A few pointers please...

[boolio]

Hi

Done a small amount of flying in the past with a PPL mate [Grob and Robin] and really enjoyed it. Always fancied getting my own PPL but let the usual stuff get in the way – you know, work, mortgages the odd bankruptcy etc. However, I think this year I might actually do something about it…With this in mind I wonder if anyone has any thoughts on the following…

What…High wing or low wing - what's best for training purposes?

Where…Old Sarum, Bournemouth, Thruxton or Compton Abbas?

How…Try and accomplish PPL ASAP or over a period of several months/[years:ugh: ]

Any advice gratefully received

Cheers

[Pitts2112]

To give you the first of many, many variable opinions you'll get on this topic:

What, Hi or low - completely immaterial. If you can, learn on a taildragger first for the fun and the handling skills it'll teach you right from the off. Don't make it a priority, though, if it's too hard to get to.


Where: Wherever's closest. You'll be going back and forth a lot so the nearer to home the more convenient (with most other things being equal, and most the places you mentioned are reasonably equal on the face of it), except I'd stay away from a "big" airport like Bournemouth. You get charged for absolutely everything and you waste time on the ground either taxying or working around commercial stuff. Best to learn at a small, uncontrolled place first without the distractions of "aviation", which you can learn later after you solo and are on to cross-countries.

How: Heavily open to debate. I did the "over months" thing and that worked for me. Depends on your personal circumstances but I see no real reason to rush the experience if you're just doing it as a hobby. I don't think it should take more than about 6-9 months, even with British weather.

Go to the schools you mentioned, have a chat with an instructor about why you should learn there and what they think is important, go with the place closest to home that gave you answers you can live with.

Just my 02 worth. Whatever you do, do. Better to be in motion on a slightly bad track than still static and not doing anything in six months.

Cheers and have fun whatever you decide to do!

Pitts2112

[FlyingForFun]

What…High wing or low wing - what's best for training purposes?
It really doesn't matter. Pick the best school based on other criteria, and learn on whatever aircraft they use. If the best school has a choice of aircraft, then come and ask us again!
Where…Old Sarum, Bournemouth, Thruxton or Compton Abbas?

There are schools with good reputations at all of those airports. They are quite a way away geographically, so the first question to ask yourself is how long would it take to get to each one? It's no good if the airfield is so far away that it become a hassle to go for a lesson.

Once you've narrowed the choice down to those airfields which are practical, go and visit each of the schools at each of the airfields. Have a chat with the instructors, and with students if possible. Look at the aircraft. Find out about prices, and what's included in the price. Find out about availability (instructors and aircraft). In general terms, I would suggest going for the school you feel most comfortable with after this visit. It's a subjective thing, so don't expect me or anyone else to tell you which one is best.

If you're thinking about different training environments, the odd one out from your list of airports is Bournemouth. Bournemouth is an international airport -and, although it's not the busiest international airport in the country, you'll be mixing with airliners, and interacting with air traffic control. This could be good (it's good experience) or bad (it's distracting to new students). Whether you train at Bournemouth with its busy commercial background, or any of the other airports which are un-controlled and purely used by general aviation, you ought, at some stage of your training, to get some experience of the other environment, so that by the time you get your license you are reasonably comfortable with both.

The only real disadvantage of Bournemouth is the possibility of having to spend time waiting - either on the ground or in the air - for air traffic control to give you permission to take off or land. So find out from the Bournemouth-based schools whether you would have to pay for these delays. You should expect to have to pay for delays in the air (someone has to pay for the fuel), but some schools will charge you a fixed amount for time on the ground regardless of any delays you encounter (10 minutes is typical) whereas others will charge you for the full time of the "flight" which includes delays on the ground.
How…Try and accomplish PPL ASAP or over a period of several months
Probably would recommend doing it over months. Allow about a year if you have one lesson a week. The reason for this is that, once you get your license, you will probably be flying mostly at weekends, so it makes sense to train mostly at weekends and get used to flying being a regular, weekly occurance. Also, by training throughout the year, you get experience of the weather at different times of the year, and get to discuss all aspects of this with your instructor. If you chose an intensive course over the summer months, you might find yourself lacking in the ability to make good weather-related decisions in the winter.

Good luck!

FFF
---------------

[PompeyPaul]

Get ready for a LOT of reading.....

[cal368]

One piece of advice to offer. Even if you have the funds do not pay up front. Fence them off in a separate account if you want. You may save a couple of hundred quid paying for a package but have a trawl around here and there are plenty of sob stories about lost funds and shattered dreams!

B.T.W. this is no reflection on any of the airfields or operators mentioned here, just wee bit of friendly general advice.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Wot Pitts said. But most of all - just get stuck in! Do it! You will NOT regret it.

SSD

[pulse1]

boolio,

I agree with all the comments so far on Bournemouth. Last time I flew from there I was waiting for 20 minutes at the hold.

