Jeppesen or IFOD?

Dennis98BE

Well-Known Member
Hello everyone

I am from Belgium, and I am hoping through the feedback of other users I can make a decision on which academy to go with. I recently passed the written (ADX), all through the software of Sheppard Air as well as through the use of Sheffield’s app. I spend quite some time studying everything to ensure I will pass with flying colours, and I did. Being committed is not the issue.

To my knowledge, on the resume to which academy I went to doesn’t really matter as with universities. However the way a student gets taught to me is important, and for me I got two options. Jeppesen, the full package - the 6 weeks course, or through IFOD. The online option for a few months and ultimately 2 or 3 weeks subsequently in person.

The problem? I don’t know what’s best for me.

I am unsure if I will learn more with either one of the academies, in the end both are FAA Approved and the license is highly valued in Europe regardless. What I do find is that getting lots of physical books of Jeppesen for pre-study as I like to do, might be too overwhelming. I am pretty keen on things that are digitalised but am afraid that the IFOD option might also not be that good for me as it is being not really intense enough since I will learn everything over a span of several months instead of in a few weeks.

Did anyone recently did what I was suggested to by IFOD? How was your experience?

I feel Jeppesen is the safe option, but the books I would then wish to pre-study prior to going in might be too much.

Did anyone else have this dilemma as well?

Looking forward to your feedback.

Thank you..

All the best,
Dennis
 
I cannot speak to Jepp but I attended IFOD and the first 3 weeks of the 5 week course were preparation for passing the ADX. My opinion would be to do the shortened course, if able, since the ADX is already out of the way for you. The flight planning portion and the prep for the oral exam were in the last 2 weeks of the course I took.
 
Great to know, such little information out there and at all not centralised. This helps to know how the courses are conducted as I did the ADX through the software online. Purely to make sure I can pass this before I sign up for a $5,000 course excluding accommodation and travel expenses. Knowing this now things are more clear. I believe I will sign up for the online/2weeks in person course with IFOD unless somebody tells me it is not a good idea to gain knowledge. Because that is my only concern at this point, will the online course give me enough knowledge and understanding to do the 2 weeks accelated course and pass my practical/oral?

Anyways, thank you so so much ! !
 
Great to know, such little information out there and at all not centralised. This helps to know how the courses are conducted as I did the ADX through the software online. Purely to make sure I can pass this before I sign up for a $5,000 course excluding accommodation and travel expenses. Knowing this now things are more clear. I believe I will sign up for the online/2weeks in person course with IFOD unless somebody tells me it is not a good idea to gain knowledge. Because that is my only concern at this point, will the online course give me enough knowledge and understanding to do the 2 weeks accelated course and pass my practical/oral?

Anyways, thank you so so much ! !
You can also email or call IFOD and request a call back for more info. I attended there as well, and they’re more than happy to answer any questions people have.
 
You can also email or call IFOD and request a call back for more info. I attended there as well, and they’re more than happy to answer any questions people have.
Hi! Yes I was on the phone today with Kash for a short period of time. Kash will send me a price for acces to the online course, and for the last 2 weeks in person.
Through the online course I can build up my course hours and knowledge and then ultimately go in person and learn the flight planning part for my practical/oral. You’re absolutely right, and they are but hearing personal experiences from other people who went before me can be just as valuable if not more in some cases to make an appropriate decision. As mentioned above, I already have the ADX out of the way and this makes/made it more difficult for me to chose what course format I should go with.
 
You can also email or call IFOD and request a call back for more info. I attended there as well, and they’re more than happy to answer any questions people have.
As a follow up, I did send in some questions and am awaiting the reply. Like, if my equipment will suffice to take part in the online course and if for example by January I could have everything covered or not. Ultimately if they could also send me an example of how the courseware looks like. It does look like I am going with this option!
 
I am attending Jeppesen in Oct. for their 5 week course and am currently studying with the Sheffield app for the written, and will PM you about the ADX if that's okay.

I spoke to Jeppesen quite a bit before signing up, and they invited me to come sit in on a class while a rep from a major came to talk to the current class. Jeppesen staff has treated me quite well and from what I could tell from the classroom environment, they really care about the students, challenge them but also keep it very interesting.

It was an easy choice for me as I am from Colorado so lodging won't be an issue but I invite you to call (or email) them with any questions you may have as well!
 
