I'm lucky, working all my life in aviation but seldom as a professional pilot (more as a professional who uses the fact he's a pilot) I've been lucky enough never to lose my enthusiasm for aviation. But, I've seen many who have.
It's noticeable that you're far more likely to find 30++ year old aviation enthusiasts working in light aviation than in "heavy metal" - 10 years seems to beat the enthusiasm out of most in that area. Well on the civil fixed wing side anyhow, there aren't many unenthusiastic fighter pilots, and most helicopter pilots seem pretty happy as well.
Flying from Barton would seem to be the best place for you and unusually you have a choice of two establishments with good reputations, The LAC has a few votes in the pages above and apart from one person on this forum I have never heard a bad word about them.
The other establishment on the airfield is Manchester Flight Training, I have to declare an interest here in the fact that I have done some business with them. I like the guys for the honest way they do business and don't cut corners but most of all for the way that invoices are paid within a few days of being presented. In these hard economic times I find them a breath of fresh air and would recomend that you take a trip to Barton and see both establishments before deciding on a place to fly as I am sure that both of them would do a good job in teaching you to fly.
i am having a trial lesson with lomac aviators at liverpool airport this month on a piper tomohawk. i have been passionate about aviation since i was a teenager and have decided that it is now or never. the prospect of being able to travel around the uk and europe in a light aircraft is appealing as i love travel. my problem, which i have had has since i was 20, is that i am really scared of turbulence.
I've allways loved flying and just recently got my learning permit for PPL. Even though it's going to cost me quite alot (wouldn't surprise me if it's even more expensive here in Sweden) and our local politicians don't give much for private flying (with 3 airfields closed down just in the last 10 years) I'm still going for a ppl!
If you're like me who loves the idea of reaching the skies, i say go for it.
Whilst you're training nobody's going to let you go flying in non-trivial weather, and after you've got your licence you can choose not to.
If you keep the recommended ten miles away from thunderstorms, which is a jolly good idea if you wish to stay alive, you won't come across anything very bumpy.
i am having a trial lesson with lomac aviators at liverpool airport this month on a piper tomohawk. i have been passionate about aviation since i was a teenager and have decided that it is now or never. the prospect of being able to travel around the uk and europe in a light aircraft is appealing as i love travel. my problem, which i have had has since i was 20, is that i am really scared of turbulence.
does anyone have any suggestions ?
I can give you the experience, the maths, or the history of why turbulence is no great issue - as syncmeister asks - what worries you about it?
rog most of being scared is the fear of the unknown. Once you have been up in it a few times and been flying the aircraft you don't even think about it.
Had one student who claimed they were petrified of it. By the end of the PPL the were saying "yeha jesters dead" when ever we got any which was funny the first time but ......
thanks G it has been a numer of years since I last went up in a light plane so it may be diferent this time - I will right down my exact impressions straight after the flight
I've recently passed my PPL at Barton with Manchester Flying School, very good set up, flexibility and better aircraft. Some brilliant instructors too, very helpful and experienced.
I've on occasion bounced off Mainair Microlight School at Barton; they've always struck me as very decent and competent people with a lot of enthusiasm for flying.
Flying both light and both flavours of microlight aeroplane, in my opinion, for pure enjoyment, microlights are most definitely not second to light aeroplanes where fun for your money is to be sought.
My trial lesson's with LAC, I'll see how it goes and have a snoop around at the same time while I'm there. I was telling my friend before I booked it and she was like bloody hell! Do you know how much it costs? She seems to think it's typical of me, doing things on the spur of the moment (booking holidays last minute, buying brand new cars) I enjoy it though, it's one of the few pleasures I get out of life being so spontanious!!!
Weirdly, turbulance has never bothered me! Only when a plane drops and you get that weird feeling in your stomach. I assume as I pilot you get used to such sensations? Like I said in an earlier post I have odd moments when I'm flying, usually of impending doom I think that's watching air crash investigation too much though! Also, a lack of control, I'm the same when other people drive me places, can't stand it!
Ps, air police, thanks for the advice. If I am totally honest though a little time on the ground learning what's what will be all part of it for me, I'm a total novice, the closest I've ever got is flight sim 98 - and I crashed every time!
I should like to add emphasis to the point already made by airpolice.
All flying clubs/training organisations operate on a wafer-thin profit margin and operating costs are high. As a result, there is a dismal but more or less constant trickle of places going bust. The trouble is that this usually happens without any warning. A place that perhaps seemed to be doing OK yesterday is gone by tomorrow.
Cash flow is almost always a nagging worry to them and one of the ways they try to keep money in the kitty, especially when they are beginning to fail, is by offering package discount deals for the PPL or NPPL (as the case may be). As a result, just too many student pilots have seen their club/FTO go bust overnight with several thousand pounds of their hard earned cash, which usually they never see again.
So perhaps the most important lesson you can learn from us for the moment is; NEVER, NEVER, NEVER PAY UP FRONT FOR A COURSE OF FLYING, and ALWAYS PAY WITH A CREDIT CARD.
Why do you say it is essential to pay with a credit card? Assuming one is following the first part of your advice and paying in arrears I can't see why one would need the insurance aspects of a credit card.
I personally pay for my lessons by credit card because the club lets me and I get points, but I don't see that paying by debit card would be that bad an idea, e.g. if the club kicked up a fuss about the fees. You're paying for the instructor/aircraft time that you've just used, so how would you ever have a claim that it wasn't delivered?
Certainly at my club paying afterwards is standard procedure - sometimes a while afterwards in my case as I've forgotten to pay once or twice!
To be honest yes I have that view of microlights, mainly from what I remember off a sooty programme from when I was younger
While you mention commercial, I meant to ask, what qualifications do you need? Anything specific? I only did my GCSE's then went to college to do travel and tourism and a cabin crew course (what I used to want to do) Would - if I went down that path (getting ahead of myself but I am a control freak for planning stuff!) I need other qualifications? I'd be quite happy to do so, in fact I've been thinking of doing something anyway to bump my qualifications up anyway especially now I'm older and have more an idea of what the working world is like. I'm quite curious also, as the few people I know that tried to get into commercial jobs all seemed to have done/were doing degrees.
You into a different ball game there Liz. Academically you will be fine with but the market is pretty rubbish just now for low houred commercials and you will have to put in a fair bit of planning into the next 1-2 years and also work out how your going to finance £45k.
There are multiple ways of winding your way through the system and depending on your situation some maybe better than others.
As a quick run down
PPL 7-8k ATPL theory plus exams 3k Medical class 1 (you need to go and get this done first at gatwick) £500 Hour build 105 hours 12K CPL 8k IR 15k MCC 2k
And an extra 4k for skills test and license issue.
If you want to go the instructor route its another 7k on top of that.
I think that's watching air crash investigation too much though! 
Also, a lack of control, I'm the same when other people drive me places, can't stand it!
