Manchester School Of Flying

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

I'm considering taking a trial 1 hour lesson at MSF. They operate from Manchester International Airport (MAN) and that is why I would like to do my lesson with them. Any comments would be appreciated :ok:.

Website: Manchester School Of Flying (http://www.msf-aviation.com/index.html)

Thanks
BAe 146-100

[Dufwer]

Prices seem a bit steep, but if it's convient for you then might be worth while. A 1 hour trial in a PA-28 should be more like £125-135, not £195, unless they are offering something more than most.

D

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

I have also found the Lancashire Aero Club (at Barton Aerodrome) 60 mins - £125. What do you think of this one?

Website: Lancashire Aero Club (http://www.lancsaeroclub.co.uk/school/school_trial_lessons_booking.asp)

Thanks
BAe 146-100

[Flyin'Dutch']

BAe

Shirley with a moniker that grand only the most expensive will do.

;)

FD

(Only teasing!)

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

Which one is best for me to do a 1 hour lesson - Manchester School Of Flying or Lancashire Aero Club? I think the first one is too expensive.

Thanks
BAe 146-100

[Evo]

Well, if those are also the usual dual training rates a 45 hour PPL would be £3150 more expensive at one than the other ... in other words, you could do a PPL ... or for the same money do a PPL, night, IMC and aeros. A fairly easy decision i'd have thought? :)

Alternatively, if it's just a bit of fun then Manchester may be worth it. Mixing with the big boys is quite cool :ok:

[Beethoven]

Hiya Bae,
I did most of my PPL at Barton and can really reccomend them.There are no advantages whatsoever in mixing it in with the big boys at this stage.Some would say that you learn more about r/t and procedures at a big place but IMHO all those things can be learned after your PPL if you've a mind to.What you need early on is as much time in the air/doing touch and goes etc as you can get and this is pretty difficult at big airfields in the uk.You will certainly learn about holding for commercial traffic at a big place too!..I am not knocking Manchester but I would be sensible and realise that the pose value of flying from there would soon wear off and you would be much better off practising short-field landings and PFL's to the ground from the overhead than worrying about sounding professional on the radio.After all,you need never fly into a big airfield if you don't want to and the ability to "mix it with the big boys" is not really necessary if you choose to fly to small airfields only.Best of luck in your PPL,
Beet
p.s. If you still want the "big airfield" experience and full ATC then a good compromise is Blackpool where I have been based for a while...Pretty good weather (honestly!),instrument approaches,huge main runway,loads of different types of traffic and friendly ATC.Just be paying a tad more than Barton,thats all.

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

Thanks for your replies :ok:. I haven't got the money to do a PPL (I'm only 14!). I hope to be a airline pilot when I'm older, I just thought that a few trial flying lessons would be beneficial to me if I was to join Oxford Aviation Training (Hopefully! If I have £61.500 which will be unlikely! :)) or another aviation training school. Anymore replies would be very helpful!

Thanks
BAe 146-100

[Davidt]

If all your after at this stage is a little taster and fancy mixing it with the heavys if you dont mind the extra expense go for it at Manch.

For serious PPL training I'd avoid Manch you will spend hour waiting at the hold or orbiting whilst the heavys are given preference, I dont know how the school charge but you can bet the time wasted will be charged to you some how. There is something for training in a strictly controlled environment your rt will be better and you may not develop the "class d phobia" which sends some ppls round the houses rather than seek a transit through. I trained at Liverpool which is getting busier but no where near Manch, whilst strict the atc is relaxed and friendly.

There are equally good arguements for training in an uncontrolled club environment such as Barton where I did some further training and can endorse the recomendations the school is excellent. Down side is some of the popular instructors get booked up and the field in winter is prone to waterlogging so there may be months when you cannt fly.

As your only 14 you have plenty of time to sort out what suits you best.
good luck

[BRL]

Hi there. If I was you, I would head down to the local flying school at Barton, asking about flying training and just hang out getting to know people there. Sooner or later you will get offered lifts and stuff from the locals when they get to know you a bit. Works out much cheaper that way and you will pick up tons of useful info along the way.

P.S. Whats you favourite aeroplane??? :p ;)

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

Thanks for your replies :ok:, I think I'll do that Big Red ' L ' :p. My favourite aeroplane is the 146, as you could probably tell!

BAe 146-100

[A and C]

At your age the thing to do is join the local Air training corps unit and let the Queen pay for your flying !.

You should get one AEF trip a year and after a time they should send you gliding When you reach the age of 16 you can apply for a flying course that should get you solo.

The ground training they will give you is also a good place to start in aviation.

In my opinion you should hang on to your money at this stage as a one hour trial lesson will be of little use to you in the long run.

Once inside the ATC system I,m sure that you could join one of the RAF flying clubs and have them teach you to fly.

[knobbygb]

Hi 146. I'm only a PPL and have no plans to go professional (too old, too scruffy := ), but I started out in aviation the same way as you - hanging around MAN watching the airliners and having a very keen feeling of wanting to be 'up there' rather than 'down here'. The only difference was, in those days you could walk along the top of the two piers of terminal one, and the shuttle flights to london were operated by Tridents and 1-11's rather than 757's and A319's...

Anyway, the reason it took me 20 more years to learn to fly was probably because I just didn't realise is was possible for a 'normal' person like me. If I'd know then, and had the trial lesson, I might well have been flying for the airlines now. So I'd say go for the lesson ASAP. It's right that you won't particularly learn much of great benefit about actually flying, and it's a lot of money for a 14 year old, but it might just be the final straw that gets you completley hooked (if you're not already, that is).

