NE Scotland Flying Schools/Clubs [Archive]

bankjoh

6th Feb 2006, 08:43

Hi,

With the downward spiral (or should that be spin?!) of Aberdeen flying club I am now looking to other clubs in the NE Scotland area.

While I can logon and see the following flying clubs/schools (and therefore get a feeling for costs etc):

Moray
Perth
Dundee

I would appreciate any thoughts on experiences/opinions of them (eg quality of teaching, friendliness etc).

I am studying for the full ppl (a) and am finalising solo circuits so am hesitant to chuck all that time and effort away.

Thanks for any help

Genghis the Engineer

6th Feb 2006, 09:11

I had to visit Perth a few months ago for a professional look around.

My impression was very favourable, nice facilities, very well looked after aeroplanes, and instructors who took what they did seriously, clearly enjoyed their jobs, and were trying to teach their students as well as possible.

No idea about prices - that wasn't my territory, but from what I saw, I'd be happy to do my own flying there (if it wasn't for the minor inconvience that I live near London).

And as for the scenery! You lucky blighters up there! We get the (*&&**& M25!

G

egld0624

6th Feb 2006, 10:35

was in there this week; great service, very friendly and happy to share their hanger. Wonderful topography & about 1 hours drive from Edinburgh.

EG:ok:

HelenD

6th Feb 2006, 17:32

While I do not know those three flying schools I do know Highland Flying School in Inverness is very good and the airfield like Aberdeen is full ATC. What I would suggest is visit all of the posibilities and try to get a feel of the place and talk to other students there. It may also be worth enquiring about the QXC landing fee costs since they will be on top of the rest of the training, the south cost schools students end up paying arround £20 at each of the two airfields they have to land at for the QXC. I got Wick and Kirkwall for my QXC with landing fees arround £4 a piece.

rednine

7th Feb 2006, 18:51

Met someone the other day - just had an hour lesson and 5 circuits in Aberden - cost was in excess of £200 at Aberdeen!!! Probably Highland would be a good choice - anywhere actually!

S205-18F

7th Feb 2006, 22:34

Hi I have not long completed my NPPL with Tayside Aviation. I started at Perth (Scone) where the instructors were fantastic but when Tayside Aviation moved back to Dundee I followed! I wasnt as impressed with Dundee but I completed my license with them. I found that having Leuchars nearby gave me a chance to do Matz training and of course there are both Glasgow and Edinburgh closeby too. Perth training is now done by Tayflite on behalf of the Scottish Aero Club and the arrangements are great (no landing fees) saving a packet when it comes to circuits! The instructors Luke and Simon along with others are a great bunch.
I live in Cumbernauld and although the airport is only 5 mins away it was still cheaper to travel to Perth (and friendlier) than doing the training locally. This has now changed slightly due to the arrival of Leading Edge club at Cumbernauld who have made the site much more friendly. This is a long one but I hope it helps.
John.

wbryce

8th Feb 2006, 10:13

ill second leading edge! although I fear Cumbernauld may be too much of a drive for you.

A Sayers

8th Feb 2006, 14:12

Responding to the original question. Google search for RAFFCA and then follow links to Moray and Leuchars flying clubs. Open to civilians still.

bankjoh

10th Feb 2006, 17:33

All,

Thanks for your replys. Somewhat unexpectedly I have been forced to consider another school.

Thanks again,
J

3PARA

11th Feb 2006, 08:34

By "Aberdeen flying club" I assume You mean "Flight Academy Scotland, Aberdeen"?

DB6

11th Feb 2006, 10:46

Moray and Inverness will be good bets, it depends where you live. Dundee will be quicker if you're South of Aberdeen. I'm biased since I instruct there now and then, but the Grob 115D2 Heron is a cut above what you'll usually find as an ab-initio trainer. It is also fully aerobatic if you have any interest in that direction :eek: :ok: .

wbryce

14th Feb 2006, 10:34

I've been speaking to Moray about the possibilities of doing my night rating with them...

Does anyone have good feedback on them?

Thumpango

15th Feb 2006, 10:51

PH-UKU

15th Feb 2006, 19:57

I completed my PPL with The Highland Flying School in Inverness and can thoroughly recommend them. Found everyone very helpful, also went back to do my night qualification. Inverness seems to have its own climate and is very often flyable when other parts of Scotland are experiencing bad weather.
As HelenD mentioned above, the QXC is generally to Wick and Kirkwall with landing fees just £4 for training flights, the scenery is stunning! and I think my QXC was one of the most enjoyable flights I have had!
PM me if you need further details.

