TopBanana

Been thinking about learning to fly for a few years and I think I might go for it this year. I'd rather learn in this country, and Blackbushe is quite local to me. Has anyone had any experience of Cabair who operate out of Blackbushe?

Does taking a part ownership in a plane generally work out well? I can't afford to buy a whole one. Knowing my luck it would be terrible weather every weekend I had allocated!

eClaire

Lessons cost around £40 per half hour and the aero club I used provided the plane (Cessna 152)

I'd wait until you're set with license until you think about buying one. Although part ownerhip works out relatively cheaper in some cases, it is still very expensive for insurance and storage somewhere. Unless you are serious, I would hire one whenever you wanted it. A guy at the aero club I went hired one for the day and flew to Ireland for the day. However, you have to think about on how many people are sharing/times a month you'll get to use it in comparison with monthly charges. Will it really be worth your while?

And if you only have your recreational license you won't be able to fly in the dark, rain etc (near perfect weather conditions), so theres only so many months in the year youll actually be able to fly by yourself!

TopBanana

Thanks for the reply Claire. £40 for 30 mins sounds cheap compared to what I've seen!

I wouldn't buy a plane until I had a license - I just want to know if it'll be worth laying down £5 or £6k on training.

eClaire

Have you had any lessons yet?

I was given a lot of control on my first lesson, took to it instantly, once I was up there I didn't want to come down!!!

ozzy

Are you wanting your PPL? One of the lads here @ work has passed his recently (well within the past 4 months). I'm sure he mentioned costs a least double what Claires mentioned - could be wrong though.

He used the small airport at Cumbernauld (just outside Glasgow) for the Southern monkies

Stefan

Brendan Hughes

What's the deal with continuing to fly X hours per year otherwise your licence is invalidated? Put me off a bit - I'd love to learn, but if it locks me into an annual expense for future, it seemed less interesting.

NACRO

With the weaker dollar at the moment I'm considering taking a month off work and going and doing my PPL in Florida. Not sure I'll have enough time to actually get it but it will give me some good hours and the bonus of a holiday as well. It looks very cheap at the moment.

Hos

iTrader: (1)

If its just a PPL you're looking at, save yourself alot of money and have a holiday at the same time. Go to America and learn! or another similar JAR country. It's easy enough transitioning back into it over here.

Over here depending on what type of plane you want to fly you'll be looking at anything around £70 for a Cessna-152 up to around £120 for something like a PA28 Warrior. As for Cabair, I only know of their operation at Cranfield but reputation wise as a flight school, they are in the top 10.

If you are thinking about going into a share-group of a plane remember that buying your share in the plane is only the start. It has to be maintained , airworthyness kept up to date, storage fee's etc. Nevermind fuel, landing fee's etc. It all adds up and it would only be beneficial for you if you had an atpl and needed it for hour building.

midget1500

i started to learn about 5 years ago but went to uni and still haven't got back to it. it was just changing from PPL to JAR or something at the time. also, IIRC if you learn to fly in the states it's not recognised here, but it is vice versa! also, i think you have to log 40 hours a year to keep your licence. this could all be rubbish as it's been years...

TopBanana

I would go to Florida but it would cost me more to take the time off work than I'd otherwise save. I've done a bit of gliding and really enjoyed it. In fact, I'd probably continue to glide.

What I really want to ascertain is how easy it is to hire / jointly own a plane and then take it to France for the weekend, say.

Brendan Hughes

If you jointly hire one with EasyJet it'll only cost you thirty quid

^Qwerty^

I got my PPL(A) last year. I'd always had that urge to do it, but it was only when I spent 25 minutes doing aeros in a Cap 10B did I really decide that I needed to do it.

Costs wise, I learnt in a PA28 (Cadet/Warrior mentioned above). Didn't touch the C-150's (had the choice of two) and it came in at:

Medical - £140 (every two years for me now IIRC - cheaper ones after initial)
Written Exams x 7 £20 each
Oral Exam x 1 £20
Books x 6 ~£25 each
Pair of glasses (already had one, but if you wear them you need two) £250
Travel to airfield £10
Landing Fees for XC flights ~£140 (East Mids, H.Side, Gamston for me)
Flight Test - £200 (Hire of Aircraft)
Flight Test - £40
CAA Licence - £140 (iirc)
45 Dual Hire Fees on PA28 - £98
2 x 1:500,000 charts - can't remember
Various other bits and peices £100

Now it's late and I'm tired, but that comes in at £6000 all in.

On top of all that, you need put time in. Not only for exams, but also travel to the airfield and back. Don't under estimate the effort required to do this. I started the 2nd week in January, and passed my GFT early September. If you do decide to do it, also remember that you will *really* need to book double and even some triple slots to complete the training. (i.e expensive in one go). You can't learn by just doing 1 hour every week.

