Hansol
8th Jun 2006, 13:23
Could anyone tell me what the opportunities are to do some private flying in the UAE? I was thinking in particular of Dubai or Sharghar.
Superpilot
8th Jun 2006, 16:15
I went over recently and the opportunities are pants. There's a school at Sharjah but that's about it. I also enquired about an hour long Helicopter sight seeing trip and was quoted £600 (Sterling) plus 2 weeks notice. :hmm:
I asked the same question some time ago for one of our students,
this is the answer I received from a fellow Ppruner:
There is hardly anything like 'General Aviation' in the UAE and only very little PPL-flying. Private Flying and what we would know as General Aviation are almost non-existant and very restricted in the UAE.
Although there is an AeroClub/Flying School in Dubai at Terminal 2, I would not recommend it because your customer is likely to spend more engine time on the ground of 'Big Dubai International Airport' than in the air! Practically no light aircraft flying at Abu Dhabi or Al Ain, though there may be some in Fujeirah now.
If your customer really 'must' fly, the only halfway reasonable solution I can think of is the UMM AL QUWAIN Flying School.
Their Airfield is located approx. 1 1/2 hr. drive North along the coast road leading through Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman to Umm Al Quwain and Ras Al Khaima.
They have a concrete runway which is somewhere close to 5000ft long close to SL, parallel to the beach and almost always with a 90degree crosswind.
You will find more information under www.uaqaeroclub.com.
Having flown all over Europe, Australia and the USA, I would be inclined to say that the mentality of the staff at the Aero Clubs and Flying Schools in Dubai and UAQ might take some getting used to...
If your customer is interested in Ultralights/Microlights, there is a small field just a few miles further up North along the coast road to Ras Al Khaima, on the right hand side; look out for the sign JAZEERAH AVIATION. That, too, is a place worth visiting!
But again.....(Indian) mentality!
Everyone holding some sort of pilot's license is a 'Captain'...and one or two actually are!
Don't know if they have a Website, but if they do, you might find it somewhere in Google.
Whichever your customer might choose, his US PPL counts nothing in the UAE, he will need to apply for a local ticket! And that is another story and a fair bit of red tape to go through!
Hope this helps a little,
Cheers!
Sorry, my spellig was wrong....
For the Microlights it is the
AL JAZIRA FLYING CLUB
No website, but phone is +971-7-2363971
Have you tried Fujairah (http://www.fujairah-airport.com/main/avicentre.asp) Got a couple of 172's. If i remember right Sharjah is a dry state, and I know for a fact you can a get a beer in Fujairah. The Siji (http://www.aldiarhotels.com/siji-hotel.html) Hotel is only a stone's throw from the Airport and its friendly and top class