However, if you really want to train there, I can give you some current information on the local flying schools if you PM me. Based on my neighbour's recent experience there is one school I would avoid. p1

[knox]

Hello boolio.
I can't comment on which airfeild you should fly out of, because i've never been to your country.
I feel the best way to manage your time whilst attaining your PPL is to fly as often as possible or at least once a week, the reason I say this is if you have large gaps between your flights you'll tend to spend quite a bit of time back tracking with your lessons, which in effect will start costing you more $$.

The high wing low wing debate, well I don't really prefer one over the other, there are pros and cons for both. I did most of my training on low wing and then flew high wings after my ppl. Up to you really.

But the main point is, have fun and enjoy.

Good luck


Knox

[Mike Cross]

A few pointers please...

Here's a couple to start you off
http://grottoazzurro.typepad.com/the_blue_grotto/images/pointers.gif

Sorry..... couldn't resist it

[boolio]

Thanks for advice everybody - very grateful - and useful

I'm sure I'll be in for some more tips and so on before I make a decision as to which flying school etc. [and probably a lot more questions besides when I actually start training!]

Incidentally… any 'concise' publication[s] that maybe I should be looking at prior to my first lesson?

Thanks again...

[foxmoth]

A couple of new thoughts on this.
BOH, as said a busy(ish) commercial field, this has pros and cons. I learnt there (though many moons ago) and found it OK. Hard runway which helps if you run past the end of summer.
Compton and Old Sarum, Both nice fields and best for atmosphere, only problem is they are grass, again, if you run into winter this can be a problem for waterlogging (Compton certainly will drain well, but worth asking the question). Compton has a Bulldog which would be nice to train on, though possibly a bit pricey.
Thruxton, Hard runway (see previous comments), closes occasionally on race days, best selection of aircraft having both a Slingsby and a Super Cub, both IMHO better to learn on than a Pa28 or Cessna.
Once a week is OK, but the more frequently you can fly the better your continuity and the more chance of finishing in the minimum number of hours, go anything much less than once a week and you will go from finishing in (say) 50 hours to taking over 60.
Enjoy:ok:

[tacpot]

How…Try and accomplish PPL ASAP or over a period of several months/[years]



Regarding the How, I would always recommend doing the PPL as a intensive course. It will cost alot more if you learn in fits and starts. And the money is better saved for going places with your PPL on your own. :)

So save up until you can do a course on an intensive basis, and take the time off work to do the PPL. Going to the USA is a more certain way of completing the PPL within any specific timeframe due to the more predictable weather, and the cost of travel & accomodation will be saved by the lower cost of flying in the US. You will need some training when you get back to the UK, but this can be done in a staged fashion, e.g.

an hour dual in the circuit at your local field,
an hour of solo consolidation (at that field)
couple of dual hours covering UK Navigation (including MATZ penetrations)
an hour of solo nav (mini cross-country)
a dual hour covering entry/exit into controlled airspace.

Do all that and you will be a better pilot than most UK PPLs by virtute of your experience in the States.

I did an intensive course in the UK in August and was lucky with the weather. I got my PPL in six week. In the US, you should be able to get your PPL in four weeks, IF you are up to flying twice a day. It is tough flying this much. But there is enough time on the group to study and take the exams as well. You need to take and pass the Airlaw exam as soon as possible after you arrive as you might be ready for solo in 10 hours (i.e. by the 5th day!). You can also get your bodyclock onto US time before you go, to ensure you don't suffer from any jetlag!

Good luck

tp

[englishal]

except I'd stay away from a "big" airport like Bournemouth. You get charged for absolutely everything and you waste time on the ground either taxying or working around commercial stuff
Last time I flew with Bournemouth FLying Club they were very good. You get billed a fixed 6 minutes on departure and return no matter how long you're holding on the ground (12 mins total then ;) ) and landing fees (and approach if you like that sort of thing) were included in the price - which was reasonable from what I remember for a PA28. So Bournemouth could indeed be a valuable experience, if you learn there you can fly anywhere with regards to ATC and procedures. BFC used to use the other local fields like Compton Abbas and Old Sarum anyway for the "grass" experience.

If you want the "radio / uncontrolled / standard overhead join" experience, you won't get much of that at Old Sarum on the weekday due to Boscombe Down - typical join is on a base leg joining inbound from Alderbury.

Both Old Sarum and Compton are great places - the food is good at both of them ;) and the atmosphere is great. I'd favour Old Sarum just because although the runway is grass it is pretty smooth compared to Compton which can be like a plowed field. Seems to be usable all year, I've been there a couple of times this winter.

So it really boils down to which is closest / easiest to get to. What I'd do if you want to do it this year though is start NOW and do a couple of lessons per week, minimum. That way you have the whole summer infront of you and you may get the PPL by the autumn.

I did an intensive course in the USA (back in 2000- Wow!) because it was cheaper and I could do the whole lot in 5 weeks. It was a great experience, no downsides as I had the time and also I couldn't handle taking a whole year to do it!

Good luck!