Starting PPL in north west

[matjr79]

My local airfield is barton around 10mins drive away, with blackpool, liverpool and leeds around 40mins drive away. has anyone used lancs flying school at barton and if so what are they like? i once heard if you can land at barton you can land anywhere. is a grass runway good for staring out? any advice appreciated.

[Hour Builder]

You'll want to get an idea on whether grass airfields close to you are often shut due to waterlogged runway/taxiways etc, as that could disrupt your PPL course.

[maxdrypower]

yes it is true over the winter months barton can an dos get waterlogged . This is the same of any grass airfield unfortunately. You will lose flying due to this and other considerations not prevalent on a tarmac strip. But you may well lose days anywhere else due to weather in the same way , flying has and always will be a bit of a lottery thats just part of it mate. Unfortunately Lancs aero club is closing this very month however there are still phoenix rising from the ashes but im not sur of the details . I am in an aircraft group there that caters for ppl training and also has a base in blackpool and when its up and ruinning properly if barton is closed you may then goot blackpool check out aircraftgrouping.com. As for landing anywhere , yeh you can I learnt at Brize Norton and then liverpool with great long concrete runways , landing at first is never easy but it is made considerably easier by bein able o ahv a few goes off the same approach . I had 130 hrs when i went to barton but had never done a real short field to or landing , it took me three goes just to get the glide[ath right and a further two to actually land there . IMHO it does increase your skills and handling but it is a different technique to a long runway landing . Barton is a great little field with some great people and you wont got wrong learning there . Just remeber the chances of getting in a barton if you learn at blackpool are far less than the other way round. By the ned of your ppl training you will have landed on allsorts anyway so its all toold for the box , good luck in whatever you decide to do but do do it flying aeroplanes is just a great feeling , go for it

[Comanche250]

With regard to grass runways disrupting your PPL, I learnt on grass and never once did I have any of my flying disrupted because of a waterlogged runway etc, someone did have an accident once and closed the runway but other than that nothing. Its like with anything, if you learn on something more difficult its easier to go to something less difficult later on than it is to do it the other way round. I dont necesserily think you will be a better pilot if you learn off grass but it can help and you wont waste any time learning to land again because if you can land on grass you can land on anything. I personally would learn on grass but its your choice, go for the club/school that you get on the best with.

C250

[maxdrypower]

yeh s true i did have a forgetful moment there , I did my training with RVR but never at barton . a good outfit and the above is true you can learn at either base

[adverse-bump]

if you fly with ravenair at barton, they often take people over to liverpool for some experiance on a tarmac runway, as well as using other local airfields to sharpen your skills!

[tiggermoth]

I have used Ravenair at Barton in the past, and found them to be very good and friendly instructors.

[Retired Redcap]

I have just started my PPL at Barton with LAC Flying School. At this early stage I am quite happy with things.
Despite Lancashire Aero Club leaving Barton this month I have been told that the school is continuing to operate from Barton with the same aircraft and instructors.

[Mark 3:16]

I am also learning with LAC at Barton, about 25 hours in. I have lost time with the weather, but I cannot recall the runways ever being waterlogged. It is a short, bumpy runway so you certainly learn how to quickly dump the thing down right on the numbers.

I have also heard that the school has been bought by someone and will continue to operate from Barton so should be no disruption to students. I hope so anyway. My instructor seems happy enough anyway.

[balboa]

Can't go wrong with Air Navigation and Trading at Blackpool- coolest crowd you can expect to meet- immaculate aircraft and great airfield with mix of traffic. Get yourself up there for a visit before you do anything- Barton took a lot of money off me when i cancelled due to no instructors; Russell at ANT doesn't want your money- well, not much of it...

GPS etc in some aircraft and great crowd- good bar too!!!