Bfc

[Elvis21]

It pays to ask and this is the best place to do so.

Has anyone learned to fly at the club at RAF Benson? Any comments?

Is seems very reasonably priced. Any thoughts?

Cheers people;)

[Chilli Monster]

Not knowing there was a club at Benson I can't be specific
but
Military clubs run at reduced rates because they get subsidies from military sports and welfare funds (not the defence budget ;)). Because of that they tend to be for serving personnel only unless you have something to offer the club (i.e being an instructor).

Quite happy to be proved wrong of course, but I may not be.

CM

[FormationFlyer]

AFAIK Benson is a Grob based outfit...could be wrong.

Military clubs will allow civvies in - but it is on a case by case basis.

If local you could try RAF Brize Norton Flying Club, we have 3xPA28s @ the mo & a 4th due to make its return in the near future...The person you want to contact is Wendy on 01993 896133. Have a chat with her and see what the current club policy is, etc etc...

As for subsidised....well not really...I dont think Brize receives money from the RAF...could be wrong...at Brize some cost reduction comes from the fact that students are NOT charged for instructors..therefore solo or dual is the same rate, and some operating charges are reduced/waived.

Hope this helps,

[Chilli Monster]

FF

How were the aircraft at Brize purchased? That's the sort of subsidy / grants I was referring to.

Also you'll find the Avgas prices you pay are less than at civil airfields.

CM

[Elvis21]

Seems to be many more advantages than not. Cheaper all round.:D

[FormationFlyer]

Chilli Monster

The AVGAS is not miltary supplied...the club has its own bowser. As for prices...possibly is cheaper - but there again the club isnt trying to turn a large profit on it either like other a/d do.

As for the a/c purchase - good point....dunno!

[RotorHorn]

RAF Woodvale operate Grobs and use them for training their University Air Squadron pilots (Salford and Liverpool Uni's I think).

Wish I'd known about them when I did my degree as I would have gone to Salford just to get the flying in!!

[MarkB]

There is a Flying Club at Benson, yes it is amazingly cheap - it is not subsidised by the military but it is mainly for military personnel. We can accomodate some civilian members but they have to make 'a significant contribution to the Club'.

We operate a C152 in the training role, a PA28 for touring and are hoping for the return of our T67C Firefly in the near future. If we have what you're looking for give me a call at work on 01491 827220.

Mark

[Skylark4]

Formation flyer.
Your comment that Benson is a Grob based outfit is the same as me saying that, as far as I know, Brize is a VC10 based outfit. Interesting proposition, I wonder what the hourly rate would be.

Mark B
I wouldn`t hold your breath for the Firefly if I were you. I had a look at it sitting amongst the weeds at Hinton the other day and it is looking very, very sad. It needs a lot more than a new engine now. If you can get hold of the owner, I suggest you offer him £500 for the thing as is and then spend the winter rebuilding it. With the cost of a new engine added, it wouldn`t be worth it.

Mike W

[FormationFlyer]

Skylark4

????? I was talking about the flying club not the RAF owned a/c based there - I genuinely thought they operated Grob a/c - have I misunderstood some connotation of my statement? It was perfectly innocent I can assure you...

As for the firelys at Hinton....well when the owner finally pays the bills they might actually get worked on....he owes money AFAIK...in the meantime as you say - they look very very sad....crying shame I think...

[Aerobatic Flyer]

Fireflies at Hinton

Every now and then, one of them gets cleaned up a bit (water bailed out, moss scraped off the wings, birds nests removed....), is dragged out of the mud and takes to the air. It never seems to take long before they get abandoned again, though.

G-BLUX was going nicely a few months back, although it had clearly developed an aerodynamic fault that dashed all my attempts at doing a clean vertical half-roll.... :rolleyes: