Commuting to work in a light aircraft or microlight

[cappy]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post, so I'll start with saying how useful this forum has been in gathering information. :ok:

I am going to be getting my JAA PPL this December, can't wait.
I was thinking instead of just flying for pleasure I would commute to work in a light aircraft.
Now everyone I've mentioned this to thinks I'm crazy, but hear me out..

I would fly from Wellesbourne airfield (Warwickshire) to Brimpton airfield (Berkshire). Should easily take less than an hour.
But since I don't fly yet, I really don't know how practical this would be when taking weather conditions and fuel cost and landing fees into account. So far I worked out that it would cost as much as an expensive car, I think.
I also thought that maybe a microlight would be more cost effective, even though I couldn't fly it at night. I understand that they can be flown anytime during the year and below cloud, so are not as restricted by weather as I had originally thought.
Just wondering if anyone had any thoughts/advice/critisisms on the subject. So far I think microlight would be a good way to go. Could always drive to work in really bad weather.

Thanks.

[QDMQDMQDM]

Farmstrip to farmstrip = cheap
Microlight or PFA type = cheap

Seems like a super idea, as long as you realise

a) there'll be many days when you can't set off
b) there'll be many days when you set off and can't get back
c) the biggest danger in this scenario is 'press-on-itis' and it could one day leave you very dead

As long as you're well aware of a-c, no problem.

QDM

[EGBKFLYER]

Good answer QDM.

Mate of mine used to commute by microlight - but then he did work on the airfield! He only did it during the week when the traffic was bad because that was the time flying was quicker (not just flight time to count but getting togged up, getting a/c out, driving to airfield etc etc).

Personally, I've always wanted a paramotor so I can get to work by air from my back garden. Flying everywhere is the future!

[Genghis the Engineer]

I've done it quite a lot going to meetings - it's unreliable, and all of the points above are definitely true.

But it is tremendous fun, very satisfying, and a great way of starting your day off.

Go for it, but always have a backup at each end.

G

[muffin]

I used to have grand thoughts of doing that but the reality is a little different. For a start during the winter months you like me probably go to work in the dark and come home in the dark. So that is about 5 months of the year gone. If you don't want to get stuck without transport at the wrong end, it has to be flyable in the morning and a forecast of being flyable in the evening. That takes care of probably another 5 months by the time you add all the days together. The take off the times when you may need the car to go somewhere during the day or on the way home, or maybe drop the dog off at the vets or pop into Sainsbury's etc etc and you are probably left with about 30 week days when it really is a possibility.

I have a helicopter at home and a field just up the road at work where I can land and I manage to use it to commute about that number of days in the year.

I long ago decided that sitting in meetings peering out of the window all the time at the gathering clouds was much too stressful to be a realistic long term commuting solution.

[SparkyBoy]

A friend of mine does all his commuting in a Cirrus and swears by it. it once took me 9 hours to get back to London from Bradford by car and he was there 8 hours before me !! :eek:

If you can afford the Avgas, landing fees and taxi to and from the airfield then it's definately the way to go. Personally, I'm about £999,999 shy of a millionaire so a few more years before I commute PPL. :rolleyes:


Sparky

[tangovictor]

Great idea ! however as most have already said, the weather is always going to be against you, I fly a low wing microlight "eurostar" which has a 10 knt
side wind limit take off / landing, although im sure better pilots could easily, cope with higher, Point being, untill your very proficient, even a summers day, with the occassional light gusting wind, you wouldn't be comfortable landing

['India-Mike]

As Genghis and the others have said, it's unreliable. However.....
For specific meetings at specific times of the year, and when logistics demand, I've flown. Including:
(i) Prestwick-Cranfield-Prestwick in a Chipmunk for a 2-day meeting;
(ii) Glasgow-Cranfield-Newcastle-Perth-Prestwick in a Pup for 3 different activities over 4 days;
(iii) Prestwick-Benson-Prestwick in a Chipmunk in one day! (7am start, 21:45 finish!)
The latter was a short-notice job, and for self plus colleague was actually cheaper even than EasyJet with a hire car and/or hotel.
For all, the EasyJet/hire car alternative didn't bear thinking about.
It can be done, but chose your occasions!

(And in case you think I'm singling out EasyJet, I'm not - they're just the only low-cost alternative for me since I refuse to fly RyanAir)

[tmmorris]

Similar experiences - trying to fly to a meeting is rarely quicker, always more expensive and not very reliable; but in the past 4 months I've managed Benson - Shoreham - Benson and Benson - Leeming - Benson on business. The latter particularly frustrating as I was held off the airfield for 15 minutes at Leeming to wait for a 2-minute silence at 12.00 (it was 7/7/06) and then jet traffic.

Tim

[stiknruda]

Totally agree with QDM3

I do a lot of my commuting by air but commuting's not a daily occurence. As my aeroplane lives with me it does make decisions far easier as I start my journey to the destination from the same point A whether by car or aeroplane.

I have turned back, I have diverted and sat out bad weather and occassionally I have thought that it would have been more sensible to drive.

But - it is great when it all comes together and you are back in the pub before your colleagues have even got onto the M1 at the far end!

Do it when you can but do understand that it is not a realistic daily alternative.

[S-Works]

I commute for work on a very regular basis averaging around 350hrs a year flying. I have a full JAA Instrument Rating and a de-iced twin aircraft which gives me access to the airways. I fly between IFR airports. I also have staff who collect me from the airfield on the way to site and a job that is not 9-5.

Flying from a grass strip to a grass strip is petty much a non starter for more than about 20 days a year. Commuting in a microlight or permit aircraft is also a non starter, for 6 months of the year there is not enough light to do a days work and fly home before dark. During the winter the freezing level is generally very low and we are cursed with the typical British weather where it can start of sunny in the morning and be pouring down with rain by lunch. This leaves you stuck on a grass strip with no transport and no accomodation.

It is nice to have the odd say where you can persuade a work mate to collect you and drop you off but the rest of the time unless you are suitably equipped forget it!

As they say time to spare go by air!!

[markflyer6580]

As they say time to spare go by air!!

Lots of people post some total rubbish on forums but the above statement is the truth and probably the best bit of advice to anyone when it comes to flying!
My wife doesn't even ask when I will be back anymore,since that 1hr flight generally ends up being 5 after a £100 burger and such:}

[rightbank]

It depends on your job. If your presence is desirable rather than mandatory, then it could work as long as you have the strength of character to say no when conditions dictate. However if you HAVE to be there, then you WILL kill yourself. For low houred pilots, and probably most others as well, pressonitus is a big killer, if not the biggest killer.
Whereas I now fly for a living, with the appropriate reduction in minima (and even then I never assume that I am going to get there), in my previous career I occasionally used a light aircraft to travel to meetings. However I did my planning the day before with particular attention to the weather. If it was no good I went by car/train.
Please be very carefull.

[tmmorris]

For most of the trips I have made (excluding Leeming!) the times door to door worked out about the same driving or flying, allowing 30 minutes to get to the airfield, 30 minutes there before starting up, and time for a taxi at the other end. So I could make the decision on the day, just before leaving home, on the basis of the latest weather.

Like that, you shouldn't succumb to pressonitis - though you might suffer from get-home-itis instead, at the end of the day, if the forecast was wrong. I have the luxuries of an IMC rating and a ILS-equipped home base, though, which make this much easier.

Tim

[IO540]

In the UK, if commuting between airports that have usable instrument approaches (in which I do not count for example Shoreham, whose 800ft MDH makes it no better than descending over the sea and dropping in under "VFR") and the pilot has an IMC Rating, and a decent plane, then commuting is entirely reasonable and very few flights (probably a few percent or less) would be cancelled. Most of those that would be cancelled would be in the winter, when the 0C level is below the MSA, but with a de-iced plane (full TKS is probably the best for "short" routes like one does in the UK) one could get around that one too.

