What is the best FTO at Shoreham airport?

[Geege]

Hi all, I'm a new member wishing to start flight training towards a PPL(A), I am based in West Sussex and the nearest flying school, apart from Goodwood, are those based at Shoreham airport. I have visited the websites of all the FTO schools and they appear quite well set up and professional flight schools. Some are more expensive than others. It seems the likes of Flying Time Aviation are more geared towards career pilots and Real Flying Company are more classic aircraft :bored:

Essentially, I want a professionally run company, with experienced welcoming staff and good falicities. I note that the Flying Time Aviation have a simulator and also fly DA40 aircrafts, along with the usual Piper PA-28 and such like. I also want the aircrafts to be well maintained. I also would consider staying on for further training after the PPL.

Flying Time Aviation
Real Flying Company
Sky Leisure
Southern Flying Centre
Sussex Flying Club

Before I spend £6k - £8k of my hard earned cash (which I haven't saved up for yet:O) which FTO would you recommend? Or perhaps which ones should I avoid?

Any first hand experience of any of these schools and learning to fly at Shoreham ?

[effortless]

Sussex flying club used to be well run and had some very good instructors. I don't know them so well now but they still seem a good bunch. They have got a bit bigger since I knew them. This tends to mean that you don't always get the same instructor. Most instructors are just filling in time hours building while enroute to better things, they hope. I would try more than one and see how you get on.

[Geege]

Many thanks for the reply.

Any other suggestions or feedback for the above mentions FTOs?

[JW411]

Well, if I were going to start again, I would head for the Sussex Flying Club. They fly on every day that it is possible to do so and I get the impression that JC runs a tight ship.

[Vizsla]

Go the extra mile to Goodwood.....the start stop rumours abound on the future of Shoreham

[Phenom100]

Has to be Sussex Flying time, they now have a new fleet of PA28's and will go the extra mile.

I have experience with ALL FTO's at Shm, if you want more info PM me and l will fill you in.

Phenom 100

:ok:

[IO540]

I do not for a moment think Shoreham is going to go bust - certainly not on the timescale of doing a PPL in the UK (1 year or so).

It has excellent ATC which teaches one the basics of doing the radio properly. It has a hard runway, not the waterlogged thing which Goodwood has.

And its new opening hours go till 9pm in the summer (8pm in the winter) which is great for having lessons after work.

[LysanderV8]

Sussex Flying Club. Very professional, yet informal. Newish PA-28s including Warrior, Archer and Arrow. Certainly I was very happy with my instruction and subsequent skills test.

[Geege]

Yeah, I had heard about the recent problems about the ownership of Shoreham Airport (and have just read the other thread about it), the last thing I want is to start training and the airport goes under - or FTO goes bust.

I am actually closer to Goodwood (I live in Selsey), but I didn't fancy the idea of going to Goodwood, from what I have seen it is not that well equiped (a small portacabin with a small library & cafe from what I can remember) and a grass runway. Also I have a mindset that the staff will be 90 yr old fogies with white mustaches such is the elitism of Goodwood in general, perhaps I am wrong.

Where else can I consider, if not Goodwood or Shoreham? The closest appears to be Blackbushe in Surrey, which is a bit of a long drive for me from Selsey.

[Lister Noble]

Also I have a mindset that the staff will be 60 yr old fogies with white mustaches such is the elitism of Goodwood in general, perhaps I am wrong.

:sad:

[Geege]

Sorry I'll amend :)

[Mark1234]

You might want to go and have a look before comitting money.. also consider that you may well learn a lot more about flying from the 60yo fogeys than you will from the hours building, epatulette wearing 20something instructors with their shiny new toys..

I've never been, but heard good things about popham.. does that work geographically?

[IO540]

FTOs go bust all the time, which is why you should never pay up front.

But avoiding Shoreham because its owners have a "history" would prohibit you from most airports in the UK ;)

[Simonslj]

Goodwood: occasionally rather soggy but when dry rarely a queue for take off and how about five brand new c172SPs with G1000s and GFC 700 autopilots to train on rather than a 30 year old PA28? Will tell them this when there tomorrow "Also I have a mindset that the staff will be 90 yr old fogies with white mustaches such is the elitism of Goodwood in general, perhaps I am wrong." should amuse. :) Si

[will fly for food 06]

Maybe you should pop round and have a look at the flying school at Goodwood. You should consider all places near you before you decide. We are not all 90 years old or just hour building to get onto bigger toys. :ok:

[Geege]

Thanks again for everyone's input. All I'm looking for is a professionally run flying school that isn't going to rip me off, with a good, well maintained fleet and good opportunities for further training or advice. For the staff to be welcoming and friendly.:ok:

[Geege]

I've never heard or consider Popham airfield, although I couldn't find any info for PPL training so I'll give it a miss.

