Part time CPL and IR

[Obs cop]

I understand that this may have been asked before, but the search engine won't recognise "CPL", or "IR" and the works "part" and "time are too common to yield any results.

However, on to the question.

I work shifts on a rotating pattern where i usually get 2 or 3 week days off most weeks. However, with financial commitments (ie. family and mortgage) I cannot leave or change that job, and I may not be able to get 6 weeks off to do the IR.

Does anyone know any FTO's in the Midlands (or reasonable travelling from the Midlands) who could do a CPL and an IR part time during weekdays?

Please don't drift into the fact that the courses will be harder and more expensive, I understand that, but my commitments mean it would still be the preferable route.

Regards,
Obs Cop

[AdamLT]

Hi Obs cop

Try Halfpenny Green Flight Centre The Flight Centre at Halfpenny Green : Private Pilot Training PPL : Commercial Pilot (http://www.hgfc.co.uk/)

They do the CPL and IR part time I believe..weekends and whenever you can squeeze it in. Give them a call. Great place. I'm currently doing my PPL there at the moment.

All the best

[Flaps up no lights]

:ok: HPG very good choice!!

[potkettleblack]

As an aside use the google advanced search function. Open up google and to the right of the search box is the advanced button. Hit it and then type in the search terms you want to look for. In the section named domain enter www.pprune.org. Works a treat for things like IR.

[Simon150]

I have just completed a part-time IR with Bonus at Cranfield and would recommend them highly. When I was looking round Bonus and Stapleford were the only two in the UK (that I could find) that were offering PT IR.

I am not sure where you live, but I was travlelling from Derby where I live, or after work from Birmingham (just next to the airport). It was about an hour to get there which was a big drain after a hard days work but Bonus instructors are happy to do sim work (and ofter flying) in the evening. Simming in their FNPT1 can go on to the early hours!!

I did talk to HGFC because I did my PPL there a while back and have heard excellent things about their commercial 'wing', but they didn't offer part-time at the time. Things may have changed.

One thing that you may not have considered - beware that the course will be harder and more expensive..........only joking!

As it turns out, I managed the IR in 50.4 hours so it can be done at least as cheaply (albit harder......sorry - had to get that in there :-) as full-time.

The 'trick' to a cheap IR seems to be a first time pass! As soon as you partial you will be looking at 2000 pounds+ on top of what you already paid. I confess to pulling a couple of well timed 'sickies' towards the end of my IR training on the build-up to the big day which paid off in the end.

[Ste88]

Hello!
I reading this topic and I'd ask if someone can give me a list of flying school in UK where can i do my modular training. In this way i hope to work while i follow the courses.


I have open also a topic.

Thanks

[expedite08]

Simon 150,

Exactly what I am doing at the moment. If you get a good school and good instructor ( hard to find both at one place these days!! I have and Im VERY lucky! ) you are lucky. just as I am at the moment. It works a wonder and you actually end up getting more done in a couple of hours in the eve than most bods do sitting there all day!! Says it all really!

[Obs cop]

Thanks for the responses guys. I have spoken with the Flight Centre and they have been very helpful, although as it stands they would do me a part time CPL but full time IR.

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll have a look at Bonus, but I fear Stapleford might be too far away.

Any more for any more?

[adz1616]

Hi guys

well the answer to ste88, you can do modular training at london met uni they run 4-5 courses a year and get your ground school done with them either in london or glasgow (not sure where your based)

Then go on to do your CPL/IR at one of a few places although nearest london stapleford has the best reviews and set-up, i went down there a few weeks ago and the set up is very professional.

The ground school fulltime at London met costs 2450 quid and CPL/IR at stapleford is about 17,000 quid.

hope this helps

www.londonmet.ac.uk/lmbs/subjects/aviation/residential-atpl.cfm (http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/lmbs/subjects/aviation/residential-atpl.cfm)

Stapleford Flight Centre - Commercial Flight Training - About Us (http://www.flysfc.com/aboutuscommercial.html)

[MIKECR]

obs cop,

I see your in the police. Have you considered the career break option? Unpaid leave, but it might give you enough time of to get the CPL or IR done and dusted.

[Obs cop]

Mikecr,

I have considered a career break, but my current force is not allowing many, if any at all. Likewise, an average career break would normally be about 6 months or more, which would leave a big hole in my finances. Having said that, any suggestions for how to explain to a police force I want a career break to train for another job?

Suggestions will be gleefully accepted.

Obs cop

[MIKECR]

sent you a pm

[Megaton]

Obs Cop,

Ask Avrodamo. He may have had a similar background to you and he obtained a career break.

