Advise on flying lessons
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Advise on flying lessons
Some advice needed please. I am a Capt with Virgin Atlantic and my son has indicated that he may be interested in becoming a pilot. He has never been in a light aircraft. Can anyone recommend a flying school in the south east area where I could get him 4 hours of flying over the weekend 26th 27th Oct. I need good value as his mother pillaged me during our divorce.Thanks in advance.
I'm sure if you were a Captain with Virgin, you'd not need to register and post here to ask the question.
But that aside, SE of which country / continent / planet?
G
But that aside, SE of which country / continent / planet?
G
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Thanks for your very constructive comments. The country I'm talking about is the UK. I would like 4 hours so he can get a real good feel for flying, an hour I think isnt long enough. G, why do you doubt I'm a Capt with Virgin, how many long haul Pilots have the time for GA on their days off.
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I think an hour isn't long enough. I'd like him to do handling, cross country etc and get a real feel for it before I start thinking about the 80k to send him to Oxford in a few years.
He is 15 years old.
He is 15 years old.
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Its perfectly normal to be honest G.
Some heavy tin drivers keep there finger in the pie and still fly GA and glide and microlight as a hobby. And others flying is a job and they make a point of keeping as far away from any airport as they can during time off.
Now the chap is obviously looking for a school in the SE of England which will do a taster course over two days and following pilot tradition he wants it to be as cheap as possible while he has his lad for his weekend.
Now to the gentleman in question.
You have multiple choices what to do with your lad.
1. go for 4 trial flights which is to much to be honest because apart from different scenery they will all be the same he will become bored. Last kid I had who's dad had done the same we ended up doing circuits for 2.5 hours which the kid loved. For the last hour of it I was just a pax with the 14 year old kid doing everything to a solo standard. But it really screws with the syllabus and in hind sight I wouldn't recommend it.
2. Get a ppl 5 hour starter pack which will have 30-45mins trial flight in it but the rest will be formal lessons. But you won't be able to use it all in that weekend.
3. Forget spam cans and go to a microlight school. And give him a shot of weight shift. And maybe a 1 hour trial flight in a spam can to finish with.
4. But I would say that having it locked down to one weekend is going to give you huge stress because guaranteed the wx is going to be pants. And four hours flying for a kid in two days is tough going and its 50/50 if it will put them off (or maybe that's the plan )
5. Get somewhere with a 4 seater and go for a 600 quid burger run with a land away. And you go in the back. From experience kids love dad being along and going somewhere via different routes keeps there interest up.
6. There is always the cross channel option down that end. But remember its a long way over water in a single.
As for which school I haven't go a clue but it ain't going to be cheap.
If it was me I would taken him for a microlight flight one day on a weight shift for an hour. Then the next go for a 4 seater flight with you in the back making suitable appreciative noises. It will also let you see if he has the knack or not and not be fed a line by the school. I would also keep stum about your job and then you can see if the school is one that you would want you lad to be trained at if you decided to take it further.
Some heavy tin drivers keep there finger in the pie and still fly GA and glide and microlight as a hobby. And others flying is a job and they make a point of keeping as far away from any airport as they can during time off.
Now the chap is obviously looking for a school in the SE of England which will do a taster course over two days and following pilot tradition he wants it to be as cheap as possible while he has his lad for his weekend.
Now to the gentleman in question.
You have multiple choices what to do with your lad.
1. go for 4 trial flights which is to much to be honest because apart from different scenery they will all be the same he will become bored. Last kid I had who's dad had done the same we ended up doing circuits for 2.5 hours which the kid loved. For the last hour of it I was just a pax with the 14 year old kid doing everything to a solo standard. But it really screws with the syllabus and in hind sight I wouldn't recommend it.
2. Get a ppl 5 hour starter pack which will have 30-45mins trial flight in it but the rest will be formal lessons. But you won't be able to use it all in that weekend.
3. Forget spam cans and go to a microlight school. And give him a shot of weight shift. And maybe a 1 hour trial flight in a spam can to finish with.
