Falcon Aviation Academy
 

Does anyone have any insights on this place? I was a local airshow this weekend and they have a new program for CFIs.
Falcon CFI Academy - Falcon Aviation Academy

I'm sure there is a commit you have to make to get them to pay for the class. But I'm sort of bias about this place. They have been known to ignore anyone that is not Chinese and have a bad rep at the area airports for poor communications in the pattern. I had a CFI from there that was actually at another flight school and he was pretty lousy. Anyways wanted to see what everyone else thought about them. And the program doesn't sound bad if there is no commitment but if they have one it may not be that great.

I'm pretty sure there is no commitment. And the 'refund' of the bonus is piecemeal. You don't get it all at once. So much back after 90 days, after doing this or that. Don't remember the details. But supposedly they train you to be hired by them. From the way they made it sound you'd just have to suck not to be hired by them after you pass. Right now they are booked up until August, and they only take 4 per class.

How's your Mandarin/Cantonese?
And how's your Xanax prescription? You've heard them on the radio, just think sitting next to them all day...

I honestly was more concerned about this than the money. ha ha

Falcon is great. Not a fan of the da20 but I love the company. Also the Chinese students speak pretty good English. If you have a problem with a students English you can send them to ine of the 2 full time English teachers. Hope that helps. I have had no complaints.

I've lived in Asia so my Chingrish is pretty fluent, but most students that I hear on the radio around FFC are far from "english proficient". I've gone around a few times at FFC because a Falcon student simply didn't care that I was on final, and decided to take the runway.
Never heard anything bad about the company itself, they did present themselves pretty well at the PDK airshow.

Falcon is a good place to time build quickly. Lots of Chinese students. Airplanes are well maintained. DA40s and 42s are fun to fly. The 20s are not. Pay is decent.

If you're a domestic student looking to do something other than CFI training, I would certainly go somewhere else for training for three reasons - Falcon is relatively expensive, the instructors are pretty green as a group (I would have included myself in that demographic when I was there), and the company's focus is on the Chinese students (no matter what any recruiter will tell you, believe me).

The downside of working at Falcon is some of the school managers are so inept at their jobs. Some of the folks in "management" or Assistant Chief positions are mental midgets of the highest order.

Like all things, it is what you make of it. I'd probably instruct there again.

Check your PMs.

Please check them again. lol.

I was considering going to instruct at falcon. I have heard that you build time really quick and most of the students are really great at learning and studying as it would not be good to go back home after failing out of a airline paid program that they were lucky enough to be chosen for.

I have heard their perks of being and instructor there are probably some of the best you will get instructing anywhere in the US. I believe there was someone on the forum known as GTflyer who gave me some info on them when i was asking around, maybe try to contact him.