The biggest problem in the example given is that Wellesbourne (I have never heard of the other one) has no instrument approach; well not one that is published ;) and there is some 500ft+ terrain nearby, and in the course of a year I would cancel a helluva lot more than a few % of arrivals there. There are a few nearby ILS airports though but that introduces hassle...

That is the typical scenario in using GA for utility in the UK - not enough airfields with instrument approaches. The CAA's anti-GPS attitude, together with insistence for full ATC for an instrument approach (ATCO salaries are way too high for most airfields to go for this) is fully to blame here.

[cappy]

Thank you to everyone for their comments and advice, I have found it all very useful.
Fortunately I have the luxury of flexitime with my job and almost never have to be there for a specific time.
It seems that in order to get the most out of it allowing me to fly at night, and to overcome most of the weather restrictions, a de-iced light aircraft would be better than a microlight.
Coventry airport is only a 10min drive away, which would solve the instrument approach problem.
Still positive about the idea, just need to do some more research into the cost.
If I managed to get 6 months flying out of the year Id be quite happy.

[stiknruda]

Cappy - I applaude your enthusiasm:ok: and perhaps your naivete.:ouch:

Best of luck!:D

Stik

[raviolis]

I have a full JAA Instrument Rating and a de-iced twin aircraft which gives me access to the airways. I fly between IFR airports. I also have staff who collect me from the airfield on the way to site and a job that is not 9-5.


are you sure you actually NEED to go to work ? ;)

..or maybe it's just an excuse for flying ? :ok: LOL

[Arclite01]

I think everybody is telling you it's a non-starter. If you can commute once a month that is a bonus and enjoy.

The rest of the time you will be stuck on the M4 with everybody else mate !

I loo forward to an update in a years time on how practical it turned out to be.

Enjoy

Arc

;)

[747-436]

I would love to commute to work by Air, but I don't think Heathrow would like that!!!
Haven't finished my PPL yet so can only dream!

[S-Works]

are you sure you actually NEED to go to work ? ;)

..or maybe it's just an excuse for flying ? :ok: LOL


You choose..... :)

[Pitts2112]

Well, there are a couple of other things that you might need to consider.

You've mentioned flying at night. I don't know about Wellesbourne but Brimpton is a grass strip with no lights (and no fuel). Unless you can land in daylight and depart in daylight, you won't be able to do any night flying in and out of Brimpton.

And you need a bit more than an airplane with de-icing to fly in bad weather (night not really being relevant to icing). You'd need a full IMC or IR panel and the training and skills to fly safely in bad weather. And, again, since Brimpton is a grass strip with no real facilities, you won't be able to get in and out in anything other than VFR conditions.

I hate to sound like a dark cloud, but I'd hate to see you make any real plans on this being practical only to be disappointed. And when you factor in driving to and from the airport, pre-flighting, fueling, and the flight itself, half the time it's actually just as long as driving, just a whole lot more fun.

I'd say commuting by light aircraft is something you can do once in a while for the sheer kick of it and because you want to fly. Most often, though, it's not a realistic alternative to driving.

As an example, consider flying commercially from LHR to Paris versus taking Eurostar. Sure, the flight itself is only about an hour and the train ride is 3. But once you factor in the time to get to Heathrow versus Waterloo, the extra time for security, and the typical delays at Heathrow, plus the time it takes to get from CDG into Paris, your door-to-door time is just about equal to taking the train (and the hassle is a small fraction of that of flying).

Pitts2112

[bladewashout]

I commute in an R22 on days when it's forecast to be good for both outbound and return trips. I have a spare car if I get caught out. R44 would be quicker...

Helicopter gives you the flexibility to land in your garden if you live in the right place, as I am fortunate enough to do. Most of the comments above are true, I have the flexibility to be there or not as I choose, it's hard to resist when the weather is close to your personal minima but you just have to say no!

It's a great way to build hours and confidence because you have a specific reason to fly. I find there are always pressures to hamper purely social flying.

