where should i do my ppl?

[jimmyj]

Can anyone give me advice on choosing my ppl course? . .. .I need a quality course at a cheap price and would be willing to travel abroad to do a JAA regsitered ppl if the cost of travel, housing and the course would be cheaper than studying here.. .. .Thanks.

[DB6]

The flying magazines (Pilot, Flyer, Today's Pilot) do 'Where to fly' features every year about this time. Get hold of them and look at the options in your area. I would advise you to use the nearest club unless you don't like it for some reason, and I would be cautious about training in the US - you will need a fair bit more training when you come back before you can fly in the UK. Where about in Yorkshire are you?

[Facts Not Fiction Pls]

Well obviously DB6 either:. .. .1. Does not like the USA or training there. .2. Had a bad experience . .3. Gone to a school where they did not prepare the student for the PPL in a proper manner. .4. Does not know what he is talking about. .. .Any student that trains outside the UK will need some local training to get familiar with the area although that would be the case anywhere. You would be stupid not to do some "getting to know the area" training. However, from my experience this would be approx. 3-5 hours if the student has just passed the skill test. If the pilot needs much more, he perhaps shouldn't have passed the skill test or the Instructor is milking him. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="tongue.gif" />

[chrishowley]

Sorry to disagree with you DB6 (I don't want it to become a regular occurance disagreeing with you on pprune!) However: . .. .My trust in the magazines fell drammatically after I read an article praising a school in the US which I did some flying with. The article did not reflect my experiences at all and made me wonder whether the school had made it worth the student's while to write a good article. Incidentally it happens to be the same school which Capt Pprune himself holds in low regard! . .. .I'm sure the pros and cons of training in the UK have been more than adequately explored here previously but to add my 'umble opinion - don't forget the issue of bad weather which tends to add lengthy times to ppl courses in the UK. Problem is that if you have a spell of bad weather and can't get out for a while, when you get back in the plane you spend all your time re-acclimatising and revising old skills. . .. .If you are anywhere near Leeds/Bradford. Check out Leeds Flying School. Multiflight are also worth a look. Talk to the students to get the real truths.. . . . <small>[ 07 March 2002, 21:49: Message edited by: ExiledTyke ]</small>

[MVE]

Hi,. .There are lots of places for you to train for the JAR PPL in the US and one in South Africa to do it a little cheaper. You can of course fly in the UK on an ICAO PPL (which is cheaper to do and is usable in the UK with a few restrictions)and converting it to a JAA PPL after 100hrs is relatively straight forward (skill test + Air Law exam I think).. .. .It will all depend on what you plan to do after the PPL. I'll drop you an e-mail with some research I've done rather than taking up the space here.. .. .Regards Rodders

[easondown]

Hi,. .I agree with facts not fiction pls, you can get some good quality training reasonably cheap out in the states and can complete the ppl quilcky due to the better weather. Thats where I done most of my initial training - it didn't do me any harm.. .. .Good Luck !!!. .(appologies in advance for any swelling mistakes - this dislexia is terrible)

[Cruise Alt]

If you can check out where you are thinking of going. Go there, talk to the students (when the management are not listening) and ask what their experiences have been like. Also talk to the instructors. These are the people you will be spending your time with. If they seem professional and friendly it is a good sign. If they are arrogant or unfriendly then it is not. Also be prepared to 'convert' to UK flying if you do train in the states. I am sure there are many good schools in the states but there are also many bad ones. (It may also be worth asking how many people have died at a particular school!). .. .Flying around the empty wastes of florida in glorious weather will not be good preparation for a mucky weather day negotiating yourself around and through the controlled airspace of the UK.. .. .Good luck, enjoy it and always think of safety.. . . . <small>[ 08 March 2002, 11:11: Message edited by: Cruise Alt ]</small>

[jimmyj]

Hi guys, thanks for all your info, I think I will probably stay in Eng for my training as I am aware that Florida might not be the best prep for the smoggy, busy airspace of England. When I took my driving test I was determined to learn in the middle of Sheffield rather than cowering along the back lanes of Yorkshire and I think I will throw myself in the deep end when learning to fly too.. .DB6; I am in Rotherham. .ExTyke; Thanks for the advice, nice to have an actual recommendation, will check out Leeds.. .. .Thanks again people.

