Just for record, and for anyone googling the same question in the future:
I had a spin in a 152 at North Weald just before the coronavirus restrictions hit.
- Instructor was a nice bloke, also flies (flew?) for Ryanair - there was joke about hard landings!
- As expected, the airfield is well-equipped - the runway seems laughably huge for little GA aircraft. I discovered they have a grass strip too for practising field landings.
- The school seems professional, although not exactly cosy: easy to get in touch and (re)organise things, but a bit pay-your-money-next-customer. I wonder if it's different once you're signed up with a regular instructor?
- The plane seemed a bit beaten up, although I'm guessing that's pretty standard for a 152 used for training?
- One thing I hadn't considered was size - I'm 6'3", and it was OK when I was flying but difficult to avoid being in the way when the instructor had the controls. He suggested that it was probably fine for learning, but if it became a real problem one could always switch to a 172 during training.
- Would have been interested to see the flying club too, but didn't get the chance - although the school rents it's most likely them I'd be flying with post-PPL
I had a lesson booked with Deepak @ Damyns Hall too, but that got canned due to coronavirus - have promised to go up with him when this all blows over. Will be very interested to see what a Pipistrel is like - couldn't find many opinions on the internet..?
Definitely keen to crack on with the PPL when this is all over, but I'll probably be a little more cautious and see how the economy turns out rather than pulling the trigger on lessons the first day after the lockdown: I will need to be sure that I'll still have a job when I get my licence! In the mean time I'm thinking of picking up some of the Pooleys or FAA manuals as bedtime reading - I like the idea of getting ground school out of the way first and only having to think about skills when learning.
Thanks again for advice above; will report back re Damyns Hall when the time comes.