[SimJock]

Obs Cop

Like you i work shift, mine is 4on 4 off, and I tried to do the IR on my days off. I had a 2 hour drive to Stapleford round the M25 before each lesson and even allowing for a tea break on arrival found myself not doing as well as I'd hoped in the sim.

I found that by returning to work/family life for four days I was just not retaining sufficient knowledge from week to week, this was exasperating for the instructors as well as myself as we had to go back over stuff that I felt I had mastered the previous week. Also, the guys who stayed on site, were able to back seat or front RH seat other peoples sessions. This is an essential part of the training in my opinion as when the pressure is off you, you are able to observe other peoples mistakes and formulate your own plans for avoiding those same mistakes.

Faced with the seemingly inflexible deadline of my exam passes expiring I decided to terminate my course after 10 hours as I knew I would not be ready for test on time. It was a difficult choice to make.

Now I am thinking of re-taking the relevant exams and redoing the IR, but I will only do a full time course wherever I decide to go.

Best of luck !

[Obs cop]

Thanks all for the replies,

I have looked previously at a career break, but given the current position my force is in, I find it hugely improbable as a route, not withstanding the additional cost of funding the family home.

A good friend of mine completed a part time Cpl/Ir however, his finances and circumstances job wise were significantly different, so I am aware it is possible.

Bonus look very promising, I have yet to speak with them, but they may be a viable route. With some judicious juggling, HGFC could work, and there is one more possible school I amy speak with.

Watch this space,

Regards,
Obs cop

[scallaghan]

Hi

I am also i the same situation, completed my CPL at shoreham with Flying Time on the DA42 but they are not setup for the IR.

So considering Blackbushe aviation or Stapleford who do part time IR.

[Obs cop]

Scallaghan,

Did you do your CPL part time and if so how did you find it?

Thanks in advance,

Obs cop

[expedite08]

I did my CPL part time and now doing the IR on the same basis. Its not a problem at all as long as you focus and get on with it. Some schools do sneer at the fact that some of us have to do it part time. But from my experience you get more done on a part time basis than most full timers do. They spend most of the time sitting around in the school getting bored. Whilst doing it part time, you tend to crack on and get what needs to be done, done!

Plus then you have the bonus of being able to earn too, not be in a financial stuper like a lot are.

[Tony Hirst]

I completed my PPL, CPL and IR part-time, weekends only. Blackbushe Aviation were the only people able to accomodate my weekends only schedule. My own experience suggests that getting rusty after not flying for a few weeks is a bit of myth, but with such a constrained schedule as mine, a few weeks of no flying needed to be expected from time to time. For somebody in the Police, it will be heaps easier as you can more easily be accomodated with more weekday based schedule.

[expedite08]

Have to agree Tony, I thought the 'rusty' issue might be a problem, but I can not fly for a week and come straight back to it! I think doing it part time gives you the opportunity to think about it more too and what you have done etc. Full timers are under a lot of pressure.

[Obs cop]

Thanks guys,

As it stands does anyone have any feedback re: Bonus at Cranfield.

Likewise Atlantic Flight Training may be able to offer the CPL and IR part time, has anyone had recent experience of their training set up?

Regards,

Obs cop

[expedite08]

I take it your looking to stay north Obs Cop. For the record my experiences at the moment are with Professional Air Training (PAT) at Bournemouth. As mentioned earlier finding a good school and good instrctor in one place is quite rare, but here you have both!

One instructor does the part time training (from my understanding), they are busy at the moment, but certainly worth making contact with.

As for the schools you have mentioned I can not make judgement having not had dealings with either.

[Obs cop]

Expedite,

Yes unfortunately work and family commitments will limit me to the midlands area, although cranfield would be viable.

Cheers,

Obs

[flyboy1818]

Hi all,

I'm in a four on four off job too and have been considering this option, Stapleford and Shoreham are both possibles for me, Stapleford is nearer but as we all know M25 traffic is a big problem! Can anyone tell me how long it took them to do CPL/IR part time, I rekon it would take 4 months full time including MCC, so I'm guessing it would take 8-10 part time on a four on four off roster?

[glush]

I did my CPL in the UK part time (had to hold down a day job Monday to Friday) at a UK FTO. I was also doing an FI(A) course in parallel at the same FTO, and despite UK weather - it took around 5 months to get them both done. I did my IR in Spain for 3 reasons (1) could only train at weekends, (2) didn't want the course to run over many months (would have missed too much weekend flying in UK as instructor), (3) good flying weather in Spain is virtually guaranteed all year. The IR took 6 weekends & 3 weeks of my holiday allowance to complete.
Hope that helps.