Liverpool or East Midlands

[ClearedTakeOff]

Hi,

Im currently hour building towards the CPL requirement.

After getting my PPL from Tatenhill, I am now looking at flying out of East Mids or Liverpool.

East Mids - looking at using Donair. Membership gives free landings and approach fees!

Liverpool - looking at Ravenair. They have Tomahawks for £85 an hour + landing + approach fees.

I am within an hour of both airports, so thats not really a dividing factor.

Any body got any views on either of these?

Thanks in advance!

[magpienja]

Prob of no help to you...but the area around Liverpool is interesting to fly....lovely coastlines...and mountain scenery not to far away,

As I say prob of no interest...but I love it.

Nick.

[Helicopterdriverguy]

Why not just save money and hour build from Tatenhill?

[ClearedTakeOff]

Prices for Tatenhill - £127 for C152, £140 for PA28 Warrior, £145 for PA28 Archer.

Prices for Donair - £120 for C152, £144 for PA28 Warrior, £152 for PA28 Archer, BUT if you buy 10hrs, they'll knock £6 off each hour. Membership is £85 per year, but this includes all landing fees and ILS/NDB approaches into EMA - which is handy as Ive got my IMC rating.

Ravenair are offering the PA38 Tomahawk at £85/hr plus landing fee and approach fee, but membership fees are more expensive - £90 to join, the £130 per year.

To be honest, Tatenhill has served its purpose as a cheaper way of getting my PPL, Night and IMC Ratings, but now I want more of a challenge like operating out of a controlled airport, as this is where I want to be with my career!

Any thoughts on either of these would be greatly appreciated. Also, any other suggestions for somewhere to hour build are welcome!

Thanks :O

[magpienja]

Have you looked at the School at Chester???

[ClearedTakeOff]

Yes, the flying school at Hawarden seems to be even more expensive than those at Liverpool and East Mids.

[PURPLE PITOT]

Have you looked at approach/landing fees at liverpool? Are the traumahawks really ifr equipped? Donair looking good if you are going to use the imc as practice for a full ir.

[ClearedTakeOff]

Just rung Ravenair. They said landing fees are £16.18; touch and go's and ILS approaches are 1/2 the landing fee (I presume this is for aircraft based at the airport, as last time I flew the ILS at LPL with a non-based a/c, the airport robbed me £40!). This doesn't sound too badly priced!!

[PURPLE PITOT]

So more than one approach and landing, ema is the better deal, just the one and lpl takes it by a whisker. That assumes the use of a 2 seater, and that it is ifr equipped. As airports they have a similar level of jet traffic and complexity of use.

Your call really!

[Zulu Mike]

Sometimes the attitude of an airport towards GA is relevant, I fly out of there occasionally and have just been sent this from the group -


The airport have issued new rules about who can, and cannot be allowed on the apron, I have a full list of all of these if anyone wants a copy.

To summarise these are the ones which affect most of us-
1. In addition to wearing a high-vis vest, all personnel using the GA apron must have an airport security pass.
2. Therefore for those of you who don’t have this, you would need to be accompanied by someone who does
3. Ear defenders must be carried at all times – silly I know but thems the rules, carrying a set of earplugs in your pocket will suffice
4. Hi-viz jackets/vests must be fastened at the front at all times – another silly one !
5. Passengers must be escorted by crew or ground staff at all times
6. A 3-strike rule applies to breaches, and you may be revoked access to the apron if you break these rules

Now, there is a group of pilots and GA users which were formed last year known as LAGAUA (Liverpool Airport General Aviation Users Association), and this group are lobbying the airport management over various issues which affect us, including these rules and a lot more besides.

:ugh:

[Mariner9]

Why don't you get a share in a cheap permit aircraft (Jodel/Emeraude or similar) somewhere local to you? You could then do your hour building for ~£50/hr, then sell the share on. If you want experience of "big" airfields, just fly to one occasionally!

[Rod1]

"To be honest, Tatenhill has served its purpose as a cheaper way of getting my PPL, Night and IMC Ratings, but now I want more of a challenge like operating out of a controlled airport, as this is where I want to be with my career!"

At a big airport you are told what to do, at a small airfield you use your own judgment. Not sure one is more challenging than another. You do not have to be based at a big airport to become familiar with with the operation, just fly in. If you get a share and tour the big airfields in France over a summer you will gain the experience with very low landing fees - sometimes nothing at all. I suspect that after your 3rd or 4th visit to one you will wonder why you thought it was a challenge.

Rod1