White Waltham & LAPL/PPL

[Saycheese81]

HI all,

Another one here new to flying and looking to get a LAPL/PPL.
I've recently had a trial lesson at Blackbushe and then a week later a trial at White Waltham. Waltham is closer to home and I got a better feel for there than I did Blackbushe so am fairly certain it'll be Waltham that I train at. A couple of questions though...

Has anyone recently trained or started training at White Waltham? How are you finding it and if you were starting again from scratch, would you still go to the same place? They seemed really friendly with a great social side, is that what people are finding?

LAPL v PPL, ultimately it depends on the medical I can get. I've got a couple of minor medical conditions and I've spoken to an AME who said from what I've told him in our lengthy discussion over the phone that he see's no reason why I wouldn't get a LAPL medical easily. He thinks I should be able to get class 2, but said he would need to do the examination etc first. Assuming I can get a class 2 medical and I have no intention of getting a commercial license at a later date, should I go LAPL or PPL? Any major compelling reasons for the PPL? The LAPL looks to be about £3.5k cheaper and you can still add a night rating. Do I need any more to fly family and friends for a lunch somewhere and to have an expensive day out once I've got my license?

Before I go any further and spend any more money, I'll get a medical but wanted opinions on Waltham and which route first.

[Edgington]

Do the Medical first and see if you can get a Class 2. Generally there isn't much price difference between getting LAPL Medical or Class 2.

Reason? Once you start a course you can't change, so you either have to complete it or start a new.

LAPL v PPL
What do you want to do after you get your licence?
Do you want to be able to fly to France/Europe? If so PPL, just want to fly in the UK then LAPL
How many passengers would you like to take with you for lunch? More than 3 has to be a PPL
Would you like to fly in the states on holiday? If you only want do 1 flight then doesn't matter as you'll have an instructor with you, want to do some more hours flying around on your own then PPL.

The hours are minimum hours, the younger you are, the more you study/prepare and the more regularly you can fly then it maybe achievable. However an extra 5-10 hours is fairly common for most people which ever licence they go for.

[Genghis the Engineer]

I would argue that if you can do PPL, do so. It is the more useful licence, and the flying hours required to become a safe pilot will be whatever they are and usually more than the minimum for PPL regardless.

White Waltham is a great place to fly from, I doubt very much that you will ever regret learning there.

G

[cjhants]

20 years ago I started at Blackbushe then moved to w.waltham, mostly due to Blackbushe only being licensed until 1800. This meant the last slot for training was 1630. I moved to WW once I realised I could take advantage of the long summer evenings, and fly until nightfall. Other than this, either would be a good choice.

[Saycheese81]

Do the Medical first and see if you can get a Class 2. Generally there isn't much price difference between getting LAPL Medical or Class 2.

Reason? Once you start a course you can't change, so you either have to complete it or start a new.

LAPL v PPL
What do you want to do after you get your licence?
Do you want to be able to fly to France/Europe? If so PPL, just want to fly in the UK then LAPL
How many passengers would you like to take with you for lunch? More than 3 has to be a PPL
Would you like to fly in the states on holiday? If you only want do 1 flight then doesn't matter as you'll have an instructor with you, want to do some more hours flying around on your own then PPL.

The hours are minimum hours, the younger you are, the more you study/prepare and the more regularly you can fly then it maybe achievable. However an extra 5-10 hours is fairly common for most people which ever licence they go for.

Thanks, I’ve been thinking a lot recently about what I actually want to do once I’ve got the license. I don’t think I would want to go outside the UK and I see no real desire to take more than 3 passengers with me. I mean, it might all change once I’ve got the license but I’m not convinced.

I would argue that if you can do PPL, do so. It is the more useful licence, and the flying hours required to become a safe pilot will be whatever they are and usually more than the minimum for PPL regardless.

White Waltham is a great place to fly from, I doubt very much that you will ever regret learning there.

G

Thanks, I know I’ll likely take more than the minimum number of hours. I just don’t know if I need the benefits of a full PPL.

20 years ago I started at Blackbushe then moved to w.waltham, mostly due to Blackbushe only being licensed until 1800. This meant the last slot for training was 1630. I moved to WW once I realised I could take advantage of the long summer evenings, and fly until nightfall. Other than this, either would be a good choice.

Thanks for the info. The option to fly into the evening has certainly influenced, I seem to have a memory of some really nice summer evenings last year where earlier in the day had not been as favourable.

[marksmit]

HI all,

Another one here new to flying and looking to get a LAPL/PPL.
I've recently had a trial lesson at Blackbushe and then a week later a trial at White Waltham. Waltham is closer to home and I got a better feel for there than I did Blackbushe so am fairly certain it'll be Waltham that I train at. A couple of questions though...

Has anyone recently trained or started training at White Waltham? How are you finding it and if you were starting again from scratch, would you still go to the same place? They seemed really friendly with a great social side, is that what people are finding?

LAPL v PPL, ultimately it depends on the medical I can get. I've got a couple of minor medical conditions and I've spoken to an AME who said from what I've told him in our lengthy discussion over the phone that he see's no reason why I wouldn't get a LAPL medical easily. He thinks I should be able to get class 2, but said he would need to do the examination etc first. Assuming I can get a class 2 medical and I have no intention of getting a commercial license at a later date, should I go LAPL or PPL? Any major compelling reasons for the PPL? The LAPL looks to be about £3.5k cheaper and you can still add a night rating. Do I need any more to fly family and friends for a lunch somewhere and to have an expensive day out once I've got my license?

Before I go any further and spend any more money, I'll get a medical but wanted opinions on Waltham and which route first.

What is the difference between PPL and LAPL medical?

[Saycheese81]

What is the difference between PPL and LAPL medical?

I don't know the exact difference, only that the PPL is a class 2 medical and the LAPL is slightly less restrictive on the requirements (or so I've been told).

[Saab Dastard]

Let me google that for you:

https://www.caa.co.uk/commercial-industry/pilot-licences/medical/uk-part-med-requirements/
https://massonaviation.co.uk/guide-to-pilot-medical-requirements-in-the-uk/