PPL School in Central Scotland

[Sindarin12]

Hello,
I am a student at St Andrews and want to do my PPL part-time and I'm looking into Tayside and ACS.
I've emailed both asking for more information and Tayside replied that a 45-hour PPL on a 152 is around £8,500 and on a PA28 / C172 is £9,000. Still haven't heard from Tayside. For reference, I emailed Glasgow FC and they replied that it would cost around £12,000.
I'm asking for advice on choosing between these two schools. I'll be visiting them both soon as well.
For now, I'm leaning towards Tayside (if prices are similar) simply because it's a 25-minute drive vs a 50-minute one.
Thanks!

[KayKay]

Hi Sindarin,
Fife Flying Club ( [email protected] ) at Fife airfield Glenrothes is worth consideration. Tayside Aviation provide the aircraft and instructors for the club so the rates are the same as Dundee. Glenrothes is slightly further than Dundee but a lot closer than Perth.

Good luck with your flying !
Cheers
KayKay

[fitliker]

Ask what the average total hours for a PPL are in each place . Then take a look at the equipment and have a coffee or tea with the instructors .
Where you feel comfortable is where You should be . Different schools for different people ,
Be like Prince Charming and try all the feet for fit first ,before the dance .
When I went to a Tayside affiliated club in Dyce in 1987 it was not like Flight Safety back then , but they did have nice bumper stickers . Learn to Fly the Propeller Way .and they had aircraft to rent after . Good Times .
The national average of hours for the PPL licence is way above 45. I have only ever sent two students with the minimum 35 for the test . My average for my students was 55 hours . One Guy bought a really nice airplane after he got his licence and flew all over North America . His first long x-country was from Vancouver to Los Angeles . His Mooney has been on all four coasts of North America and just about every where in between .
That said it is about turning out pilots who are comfortable flying . Know their limits , the Limits of their aircraft and understand the weather .
Knowledge is the key to making it comfortable and FUN .
​​​​​​
Choose where you are comfortable .
Get video training dvds or online stuff , it is not cheating the dvds make it easy to learn.

[bingofuel]

Have you considered joining the University Air Squadron?

[DB6]

I assume you mean ACS replied as Tayside uses Aquilas and Warriors (at Dundee anyway).
Tayside’s a good outfit and Dundee Airport is quite a commercial environment to learn in with full air traffic control, instrument approaches and airline operations (Loganair). Perth is more of a flying club airfield with microlights and autogyros to share the circuit with, so to some extent it depends on your long term plans.
But Dundee and Fife are closer to you which is an advantage, all other things being equal.

[Sindarin12]

Thank you everyone for your answers, very helpful. I received the quote from Tayside and it is pretty much the same price as ACS. Around 9k including the 9 ground tests with an estimate of 45 hours. I am budgeting for 55 hours anyways.

DB6: Great insight. It sounds daunting yet exciting to learn in a commercial airport.
bingofuel: I wish I could, but I am an international student.
fitliker: glad that you had a good experience at Tayside. Any online resources or DVDs you would recommend to get started with?
kaykay: I looked at Glenrothes as well. Looks like a wonderful and friendly place. They only have two instructors currently so I wonder if their more limited availability will fit my variable student schedule. It is also impossible to reach by public transport as opposed to Dundee.

All things being equal, I lean towards Dundee. Proximity and public transport is a big plus.

[ETOPS]

Sindarin12

Please remember Rule number 1... don't pay for the course "up front" pay as you go.

PS also Rule number 2......don't pay up front !!

[Sindarin12]

Sindarin12

Please remember Rule number 1... don't pay for the course "up front" pay as you go.

PS also Rule number 2......don't pay up front !!
Roger that! Loud and clear!

[Forfoxake]

Sindarin12

Please remember Rule number 1... don't pay for the course "up front" pay as you go.

PS also Rule number 2......don't pay up front !!

There is another vital rule:

Never pay in advance!

[sharpend]

Have you considered joining the University Air Squadron?


Good idea, but don't think UASs are flying students at present. Certainly Bristol is not.

[biscuit74]

Another option might be to join Scottish Gliding Centre at Portmoak, learn to fly gliders (sailplanes) - relatively cheaply - then convert to an MGPPL ; there is a two seat motor glider syndicate there and several MG instructors, Then it is possible to convert to a normal PPL after some hours building. Great fun & gives you more breadth of experience.