I just finished up at IFOD about three weeks ago and I had a great experience; I went through the 160 hours of online coursework and 40 hours in person and did great. Take that with a grain of salt though, I went into it as a commercial pilot so I knew a significant portion of the required knowledge before even getting there, but I joined an in-person class that was 4 out of 5 weeks in, and I was astonished by how much aviation knowledge everyone in the class had given the fact only 3 or so out of 20+ people had any technical aviation knowledge, so I have no doubt IFOD would be able to get you up to speed!
 
I just finished up at IFOD about three weeks ago and I had a great experience; I went through the 160 hours of online coursework and 40 hours in person and did great. Take that with a grain of salt though, I went into it as a commercial pilot so I knew a significant portion of the required knowledge before even getting there, but I joined an in-person class that was 4 out of 5 weeks in, and I was astonished by how much aviation knowledge everyone in the class had given the fact only 3 or so out of 20+ people had any technical aviation knowledge, so I have no doubt IFOD would be able to get you up to speed!
That’s great to hear. Good for you and congrats! Thanks for your comment too. I feel this is the right choice for me as well since I don’t really feel like going through physical books, whilst already having the written out of the way I believe I will just have more time to get an even better understanding of theory. As agreed with them I will join the class that is 2 out of 5 weeks in. Just to play it safe and verify the information I learned along the way. In comparison to you, I will need a bit more preparation for the practical/oral too since I do not have any pilot certificate. I do work in aviation as a Junior Dispatcher and getting more knowledgeable is all I want to do. Yes I absolutely want this license and willing to put the effort in to it. Kash was also confident that this is the right path for me, since he could’ve also suggested to sign up for the 5-weeks instead which was not that much of a difference in price. If you have any additional comments about purely the online course and if you could recommend it to me and other people who did their ADX independently, let “us” know. Like, is the information laid out so all people can understand and comprehend? Thanks!
 
That’s great to hear. Good for you and congrats! Thanks for your comment too. I feel this is the right choice for me as well since I don’t really feel like going through physical books, whilst already having the written out of the way I believe I will just have more time to get an even better understanding of theory. As agreed with them I will join the class that is 2 out of 5 weeks in. Just to play it safe and verify the information I learned along the way. In comparison to you, I will need a bit more preparation for the practical/oral too since I do not have any pilot certificate. I do work in aviation as a Junior Dispatcher and getting more knowledgeable is all I want to do. Yes I absolutely want this license and willing to put the effort in to it. Kash was also confident that this is the right path for me, since he could’ve also suggested to sign up for the 5-weeks instead which was not that much of a difference in price. If you have any additional comments about purely the online course and if you could recommend it to me and other people who did their ADX independently, let “us” know. Like, is the information laid out so all people can understand and comprehend? Thanks!
No problem! Do you have any background in aviation? If not, I wouldn't recommend the online portion unless you're really able to dig into the information on your own
 
I would say I met a lot of people IFOD and they loved it there (probably if you wanna work for airlines in the Texas area, I would speculate they like IFOD people. My old airline would go to IFOD and visit the students and interview people there)

In reality it doesn’t matter where you go to school at, whatever works for you financially and what is best for you
 
Hello everyone

I am from Belgium, and I am hoping through the feedback of other users I can make a decision on which academy to go with. I recently passed the written (ADX), all through the software of Sheppard Air as well as through the use of Sheffield’s app. I spend quite some time studying everything to ensure I will pass with flying colours, and I did. Being committed is not the issue.

To my knowledge, on the resume to which academy I went to doesn’t really matter as with universities. However the way a student gets taught to me is important, and for me I got two options. Jeppesen, the full package - the 6 weeks course, or through IFOD. The online option for a few months and ultimately 2 or 3 weeks subsequently in person.

The problem? I don’t know what’s best for me.

I am unsure if I will learn more with either one of the academies, in the end both are FAA Approved and the license is highly valued in Europe regardless. What I do find is that getting lots of physical books of Jeppesen for pre-study as I like to do, might be too overwhelming. I am pretty keen on things that are digitalised but am afraid that the IFOD option might also not be that good for me as it is being not really intense enough since I will learn everything over a span of several months instead of in a few weeks.

