Essex airfield for IMC

[cobbjonathan]

Hi PPruners - I'm moving to Billericay in the summer (from North London). Been looking at an airfield to undertake IMC in the area. I have 65 hrs PPL(A). Can anyone recommend a good school?

[4Screwaircrew]

Andrewsfield Aviation.

[Stephen Furner]

Anglian Flight Centres at Earls Colne in Essex offer IMC training for the flight test and also ground school for the test paper.

The next IMC ground school is expected to be in April. This is a very popular evening class with a limited number of places so recommend getting your name down early if you decide to do it there.

Anglian Flight Centres: earls colne airfield (http://www.anglianflightcentres.co.uk/index.shtml)

[wsmempson]

Having been through the IMCR and a renewal, I would think that there is some merit in doing the course at a field with the relevant navaids; How about Southend? ( Southend Flying Club - Home Page - Quality Aviation (http://www.southendflyingclub.co.uk) ) I've never flown with them, but the field is a proper IFR equiped field, which has got to be a good thing....

[cobbjonathan]

Thanks for the responses - instrument approaches (let-down and approach procedures) are part of the training so will need appropriate nav aids at the field??

That's why I asked - if I took the course at Andrewsfield for instance would I have to fly to Southend to practice approaches? Or is an airfield with eg a bog-standard NDB good enough for the course (if not realistic in real use)?

I'm assuming everything else, such as practicing IMC in VMC with the instructor could be conducted from any GA field...

Just curious to know if any others completed their IMCr in the area and what their thoughts were.

[Zulu Alpha]

Consider a holiday in Jersey. The VAT and fuel saving pay for the hotel and they have all the approaches available.

I did mine on Alderney, but they don't do training there any more.

[jollyrog]

Isn't the ILS at Southend long term U/S?

[Stephen Furner]

Good point Jollyrog according to the Southend Airport www site ". . . the 24 ILS and localiser are out of service until at least March 2011” http://www.southendairport.com/pages/operational_runway.htm (http://www.southendairport.com/pages/operational_runway.htm)

Jonathan I suggest visiting the flying schools you are thinking of for IMC training and see which best suites your own learning style. I think this is more important than the radio aids available on the flying schools home airfield.

[proudprivate]

I had good experiences at Southend with Seawing. Good train connection between Billericay and Rochester / Southend.

Good points were :
* short time availability of aircraft and instructors
* ifr certified spam can - you cannot get behind the aircraft in this one - even as a complete beginner
* good ground instruction / briefing / de-briefing
* variety of approaches (NDB + ILS (as of March 2011))
* possibility to fly BBC Radio Essex NDB holds
* Clacton VOR nearby
* Night flying (i.e. after normal work hours) possible

Bad points were :
* relatively expensive landing fees even for club members
* unhangared aircraft (SOP included de-icing the aircraft, necessitating de-icing your b:mad:s afterwards.

[HoweC614]

Anglian Flight Centres is fantastic for this.

Evening classes are very popular. VOR, NBD and DME equipment at the airfield.

The instructors are brilliant, very friendly and very experienced. Ex RAF Vampire pilot, and a Yak display pilot to name but a few!

[belowradar]

Checkout John McGwyne @ www.jmflying.com (http://www.jmflying.com) experienced instructor examiner offering 1-1 IMC training from North Weald (approaches conducted into Southend Cambridge Manston and others).

Quality training on new Cirrus SR20 at £180 hr no landing fees at EGSX

Training on a glass aircraft is more fun and gets better results

Gain glass systems sign off at the same time (Cirrus Standardised Instructor). Lots of satisfied clients.