P.S. You’re more than welcome, Michael. Hope you have a good trip! I assume the camera’s going with you?

Certainly is! 🙂

Happy Birthday, Paul!

And thanks again for the recommendation. All booked up and staying at the hotel you suggested. 🙂

I booked a light end of August with Thomas Cook from MAN-YYC and departure said 29/1/11 at 10am now it has changed to 11am. Surely Thomas Cook have a duty to alert me of changes but they haven’t. Am i entitled to compensation ?

If Thomas Cook hasn’t notified you of the changes, then who has?

You really don’t have any rights. The small print no doubt says that the airline will get you there. If I’m not mistaken, the only guarantee is that Thomas Cook Airlines will get you to Calgary. The date, time, airline and route that you book will count for very little.

When booking charter flights, I wouldn’t expect the airline to contact me about such changes anyway, unless I had booked a ‘flight only’ deal directly with the airline. If you have booked a holiday or if the flight has been booked through a company other than Thomas Cook, I would expect that company to tell me about any changes. Maybe the company you have booked with would be best placed to answer your questions.

My training, which I finished in September, was funded with my own savings, some inheritance and some help from my parents. There is no way I would have gone through the training if a bank loan would have been the only option, for reasons already mentioned. But I understand that for many others wanting their ATPL, this isn’t an option. With few – if any – sponsorship schemes around and banks not as willing to lend as they once were, saving up and paying for your training as you go might be the only option.

With regards to the actual ATPL examinations and preparing for them, I attended a full time ground school (6 months) and found it to be ideal. It meant sitting in a classroom from 8.30am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday, but it worked. There were lots of things that I couldn’t get to grips with in some of the fourteen modules, but I knew that I could turn to the other students in the classroom and the instructors and get instant help.

Unfortunately flying training costs alot

Tell me about! Paying my bill at the end of the week was always a bit depressing. Single flights were costing upwards of £600 (£375/hr in a Piper Seneca). The flying was great but paying for it wasn’t such fun.

I’ve read and seen several stories in the US press…including one on a national news broadcast…about the snow troubles closing Heathrow and Gatwick.
From the reports, it seems that in all of Europe, BAA is the only organization without plows and shovels, and now the EU may have to set rules on such matters.

I’m sure it’s more complex than that, but what’s up with BAA?
London is not Helsinki or Minneapolis in terms of snow, but it’s not Nice or Miami either.

It’s probably worth pointing out that Gatwick is no longer a BAA airport.

Great shots! I have never tried online flying, so might give it a go some time.

Really great shots. The rear-end shot of the ATR is a good one!