OOoooooooooohhhhhhhh - that takes me back to my 3 eeks PPL training at Inverness in 99 - Scotland in May ... ? You canny beat it :) Superb location and that QXC to Kirkwall ........ :ok: :ok:

And yes the weather in the Moray Firth is a good bet.

stocker

16th Feb 2006, 08:29

I did my IMC in Inverness with the owner Peter Brookes and must say he is probably the best instructor I have come accross anywhere in Scotland.
They do very good deals at Highland and have the cheapest club flying you will find in the North, cheap enough to cover any travel costs.
Hiring an aircraft from them allows you free landings at any of the Highland and Island Airports of which there are many.
Call Peter Maclellan on 01667 462226.

high voltage

16th Feb 2006, 11:54

Have heard lots about Inverness, all good but the airport is getting quite busy. A nice club atmosphere.

Perth also good and wonderful scenery.

Moray I would think are also good being a RAFFCA club, but there's a thread next door which indicates some unrest. Prob best to visit for yourself and suss it all out.

Unusual Attitude

16th Feb 2006, 12:04

Started my PPL with Aberdeen then finished it off with Moray but that was about 8-9 years ago so much may have changed. Moray were however very professional and the prices were the cheapest around by far, wx and scenery are also excellent.

I also fly into Perth, Dundee, and Inverness all very regularly and can agree that Perth is an extremely nice little airfield.

DB6, didn't know you guys had a Grob 115, are you running an AOPA aeros course there as I'd be very interested...?

Regards

UA

Gugnunc

16th Feb 2006, 20:10

Tayside have been promising an AOPA course for a while to my knowledge cannot yet actually put one together for you. I think the problem is more a specific AOPA Aeros FI bit of paperwork as the Dundee Instructors have excellent standards. Some have to be vetted by the RAF CFS for the Cadet contract.

From a PPL point of view the Grob's are truly excellent. If you can persaude Tayside to part with one for a day or for a weekend then they make very swift tourers. I wouldn't want to land one on grass (spats etc). Plus side, superb vis, 3.5 hrs plus 45 mins reserve. 120 kts cruise and soooo nice to fly.

They aren't as sharp as a T67 on aeros, but they are more roomy. A downside is that 4 of the 5 have military radio jacks and seat cushions where the parachute is. If you can get Grob 5 then you get comfy seats and you can use your own headset.

Interested to see the poster didn't think much of the service at Dundee. You should try Glenrothes for a friendly welcome (not!).

DB6

16th Feb 2006, 20:26

UA, yep there are 5 at Dundee and we do the AOPA course. Approval was gained a few months ago and there is one full-time aeros qualified instructor (although he is busy with FIC work too) and myself doing some part-time stuff.
Gugnunc, true they aren't as good as the mighty Firefly (well not the 260 anyway) but on the plus side you can inverted spin and tailslide them :E .

high voltage

17th Feb 2006, 12:05

[quote=Unusual Attitude]Started my PPL with Aberdeen then finished it off with Moray but that was about 8-9 years ago so much may have changed. Moray were however very professional and the prices were the cheapest around by far, wx and scenery are also excellent.

Looking at their website they don't appear to be that cheap unless you are a full member and membership subscriptions are the highest I've ever seen.
Quite messy pricing, difficult interpret and there's somethign about fuel surcharges too. Full members seem to get cheaper instruction too so I'd join as a full member and not a temporary. Temporary rates are not exactly competitive for example £42 / month for membership. When you add that cost onto your aircraft hire you end up with a price way above what you might otherwise be thinking.

I was a memebr of another club who duped the members with their pricing policy. Read the small print.

Intrigued why you thought they were so cheap? I suppose if you are paying £200 / hour at Aberdeen then it might still be more cost effective but I'd look further than Aberdeen and Moray for price comparison.

Always the chance of doing a cash deal with some schools too, no harm in asking for a bit of discount is there.

Unusual Attitude

17th Feb 2006, 12:41

HV, hmmm yes things have indeed changed since I was there in that case!

Think I was paying in the region of £65 per hour dual in a C152 and a bit more for a PA28. Aberdeen at that time were £100+ for a C152 so was indeed much cheaper for me at the time. Membership I seem to remember was also a one off annual fee and wasn't any worse than Aberdeen.
I was flying for the VGS on the Grob 109B at the time out of Kinloss so was travelling up there anyway!

DB6, thanks for that might actually be interested in hiring one next weekend in that case, do you require anything special for a checkout on type ?

Regards

UA

rednine

17th Feb 2006, 18:32

................any more news about the flying school in Aberdeen and what is happening at the moment?

gibr monkey

18th Feb 2006, 12:36

all I can say is where can you get such value for a ppl course, £4100 ! and have the fantastic scenery and also the quality of the ATC. USA eat you heart out !

