Hi Pizzafly,
I hung up my headset for the last time in 2008, so my information may well not be up to date. But I can still offer some useful advice at least. First of all, the advice we give to all newbies; never, never, never pay up front. Flying clubs and flight schools operate on a wafer-thin profit margin and go bust commonly and without warning. You can then have a long and nail-biting wait to get your money back - if indeed you do get it back. So if you see a good looking deal for x number of flight hours, or more particularly an entire PPL course, at a significantly lower price than paying hour-by-hour, don't take it unless: -
- you are absolutely satisfied that the club/flight school is solvent and
- you are absolutely happy flying there. It is not uncommon for people to become dissatisfied with the service they receive from one club and wish to move to a different club. You can't do this if all your money has been paid to one outfit.
Likewise, in some places you may be offered a complete study kit for your ground-school studies. It will take the form of a cheap pilot case full of the complete range of text books, a whizz wheel, and a ruler. All the books will be from the same series. It is much better to buy your text books as you need them and be able to choose the book you like from a selection rather than buy a job-lot of books from one source. (In my time the books offered in the kits were the Trevor Thom series which were written in a most turgid writing style).
Don't go to one club because it is a shorter drive to get there. The club twenty minutes further away might be a very much better club.
Received wisdom suggests that when choosing a school/club you should go there and have a trial lesson. I disagree with this. In my experience, they will be out to impress you and you will have your trial lesson with the Chief Flying Instructor - who will be excellent. However, once you've joined the club and report for your first lesson, you will be introduced to a different instructor, who may - or may not - be as good.
Don't be tempted, by lower flying rates, to join a small club with only a couple of aeroplanes. I joined one once (situated well within the area of your interest,) and found that one day I was available, I had the money, the weather was excellent, the aeroplane was available, but no instructor! The club only had two instructors, one of whom did not teach PPL at all and the other was a part-timer who also instructed at another club miles away. Furthermore, you only needed to have one aeroplane 'go tech' and half the club's fleet was down!
Both White Waltham and The Pilot Centre at Denham were excellent in the days when I was flying. I flew from Denham myself. Of the two White Waltham, had by far the best club-house and thus the best social scene though it was always very expensive. The Pilot Centre did not have a clubhouse and so was not as 'social' as WW. However it was very well run, had good instructors, and had a decent fleet of well-maintained aeroplanes.
Well that's my two penneth,
Good luck Kid,
Broomstick.