frequency of lessons

thanks for the info guys,
Greg

Never been to Sherburn myself, but a mate of mine completed his PPL there a couple of months ago and absolutely loves the place. I think he said they also have a taildragger there which is available for post-PPL conversions, so that could be handy for you if you’re that way inclined.

I’ve heard others speak very highly of Sherburn. Been there once and it seemed a very friendly place.

Moggy

Hi Moggy, thanks for the info. much appreciated.i will do a google search when i log off. my local airport is Leeds Bradford, has anyone any experience of the flying club there?. also there is Sherburn in the area, which would be better or wouldn’t it matter, also i don’t mind traveling some distance for lessons, any other clubs / schools i should consider?
cheers.
Greg

The NPPL is a course that is slightly shorter and leads you to a restricted licence. I’m sure if you Google it you’ll find lots of info.

The important thing is never to get fixated on the cost of getting your licence, or the time it takes. Winning the brown book is a very small landmark in the entirety of your flying career.

Unlike driving, you’ll be flying solo for some of the time during the second half of your training. You will be alone, in sole command. You’ll be flying.

All the licence does is clear you to carry passengers.

My advice would be to go for the full PPL, even if it does take a little longer. (Unless you have a medical problem since the NPPL medical is not strict).

An hour lesson actually lasts 90 minutes with the pre-brief and the debrief. In the begining you’ll find yourself pretty wrung out at the end of that time. A lesson in the morning, then one in the afternoon might suit though.

Moggy

Hi Guys, getting my PPL is one of my ambitions, unfortunatly i won’t be able to afford it for a couple of years yet 🙁 i do have a couple of questions though,
firstly i read Moggy’s post that mentions the NPPL, what’s this please? is it a restricted licence of some sort?. also would 2 hour lessons be better than 1 hour?. i found this better when learning to drive because i seamed to spend the first half hour going over the previous lesson.
i’ll end this with a piece of advice given by my driving instructor, your licence isn’t a licence to say you CAN drive, its a licence to carry on learning!.
a point well made i think.
Greg

No experience of the Commanche, but it’s a big aircraft and presumably more expensive than the oyther two, so I’d chuck that one out of the equation straight off (Correct me if I am wrong)

I’ve flown both the others.

The High-wing Cessna is very stable and docile. You will find that the wing inconveniently covers your view of the runway when turning base and finals (Don’t worry if the terms are unfamiliar – they soon won’t be) and you have to wobble around on a stepladder to check the fuel. But it does have a door for you and a door for the instructor so you can jump out at any point in the lesson if it all gets too much.

The low-wing Piper is a little bit more chuckable (But not much, it isn’t a Pitts), is slightly more difficult to land which can be a good thing in a trainer, but only features a single door, so once you have landed you have to sit there and listen to the entire three hour diatribe from your instructor telling you how hopeless you are.

In truth the choice of aircraft is irrelevant. Select the club that gives you the best ‘vibes’ and fly whatever they strap you to.

Welcome, by the way 🙂

Moggy

Have just started learning , well next week anyway at Blackpool I will be aiming for a lesson a fortnight, the aircraft to be used is a Warrior , I also looked at another flying school who use the Commanche and Cessna 172, do any readers have experience of these aircraft , I am learning on the correct type?

The preferred ‘gap’ between lessons is a personal one. You won’t really know until you start.

I started flying in March 2000, initially two lessons a month, but not long after starting, had a gap of about six weeks, due to a spell of bad weather. As soon as I was back in the seat, it felt as though the six weeks was six days. Later on, I was trying to fly at least once or twice a week, it was hard work, but still enjoyable.

A couple of things I do suggest is get the medical out of the way asap, if you already haven’t. A fellow ‘pupil’ left it till the last minute, just as he was ready to go solo, only to find he had a potential problem that may prevent him from getting the medical. Also some schools are particular in getting the Air Law exam passed before going solo. I failed it on my first attempt, just as I was ready to go solo, and the school had a policy that you could not resit an exam for at least 14 days. Instead of going solo at around 9 hours, it was 12 hours, not that I was hung up at when I would go solo, more the disruption to the training progress. Having to jump forward to other lessons, then stepping back again to finish off the circuit training.

Don’t get too hung up at type of airfield you do your training from. I did my flying from Aberdeen, where it did get busy at times. More often then not, ended up doing orbits at the ‘end of the downwind leg’, during circuit training, while watching a stream of various airliners land.

This type of experience, didn’t really prepare you for when you flew to a small uncontrolled grass strip. My instructor and I did a trip to Dornoch, for a fly-in, and what an eye opener. You really needed eyes in the back of your head, as several inbound aircraft didn’t bother with the notified joining procedures. Operating from a short grass runway, when being used to a good mile of tarmac, was something else. Good fun, but it was hard work.

