Re: just starting ppl
andy007 -
I did exactly what you're planning to do, nearly four years ago.
I weighed up the advantages and disadvantages of learning in the US and decided it was for me. However I'm sure it's not suitable for everyone.
I started out by having a trial lesson at a local UK airfield just to confirm to myself that I would enjoy it. That's one hour in the log book, but also just gave me the very basics to be thinking about.
I then spent a few months with the AFE books, studying at home, testing myself with the PPL Confuser and taking the exams at a local flying school. I was charged £30 for each exam, but this was well worth it.
With all the exams done except for Nav and RT practical, Mrs Big and I set off to Florida for four weeks and rented a villa. I spent three weeks doing the flying training plus Nav and RT plus the inevitable dreaded GFT and ended up passing everything first time.
I reckon that doing it this way cost about the same as it would have done in the UK, but took a great deal less time and allowed us to have a holiday as well.
However - I did need (and I had expected this) a little additional 'training' on arriving back in the UK. RT is a little different and certainly the airspace considerations and local procedures (eg. overhead joins) are rather different to what they do abroad.
Biggest advantage of going abroad? Good weather allowing lots of flying rather than an hour a week, which allowed me to pass with 46 hrs in the logbook. In the UK I'm sure that more weather cancellations would have resulted in me needing more hours to complete the training.
Biggest disadvantage of going abroad? The good weather flying meant I had less experience of dealing with rain/showers, marginally viz, strong crosswinds and the like. If I waited for a 30+ mile viz day like most of them were in Florida, I'd probably get flying three times a year in the UK! I sometimes find it hard to judge whether today is a "flying day" or not and therefore err on the side of caution, perhaps more than some. Whether this is good or bad thing is a matter of opinion.
Word of warning; it can be hot in Florida (I went in April but I imagine it's still pretty warm in November). Don't forget the sunscreen if it's sunny (use the all-day P20 stuff and you won't have messy creams to reapply). Drink lots of water (I always carried a bottle in the aircraft - and still do - because concentrating in the heat gave me headaches, especially early in the course when everything seemed so unnatural). If the weather is hot, flying early in the morning will give you a smooth ride. When I flew later in the day, the thermals made it bumpy as hell - not such a problem later in the training but early in the course it made me queasy until I got used to it.
In summary, learning in the US can be great if you want a few weeks of nothing but flying. But I strongly recommend getting the exams done before you go (I'd never have managed the intensive flying course plus doing all the study and exams) and plan for 2-3 hours of 're-training' when you return and start flying at your local club.
Good luck and enjoy.
Big.Al