Any pilots here?
- Thread starter Rexxar
- Start date
£99 for 5 1/2 hours flying is an absolute bargin!! A flight of similar length in my club SEP would be in the region of £900! Going to look into buying a plane with the aim to possibly split it in shares once I've done my PPL and converted onto the PA28 - I'll need to build the hours for ATPL/CPL and I feel it'll be cheaper to go down this route.
I'm still working on my last two exams, Navigation and Flight Planning/Performance. I was missing a lot of theory based on the reading of the books / practice exams but getting there, would like to get both exams done tomorrow if possible then I'm done with the theory side.
I'm still working on my last two exams, Navigation and Flight Planning/Performance. I was missing a lot of theory based on the reading of the books / practice exams but getting there, would like to get both exams done tomorrow if possible then I'm done with the theory side.
Getting all the theory out of the way is a nice feeling, I completed all mine last year, only issue I had was when I started doing my nav flights the other week I had forgotten most of it, took me a few flight plans to work the whiz-wheel out again 
Soldato
Paramotoring is a fabulous entry into flying. It's unlicensed so there is nothing (except sanity and self-preservation) to stop anyone buying kit and having a go. There are some great training options in the UK, with training costing about £1k including equipment use whilst you train. I've trained with Simon Westmore at www.paramotortraining.com based in Membury near Swindon and would totally recommend him.
Tucker Gott has a superb youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCASjdyu0y8XQ9qJnqxsKHnQ all about paramotoring and it's well worth a look.
I've now bought my own kit cost new has been under £10k, but you can buy used for about £6k.
It really is the magic flying armchair that I dreamt of when a child. Views like this from my last flight just blow my mind.....
Tucker Gott has a superb youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCASjdyu0y8XQ9qJnqxsKHnQ all about paramotoring and it's well worth a look.
I've now bought my own kit cost new has been under £10k, but you can buy used for about £6k.
It really is the magic flying armchair that I dreamt of when a child. Views like this from my last flight just blow my mind.....
Soldato
Awesome photo
Cheers - Being there was even better
Only the second time I've been brave enough to get my phone out and take a picture....Getting above the clouds is up there in my top 5 life moments so far....
Associate
I wonder how long it'll be before they clamp down on the fact you can just go and buy kit and rig up and fly without any training etc? It'll only take someone to have a near miss with a commercial aircraft and that'll be end of unregulated flying on that front. Out of interest during your training do they teach you how to read a chart? I also assume you have an altimeter as part of your kit so that you know you aren't violating any air space? I'm sure there are plenty of sensible people that use such transport to take to the skies I just hope there doesn't end up being that one that ends up spoiling it for you all and the freedom you currently have with no rules or regs set to follow.
Nice pic though. Flying back down threading between the clouds is indeed an experience!
Nice pic though. Flying back down threading between the clouds is indeed an experience!
Soldato
Again, being unlicensed there is no compulsion on anyone learning how to read a chart. But as part of my training I've been taught basic aerodynamics, meteorology as well as air law and how to understand charts.
Because we only fly at about 30kn airspeed we don't tend to go that far. My local airfield Membury is in class G until FL65 where it goes to class A. The clouds I flew to were nicely spaced so that I had great vis at all times. My max height was 2500ft QFE (set to Membury which is 667ft above sea level). So I was well below the terrors of lass A airspace.
I agree that there are huge benefits to the sport being unlicensed, cost of entry being just one. But if I screw up I'm basically a bloke wearing a 28kg backpack going at 30mph. The potential for damage is much, much less than a light aircraft (yes I do have a reserve chute).
I guess it's a bit like letting kids on the roads on bikes. I need a license to drive a car, but my 12 y.o. can ride a bike on the same roads.
I know of people who have flown into power lines, flown low over crowded beaches and been complete idiots in other ways, but they are in a very small minority. The CAA seem happy at the moment to let things continue as they are at the moment realising that most of us really appreciate the privileged position we are in..
The fact that I can put some kit in the boot of a family car and drive somewhere and fly is just amazing.
Because we only fly at about 30kn airspeed we don't tend to go that far. My local airfield Membury is in class G until FL65 where it goes to class A. The clouds I flew to were nicely spaced so that I had great vis at all times. My max height was 2500ft QFE (set to Membury which is 667ft above sea level). So I was well below the terrors of lass A airspace.
I agree that there are huge benefits to the sport being unlicensed, cost of entry being just one. But if I screw up I'm basically a bloke wearing a 28kg backpack going at 30mph. The potential for damage is much, much less than a light aircraft (yes I do have a reserve chute).
