Private Pilot's License

[Eddy]

Evening, all. I wonder if this is the right place to post this enquiry?!

Too late!

I usually post on the Cabin Crew section but thought I venture over here to ask a few questions. Hopefully one of you knowledgeable chaps or chappesses will be able to help me out.

I currently work as Cabin Crew for BA but it is my goal (a goal I share with many crew, I'm sure) to move to the other side of that door. The first step I'd like to take is doing my PPL.

Now, some people say that doing ZERO to ATPL would be the best route but I'd like to try and get atleast the PPL under my belt. I think this would offer me more options in terms of cadetships (I know of two currently running that require PPL).

My question comes in two parts really. Or maybe three. Perhaps four. I don't know. There are a few bits.

1) I'd ideally like to do the whole PPL course in a short period of time - perhaps two to three weeks. Is this possible and/or recommended?

2) I'd like to get the best value for money possible as funds are tight. I'm working hard to get the money together for the PPL but want to make it go as far as possible. I've got about 10k at my disposal to pay for the course (plus gear) and accommodation if I do this abroad. Who do you suggest I speak to?

3) How does doing the course abroad (I'd ideally like to go to Arizona) affect my ability to convert the license to CAA? I know some flying schools in the US do CAA courses?

In short, I'd love some suggestions about where to get the best training for the lowest price in the shortest time!

(so not the cheapest place, the cheapest GOOD place)

Any assistance would be massively appreciated.

[JamesTigris]

Hi Eddy,

I'm sure you'll get a lot of replies for your various questions but I'll put in some advice where I can. I'm in your situation (except for your current job) and am probably considering all the same options as you.

Firstly it is indeed possible, and I would say highly desirable, to concentrate your training into an intensive course over 4 to 6 weeks or there abouts. The more frequently you fly, the less you forget and have to relearn between flights and ultimately the less it ends up costing you in those expensive minutes airborne.

You'll hear pluses an minuses for training in the US and you'll have to weigh them up and make your own decision. But I would say that if you can afford it (and it sounds like you probably can) then deffinatly go for training here. The standard will, in all probability, be higher and the airspace more relevant and demanding. I'm assuming its here you ultimately want to be flying anyway.

That's advice from someone who's got some flying experience but not been through the PPL mill yet. I'm sure you'll get lots more from those who've already done it.

Best of luck with your training and career to come.

-JT

[BackPacker]

Eddy,

I did an intensive three-week PPL in Florida and I loved it. Weather is more reliable in the US than in Europe (with the exception of hurricane season) so it's largely your own ability which determines whether you can do it in three weeks.

Did you do a search on this forum, and the professional studies forum? A lot has been said on the various CAA approved (so you're issued a JAA PPL) schools in the US. I wrote a lot, there's a fellow SoCal Approach who made a fair number of comments as well.

Expect somewhere around 8500 USD for the whole course, including flying, exams, accomodation, but excluding the flight. So 10000 UKP should be plenty. But do budget some funds for a private groundschool lesson (about two hours) and four hours worth of flying lessons, for when you get back. Aerodynamics in Europe is obviously the same, but airspace division, R/T, weather, notams, legal, flightplans: there are differences and not all of them are obvious from the theory books.

Here's a shortlist of things you need to do:
- Pick a school. There's three in Florida (OFT, OBA and Naples I believe) and one in Southern California (AAA) that seem to attract a lot of Europeans. The full list of CAA approved foreign flight schools is on the CAA website. None of us here have been to all four of us so we cannot make comparisons. Read the reviews of the various schools on the forum (with a grain of salt: people are more likely to complain than to praise), confirm availability and do a preliminary booking.
- Arrange M-1 and TSA clearance
- Learn as much theory as you can beforehand (Trevor Thom or Jeremy Pratt books). When over there, you do not have time to study a lot.
- Try to get hold of an airband scanner and listen to R/T as much as you can, to develop an "ear" for this type of communication.

When over there:
- Try to pass all seven ground exams in the first week.
- Have a schedule prepared with your instructor, measure your progress based on this schedule.
- Remain polite, but be assertive. Be the master of your own education.
- Schedule and confirm your R/T practical exam and your skills test as far as possible beforehand.