Did anyone recently did what I was suggested to by IFOD? How was your experience?

I feel Jeppesen is the safe option, but the books I would then wish to pre-study prior to going in might be too much.

Did anyone else have this dilemma as well?

Looking forward to your feedback.

Thank you..

All the best,
Dennis
Dennis,

Please consider Sheffield also; it's a great school! I know, as I'm a graduate from there (May, 2017). After going through there, my airline interviews were easy; they prepare you that well. They're located in South Florida near both FLL and MIA; since you'll be arriving via an international flight, it might be easier for you to find flights to MIA vs. other US cities. Also, as soon as you pay a deposit to Sheffield, they give you access to a great series of PDFs that'll not only help with the ADX (I know you passed it, but review is always good); they'll help you prepare for their coursework as well.

Also, now, and especially the winter months, are a great time to attend Sheffield; it's located in Florida, which has warm weather during winter; snow is UNKNOWN down there! Be advised though that hurricane season lasts until November 30.

Finally, Sheffield has nice student housing close to the school; all their houses are within walking distance of the school. There are hotels in the area too, of course, but Sheffield's student housing will cost substantially less than the hotels do. You can either get a shared room or a single room.

Finally, PSA Airlines, an wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines, has a program that will PAY for your dispatch school! Of course, you have to work for PSA, but that's a good thing; it gets you industry experience, something that can only help you find employment back home. Plus, you get paid to see some of the USA! Since PSA is owned by American, you will have flight privileges on AA as well. You can learn more here about the PSA Airlines Dispatch Pathway Program.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Please keep us posted! Have a great day... :)
 
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Dennis,

Please consider Sheffield also; it's a great school! I know, as I'm a graduate from there (May, 2017). After going through there, my airline interviews were easy; they prepare you that well. They're located in South Florida near both FLL and MIA; since you'll be arriving via an international flight, it might be easier for you to find flights to MIA vs. other US cities. Also, as soon as you pay a deposit to Sheffield, they give you access to a great series of PDFs that'll not only help with the ADX (I know you passed it, but review is always good); they'll help you prepare for their coursework as well.

Also, now, and especially the winter months, are a great time to attend Sheffield; it's located in Florida, which has warm weather during winter; snow is UNKNOWN down there! Be advised though that hurricane season lasts until November 30.

Finally, Sheffield has nice student housing close to the school; all their houses are within walking distance of the school. There are hotels in the area too, of course, but Sheffield's student housing will cost substantially less than the hotels do. You can either get a shared room or a single room.

Finally, PSA Airlines, an wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines, has a program that will PAY for your dispatch school! Of course, you have to work for PSA, but that's a good thing; it gets you industry experience, something that can only help you find employment back home. Plus, you get paid to see some of the USA! Since PSA is owned by American, you will have flight privileges on AA as well. You can learn more here about the PSA Airlines Dispatch Pathway Program.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Please keep us posted! Have a great day... :)

I would advise against PSA type programs to obtain dispatch jobs unless you really want to make a career at that airline. Seniority is everything. If you miss a major airline hiring window because you were trying to avoid re-payment or feel obligated to complete the agreed term, it can seriously impact major airline job security, availability, quality of life and overall career compensation in a negative way. You need to be in a position where you can just walk away from a regional when the majors call your number.
 
I would advise against PSA type programs to obtain dispatch jobs unless you really want to make a career at that airline. Seniority is everything. If you miss a major airline hiring window because you were trying to avoid re-payment or feel obligated to complete the agreed term, it can seriously impact major airline job security, availability, quality of life and overall career compensation in a negative way. You need to be in a position where you can just walk away from a regional when the majors call your number.

Not to mention it should be a red flag when any employer feels a need to try to lock you in to a contract to not leave. Especially regionals who already have the normal turnover.
 
