PPL Glasgow - any advice?

[matjr79]

Guys,

Any advice on glasgow flying schools for starting a PPL with view to commercial?? Costs, Weather, Schools??

Any advice appreciated

['India-Mike]

Only 'school' (it's a club really) at Glasgow airport is the Glasgow Flying Club. Two PA38's, a PA28-161 (shares available), a 172, an Aerobat and an amphibious 172. Membership fees I believe £250pa, landings around £25.

Prestwick has a club too, and the 'Flight Centre'. Prestwick landings £8 at the club, a bit more at the Flight Centre. Don't know about the Centre's fleet but the club has 2 PA28-140's, 2 DHC-1's and a collection of group-run aeroplanes. Club fees £150pa.

The only PPL-CPL 'school' in Scotland is Tayside Aviation who do PPL's from Fife and Dundee, and CPL MEP/IR from Dundee.

I know you asked about Glasgow but there are alternatives. Don't forget the wonderful Highland Flying School at Inverness. They're great.

Weather up here is ok. It's been better than down south for a while. I've been CPL'ing for a month and haven't lost a weather day yet:D

[Say again s l o w l y]

Options around Glasgow are Prestwick and Glasgow as mentioned by IM.

For PPL you also have Cumbernauld, two schools/club there. Leading Edge and Cumbernauld Flying Schools.

As I'm afiliated with LE I won't give you advice about where to go as it wouldn't be fair.

A bit further afield you also have Leading Edge at Perth as well.

For commercial you also have Tayflite at Perth. Things are a-changing there, but I can't really say much more on here. Needless to say though, they are extremely positive.

There are always the options of heading abroad or down south for CPL and I/R, but if you want to work up here, then training up here won't hurt.

I'll echo IM's comments about Highland. A very good outfit indeed.

A bit of advice would be to go and see all the schools and see where you get the best feeling. Don't let shiny premises or promises fool you, ask lots and lots of questions about things like instructor turnover, will you have the same FI all the way through, how many aircraft do they have, what are there pass rates like etc.

Oh and th most important thing. If they offer substantial discounts for paying upfront. Run away. NEVER, EVER pay upfront. It is too risky. Just read the thread about Old Sarum Flying Club for an example.

Good luck and I'll see you in the skies around Glasgow. Not too close mind!

['India-Mike]

Apologies - completely forgot about Cumbernauld. And Leading Edge are at Perth as well as Cumbernauld. The proprietor is an aviation nut - very enthusiastic. Cumbernauld is only about 30 min drive from centre of Glasgow.

Echo SAS's view about training here - everbody knows everbody else it seems and contacts are everything, so it's worthwhile snooping around before committing. Some clubs/outfits have good contacts with the local operators.

[MIKECR]

Good advice from 'Say again Slowly'.

I did my CPL/IR at Tayflite and would reccommend them no problem.

Out of curiosity, have they got new instructors now since L&S's departure?? I notice the arrow has been busy lately, hence the question.

[flystrathclyde]

The proprietor is an aviation nut - very enthusiastic.

I am that nut!

Firstly, well done on your CPL "India-Mike"!

I have been pointed to this post and thought it right to clarify some points BEFORE the rumour mill starts running away.....

The process is well under way to create a new organisation offering ALL of the following:-

PPL > cheap hour building > CPL > Multi > IR > Instructor rating > CPL instructor > Multi Instructor > IR Instructor > SIM instructor > FI instructor > Piston Charter pilot > Jet Charter pilot.

have they got new instructors now since L&S's departure??

Both the guys above are still helping out but are committed to their new careers. There are a few new faces and we are looking at taking on a lot more instructors now.

We hope to make some official announcement this coming week (some odds and ends to tie up first!). Some of the rumours I have heard have been well off the mark to say the least. The above is fact and I will gladly confirm anything I can.

Allan

[Vulcan607]

wish you all the best with the new operation Allan.

where will it be based? Cumbernauld or Perth or even both perhaps?

Regards

[Genghis the Engineer]

Prestwick has a club too, and the 'Flight Centre'. Prestwick landings £8 at the club, a bit more at the Flight Centre. Don't know about the Centre's fleet but the club has 2 PA28-140's, 2 DHC-1's and a collection of group-run aeroplanes. Club fees £150pa.

I was at Prestwick Flight Centre for a couple of days recently after landing there with an alternator failure. My impression, of the way the club chap sorted my aircraft out, and the apparent professionalism of the local instructors, was very favourable. I think that you could do much worse.

G

[xrayalpha]

Of course, there is that other "commercial" route - become a microlight instructor!

Come and see us at Strathaven for some grass roots flying - with light aircraft and microlights based here. Handy for hours building since there is just a 250 quid club fee which covers your annual landings?

Only offer microlight training since we are unlicenced - but the licensing requirement looks set to change at the end of the year.....

What an interesting place Scotland is!

XA

[Captain Smithy]

Another option is Edinburgh Flying Club, who currently have a whole stack of students working towards a commercial career. Good instructors too.

www.edinburghflyingclub.co.uk (http://www.edinburghflyingclub.co.uk)

I'd echo what Say Again Slowly has said about paying up-front - never do it!, no matter how good the offer sounds at the time! Too many people have had their fingers (and wallets) burnt that way in the past.

Smithy