound like a lot of work but remember—it’s so much better to err on the side of security than befall to the unknown.

SIGN #4: Certificates don’t exist 

This is actually a no-brainer and the surest way to confirm if the school is legitimate or not. Don’t shy away from asking certificates such as those from CAAP (Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines). If want to check if the school you’re eyeing at is certified, check Air Transportation Office’s (ATO) official list in this page. The list has all of the approved flight and maintenance schools in the Philippines.

SIGN #5: Instructors are just plain… period

They say experience, not age, makes people wiser and it translates in the aura they exude to other people. They possess wisdom and you just know that they beam with knowledge that you can learn a lot from. The same is true to any profession, especially to pilots.

When meeting your future flight instructor, do you sense something wrong? Like they don’t really know what they’re doing or saying? Your gut is probably saying something.

If you’re not into that sensing business, though, check if they possess a license. A teaching license if you’re sure way to find if they are really appropriate to teach you how to fly an aircraft.

Finding the best school to help you make your flight dreams come true shouldn’t be a hellish experience and finding a certified aviation school shouldn’t be like finding a needle in a haystack.

For a school that you can truly trust, WCC Aviation School will not disappoint you and your pocket.

For inquiries, visit their website at http://www.wccaviation.com/ now.