IR at Wycimbe Air Centre

[Deputy Dog]

Am currently doing my CPL at Booker and am considering doing the IR there also. My first choice for this is Exceter but am so impressed with the quality of training so far at Wycombe that I might just do it there.
Any feedback from ex IR wycombe trainees appreciated.

Regards DD

[razzele]

If anyone has any experience of wycombe i would appreciate it too!...

i have done module 1 and midway thru module 2...planning to do the IR conversion


please advice

[Louis Euan]

Hi
I did my IR at Wycombe Air Centre feel free to PM me and I will give you all the filthy gossip!
ONLY JOKING!

I thought they were a great outfit and looked after you well. The only problem I had was getting it done on time because I had a deadline but after using 3 different instructors I managed it ok.

If you do go I would recommend 1 instructor for the whole lot. Try and get Andy Balfour, he certainly keeps you on your toes. An excellent instructor and mentor with a great sense of humour.

Hope this helps.

[A and C]

I did my IR with them about 15 years back and am now in the left seat of a B738 so they must have got it right !.

They are a good solid company who are not cheap .....but quality never is.

[Deputy Dog]

I understand that because there is no in-house IR examiner that you have the added expense of booking a twin to and from your test airfield (Cranfield I think).
Has anyone found this a problem in terms of excessive added ££££. The current quote for IR-Multi is £8,750 ex test fees, solo hire for test + landing fees.

Thanks for feedback so far

:ok:

[chris]

I am probably going to do my IR at Wycombe. I have at least 2 mates who have done theirs with WAC. I actually think they are one of the cheapest and I know they do have to go to cranfield to do the test but whats that going to cost you? another £150 for the 30 mins there and back. Actually, dont go to WAC, it will mean I dont have to que for the aircraft. I have also heard that Andy has a good rep for turning out the goods. OXfords good, only £400 odd an hour. What a bargain....not..... do your maths there are lots of options and wycombe should be near to the top.

[wysiwyg]

I did my GFT and IR at Wycombe in the second half of the '90s. Andy Balfour was excellent. He didn't waste 1 minute of expensive twin time but don't expect him to give you an easy ride. There are times you'll want to deck him but afterwards you'll realise that his hard task mastering saved you hundreds/thousands.

I believe that as of a few years ago the GFT can now be done at Wycombe but the IR involves a transit flight to and from Cranfield. That's only about 20 minutes each way in the Duchess so if you don't prat about and get a first time pass the extra 40 odd minutes twin time is worth it for the better instruction.

Thanks to Wycombe I have enjoyed turboprops and medium sized Boeings and am about to go to widebody electric jets.

[spittingimage]

I used Wycombe Air Centre for I/R in year 2000. First time pass - what else ?! Agree with foregoing re instruction standards and costs. A clincher for me was that Wycombe was within commuting distance from home so extra accommodation cost was not a problem.

The Beech Duchess is not my favourite aircraft but is adequate for the I/R. They had 2 when I did mine; one de-iced and one without. Most of the approaches were to places like Cranfield (ad nauseam !), Coventry, Birmingham and Cambridge - all within reasonable airways transit time and give a varied mix of procedural and radar-vectored approaches.

Wycombe airfield teaches you to get your speeds right, being only some 800 metres short ! Proper ATC environment too. Wycombe seems to suffer from low cloud a fair bit, being on edge of Chilterns. This can curtail training as there is no local instrument approach to get you back in if caught out by deteriorating wx.

Overall, I was happy with my choice and would recommend.