Unfortunately I never did manage to complete my training, stopped after about 25 hours, due to personal circumstances (career change and associated issues). Did look at ‘ultralights’ but not really my cup of tea (the person who ran the operation did not like to class his aircraft as microlights). A bit of a strange experience, like putting on a serious amount of power on final, due to the lack of inertia. Its also hard work, constantly trimming and trying to maintain the correct balance, in flight. In any case the hourly rate was equivalent to a C152, so going for the NPPL started to look attractive. It also made me realise that there is no ‘cheap’ way of getting a licence.

Anyway I am hoping to start again next year, once I get my wedding out of the way, this October.

The type of field matters little. If you learn at a busy airport you will have to cope with small fields and strips once you’ve qualified. If you learn at a small strip, GA field, then vice versa.

My feeling is that the supportive atmosphere I found at Wellesbourne, meeting other students in the caff etc, paid dividends for me.

Wellesbourne added a grass strip for a while, but the main is a vast tract of tarmac disappearing to the horizon. They landed a Vulcan on it once.

Moggy

I am tempted by Wellesbourne – it’s just a bit more of a trek (15 miles – oh poor poor me :))

John C
Spoilt

Spoilt? Understatement!

I have heard good things about Wellesbourne. Is that grass?

Melv

Moggy sedded:

but given the choice again I’d go to Wellesbourne as I prefer the airfield.

So what would be better as a neophyte? A busier “airport” (I can’t class Coventry as busy really, just busier than lets say a condom machine in the Vatican) or a more GA orientated airfield? Is it better to suffer a 737 up your ar^^tail or concentrate on learning in a quieter environment?

I am tempted by Wellesbourne – it’s just a bit more of a trek (15 miles – oh poor poor me :))

John C
Spoilt

I plan on learning to fly (on microlights) next year, one lesson a month.

Still, gotta get that pesky drivers’ licence out of the way first! 😀

I trained at Wellesbourne Aviation and have nothing but praise for them. Friendly club, great field, and now some super aircraft – The Robin 200. Wish they’d had those when I was learning.

I worked with AFT. Very professional, but given the choice again I’d go to Wellesbourne as I prefer the airfield.

HTH

Moggy

Well, I’ve sold my bike 🙁

Guess it’s time to book a medical, have a chat with the flying schools and get a few lessons under my belt 🙂 Having done a bit of a web grep of the local schools I like the look of Midland Air Training (them wot I did my 1 hour flight with) – the rest seem to be a bit wooly on regarding landing fees, ground school etc, although the hourly rates are lower. There are 4 schools within 3 miles of my front door so it’s not like I’m short of choice. The URL’s are below if anyone is interested:

http://www.almatflyingclub.co.uk/

http://www.mats.uki.net/services.htm

http://www.covaero.com/

http://www.flyaft.com/

http://www.wellaviate.co.uk/

If anyone can be bothered, give me some pros and cons of the above schools (PM if anyone is worried about upsetting people, although a sensible organisation would appreciate the chance to improve)

But don’t tell ‘er indoors.

John C
engaging grovel mode

Still able to drink Murphy’s after an hour of stall recoveries? That’s a good sign… 😉

Well done Neal, glad it’s going well. 🙂

Hi folks

Just to let you know how its going. I’ve now got 3 hours under my belt, did an hour of stall recovery this evening followed by my first landing, and yes, the aeroplane is still fit for use. 😀

Weather was awful but not as bad as it was when enjoying a Murphy’s or three in the club bar afterwards.

Next lesson- Spins.

Neal

WHAT’S THAT HELICOPTER DOING OUTSIDE . . . .

They’ve come for Kylie :p .

Neal

Mike – Cheers

Melvyn – Any slagging off and I’ll get my torch and send the chopper over to your house. 😀

Neal 😉

You won’t get time, you’ll be too busy dealing with all the PMs you get telling you what a nasty, nasty person I am.

The thing to remember is that it is very much like learning to drive inasmuch as you find everything happens very quickly to begin with. When it starts ‘slowing down’ is not the time that you have mastered it, but the time you really start learning. There are some fun bits and when you get to the circuit bashing you may get a little bored but it is all there for a reason. I did a Flying Viz interview for Aeroplane with Dan Griffiths and he said the best piece of advice he ever had was never fly to impress anyone else. Always fly to impress yourself. In plain English that is less ego and more precision.

It is very easy to let bad habits develop. Some of them are far from dangerous on their own but no accident or incident ever has just one cause. It is always good practice to do things by the book.

Relax, have fun, be receptive, pay attention and you won’t go far wrong.

WHAT’S THAT HELICOPTER DOING OUTSIDE . . . .

Melv

Mike – Cheers

Melvyn – Any slagging off and I’ll get my torch and send the chopper over to your house. 😀

Neal 😉