shoot me down

[seat_of_my_pants]

Chaps and chapesses,
Thanks to all your posts I think I have a plan , but I need a reality check for timescales:

Did Gapan, got my class 1, gave up the fags, have a degree, work in IT, had a trial flight

Living in the Croydon about to start PPL with Redhill aviation - figuring about six months (2/3 hours a week and then a week off in Jan/Feb to consolidate) given bad weather or other problems.

Quick holiday to NZ (girlfriend a kiwi) to checkout Ardmore/NSAC and other flying etsablishments near AKL.

Back home Bristol Distance Learning ATPL exams in 12/14 months part time. (allows me to save and study)

NZ for a year (free accomodation) do hour building CPL/ME IR over there.

Build hours flying jobs (hopefully around 400 - 500) - poss Mauritius (somewhere warm for a year)

Return to UK - IR (15hours?) and MCC.

Look for work.


Also I am 30 (but I am told I scrub up good). Is this a flight of fantasy? (pardon the pun)

Love to you all

Lawrence

[Luke SkyToddler]

Sounds like an excellent plan Lawrence ... unless it's the same kiwi girl from Croydon that I used to know ... in which case you are already in more trouble than I can even begin to describe :D :D :D

[Luke SkyToddler]

Oh yeah and fly at NSAC not Ardmore ... Ardmore is pants.

[seat_of_my_pants]

Luke

I figure the money I save on accomodation in NZ for a year is reasonable for the price I have to pay for having a kiwi partner

perhaps...

Anybody else on here have a kiwi girlfriend/boyfriend?

What are you supposed to feed them?

Cheers,

Lawrence

[seat_of_my_pants]

...and thanks for the advice about Ardmore

Ta,

L

[The man formerly known as]

Sounds like a great plan good luck.

One slight flaw I do detect is that Redhill turns to mush between october and march every year resulting in no movements and thus no training. Check on this, it may have improved.

If you plan on flying through winter find somewhere with a hard runway (Biggin, Fairoaks, Shoreham).

Also can you do an IR in 15 hours. I thought everyone had to do the 50 hours JAA course.

Other than that you should finish in time for the great recovery.Yaay!!!!

[foghorn]

Nowadays you can convert an ICAO IR on 15 hours training (plus relevant theory exams of course).

[seat_of_my_pants]

tmfka and foghorn

Thanks guys!

good point about Redhill - they said there is new drainage but I think I'd rather be on wet tarmac than mud. Can anyone recommend any of the Biggin Hill Flight schools?

I thought I might be right about ICAO IR conversion (subject to the normal checkflights).

I will have completed JAA ATPL exams will they be valid on my return (say 18months/2 years) when I convert to a JAA IR?Therefore not having to take any more groundschool when I get back?

Lawrence

[foghorn]

Affirm. You have 36 months after the ATPLs to get your IR.

Then keep your IR current, the ATPLs stay current. Let the IR lapse and don't renew, your ATPLs stay current for seven years, then lapse (unless you renew your IR, which resets the clock).

[AMEX]

Redhill Aviation used to move part of their operations to Shoreham perhaps they still do but as far as the airfield not turning to mud anymore, well who knows....
Although I have never flown from Shoreham I have stopped there a few times and always thought it was a lovely airfield with plenty of character (with a licenced pub too;)).
From Croydon it is probably a bit far so BIG seems like a good possibility with an approach and a beacon on the field which saves time when practicing instrument flying.

Don't have a Kiwi girlfriend but if she is made of the same stuff my Kiwi mates are made of then beer (plenty)and sambuca (preferably alight) should do the trick.

Good Luck

[PeteB]

Redhill Aviation have a permanent club (as it were) at Shoreham called Sky Leisure. Very nice people thay are too. I used to fly from Biggin but moved to Redhill as I was paying far too much in A/C rental, Landing/Circuit/Touch and Go/anything else they could think of fees. However, I was flying with a certain national company that I won't mention here. You may find it different with a different school. Compare prices carefully.

I think Redhill Aviation include the cost of circuits in the cost of their course, check first though. Redhill does get waterlogged during winter, however, as previously mentioned, they've put in new drainage, and they have paved taxiways anyway. Usually the waterlogging just stops you from doing Circuits, which after initial training shouldn't be too much of a hassle, and there's always Shoreham to fly to for circuits if you really need to. I personally quite like the small airfield feeling you get at Redhill, which you don't get at Biggin.

[GAF4139]

I can highly recommend Redhill Aviation. I am currently doing my PPL there and they have some excellent instructors (well, they have to be if they managed to get me up to solo standard). The landing fees at Redhill are included in the PPL fee.

If the runways turn into lakes again it is not a major problem. They have got a second base at Shoreham (Sky Leisure - as mentioned above). The only disadvantage is that you have to pay every time you hit the runway which makes circuits very expensive. But they have now got a third base at Blackbushe (in the building previously occupied by European Flyers) and last winter they transfered some aircraft from Redhill to Blackbushe. The good point is that you only pay for one landing at Blackbushe and all touch-and-goes are free. On the other hand you have to travel a bit further so it's always good to check the weather before wasting time on the motorways.

One point to bear in mind: At Redhill Aviation you can also do all your flying training for your commercial licences.


GAF4139

[seat_of_my_pants]

PeteB and GAF - I agree with you about Redhill - I had a warm fuzzy feeling about the staff when I went down there. I'll check out Biggin Hill to cover myself.

Thanks again,

Lawrence

[Cypher]

Hmm what to feed a kiwi?

Speights Beer would be a good start if ya girl is a Southerner...

Beetroot in hamburgers used to be the ducks nuts over here.. but could backfire if not done properly or if she hates it..

Hokey Pokey Ice Cream.. made by Tip Top Ice Cream company would probably go down well.. bit of fresh kiwi fruit would be good on the side..

Or if your so inclined in the kitchen.. make a Pavola... now the aussies will claim that to be their own.. but just ignore em...
Hard part is making sure that the damn thing stays inflated when you bake it... :)