Flying Training UK vs USA

[Yak11Fan]

Hi,

Sorry if this has been covered before, I am looking for some advice. I am seriously considering learning to fly and was wondering what peoples views were between an intensive course in America as opposed to an intensive course in the UK.

Many Thanks

[FlyingForFun]

Yes, has been covered many times before, so (if the search feature is currently enabled) do a search and you'll find a wealth of information.

Briefly, though, advantages of going to America are that it is cheaper and you are less likely to get weather delays.

Disadvantages of going to America are that there are differences between flying in the UK and the US. For example, airspace is organised differently, radio terminology is sometimes different, there are different weather considerations. When you return to the UK, you will need several hours of dual instruction from a British instructor before you can safely and competently fly over here.

FFF
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[Flock1]

I would add that in the UK, a student can learn at their own pace. Learning in the USA does not give that option.

[Sensible]

There are two camps here, those that believe that the only way forward is to learn in the UK, (otherwise affectionately known as dinosaurs) and those who know that the easiest, cheapest and quickest way is to do the whole thing on an intensive course in the USA. The fact is that the USA is so much more aviation friendly and realistically priced. If doing your flight training over an extended period forgetting what you did in your last lesson because it was so long ago because of the weather on muddy indifferent airfields in the pouring rain under grey skies are what you are what you are looking for, then the UK is the place for you!

It’s true that you will need a couple or three hours on your return to the UK for “differences” training but then the same applies if you do the UK route and then go to fly in the USA. In any event, the money you will have saved on doing your training in the USA will more than pay for the “differences” training and, you will be prepared for the difference in flying on both sides of the Atlantic. Certainly for me, USA training is the way forward. I holiday in the USA and fly into superb locations that can only be dreamt about in the UK.

[FWA NATCA]

Yak,

You need to compare the cost, and then decide. Based upon the majority of the comments that I've read I would say that the US is by far less expensive. The challenge will be jumping through all the hoops that are required to come over here for pilot training.

There are literally thousands of flight schools over here, look at what region that you would like to learn in and then research what schools are there.

Mike

[Flyin'Dutch']

Both routes are capable of delivering safe and capable pilots.

It is really down to what you want. I think you will be hard pressed to be able to do an intensive course at the same speed as you can do Stateside over here for the very reason that some regions in the States have brilliant nearly everyday fine VFR weather.

However not everyone can take 3 to 4 weeks out and go over there, and not everyone is good at flying 2 or 3 sorties a day and absorbing all what they come across during them, especially if the theoretical nuts still need cracking and groundexams taken.

For those the approach of doing a few hours per week may well be more appropriate.

With the current pound/dollar exchange rate you will find that even going over there and the added cost of accommodation/travel/visa etc you will be quits in on the overall price.

Before you commit to any school make sure you do your 'homework' which means talk to people who have been to the school you want to start flying with whether it is over here or in the US.

This is especially important if you go over to the US as with the current visa laws you can not just change schools without some added paperwork hassle.

Once you have narrowed down the choice a bit come back here and ask for people's experience.

Have fun!

FD

[GGCC]

Hello Yak;

Just a little humour here, back in 1983 i was visiting friends in London and we went to a very large trade show, Earles Court i think, The London flying club had a display complete with an aircraft suspended from the roof.............

A conversation began with the lady flying instructor and my Irish pilot friend allowed that i was a Canadian pilot (private)

"O"..........Canada, she says, your Radiotelophony is attrocious, yes i said, in Canada we tend to concentrate on flying the aircraft.

Cheeky ****** she says:D

[KCDW]

Article in this month's Flyer (delivered this morning) on this very topic.

Personally, I am surprised that it only takes 2-4 hours to acclimatise to the UK. Imagine: you spend 3 weeks intensive in perfect weather with nice long runways in a 172. Then you come home to an ancient 150 operating out of a 800' bumpy grass runway in Jan, when it's either blowing a 15kt crosswind, or icing at 1000' or both... scary :\