BB,
I think generally (in the UK) you will find that solo time is always at a dual rate. I am sure there are exceptions, but in these cases I'm pretty sure that the school has just added the cost elsewhere, either on the cost of the dual trips or shorter briefing time on the ground. I know some clubs book 1 hour flying slots as a 1.5 hr slot. My club is 2 hours, so technically for every 1 hour flight there is also a 1 hour briefing.
I would forget about whether the solo time is charged at the dual rate, and look at the total cost that your club is going to charge for the PPL course. One cost that you need to consider is landing fee. Are you going to be charged one?
Cabair at Blackbushe charge for landing at £10 a go and £3.30 (when I looked) for a touch and go.
I am just at the end of my PPL, hoping to do the skills test in a week or two. But looking at my log book, I have done 60 full stop landings and 166 touch and go's (in 50 hours of training). At Blackbushe that would have been an additional cost of £1148.
Good luck
JP1
Last edited by JP1; 19th Aug 2007 at 17:59.
Reason: Realised you have started training so removed comment on club selection