HK PPL - worth the effort?

[smiley41]

I realise this is not quite on-topic for this forum, but it is the closest to my particualr quesry.

I am based in HK and have long wanted to start my PPL. However I have always held back thinking a HK based PPL is too expensive (joining the club and hourly instruction) leading to nota quite full PPL (limited telephony and cross country experience).

I seriously considered going to the US or OZ and joining an accelarated programme but the time, visa and cost constraints made it imparactical.

So should I bite the bullet and do the course in HK with the HKAC? Does anyone have any thoughts and comments? Is the quality of instruction good? Does the final licence stack up especially as I would like to use my PPL to fly overseas?

Thanks for you rcomments

[WrongWayCorrigan]

My advice: don't bother with HKAC unless you want to be a real recreational pilot.

1. The level of instruction and general standards is increasingly poor with inexperienced, misguided and frequently incompetent instructors. For example, if the weather's bad, they might charge you full price for a taxying lesson which you can't log - driving round in circles on the ground.

2. Weather cancels flying in HK about 50% of the time. When it is flyable, there's rarely a horizon due to HK pollution. Very marginal flying. Often, if it's flyable, the Chinese army who run the base will just cancel the HKAC at short notice.

3. It's also expensive - you'll be paying about USD 275 / hour for a Cessna (they now have a "fuel surcharge"). Plus club joining fee and monthly subs.

4. Your licence (if you have the patience to wait about 2 years under above conditions to get it) will be restricted, ie. no x-countries or night rating (included in US PPL). So it's a Mickey Mouse licence, but then so many other aspects of life in HK are so equally reminiscient of Disneyland that we have to get used to it.

5. There are other issues too.

Basically, HKAC is now a bit of a joke. So, if you're serious about flying, go to USA or Aus or NZ is my advice. Immigration requirements are generally practical and easily overcome.

PM me if you want more info.

[FairlieFlyer]

Go for NZ - I did my PPL in NZ at Wakatipu AC in Queenstown - Virtually all mountain flying and an international airport base + tower -while not exactly Heathrow had a wide range of traffic in the airspace around it without restricting the ability to just go fly.
http://www.flying.co.nz/wac.php

[WrongWayCorrigan]

I would add that what I wrote above applies only to fixed wing operations at the HKAC.

The helicopter side is a completely different picture, offering a very high level of instructor ability, adherence to international standards and is competitively priced. It's also far less influenced by the regular haze.

That's the way to go in HK if you want to fly there!

[sunny_liverpool]

they provide a trial introductory flight, you can try

personally, the aircarft is very old. sometimes they may have engine failure...the maintanece is not as good as you expected

and you have to pay much more than in Newzealand or Australia

but it would be simpler if you are working as a full time

[WrongWayCorrigan]

"personally, the aircarft is very old. sometimes they may have engine failure...the maintanece is not as good as you expected"

Now that's just a silly comment.