You can always do it for a year and then stop if it doesn't work out!

BW

[sucksqueezeBANGstop]

I'd just love to own my own a/c!! :uhoh: But then, work is five mins walk away. I'd love to fly to my local flying club though. 45 mins drive on bendy roads is MUCHO annoying.

I have a few friends who have Thruster Sprint microlights. Very sturdy and with big tyres, can land in most fields. Excellent for hopping about the country.

Good luck Cappy. And if in doubt about the weather/conditions... DON'T GO!

[scooter boy]

Dear Cappy,

I too started out with PFA aircraft - great inexpensive flying and fantastic fun in good weather but I would agree with previous opinions that our UK weather can frequently prevent commuting in a very light A/C even in the summer.

Being caught up in a horrendous traffic jam on the A30 5 years ago while on my way to work in the car persuaded me to learn to fly helicopters.

I now commute to work most days by helicopter (R44) But occasionally for longer distances use my night/known icing/IFR equiped Mooney. Distance, weather, daylight and duration of visit dictate the choice of A/C.

Today was a Mooney day, yesterday R44 - I am very lucky in that the R44 lives at home in its own hangar and the Mooney is hangared 0.1 Hobbs from home (25 mins by road).

I also have 3 cars strategically located at various landing sites to allow me to get to my destination asap. Also if Wx poor for return leg - I just drive the car home and back the next day to collect A/C (as I did last night and this morning).

I (genuinely) save a lot of time, life is less stressful, much more interesting and infinitely more expensive this way but you only live once.

Remember if you leave any cash behind when you go Gordon Brown wins (and we really don't want that now do we?)

live your dream,

SB

[tangovictor]

good for you SB, this is not a rehersal, enjoy everyday

[er340790]

IT CAN BE DONE!

....But it helps to be in the right country. Have been flying my 1946 Piper Cub floatplane 70 miles from lake cottage to work most days since late May here in NW Ontario. Occasional delays due to early morning lake mist and afternoon thunderstorms but 90% of days are VFR - think it was 60-65% in UK and NL.

Always have a Plan B and remember what they say: it's better to be down here wishing you were up there, than up there wishing you were down here!

[cappy]

Great replies, thanks guys. :ok:
I know its going to difficult, but I have to give it a shot! And if it doesn't work, then nothing is lost.
Will update you all at some point next year on how its going.

[EGBM]

Hi cappy, yes please do. I worked at a location which had its own runway, so I thought I'd be able to take advantage of it very frequently but for all of the reasons stated above it just didn't happen, except at weekends, ironically enough, when I didn't need to be there!

The main problem was guranteeing I could get there for the (fixed) start of the working day, so I was relying on accurate forecasts. And getting to the originating aerodrome and checking out the a/c etc meant an earlier start than driving. Then as I was lodging up there for the working week I could never guarantee getting the aeroplane back for the weekend for the other group members I shared the aircraft with. So although it seemed a good idea it never seemed to happen in practice but perhaps that's because it was easier (although less fun) to carry on as normal. As I say though, I did make the trip a few times in leisure time when I could relax and didn't *have* to get there, which is how I like my flying to be.

[London Mil]

I suspect that if you were loaded and could afford a nice helicopter with the requisite license then to commute by air would be good and achievable. Taking the 172 away for the day is somewhat different. I, like some of the previous posters, have been there. Sat in a meeting, watching the clock, checking TAFs/METARs (on the mobile) and then rushing back before the very last bit of blue sky disappears over the mid-Atlantic is no fun. Furthermore, unless your trip is at least one hour's flying time (more like 2+), it is probably quicker by car.

[S-Works]

I tried the R22 thing as well. Was no better than the fixed wing option, you are always going to be bound by the weather and the UK has the most unreliable of weather going. Even with an IFR equipped helicopter which is multi engine territory in which case if you own or can operate one then you are not going to be flying yourself! You will be sat in the back with the other billionaires plotting the next world take over.

I have found IFR Airport to IFR airport passable.