Not to mention it should be a red flag when any employer feels a need to try to lock you in to a contract to not leave. Especially regionals who already have the normal turnover.
To be fair, I don't see any problem with the model of a company paying for you to get your training and then expecting you to stay a certain amount of time or reimburse them. They are investing a significant amount of money in your training. If there was no expectation to work for the company, then they would basically be funding every other company's dispatchers. Looking at the program, they are not only paying for the certificate but also paying a stipend while attending. It's not unreasonable for them to want a return on their investment. I had another company pay for my certificate and I went under a contract for 3 years. However, they did have in the contract that the amount was reduced based on the time you stayed. So I wouldn't owe the full amount if I didn't stay for 3 years and the longer I stayed, the less I owed. For me that was a great deal. I was not in a position where I could take off five or six weeks from work and pay several thousand dollars for a class and lodging while I was there. So I could either go with the company that paid for me to get my certificate or I could not be a dispatcher. Everybody is in a different situation and everyone has different priorities. I had wanted to be a dispatcher for years without the opportunity so I was happy to be offered one.
 
To be fair, I don't see any problem with the model of a company paying for you to get your training and then expecting you to stay a certain amount of time or reimburse them. They are investing a significant amount of money in your training. If there was no expectation to work for the company, then they would basically be funding every other company's dispatchers. Looking at the program, they are not only paying for the certificate but also paying a stipend while attending. It's not unreasonable for them to want a return on their investment. I had another company pay for my certificate and I went under a contract for 3 years. However, they did have in the contract that the amount was reduced based on the time you stayed. So I wouldn't owe the full amount if I didn't stay for 3 years and the longer I stayed, the less I owed. For me that was a great deal. I was not in a position where I could take off five or six weeks from work and pay several thousand dollars for a class and lodging while I was there. So I could either go with the company that paid for me to get my certificate or I could not be a dispatcher. Everybody is in a different situation and everyone has different priorities. I had wanted to be a dispatcher for years without the opportunity so I was happy to be offered one.
I would agree with you if we weren't talking about an industry that has built in turnover. Locking someone into a 3 year contract in an industry where people are able to advance their career in as little as one year indicates a problem other than the normal turnover. And I can tell you from personal experience that is the case with the program in question here. If they don't want their money to go to waste, they can take steps to make their employees want to stay other than the threat of a owing money.
 
I would agree with you if we weren't talking about an industry that has built in turnover. Locking someone into a 3 year contract in an industry where people are able to advance their career in as little as one year indicates a problem other than the normal turnover. And I can tell you from personal experience that is the case with the program in question here. If they don't want their money to go to waste, they can take steps to make their employees want to stay other than the threat of a owing money.

I seem to recall that advancement within one year is not the norm for a dispatcher, at least not for the majors. Also going by this forum’s frequented advice, if someone can tough it out at a regional then the chances are greater for moving on directly to a major.

This industry is famous for its downturns. What happens when we go back to pre 2021-2022? Back when people had to wait it out a few years and got smacked with the “gotta pay your dues bro.” This isn’t a bad play for someone that doesn’t have the opportunity to do it on their own. Situations vary. Also as mentioned above, these contracts aren’t always completely binding. Life happens. If you can get away with a prorated payback, even better.

This is no different from pilots that get locked in, in exchange for type ratings and additional training.
 
I would agree with you if we weren't talking about an industry that has built in turnover. Locking someone into a 3 year contract in an industry where people are able to advance their career in as little as one year indicates a problem other than the normal turnover. And I can tell you from personal experience that is the case with the program in question here. If they don't want their money to go to waste, they can take steps to make their employees want to stay other than the threat of a owing money.

No regional is going to be able to pay enough to hold on to employees who want to move on. My shop has done what they can to make people want to stay. It will never be enough to hold someone offered a contract at a major. However, it does improve recruitment. I feel only one thing will keep people at a regional. That is a guaranteed flow into mainline. Mainline is never going to go for that. Regionals will always be a stepping stone.

I don't know the details for this contract but as I mentioned earlier, my contract was for 3 years as well. However, the actual contract that I signed has a pro-rated schedule. The longer I stayed, the less I owed. If I stayed 3 years, I owed nothing. This did not "keep me locked in", I just knew that if I left earlier, I would owe a portion of my costs. If I'm going to a major, that's not going to be an issue.

I would not have been able to get my certificate without this program. That's who this is targeting. I would imagine that they are also hoping to attract some people with roots in the area who may be less worried about going to a major and more interested in staying with a local company.

It's not good, it's not bad. It's an option for some and it's not a great option for others. It's not a red flag though, it's a valuable opportunity to its target audience. For someone who has the availability and can afford to get their certificate on their own, this would not be the option for them if they want the flexibility to go wherever they'd like. That's understandable.
 
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