Floppy Link

18th Feb 2006, 14:13

PH-UKU!
my 3 eeks PPL training at Inverness in 99
is each "eek" worthy of an "I Learnt About Flying From That?"
Do tell - we'll all learn something!
Russell
p.s. Perth is ace

QantasEagle

19th Feb 2006, 10:59

Also look carefully at the quality of the whole set up - there were many professional pilots teaching in their spare time in Aberdeen - loads of experience and teaching for pleasure! Times have changed and certainly something to look at?

grow45

21st Feb 2006, 10:51

UA, yep there are 5 at Dundee and we do the AOPA course. Approval was gained a few months ago and there is one full-time aeros qualified instructor (although he is busy with FIC work too) and myself doing some part-time stuff.
:E .

DB6

I have been thinking of doing the AOPA course this year and was wondering if Tayside do it out of Glenrothes as well as Dundee or is it just Dundee. I looked on the web site but it does not seem mentioned at all. I live in Edinburgh so getting to Glenrothes would be quicker.

Thanks

g45

Say again s l o w l y

21st Feb 2006, 11:06

You could always do it on the Pitts out of Cumbernauld. Far more exciting than any Grob!

grow45

21st Feb 2006, 13:02

You could always do it on the Pitts out of Cumbernauld. Far more exciting than any Grob!

Is the Pitts available yet. The web site is a bit vague about it?

g45

Say again s l o w l y

21st Feb 2006, 13:20

She's sitting in the hangar as I type, she should be flying, but we're too scared of the cross wind today!

DB6

21st Feb 2006, 14:05

grow45

22nd Feb 2006, 15:03

grow45, just Dundee I'm afraid. Neither Grobs nor AOPA qualified instructors at Glenrothes. I suppose a day or two down there could be arranged if there was enough interest but instructor availability is limited, which is one reason it's not on the website yet.
I must say if there was a Pitts available that's what I would go for, the only problem there being that you'll need 5-10 hours to solo the thing over and above any aeros tuition. Worth it though :ok: .
DB6 and SAS
Thanks for the input. Dundee should not be a problem - just that Glenrothes is closer to home. Seems to me it would be sensible to learn the basics on the Grob and move to the Pitts in due course - perhaps having done a tailwheel sign off on something else in between.
Hopefully I'll be in touch over the summer.
g45

'India-Mike

22nd Feb 2006, 19:08

grow45

If you want to combine a gentle introduction to aeros and tailwheel at the same time, don't forget the Prestwick Flying Club Chipmunk.

Of course the Pitts would allow you to get vp prop AND tailwheel differences at the same time...the Heron neither. But the Heron is an awfully good aeroplane for what it is, and does.

WorkingHard

22nd Feb 2006, 19:41

A bit off topic folks, please forgive. Where would you recommend for landing on a visit to Carnoustie? Thanks

Ops and Mops

22nd Feb 2006, 22:07

grow45
There is a good discussion regarding learning on a "conventional " aircraft before moving on to other things (including Chipmunks)HERE (http://www.caledonianchipmunks.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=200)

WorkingHard
Where would you recommend for landing on a visit to Carnoustie?
Dundee is the nearest and you can get a train from Dundee directly to either Carnoustie Town, or to "Golf Street" which is just outside the Club House of Carnoustie Links.

Other options are Perth (40 mins west), RAF Leuchars (30 mins South, hefty landing fee and requires MOD Waiver+Crown Indemnity) or Aberdeen (1 hour 20 mins North, extortionate landing, parking and handling fees)

Dundee has all facilities bar decent hangarage, unless you can convince Tayside Aviation to let you have a corner of their hangar!

goose67

26th Feb 2006, 19:45

grow45, just Dundee I'm afraid. Neither Grobs nor AOPA qualified instructors at Glenrothes. I suppose a day or two down there could be arranged if there was enough interest but instructor availability is limited, which is one reason it's not on the website yet.
I must say if there was a Pitts available that's what I would go for, the only problem there being that you'll need 5-10 hours to solo the thing over and above any aeros tuition. Worth it though :ok: .

DB6, I did a 4 hr Upset Recovery Course in an Extra 300L in Arizona last month. I'm keen to follow this up, so I'm due to start my familiarisation in the Grob at Glenrothes this week (although may be later looking at the weather that's coming :* .

Who should I speak to at Dundee about the AOPA course?

Thanks.

DB6

26th Feb 2006, 20:32

Goose, I have sent you a PM.

bad bear

6th Mar 2006, 08:08

Bring back Pegasus eh? If aeroplane flying at Aberdeen is becoming difficult, why not try gliding at Aboyne? They have a great fleet and will be able to get you solo and soaring in next to no time. The guys there are regularly flying 300 km to 750 km flights in mountain waves cruising at 90 to 100 kts along the edges of beautiful leniculars. Looking down on Loch Ness from FL250 on a clear day is awesome, and the club record is around 38,000'. Aboyne has a nice club house and real ale. Flying fees are surprisingly cheap and the fleet is modern and in good condition, why not give it a try?