I did it a couple of years ago in our Turbo Arrow, VFR. The cost was about £250.
At the time I didn't have an IMC so was quite daunting being radar vectored for the ILS, even though it was CAVOK. I'd never had to report localiser established before. Luckily I had dialled in the ILS frequency before departure as it was on my Jeppesen VFR plate.
At the time I'd done quite a few landings at big airports, Bournemouth, East Mids and Newcastle. However Gatwick is quite special for a boy is short trousers. It was probably the most stressful and enjoyable thing I've ever done though (in a PA28).
It also quite daunting hearing all the big boys being vectored a long way down wind behind you.
After landing we vacated pretty quickly and found ourselves almost immeadiately at Interflight's parking location, in the middle of a huge expanse of apron. Make sure you print off all the aerodrome charts from the AIS website. Also ask Interflight roughly which stands they are using and look them up on the chart before you go. (I can't remember and it may have changed)
Interflight were great.
The most difficult part was finding our way from the stand to the end of the runway. The taxiway signage is aimed at people sitting 50ft up in the air, not a PA28. In the end I admitted defeat to Ground and they helped out a lot with simple instructions.
Due to the single runway ops and wake turbulance issues, getting away is quite exciting. My (male) passenger almost had a baby! We were cleared to line up after a departing heavy, then had to wait. I had been so focussed on not screwing up, I didn't look up finals (I know I should have but I was concentrating very hard.... anyway what was the point, it's Gatwick, there IS going to be an aircraft there!) Anyway he had seen a B747 coming straight at us and knew it was bearing down on us whilst we sat there for apparently no reason!
Anyway, enjoy, its very rewarding!
Last edited by Three Yellows; 30th Oct 2007 at 20:40.