Private Hire of Aircraft and Pilot

[OMGisThatJohn]

A friend of mine intends to go on a business trip up north (From Reading) for a day with 2 colleagues, and rather than drive for an ungodly number of hours wishes to take a light aircraft.

Does anyone have any idea RE how to go about this i.e. finding a willing pilot.

Thanks in advance for your help,

John.

[Genghis the Engineer]

A flying school can do this, if they also have a suitable AOC (Air Operators Certificate) - many have, many more don't. Almost all flying instructors will have the right licences, although the currency requirement for their medical is more stringent than for instruction so they just need to check that.

From Reading, I'd suggest try phoning and talking to Wycombe Air Centre at Wycombe Air Park, The Pilot Centre at Denham, or West London Aero Club at White Waltham, any of those *may* have the right AOC conditions and I think have suitable aeroplanes. (I don't actually know, but it's easy enough to phone and ask).

A caution however, the average 4 seat light aeroplane has payload for 2-3people + enough fuel for that sort of trip. So, for four people and presumably some briefcases, you're likely to need bigger aeroplane - something like a C182 or PA32, or a twin-engined aeroplane.

A back of envelope sum says that a one-day round trip with an instructor who is a commercial pilot in a big-enough aeroplane from Wycombe Air Park to (say) Leeds-Bradford and back will cost you around £1000, and the flights will be around 90 minutes each way.

G

[S-Works]

There is a company that operates a DA42 with AOC for exactly this type of work. I cant remember the exact name of the company but its something like Independant Air Charter and operate from Oxford area I think.