How Far & Where To?

[aidanf]

'Cart before horse' time here - I'm still working towards PPL but plan to add night and instrument ratings to same asap. However that doesn't stop me from dreaming about what I'd like to do with my hard (and expensively) earned ratings. I ask you then, o wise and wonderful ones, what kind of expectations I can have in terms of leisure flying. I would like to plan a lot of extended flying into Europe. So what can be done? What have you done? As it says on the tin, how far & where to?

[BRL]

If you are based in Cork you are well situated for most of France, Spain, Portugal etc. Be brave and get a twin and head down to the Canaries or North Africa. The world is your oyster mate, shoot the moon as they used to say.. :)

As you will be new to all this I would consider taking an experienced pilot with you for your first few sorties. No shame in asking someone to come and hold your hand really, just common sense at the end of the day. Good luck :)

[aidanf]

Thanks "Big Red 'L'" - anyone else got anything to add? Not too sure about the 'twin' option - what little I know seems to indicate that even in a group, flying a twin could be expensive - I do however have more than a passing interest in them there'n Mooney M20J's - seems like I would get the range and speed of a twin, but without the running costs - although I would lose a lot of payload!!

[Keef]

Try 'em all! You won't know what you like till you've tried it. I love pootling down France and stopping at interesting places on the way - but that's easy from here.

There's some fabulous scenery up round Scotland, too. And then, there's cheap flights to the USA...

[Hairyplane]

PPL/IR?

Now that is a serious aspiration indeed.

I have been flying for 27 years, never had a night rating and my IMC lapsed with my AFI 20 years ago.

If you want to fly for the sheer thrill of it - that involves looking out of the windows. Also - why let your passengers sit there bored stiff in cloud watching you demonstrating your 'proper pilot' skills with all the bells and whistles?

If they are non-pilots they are unlikely to enjoy any of it and may find the whole thing scary and nauseating.

At least in a Boeing it is much safer and they can watch a film too!

I fly into France quite regularly - further afield occasionaly (Eire, Sweden etc.) - and have a simple rule. 'Never fly with anybody who has to get back by a certain day'.

If they come with me, they either fly when the weather is good or expect to go home in a jet if the weather forecast for the return is not looking good.

The PPL/IR is a wonderful achievement. However, just think about the people who you expect to fly with you.

If you want to use the aircraft as a simple A-B machine in bad weather, you also rule out all the nice little airfields too.

The percentage of PPLs who hold an IR is relatively small. Ask yourself why.

I would agree however that the IMC should not be used as a licence to fly in poor weather - it merely teaches you the basic skills required to get back on the ground if you encounter unexpected/ non-forecast weather.

'If you have time to spare - go by air'.

'If there is a doubt, there can be no doubt'.

These phrases have kept me, a mere hobby pilot, alive thus far!

HP

[Keef]

All correct in part, BUT...

The reason the PPL/IR is so rare in the UK is the difficulty of getting one. I would like to have a CAA or JAA IR, but I don't want to spend several months of my life memorising irrelevant initiation rite material to pass the exam.

I have an FAA PPL/IR, because that IS achievable by an "ordinary person" who does enough practice and training to be capable of flying to the standards required. It's still not easy, but it is within the grasp of ordinary mortals. And in the USA, the percentage of pilots with an IR is *far* higher than in Europe. No coincidence.

I prefer to fly in nice VMC, but if the weather should clag up, I like to know I can probably get home.

[aidanf]

Thanks guys for the continuing thoughts, but as regards the use/difficulty of a PPL/IR, I feel this is more for another thread. Whether or not I go for it depends on how I find the training goes for the PPL - in other words I'll make that call when it's relevant. It's not right now - mind you neither are suggestions as to where I can fly as I don't have PPL yet!!! - but, that doesn't stop me wondering about where I can fly my hairy @rse off to, when the time comes!!!!

[woodey]

I'm a ppl student and looking at the possibilities also. I think having a IR would be an excellent addition to basic skills. Keef, what is so hard about getting it?? What does it involve?(Sorry Aidan to digress from your topic again)

woodey

[WorkingHard]

For those more knowledgable than I a simple question. With an FAA IR I can fly IFR anywhere in Europe in an N reg aircraft so why I am suddenly "unsafe" when I fly a G reg aircraft? If this is not so then please educate me and if it is correct does anyone know the rationale behind this. Also what happens to the commercial boys with a USA CPL? Is their IR training different to any other IR and if not how can they crew a G reg CAT operation?