Trial flight close to London / Aptitude test

[inferno83]

Hello everyone,

I apologise if this isn't the right forum to post this thread in.

I am interested in finding out if I'd enjoy flying, so I am interested in doing a trial/test flight with a flying club. The cheapest one I found is for an hour on a Piper PA28 for £74.99. I saw a few other sites advertising flights on the same plane for £100 or more. Is it a case of you get what you pay for? Is there anything I should be wary of?

My second question is about an aptitude test. I know that certain airlines that still have cadet programmes have a plethora of tests. Some involve trying to keep the plane on the screen as close to the middle as possible, being able to identify left and right no matter how you're oriented, doing multiple math problems before they reach the end of the screen etc.. Is there any place I can do that to see if I'm any good?

I hope all that made sense. I have a million more questions, but I think I better get the basics out of the way first before progressing any further.

Thanks for reading.

[pilotboy 95]

I had a trail flight on the 17th April at biggin hill. I went to a club with a c 172.
It cost me £135 but it was great value. 1 hour in the air,lots of time for the instructor to answer questions of yours on the ground. I got to taxi and do part of the check-list. great fun and longer than I expected.


also check your pm for more info about

[welliewanger]

£74.99 seems awfully cheap... how much of that time is spent actually in the air? (seriously!)

As for the aptitude tests, well, theoretically you shouldn't need to "try" them first. Actually it's best if you don't. They're there to test your ability to learn. If you fail the test it's for a reason, to make sure you're not wasting your time and money in starting training. If you really do want to try the tests though, I think GAPAN offer them privately.

[inferno83]

@welliewanger

25 minutes it says on their website. I assume the other 35 minutes is spent taking me through all the usual checks a polit does pre-flight etc. I haven't had a chance to call them yet. I currently have a job that has unconventional hours.

As for the test, I don't plan on using it to "cheat". I'm just a little too old to be fantasizing about a job. I just want to know if it's something I should pursue or forget about.

[potkettleblack]

GAPAN would be your best bet. They do a battery of tests and then debrief you afterwards. Much more comprehensive from my limited knowledge of them.

The tests you referred to above are employed by a few carriers but not all so are not necessarily representative of what you would face if you were lucky enough to get called for an interview. Believe it or not there are some airlines that don't employ any tests other than an interview.

Aptitude Tests - GAPAN (http://www.gapan.org/career-matters/careers-information/aptitude-tests/)

[inferno83]

@potkettleblack

£175 is a lot of dosh to splash for a test me thinks. Is there anything about aviation that doesn't cost over 100 bucks?

[potkettleblack]

Well you could pay 100k to Oxford for an integrated course and then find out that you don't have the aptitude to be an airline pilot and never get a job? I think its quite a reasonable cost in the whole scheme of things. Probably only covering their costs in fact with little if any profit margin.