How does anyone learn to fly in the UK [weather rant]

[alexthecheese]

I'd love to learn to fly. How much does it cost and what are all your aims? Commercial pilot?

 

[Ed]

I'd love to learn to fly. How much does it cost and what are all your aims? Commercial pilot?

I pay about £150 per hour but I'm a big lad and need a Piper Warrior to haul me ass in the air. Cessna 152 will invariably be cheaper. This covers the flight. As you learn there's lots of theory, study, exams to do as well as landing fees which can add up when circuit training. Best to budget around £8000 and find the time to keep the lessons frequent which is something I'm struggling with.

As for aims, I'd never fly commercially as I can earn more doing other things but I'm really after a recreational license that allows me to fly anywhere in the EU. I'm also looking at IMC too which means I can fly by instrument too, not just visually.

 

[inferno]

Yea I live at the top. Seeing the coast depends on how high you go and what the viz is like on the day! Altho the LTMA gets in the way unless I go out to the west. On a nice day can see the coast from 3000, can see over to the IoW. Cost is about 20mins flying or so. I keep meaning to goto the IoW at somepoint lol

Have you finished at OAT yet ( I think you went there ?), what airline are you flying for?

 

[Adz]

Yay! I got two hours in today. From Lydd we headed over Rye, out to Hastings, circled above my kids school [at 1500ft I could see plenty of kids waving meaning my other half was working the playground] then headed out to Battle, back to Ashford, then over to Dover, past Folkestone and back to Lydd. Covered some more circuit training too. Very turbulent today. Cumulus clouds at 2000ft.

Happier now! Booked another 2 hours in two weeks time. Now it's up to the weather.

Congrats .

Amazing, isn't it? I'm just over 8 hours now - 2 more lessons booked for this weekend weather permitting. I'm still hearing "I have control" just after the turn onto final though .

As for cost, I'm paying £121/hour plus £15 landing fee plus VAT and that's with a £5/hour discount for having funds on account with them. It ain't cheap .

Best investment made so far - £180 for a very basic David Clark headset. So much nicer than pressing your lips up against the mic of a 15 year old skanky set full of the saliva from the 50 other people who used it that week.

 

[decmatt]

Just wondering how much in total will it cost about to obtain a PPL?

 

[Ed]

I'm just over 8 hours now - 2 more lessons booked for this weekend weather permitting.

I'm at 6 hours now but I fear that since more work has come in and this atrocious weather we're experiencing I'm going to have to slow down on the lessons.

I'm still hearing "I have control" just after the turn onto final though .

Won't be long now though. I've been following the controls on final and landing since I started but I'm nowhere near following glideslope and flaring for the land.

Best investment made so far - £180 for a very basic David Clark headset. So much nicer than pressing your lips up against the mic of a 15 year old skanky set full of the saliva from the 50 other people who used it that week.

I need to look into that. The set I use are the clubs but they're brand new so it's OK for now.

 

[Ed]

Just wondering how much in total will it cost about to obtain a PPL?

Between £5000 and £10000 as it depends on the license and generally how quick you pick it up. Budget for £8000.

Some links from the club I learn at:

JAA PPL
http://www.lyddaero.co.uk/private_pilots_licence.html

National PPL
http://www.lyddaero.co.uk/national_ppl.html

Crash Course
http://www.lyddaero.co.uk/ppl_6_weeks.html




Edit: Sandtoft Aerodrome near you looks fairly cheap. Bloody northerners get everything at a discount!!!