Hour building in the uk

[flying gunner]

Hi all

Just wondering if anyone has any information on places in the UK where I can build hours at a reasonable price. Having been to Florida recently and being grounded for half the time I was there due to weather I really dont fancy another trip across the pond! I no LA has the better weather however i have no leave left from work now so the hours need to be in the UK.

I live down in the South East so anything down there would be great. Ive searched for information on this but there seems to be a general trend towards the USA or Canada etc.

Thanks for anything anyone can suggest

[yellowsubmarine]

Flying gunner, I know you probably started this thread in an attempt to find some helpful advice on hours building in the UK; however if like me you are about to start your hours building and still need another 80 or so hours to get up to the required 150 I have to question your logic.

I am off to Florida in October, and i appreciate your point about weather but unless your dad is a Russian called Roman who owns a football club in London then doing hours building in the UK seems insanity.

I am paying 4, 000 pounds for 100 hours in a 172. Same number of hours in the same plane on this of the pond, you would be lucky to get for 12,000. I don't know how well your job pays but imho, might even be worth packing it in to get the time to do it in the U.S.

I know this probably doesn't help, but i think there is a reason you are struggling to find a related thread. Good luck anyway.

[Vone Rotate]

I have to disagree....

I have flown in US and UK. Uk is sooo much more demanding with extensive controlled airspace, loads of ATZ, MATZ D&R areas etc.

My personal view (may not be everyones just mine!!) It would be a false economy to do it it the us. Yes it would be cheaper but as you will need to do your IR and if you choose to do it here CPL you will need to be a very capable UK pilot. I personal would not want to start my professional career being a competent pilot in the us if I want to fly in the UK.

Stapleford do a Flight experience course which is £79 per hr if you block book 72 hrs of more. You can find the information on their site.

Best of luck and remember the point of the hours is to gain experience rather than to tick a box!

[CAT3C AUTOLAND]

Like Vone R, I have flown in both the USA and the UK whilst training. Vone R, I take your point about the differences but would have to disagree with you. It takes very little time to become 'comfortable' with flying in UK airspace. I had done all my flying in the US prior to starting the CPL in the UK, and by the time the CPL was completed, flying in UK airspace and going onto the IR was really no problem.

Flying gunner, it would appear that you have been a little unlucky with the Wx in the USA. Do think carefully about trying to build hours in England. As we are now moving into the realms of winter it may hinder your progress. Just a thought.

Enjoy your flying.

[hobbit1983]

Don't know if Old Sarum is practical for you; but I'm doing my hourbuilding with them at present & can recommend them.

I'm mixing Arrow/Cub/Texan Taildragger hours, and using their frequent flyer programme, over about 75hrs it works out to roughly £90/hr wet.

[EK4457]

Or better still, go to www.aircraftgrouping.com

Hour building in the UK can be the same as the US, all things considered.

I fly a beautiful PA28 ArcherIII, Garmin 530, fully IR equipped and a C172 Garmin 1000 glass cockpit for £65 per hour. You do have to pay £110 per month.

Or do the C152 group for £45 per hour / £60 per month

Do the maths:

US:

A/C hire (100 hours): £4000 (plus dodgy extras like insurance)
Accom: (3 weeks?) £1000
Flights: £500
The FACT that you will be living on expensive fast/convenience food will add to this too.

UK

100 hours: PA28 A/C is £6500 / C152 is £4500
Min contract is 6 months, so extra £660 or £360

Overall, the PA28 comes in just more, and the C152 comes in just less. In other words, the same price.

And no panicing beacause it's rained all week either.....

[flying gunner]

Hi guys

Thanks for the replys there, all good information from most angles.

Aircraftgrouping looks really good, however im living down south so Manchester or Blackpool would be pretty hard to get to. If anyone knows of a similar scheme around the South of England im all ears because it sounds perfect for the kind of flying I want to do.

When it comes to doing the hours Staplefords deal is good because it sounds like they monitor your progress, making sure you are not picking up bad habbits and just burning holes in the sky, therefore being prepared to start the CPL training.

I think I just chose Florida at a bad time of the year!

[moona]

In a similar position myself but based in the southeast (Kent) have tried Headcorn, Lydd, Manston but hire rates for a 150 all around the £100 mark.

Any guidance on cheap local hire rate greatly appriciated ideally < £70.

[A and C]

I can lease you a Cessna 152 that will work out at IRO £60/hour in the UK and cheaper if you fly it across the channel a few times.

By the time you have paid all the extras to go to the USA the price is much the same without all the risks.

[Contacttower]

Don't know if Old Sarum is practical for you; but I'm doing my hourbuilding with them at present & can recommend them.



I can recommend Old Sarum as well, although they're not the typical place someone might hour build at with their frequent flyer option the Cub is just £60/hr wet and £100/hr for the standard rate. It's a great club as well.