EFG Flying School at Biggin Hill

[Jorge Lima]

Dear All,

I would like to know if anyone here has had some experience with EFG Flying School, I went down there this afternoon to enquire about the PPL course, and I really enjoyed my time there and I was really excited about it. However I do have some concerns about the extra costs of training at Biggin Hill, would you recommend me this school?

This is my first post in this forum :)

I look forward hearing some feedback from you guys

Jorge Lima

[flyingtincan]

Learning to fly is expensive. Learning to fly at Biggin Hill will be very expensive.
So:
From where you live (London south?) what other airfields could you get to in less than an hour? Redhill, Headcorn, Stapleford, Rochester, Daymns Hall. Biggin is doable by public transport so you could arrive ready for your lesson 'rested'.
You will probably need a lot more landings and T&Gs than are included in EFG’s prices. Biggin landings were about £25 and T&G £9 each. Maybe less for mid-week. You could add 25 to 30% onto their package price.
Biggin is on a hill so you are 600 foot closer to the weather. Be prepared for lots of cancelled lessons. Or be flexible with time – first thing in the morning can be good.
Fuel is expensive and going up - so the fuel surcharges may be significant.
However:
The Biggin environment will give you a real buzz. Big airfield, runway that goes on forever (side ways as well as long ways). Full ATC. Plenty of signage and procedure to learn. Fantastic views over London. Looking down at the traffic jams on the M25 as you come back from Sevenoaks. Sometimes runway lighting on when you return.
Lots of experience working with other traffic; Jet and Helicopter and the odd twin. Keeping clear of the gliders at Kenley.
Expect lots of radio work. Maybe quite often told to orbit, extend downwind, or hold for ages before takeoff. All good experience but you are paying for it (at £3 a minute). Could have, on a bad day, 20 minutes for taxi, run up and hold before you take off – but it is all learning. You become quite good keeping to the yellow line.
Therfore:
If you can come up with the money then Biggin would be an option. Expensive and maybe not so quick to complete. If finance is not so good then go somewhere else. I have read somewhere that it is gets cheaper ‘up north’.
Next:
Maybe take a trial flight with EFG? Good luck.

[The500man]

I got my PPL there last year. There's a good atmosphere at EFG, which I'm sure you've already discovered for yourself.

Cost wise, yes Biggin Hill is expensive. £22.10 for a landing and £8.50 per circuit in a C152 last time I was there (it's even more for the PA28's!). So if you look at the small print in EFG's full PPL package you will see that something like 20 landings and 40 circuits are included. I personally don't see anyway to complete a PPL with just 20 landings so you can expect to pay for probably atleast an extra 10-20 (you will need to pay for away landings aswell). The number of circuits you need will depend on your learning speed, luck with the weather, and continuity of lessons. You may well need more than 40 (again you will also need to pay for any away circuits).

Other downsides

There will be times when you're hanging about waiting for commercial traffic to depart or arriving on the ILS.
Biggin ATC generally won't let you practice circuits below 1000ft when there is marginal weather.Good Points

Very long tarmac runway!
Bus stops right outside
Full ATC (often uses Approach and Tower frequencies)
ATIS (if you live close enough to pick it up on a hand-held scanner, which can save you some waisted journeys for early morning lessons when the METARs aren't available)
Self service fuel pump (no more waiting half an hour for a bowser!)
It's busy! So you will quickly get used to orbiting, standing-by, and looking for traffic!Hope this helps!

Edit: I'm pretty sure EFG will advise you to budget around £10-11k.

[Jorge Lima]

Dear All Thank you for your replies, Biggin Hill seems like a great place to do flying but its to expensive for my budget, I will have to look for another school.

[The500man]

Rochester, and Redhill are probably your next cheapest option. Headcorn is a bit tricky to get to, but according to pooleys you get a free landing if you buy half a frozen lamb!

I'd avoid Stapleford for PPL training unless you're planning on going commercial in the future. Panshanger or Elstree might be a better option if you live up that way.

[Go Smoke]

I'd avoid Stapleford for PPL training unless you're planning on going commercial in the future. Panshanger or Elstree might be a better option if you live up that way.

Why do you say this?

[The500man]

Stapleford has a well known reputation for commercial pilot training so if you are planning on doing further courses there you may as well get used to the place and make the most of any discounts that might be offered.

It doesn't however strike me as a good place to go for someone looking to enjoy PPL training or to fly for fun. It has a more "get the job done" kind of atmosphere as well as some BIG headed pilots lurking about the place. Just my opinion/ impression though.

[Jorge Lima]

Thanks for all the replies, I have another questions, is the CAA PPL valid to fly in europe?

[Genghis the Engineer]

Most light aeroplane schools will do the JAR-PPL course which, whilst issued by CAA, is a European licence.

There's a cheaper National PPL (NPPL) issued by CAA. If you have the microlight flavour, this is fine in Europe, if you have the light aeroplane (SSEA) version, there can be a few paperwork issues to do with flying in Europe but most people seem to solve them.

If you want to fly, reasonably inexpensively, and European touring is what you fancy, you could do worse than talk to Deepak Mahajan at Damyns Hall, which is pretty close to you. Have a look at London Airsports Centre, AVIATION IS OUR GAME (http://www.londonairsports.com). Personally, I think that his approach of covering lots of the PPL course whilst touring around the UK and Europe for a few days, is inspired and I wish I'd learned that way.

They also mostly use a Flightdesign CTSW which is more modern, and higher performance, than most of what you're likely to find in the more obvious aeroplane schools at places like Biggin or Headcorn.

G

[Go Smoke]

It would be more accurate to say that Stapleford has a 'Get the job done well' attitude to PPL. It doesn't matter whether or not the pupil is moving on to CPL, ME, IR.........they are cared for and taught well irrespective. The instructors there are the most dedicated and professional bunch a student could wish for.
As far as "Big headed" goes..........well, I've know the place intimately for six years now and, despite wracking my brains as to who you might be referring to, I can think of no one who fits that description.
Thoroughly professional, caring and generous with their time and knowledge would be a far more truthful portrayal of the teaching staff there.