Good luck!

[JamesTigris]

Hey Backpacker.

Did you find any pitfalls with training in the US, aside from the standard of instruction (I don't want to open that can of worms!)?

Anything that was not obvious when planning or anything you wish you'd done beforehand once you got out there?

-JT

[BackPacker]

Not much, but I had over four months to prepare myself. A few things that I could have done better, or would have done differently, or had not expected beforehand:
- I should have brought a book or something else to read on my visit to the US consulate. This whole visit took three hours, of which two hours and 55 minutes were spent waiting.
- I only got the five-book series of Jeremy Pratt. I should have gotten the PPL confuser too. Helps a lot to prepare for the exams.
- I only budgeted for a C-152. But the C-152 went out of production around 1985 or so, so you can calculate what the minimum age of the fleet is right now. So I upgraded to the PA-28, which flew much better, but costs a little more.
- I went end of september, which coincided with the end of a very busy hurricane season (remember Katrina?) in Florida. We have felt the effects of Rita, Stan, Tammy and two unnamed tropical storms, which make the flying interesting in any case, and downright impossible in others. Fortunately I only had one day on which I did not fly at all, and only two or three on which we could not fly the program, but were able to scrape in some hours towards the 45.
- I never realised that I needed an R/T practical exam too, and waited too long to confirm this. Should have done it in the first week. By the time this was sorted out, I found out that the regular R/T examiner had gone on vacation, and the resident R/T examiner-to-be had not gotten his paperwork back from the CAA. In this case I blame the school for bad planning, but in any case I should have started asking about this exam way earlier.
- I left the school (after passing the PPL) on a Saturday afternoon, when the admin staff and the CFI were not there. Because of that, I could not settle my account and there was some other paperwork which could not be finished right there and then. This eventually took over a month to settle via e-mail.
- I had booked a flight with a fixed return date, which could not be changed. Fortunately for me this was partly a business trip and by going through the business travel agent I managed to extend my flight with a day, without additional cost, to make up for the lost day due to the weather.

[Whirlybird]

Eddy,

There are both pros and cons to training in the US. You seem to have been given most of the pros! That's fine, but you need to look at the other side too. Briefly, when you come back to the UK, you'll need to learn about radio use over here, and how to understand and cope with UK weather. And it's probably true that over here The standard will, in all probability, be higher and the airspace more relevant and demanding.

However, this topic (UK v US) has been covered many times here, and possibly on the Professional Flying forum too. If you haven't already done so, do a search and read what everyone has to say before you make your decision.

Good luck. :ok:

[stickandrudderman]

You work for BA? Why not speak to the guys at the British Airways Flying Club at Booker? They give discounts for staff.
There's no reason, given your generous budget, that you shouldn't be able to do it here in the UK in a relatively short time. (Depending upon ability of course).
I think there's a lot to be said for being in a familiar environment, staying at home, (assuming you live somewhere near LHR) and being in a position to deal with any problems at leisure, rather than under pressure of time.
Good luck.

[Greg2041]

Hi,

I am in a similar boat (I haven't quite reached a plane yet). From what I have found out, I would definitely suggest that you get the theory sorted first.

Derek Davidson runs a 5 day PPL course covering the theory and all the exams. Numerous threads HIGHLY RECOMMEND HIM and his name seems to crop up quite a bit on 'Google' searches. He advertises in 'Pilot' which shows contact details. He has an answerphone on 01202 315875. I haven't yet spoken to him but hope to arrange a meeting soon.

A small firm called Debenair has also been highly recommended for the PPL flying bit. Their link is www.debenair.com (http://www.debenair.com) . Certainly very cheap and I'm told the training is first class. It is a small family concern. I am hoping to go out there in Feb/March next year.

Hope this helps although I guess you will be deluged with recommendations.

Greg

[gcolyer]

Stik has a point.

You have the money, you are willing to take 3 weeks off work and you company has a subsidised flying club. Ask if they would comitt an instructor to you full time for a few weeks. Weather is your worst enemy in this country when it comes to flying, oh that and the cost of everything.

As for the U.S it has been done to death on PPrune. I personaly went to OBA, loved it, best experience of my life other than getting my decree absolute. I found no pitfulls or cons.