PPL "bulk purchase"

[Michael Jeffs]

Just a quicky. Would a flying school offer a discount if a number of people booked PPL courses at the same time? What I mean is, if I and a few other people I know all booked together to get the discount.

Any comments appreciated, good or bad.

Thanks
Mike

[Sensible]

Probably if they paid upfront but in any climate this is risky if the school goes bust on you. Credit card payment may put you in a better position but if the help I got from Nat West Mastercard after being billed for the same car rental twice once in the UK and again in the USA are anything to go by, you are going to have one heck of a struggle to get your cash back at all.

[QUERY]

This may seem like a good offer from your gang you must take into account:
-the price of the courses, which do vary hugely. An expensive place may give you a 'discount', off their advertised price, but you might still be paying much more than at a cheaper school which would not offer a discount.
-think- why would they offer a discount unless you give up something which would save them money? What could that be? Sharing beds? Do you order 3 pints and expect a discount?!
-you may get a 'discount' but then be milked for extra hours, ratings etc.

I suggest you consult Pilot and Flyer and then ask anywhere which you are considering for a WRITTEN quote, for exactly what you would receive for their £x course but I am sure you will find that anywhere offering y% off £z may be much more than £x.
If you are considering a JAA PPL abroad, which is often cheaper and much easier, especially in Autumn and Winter, some schools run an exchange rate racket. (the price £z is based on a rip-off rate and you have to pay them in Euros or Dollars).

[BEagle]

I would be very wary of offering anything 'up front'. Over what period would you wish to train for a PPL? If 3 of you stayed in the same bed-sit, studied together in the evenings, went out to the pub together now and again you'd probably help eachother as well as saving cash, perhaps?

From the flying school's point of view, they probably wouldn't be inclined to give you priority over other students unless you booked way ahead - and don't forget that no school is going to commit to a substantial discount too far in advance as who knows what will happen to the price of fuel, etc!

Nevertheless, if a group of 3 students wanted to book a couple of flights each per day for a 4-6 week period, I'd probably look favourably at a discount, although I wouldn't ask for anything 'up front' apart from the initial once-off joining fee. Don't ask though - I'm not advertising and we're booked solid right now and for the foreseeable....

[ 31 October 2001: Message edited by: BEagle ]

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Discounts will be very hard to come by - its been thought of before and failed every time. I do know of 4 people who banded together for their Multi and IR ratings and got a 7% discount for their combined booking 2 years ago. But thats £32k worth of business.

Its a good idea to team up though. You can slash the costs of accomodation, travel, books and materials.

The 'group' issue is probably the single largest benefit of the integrated course over the modular. You bounce off one another exchanging ideas, aide memoirs and tips whilst picking each other up as you stumble.

Good luck,

WWW

[QUERY]

Not disagreeing with BEagle (although why do you have to pay a 'joining fee'?), who is a promoter and provider of pay-as-you-go lessons but that is basically different from a package training course. Both systems have advantages and disadvantages.

A package is usually a much cheaper method (with or without any discount) but requires commitment. Pay-as-you-go has no commitment, from either side, and is more suitable for people who want 'flying lessons', if and when it suits them and the school, over a longer period, or who are slow learners.

As usual in life- you can't have it both ways!

[BEagle]

We have a once-off joining fee to stop time-wasters. It's £30 (plus £15 per month subscription) and goes towards fixed costs - which is why I can conduct PA28 training at £70 per hour of logbook (not 'Hobbs') time as the flying rates reflect variable and quasi-variable costs!!