Airport Information

[VFR Transit]

I am just after a little bit of information with regards to operations at a few airports in the UK. I am studying the ATPL and am now looking at some of the Schools that would be able to offer the CPL, ME, IR & MCC.
Can anyone offer some basic information on typical holding times etc etc and the way training flights are handled? The airports specific are Oxford, Bournemouth, Stapleford, Leeds Bradford & Bristol Airport.
I don’t really want to be sitting at the hold for 30 minutes waiting; however I do want to train in the commercial airport environment!!! But I guess I can’t have one without the other either lol
I have noticed nothing in the search results for this information, so any advice and information would be great.
Thanks
VFR

[Deano777]

Aeros in Staverton are superb, the billing is "Traxfax +10 minutes", this works on airbourne time when the ASI goes above 40kts, so if you are holding on the ground for an hr you don't get charged. They don't do the MCC though, this can be sourced by yourself.

Staverton isn't an airport you stipulated but it's a great training environment, and the IR training is conducted out of Staverton/Bristol & Filton.

D777

[Flying Beancounter]

Deano is right the TraxFax works well and Aeros really are superb (I did my CPL ME/IR with them just over a year ago). Gloucester ATC works well and delays aren't normally a problem. Exceptions may be on a CAVOK weekend with free landing vouchers (but commercial training at Aeros is usually Mon-Fri) or Cheltenham Gold Cup week (but they work around it).

Doing the IR bit out of Bristol was good in that it gave a 'commercial airport environment' but delays for Easy A319s, Ryaniar B737s etc were not a problem. BFC at Bristol also looked a very good outfit and certainly gets good recommendations. I believe they do the ME/IR first then the CPL (either SE or ME).

Whilst on the subject of minimising delays at a commercial airport, have you looked at Airways Flight Training at Exeter. They have an excellent reputation and Exeter doesn't seem to suffer from holding delays. In fact if you do your IR training out of Bristol (or Gloucester or even Bournemouth?) you are likely to make a lot of approaches into Exeter.

Anyway good luck 'VFR Transit' wherever you do your flying training and don't forget to enjoy it as it will be over before you realise it!
FB