To keep current at my club, I need to do just 1 take off and landing every 30days, and then at 100 hours that extends to 60days. To keep the licence, you only need to do 4 hours every two years (or something like that) but club rules etc. and other bits that I can't remember will increase that requirement somewhat.

You also need to think about "why do you want to fly". After talking to various people, I'm not the only person who has suddenly hit a big void when you finish the training. You need a reason to fly, as you soon get very bored of taking friends/relatives up and flying over where they live.

It's a major commitment to make, and not only from the financial POV !!!

If you decide to do the state side thing, make sure your upto the job. You might want to find out how many people pass in the 2 or 3 weeks that these places quote.

I've now just busted 60 hours. I did a proper "nax-ex" on Saturday just to prove to myself that I could still do it. Sure enough, using just a map, compass and clock, I arrived overhead an airfield (which I've not been to before) at bang on the time it should. "I know it's there, but I just can't spot the runway"...... (people who fly will relate to that).

Next month I start Aero's

If you want any further info, feel free to ask.

SN fly-in anyone?

Wish

iTrader: (2)

Think that is expencive, try a helicopter !

Markus

Always wanted to fly (no comments about jumping from the top of the CN tower ) but I've wondered what I'd do once I'd got the licence, if I wanted to be some commerical pillot, be it lear jet or something then I'd need a better licence, and it's not something I'm dying to do. Would love to jet about in a heli though, that would be cool

ozzy

E-mailed my friend from work.

Costs were slightly higher than Qwerty as the hire costs in Scotland are higher - £120 per hour and it took him longer given our cr@p weather.

He said, a commercial license up to Airline Pilot License (ATPL or Air Transport Pilot License) is approx. £50,000 - £60,000

Stefan

Pete Croney

If you only plan to fly in the UK, you can do the new NPPL which only requires 32 hours training (minimum). You must do 5 exams and still have to be good enough to pass your GFT.

NPPL medical is £10 at your doctor's and you are signed off if you meet HGV II standards of health.

In the SE, expect to pay £120-£140 ph for lessons.

Rental, once you have passed is about £90-£110ph depending on what it is. In a sindicate, you will normally pay an entry fee and then £50-£70 per hour of flying time (engine running time, to be precise).

Not cheap, but an incredible feeling, every single time you take off. I did 100 hours last year, but in a microlight. GA is out of my price range for the amount of flying that I do.

Leslie

It was my job for a good many years and I would not have missed it for anything. Its a lot different though when you are being paid to do it. It will obviously be a very expensive game but if you can afford it, very satisfying.

I would suggest that you take some trial lessons which do not commit you too heavily, I am sure that it must be possble to do that. Flying does not suit everyone, and you won't know until you have a fair try at it. I did a lot of instructing as well and it is quite surprising how some take to it instinctively but others just did not get on with that type of discipline. An awful lot depends on the instructor of course. The "smartarse" who is more concerned with showing how good he is at your expense is useless but hopefully that sort of attitude is largely dead now.

Best of luck anyway and tell us how you get on.

Les

TopBanana

Thanks for the advice guys. I've asked for a trial flight voucher for my birthday

Andy486

I did a trial flight with Cabair last year and found them to be very good. Went for the 60 minute flight option. We flew down to the South Coast where we did some dives and climbs and then flew back. The hour counts towards your PPL if you decide to continue.

Didn't find flying that exciting so didn't do any more. Unless you buy a plane then you need to fly once or twice per month in order to be able to rent one. Didn't reckon I'd have enough time.

Thinking of microlighting this year though ...

Nicci

Good choice with a trial lesson. Hope you enjoy it.

I had a trial lesson a few years ago and didn't enjoy it that much, I much prefer being a passenger.

My dad has his ppl, which is nice, cause then I can choose where to fly and I don't have to pay (just a shame its not often).

Pete...do you fly from Southend or Stapleford? (dad uses Stapleford)

Pete Croney

Nicci

I fly from a private strip near Chelmsford. I do go into Southend occasionally as three mates are based there. Two fly ML, the third has a Jet Ranger.

Another mate is one of the Air Traffic Controllers at Southend and he gave us a guided tour of the tower on Sunday. Southend provide LARS (Lower Airspace Radar Service) for the south east and it was interesting to see it all in action.

Stapleford aren't keen on microlights, so I normally go to North Weald or Andrewsfield, if its just a local flight.

I am actually sitting here and thinking about going flying this evening. Its the best weather for weeks

What does your Dad fly?

Nicci

Pete,

I think he has just been flying 2 and 4 seat cessna (or as he always tells me 'the morris minor of the skies').
I have no idea if he has flown microlights.

He loves anything flight related. He used to fly gliders as a kid, so I guess it just grew.
I just have the lazy love of all things flying instead.

Do North Weald still do the airshow? (I remember the scary vulcan flying about)

Get up and out there for a beautiful evening.

I am still waiting for him to fly to my local airport (I thought moving out of Essex would give him an excuse to fly up).


Sorry for stealing the thread.