I am going to speak up. I am currently at Sierra and will give my insight of the school. First the airplanes are beat down and torn up. Mx department is good but things break on old airplanes. It is true they had an issue with an engine on one of the Seminoles but it was a BRAND NEW engine, with around 100 hours on it. So I don't believe you can knock Sierra. Management will want you to fly. They have a lot of students that are behind and need to finish. As for management it all depends on you. I fly with my students do the debrief and then out the door when I am done. I can not say they are outstanding but won't say they are bad. There is a lot of turn over here and new people in different positions. There is a HUGH issue with scheduling and every two weeks there is a new policy trying to make it more efficient. Dress code is enforced. If you don't follow it except someone will say something to you. The CAA (Chinese Aviation Authority) made a comment about how student and instructor look. That is why it is enforced. Without their approval there is no school so you have to make them happy.
As for free housing. You will get a Dorm room and share bathroom with another instructor. You will pay $50 per month for utilities. And yes the rooms are heated. If you move in and notice your carpet is dirty contact student services and they will steam clean it. Don't expect new carpet. Remember NOTHING IS NEW at this place but will be put in working order, well mostly working order. Which takes me back the the planes. I have never seen so many "IN-OP" placards in a single fleet. You will have the legal minimum equipment for the type of flying your doing but don't expect much more. Know your equipment list. Despite popular belief, if the installed clock on the airplane is in-op, you CANNOT use your wrist watch instead. That airplane is un-airworthy for IFR.
But what really drives me nuts is the lack of resources. Nothing like having a student going on an IFR flight with only a VFR sectional because he didn't couldn't get current charts and plates. There are no "briefing" rooms available for student and instructors for one-on-one ground. However I am looking at out my window at the NEW basketball court that was built. (As C&C music factory said: Things that make you go Hmmmm)
As for the student. They are foreign students who do not speak English as their first language. So yes you will have a communication issues at times...NO !. They do try hard and want to learn, most of them, but they struggle with the language. As an instructor you will have to be at the airport when ever they solo and walk them to the airplane. This is because of the student vs propeller incident they had. Which I totally understand why they have instructors escort their student to the plane. They do pay .3 for your time. HOWEVER.....you will be asked to be available when your student goes on check ride. This mean you sitting at the airport, in uniform, while your student goes on their check-ride.....WITHOUT PAY!
There are other thing I could go on about but, I am currently uploading resumes to airlines and, cant afford to continue much longer. Please feel free to PM me with questions.
I chose Sierra because if gave me what I needed for the very short run. If I was a new CFI needing to build 1,000 plus hours for ATP I would personally choose another school.
Also, any agreement you have with Sierra about free training get in writing. Have it detail how your going to train, when your going to train, and how much your going to train.
