Tayside Aviation Dundee/Fife

[olster]

hi,my son wishes to learn to fly.Any thoughts on this organization -I have heard varying reports.Thanks in advance

[dont overfil]

I learned to fly at Dundee 21 years ago and still get my renewals done there. A more stable and professional outfit would be hard to find.

Plus points are:-
A choice of training aircraft.
All local and Fife landing fees included.
Their own maintenence (minimum down time)
Outside controlled airspace but some nearby for experience.
Usually benign weather, especially at Dundee.
Pay brakes off to brakes on and no queues.
On site examiners.
Some of the instructors have been there for years.

Same management at Fife.

Can't think of any down side.

DO.

[Contacttower]

Usually benign weather, especially at Dundee.That's the only bit I would possibly take issue with :)...other than that I'd agree with pretty much everything dont overfil said.

[140KIAS]

Agree with DO on all points including the weather. I learned to fly at Fife about 10 years ago and keep my aircraft there.

Personally I like the place and believe its a good place to learn so I'm a bit biased.

700m runway with a late turn onto finals for noice abatement causes comments from many visitors. If you learn there then it becomes the norm and gives you good experience for short runways.

Aircraft are 152s and 172s. Not as many as there once was but they still seem to be able to cover demand. They also have Grobs and Warriors at Dundee.

There's quite a few private / group owned aircraft including 152, 172, 182, TB9, TB10 etc. More interesting types include a Tiger Moth and Westland Scout. Also a few flex-wings.

Rates are probably some of the lowest in Scotland when you factor in landings (free) and club membership (low).

There's a not bad bar/restaurant which could be useful if you are providing dad's taxi services. Sunday high teas are pretty good value :ok:

There's a fairly active social/club scene however it would be nice to see more members participating.

There's a club night with a talk from one of the ex-instructors next Thursday. Why not come along and see for yourself. Alternatively drop by sometime for a chat with one of the instructors. Always better when the weathers poor and they're stuck on the ground.

Only slightly negative comment I would make is that the welcome can sometimes be a bit reserved. But I guess that's Fifers for you !

Time to run and hide.

['India-Mike]

Extremely professional organisation. I've only seen the Dundee end both as an engineering customer and as a pilot CPL/FI/MEP/IR customer. I've gone back repeatedly for pilot training. As for weather.....over the past year I've only had one (November) training sortie cancelled due weather.

In the modern parlance....they're customer-focussed. But they'll call a spade a spade if they have to.

They've got the RAF Flying Scholarship contract, and have had it repeatedly over the years. They must be doing something right. From what I see I'd have no hesitation sending my son there......

[olster]

Thanks very much for the replies guys -all sounds pretty good.

with b/rgds

[gasax]

I also learntto fly with them - some 20 odd years ago. Largely the situationj has been very similar until a couple of years ago when ownership of the company changed with Lovat Fraser (IIRC) selling out.

It does not seem to have made a lot of difference but go along and see it these historic comments are still valid. And remember never pay up front for flying tuition.

[Sir George Cayley]

However professional and reputable they are please, please don't let your son pay up in front large advance payments.

If they are operating at the higher levels of professionalism they won't have a problem with this. No discount for upfront payments will ever cover the loss your family may suffer. There are dozens and dozens of prospective pilots who have not heeded this advice with other clubs and schools.

Nevertheless, if local lore says they are OK that's good. Why not check with the CAA to see if they are recognised?

I hope your son goes on to greater things - and doesn't forget to take his Pa up every so often.

Sir George Cayley

[DB6]

You won't be asked to pay upfront by Tayside. Your son can go all the way from lesson 1 to CPL/IR/MCC there (enough to enter the airlines) or should he wish to go the RAF path they are the RAF Flying Scholarship training provider. Dundee is more commercially orientated, Fife more flying club. Many of the pilots working for Scottish airlines were/are linked with Tayside and most, if not all, will recommend them. I am, and I do :ok:.

[Charlie Zulu]

I've not done any training with them but am now based at Fife and am one of the TB9 group owners after moving to Scotland last year.

Fife is a lovely general aviation airfield with a great westerly dog leg approach due to complaining neighbours in houses that were built under what would have been the base leg.

Dundee has a longer runway and full Air Traffic but we normally contact Leuchars for a Basic service and Edinburgh's airspace is only minutes away for control zone practice.

The runway at Fife is only 700 metres but is more than adequate even for our TB9 when practicing Touch and Go's. Takes a bit of getting used to after a decade of being based at Cardiff with its 2,300 metre runway.

I would be biased but everyone seems to be friendly at the club and there is an active club social scene. Sadly I can't attend the talk by the ex-instructor next Thursday as I'm on a Baby 737 enroute to Cardiff when the evening starts.

[A and C]

I now have an ex-Tayside aircraft, it was tatty in the cosmetic department but all the important stuff was maintained to a high standard.

From a flight safety (engineering) point of view I would have no hesitation recomending them.

[olster]

thanks for all the info

b/rgds