[sam white]

Stay in england , Ouch.. .SOME British flying schools are second to none, There instructors are profesional instructors as opposed to hour builders as in the states, But the money you save in the states not to mention time will mean you go home from a nice holiday having flown yourself around for lunch in various remote locations that them on the ground dont have time to get there. Then you come home with a piece of paper, which after a 3-6 hours local flying will transform into a perfectly good license that gets you flying in the smog of GB, at the end of it you have saved enogh money by doing it in the States to pay for for you first few (or quite a few) flights. British clubs are Great to learn to fly with, But there is a good reason so many people choose the states.

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

In your shoes I might be tempted to talk to a decent sized localish FTO such as, oh, Multiflight at LeedsBradford. If you walk in the door and arrange a proper meeting with the management they should help you plan your entire training ensuring you get continuity which is so important. As a potential £40,000 customer at a smaller school you will get a lot of well deserved attention.. .. .If you can do you PPL, CPL and IR all at one place then its a definite advantage. If its in the same aircraft and is possible with the same instructor then that is worth an awful lot. Hour building in the the States is OK particularly if your instructor gives you a list of things to cover.... .. .There are plenty of good FTO's arouns your area that could help you out so go do some research. If you can find one that means you do not have accomodation expenses then thats going to save you a good few thousand pounds.. .. .Good luck,. .. .WWW. .. .NB Your PPL is the basis of your entire career - the CPL is merely the same test to slightly harder limits - to skimp is to be penny wise and pound foolish..

[OscarTangoRomeo]

Humerside airport is not that far from Rotherham.. .Humber flying club do ppl courses as well as CPL & IR all to a high standard but at a reasonable price.At the very least you should pop over and check them out:www.humberflyingclub.co.uk

[DB6]

Facts Not Fiction, I'm not opposed to training in the good ol' US of A (note I only said 'be cautious') but I have had people who trained in America come to join the club I instructed at in Scotland and they were jaw-droppingly poor. I'm not talking about local R/T procedures or anything like that, I'm talking about basic Lookout-Attitude-Instrument, straight and level flying. I know it was not the ability of the people in question as they were just fine after some remedial work.. .Exiled Tyke, no disagreement old bean, I'm talking about those lists of clubs which say what aircraft, prices etc., not the subjective stuff. . .Yorkshire Lad, Sheffield's nearest then you have Retford/Gamston and Sherburn-In-Elmet not too far away <a href="http://www.sherburn-aero-club.org.uk" target="_blank">web page</a>

[Sensible]

All those that knock the USA training, how many have flown there? WWW, what is your total hours in the USA, nil? . .Learn in the USA, get talking to ATC not some local controller using a near obsolete radio and peering through a pair of binoculars. Yes, sure the USA is different and thankfully so, I for one would soon be bored of all the restrictions and primitive GA facilities in the UK. Differences training will be necessary if only to adjust to the backward RT and circuit joins employed in the UK. . .. .Rant over!

[clear prop!!!]

Well said sensible.. .. .And anyway, how come this post hasn't had the padlock and been moved to private flying forum???. .. .Is the new padlock policy selective?

[jimmyj]

Hey clearprop, that's not nice!. .. .I am a wannabe through and through. The only reason I am asking about ppl is because it is the first step to becoming a pro.. .. .I've tried posting a similar question on the forum you mentioned and I was advised to go back to the wannabes forum! I am not a parcel that's been sent to the wrong house, just looking for advice from a few seasoned pros. (Thank you moderators for not padlocking me!)

[BEagle]

I think that the only CAA-approved schools for JAR/FCL PPL training 'not in a JAA member state' are 2 in the US and 1 in Seth Efrika. If you do go overseas, remember that your Flight Instructor must now meet JAR requirements for your hours to count. Otherwise, when your logbook is received by the CAA it won't take long for them to finds that he/she isn't on their database, hence you won't have finished training, hence the Skill Test will have been invalid..... .. .Be very careful indeed if you are thinking of going to the US! And remember that most flying clubs back here won't let you hire an ac until you meet their requirements for flying in the UK's different airspace etc - usually an extra 10 hours or so will be needed...... . . . <small>[ 09 March 2002, 10:59: Message edited by: BEagle ]</small>

[scroggs]

I'm sorry, folks, but PPL training does come under the Private Flying purview rather than Wannabes, in spite of the fact that your eventual aim is to become a professional pilot. So off it goes....