I am still considering Goodwood :ok:, because it would so much more convenient for me. It would only take me 20 mins to get there. But am concerning about the potentially waterlogged prone grass runway and the facilities compared to those at Shoreham (however the added distance may be a pain). Would Shoreham airport be a significant advantage, just because it has ATC communications and a choice of a tarmac runway? What ATC is there at Goodwood?

[CessnaCJM]

Goodwood is a little more expensive than most of the clubs at Shoreham, but their maintenance is generally very good (safety is important to me as are all the bits on the aeroplane working). Many of the instructors too are very experienced and rarely in a rush to get onto the next pupil through the door as some others are.

They are also owned by a 'rich dude' so are unlikely to go bust (sorry me lord!) who finally seems to be spending time trying to boost the aviation side.

At Goodwood you wont spend an age trying to get off the ground in the summer which can happen at Shoreham - conversely of course you wont get stuck in the mud in the winter at Shoreham and not be able to fly for weeks on end when the weather is crisp and clear!

I would personally rather be taught by an older sage than a young know it all just trying to build hours any day. I am not insinuating that all young instructors are poor or that all older instructors are good - but think about what YOU want to learn from the experience rather than what the instructor may be working toward.

This isnt an ad for Goodwood or Shoreham (I still use both for instruction after 35 years) but from my experience at both I think there are a number of considerations which you need to think about - for example if YOUR end game is a commercial licence or touring in a more complex aircraft consider a club that does commercial/advanced instruction as perhaps they would be more likely to prepare you for the road ahead and you might get some benefit in the longer term from knowing the guys that run it. If its for fun then find a more clubby atmosphere with aircraft similar to those that you want to fly longer term.

Do go and look at the aircraft - how they are kept inside and out - do they look tatty and held together by gaffa tape - just because an instructor CAN fly with half the instruments/radios not working why should you?

Popham is also great for a visit although some of their facilities make Goodwoods look like the Ritz!:) (No offence oh great ones of Popham)

Finally good luck and enjoy it!

[XXPLOD]

Popham Airfield is a great place to learn if you want an NPPL (Microlight) licence. It is isn't licensed and so has not done PPL training to date. Whether the recent law change will alter that I don't know.

Depends what you want from your flying. If you're happy with VFR day only flying, then the modern microlight route could be ideal. It's certainly a lot cheaper, both in terms of licence requirements (25 hr min) and hiring the planes.

[vassein]

Anybody know if flying time aviation is a good idea to do mi IR and CPL the airplanes seem very intresting but something stinks about this whole think...!Also if anyone know any nice instructor with expirience ?

[imperialsam]

You definitely should go and have a look at Goodwood before you make any decision.

The fleet is more modern than you will probably find elsewhere - five literally brand new Cessna 172s, equipped with G1000 glass cockpit etc. All are less than 6 months old.

The buildings might look a little tired from the outside but are well equipped with briefing rooms, PCs/internet access etc. The cafe is very good, and there is a private clubroom to eat/relax in when it gets busy.

Regarding the 90 year-old fogies comment - this couldn't be further from the truth! There's a pretty broad mix of all ages and they're a very friendly bunch of people.

Regarding your question on ATC, Goodwood has an AFIS service during opening hours. This technically isn't the same as ATC, as you might be aware, but if you are asking whether it has someone to talk to on the radio then the answer is yes.

As mentioned by previous posters, it can get waterlogged during winter, but this has never really been a major problem to me, and the disadvantage it causes is compensated for by the advantage of having three runways on windy days (although the same is true of Shoreham).

For clarity, I'm not connected with Goodwood, other than being a club member and driving 130 miles between my it and my home and back most weekends, mainly because I haven't yet found anywhere to fly that I like more!

[Geege]

I am thinking more and more that Goodwood is the sensible choice for me, as realistically I don't like the idea of driving all the way to Shoreham (through Arundel and Worthing traffic jams) for every lesson, when Goodwood is so close.

I just need to consider when the time is right for me to go for it (trying the juggle work and looking after 3 young kids) and of course the on going financial committment. :ok:

[imperialsam]

Well, I can't comment on the kids part, but I had similar concerns on juggling work and the financial commitment - I eventually took the plunge though and haven't looked back since!

Either way, good luck with whatever and wherever you decide.