I guess it's a bit like letting kids on the roads on bikes. I need a license to drive a car, but my 12 y.o. can ride a bike on the same roads.
I know of people who have flown into power lines, flown low over crowded beaches and been complete idiots in other ways, but they are in a very small minority. The CAA seem happy at the moment to let things continue as they are at the moment realising that most of us really appreciate the privileged position we are in..
The fact that I can put some kit in the boot of a family car and drive somewhere and fly is just amazing.
Soldato
I'm not a pilot but today I finally got given the chance to have a back seat trip through the mach loop, and the opportunity to take the stick for some time before during and afterwards.
**** me, what an experience. Still on cloud nine now 8 hours later. Don't think anything will top this.
**** me, what an experience. Still on cloud nine now 8 hours later. Don't think anything will top this.
Soldato
Can't stop watching your video on your Facebook page, just amazing on so many levels bud
Soldato
Same mate, its a real pity that I couldn't record the cockpit audio, not that it was expletive or anything but most of the way around the loop the ground prox warning kept shouting at us as cool and as cool as a cucumber the front seater was talking back to it saying 'I know, its fine' every single time. That was at about 150ft in a valley
Actually flying the thing was amazing, out of the loop we went valley hopping for 15-20 mins with me in control, just got told 'go into that valley over to the left, then take it out to the right' and then 'pull harder, harder, harder' until we were in then 'full right and pull as hard'
I literally cant describe how amazing it was.
Soldato
Link to the video?
Soldato
Just got given it, occasionally they'll take engineers flying for various reasons, I was lucky enough to get picked.
Not sure I can publicly share the vids unfortunately as I'm pretty sure I'll fall foul of some rules against that kind of thing, I'll try and find out.
Not sure I can publicly share the vids unfortunately as I'm pretty sure I'll fall foul of some rules against that kind of thing, I'll try and find out.
Navigation exam done, just FPP left to do now. Instructor had to shoot off for a lesson so will go in Monday to do that one. The guy who has been flying intensively over the past 4-5 weeks was just setting off for his skills test as I got there - no idea how he's managed to do his remaining 7 exams in the space of a week!
Associate
I agree it is amazing and I hope things stay like they are for as long as possible for you just unfortunately it'll be that small minority that will be the downfall of it all at some point
You've taken a very sensible approach to it all, let's just hope the minority don't ruin it for you!
FPP exam done this afternoon - that's all the theory side done. We've booked in a mock skills test for next Monday and we have set a potential skills test date also depending on how that goes
Great work, I have not flown for a couple of weeks due to other commitments
Soldato
Always fancied doing my PPL but is it doable say over the long term rather than all up front?
You'll be back at it in no time!
Also bumped into a student who I was training with last year - he was much more intensive than I was at passed at the end of last April. I expected him to have finished his ATPLs and possibly even CPL by now but turns out his life took a turn for the worst so has hardly done any flying since getting his license last year. We've said we'll try to do some hour building together once I'm at that stage
Don't pay up front whatever you do. I don't care how reputable the school looks or how long it's been established - flying schools have a habit of closing and any money you've paid up front will be lost if they do! The guy who ran my old flying school turned out to be dodgy and closed the school shortly after I joined - I know a handful of students paid up front and the guy who took over the school under a new name had to explain why the money has vanished.
You can do it as intensive or relaxed as you want. It's technically been 2 years to the month since I first started my PPL training but due to 3 long breaks I'm only just about to finish! I would probably say 1 lesson a week will see you fine, 1 every 2-3 weeks might be ok depending on the student but 1 a month probably won't do you much good.
Also bumped into a student who I was training with last year - he was much more intensive than I was at passed at the end of last April. I expected him to have finished his ATPLs and possibly even CPL by now but turns out his life took a turn for the worst so has hardly done any flying since getting his license last year. We've said we'll try to do some hour building together once I'm at that stage
Don't pay up front whatever you do. I don't care how reputable the school looks or how long it's been established - flying schools have a habit of closing and any money you've paid up front will be lost if they do! The guy who ran my old flying school turned out to be dodgy and closed the school shortly after I joined - I know a handful of students paid up front and the guy who took over the school under a new name had to explain why the money has vanished.
You can do it as intensive or relaxed as you want. It's technically been 2 years to the month since I first started my PPL training but due to 3 long breaks I'm only just about to finish! I would probably say 1 lesson a week will see you fine, 1 every 2-3 weeks might be ok depending on the student but 1 a month probably won't do you much good.