I've read a lot of your other posts in 'Questions' etc. and you're obviously mad keen on commercial airliners so I can see the benefit of flying from MAN and taxiing past the viewing park with your mates taking photo's, no doubt :ok: Good luck to you - I'd have wanted to do the same at your age. You'll never forget your first flight in a light aircraft and that would make it all the more special. Remember though, that it'll all be over before you know it, the instructor probably won't let you talk to ATC, will handle the take off and landing and the majority of your hour will be spent in the air away from MAN. IS that really worth the extra £80?. For £195 you could do two hours in a Cessna where I fly from - plenty time to visit a nerby 'big' airfield (LBA), do some manouvers and fly home again.

BRL's advice is spot on - hang around your local (small) airfield, chat to the pilots, show how keen you are, but don't pester them too much and very soon someone will probably offer you a ride. If I flew locally I'd do so myself, but I'm based over in Yorkshire which is probably a bit of a treck. Still, if I ever get round to visiting Barton I'll give you a shout.....

[rogerpenney]

Some good advice there for you, as regards air cadets you will get as much flying as you can cope with in some squadrons. I used to run one and it is surprising how many cadets do not really want to fly. Possibly they may have been put off by over enthusiastic pilots making them vomit on their first flight instead of sticking to the rules. There is plenty of gliding as well, Sealand being the nearest voluntary gliding school where they operate the new plastic grobs. Ternhill has powered grobs, my nephew has just done three weeks there and got his gliding wings at the end of it. There is a great varity of aircraft at Barton from microlights to advanced high powered stuff such as c182s etc.
Get a trial flight for a birthday etc but remember you cannot get a ppl until you are 17. good luck.

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

Thanks knobbygb and rogerpenney for your great advice. :ok:

BAe 146-100

[down&out]

I'd back up going the ATC - I did, had fun, learnt allot about a/c & got the chippy trail flights (which include aeros!) and then the solod the Venture (motor glider) at age 16or17 - all for free:D

That led me to find out in advance, and then get into a University Air Squadron when I went to Uni. There I got over 100hrs flying - again all for free, which included more aeros, low level flying, formation flying, a go at flying some rotors and 7 trips in a Hawk. And to top it all the beers were cheap as well!

Recommend it to anyone!

Good Luck;)

[Squadgy]

Hi 146 !

You sound as if you are in the same position as myself at your age, twelve years ago !

I used to live on the final approach for EGCC and thats how I got interested - I joined the Air Cadets in Cheadle and got plenty of flying, including AEF flights in the Chipmunk, (they use Tutors now) at Woodvale and elsewhere. I also did my Basic Gliding wings at Ternhill on the Vigilant. Also flights in Nimrod, Herc, Chinook etc etc... I also went on loads of camps at RAF stations in the UK and Laarbuch in Germany. Loads of fun - well worth joining !

Got my PPL through working at weekends at a flying school, refuelling aircraft, meeting trial lessons etc etc - one flying lesson a week is worth about £95, far more than you would get paid if you took the cash !

Did my work experience at an airfield and stayed on and got my FISO licence.

My best advise would be to just expose yourself to as much aviation as possible - either by helping out at your local airfield or by joining Air Cadets!

[cessna l plate]

Under JAR you can have your PPL@ 16 now (I Think).

I am training at CATS at Liverpool, and what a great bunch. The airfield has enough BIG stuff to get you used to it, but not enought that would cause you a problem. I remember learning with MSF in the early 90's ( before I ran out of money), and most of the lesson was spent on holding, followed by long zone exits, and completed with a great view of Handforth flats for 20 minutes at a time. I have nothing against MSF at all, either from that era, or from today, as they are a really proffesional outfit.saldy they are based at MAN, whose attitude would appear to be one of GA?, do we have to???? This is relected in the fact that they are one of the few airfileds that will still charge a landing fee in an emergency landing situation!!!! I am sure some of can remember when 24L was being built and there was a debate as to what MSF where going to do after the southside area was closed.

But CATS at LPL, what a difference. The only down side is the 1hour journey each way. But otherwise, excellent pricing ( I have just done 50mins in a C150 with 6 landings for £103 inc vat), a great atmosphere and friendly welcome, and a great attitude for learning. If the weather is poor, we don't fly, and therefore don't spend any money attempting to fly straight and level with sod all horizon.

Barton is also an excellent choice, indeed it is featured in CATS syllabus, but I have one minor reservation, what happens to the grass runway after one of our famous english summers?

But as a 32 year old who has wanted to be an airline pilot since the age of 6, and still hopefull ( you never know), I can't think of a better way to spend my money. But one word of caution. At 14, I thought it great to look at the aircraft at MAN, but I also thouhgt messing around with my mates was good too, and neglecting my education and pratting around at school was fun. You probably have heard it all before, but believe me, if I had my time again, I wouldn't make the same mistakes, maybee I might have got an education, and then maybee I could have got a sponsorship deal with an airline, and then maybee, I wouldn't be looking at the wrong end of £5k just to get a small toe-hold on the ladder.

This is the best advise I can give you, and good luck!!!!
:ok:

[Squadgy]

Hi,

Barton's grass surface has been enhanced over the last 12 months with the application of a special sand and soil mix which allows the surface to 'knit' together better - in addition the drainage has been repaired/ renewed.

Barton also has a dual runway system - there are two parallel main runways - 27/09 and 27N/09N, the northern runway is used during late autumn - spring with the southern runway in use during the summer season - this ensures any wear is spread.

Cheers