4. But I would say that having it locked down to one weekend is going to give you huge stress because guaranteed the wx is going to be pants. And four hours flying for a kid in two days is tough going and its 50/50 if it will put them off (or maybe that's the plan )
5. Get somewhere with a 4 seater and go for a 600 quid burger run with a land away. And you go in the back. From experience kids love dad being along and going somewhere via different routes keeps there interest up.
6. There is always the cross channel option down that end. But remember its a long way over water in a single.
As for which school I haven't go a clue but it ain't going to be cheap.
If it was me I would taken him for a microlight flight one day on a weight shift for an hour. Then the next go for a 4 seater flight with you in the back making suitable appreciative noises. It will also let you see if he has the knack or not and not be fed a line by the school. I would also keep stum about your job and then you can see if the school is one that you would want you lad to be trained at if you decided to take it further.
Its perfectly normal to be honest G.
Some heavy tin drivers keep there finger in the pie and still fly GA and glide and microlight as a hobby. And others flying is a job and they make a point of keeping as far away from any airport as they can during time off
Some heavy tin drivers keep there finger in the pie and still fly GA and glide and microlight as a hobby. And others flying is a job and they make a point of keeping as far away from any airport as they can during time off
Apart from that, I think your advice is spot on. I'm sure the OP's question is honest and he really wants to know, even if I'm unconvinced that he's really an airline Captain.
G
Last edited by Genghis the Engineer; 3rd Oct 2013 at 13:46.
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I know that, but surely even these sad and unhappy individuals who think that flying is just a job, know plenty of people at work who are passionate about flying and can answer questions like that
And you don't actually get to see to many of your work colleagues week to week unless your on recurrent training. I would suspect that a long haul pilot is worse than a regional pilot like me. They maybe go into work 3-5 times a month and fly with the same person for a trip so might only speak to 3-4 pilots in a month.
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Thank you to everyone for their suggestions, I will try out White Waltham. I found your suggestions Mad Jock very helpful and I appreciate the time you put into writing your ideas. If you don't fly with the airlines already, I would say you have the right attitude to go a long way. Good knowledge of how a long haul operation works also with regard to how much contact and how often we see our colleagues. Good luck to you.
Now Genghis The Engineer. I came onto this forum to ask a simple question and get some advice. Within a short time of my posting, you responded, not in a friendly manner but in a very aggressive fashion. Your knowledge of aviation is obviously limited and you are and probably always will be a long way from getting an airline job, if that is something you want. You obviously need to get away from these forums,( how many posts have you made for someone with little knowledge ) and concentrate on the job in hand. It seems to me that its the odd few people like yourself that give GA a bad rep.
Now Genghis The Engineer. I came onto this forum to ask a simple question and get some advice. Within a short time of my posting, you responded, not in a friendly manner but in a very aggressive fashion. Your knowledge of aviation is obviously limited and you are and probably always will be a long way from getting an airline job, if that is something you want. You obviously need to get away from these forums,( how many posts have you made for someone with little knowledge ) and concentrate on the job in hand. It seems to me that its the odd few people like yourself that give GA a bad rep.
Sorry if I caused offence old chap, but have no fear- an airline PILOT job is not on my personal career plan.
You must admit however that your first post doesn't necessarily read like something written by a professional pilot - well I didn't think so anyhow. My differently cynical friend Jock however clearly disagrees with me - and to be fair he tends to occupy more expensive cockpits than me. As for whether I know anything about aviation? I'm still learning like everybody else but make a decent living from it.
And we do have a bit of a track record on Pprune of people who pretended to be what they weren't. The two best known examples are (a) still in prison, and (b) should be.
And I still think Jock gave excellent advice - would you have really got much but exhaustion from 4 hours in 2 days, other than as a passenger, when you were a complete ab-initio? I'd have just been totally maxed out.
G
You must admit however that your first post doesn't necessarily read like something written by a professional pilot - well I didn't think so anyhow. My differently cynical friend Jock however clearly disagrees with me - and to be fair he tends to occupy more expensive cockpits than me. As for whether I know anything about aviation? I'm still learning like everybody else but make a decent living from it.
And we do have a bit of a track record on Pprune of people who pretended to be what they weren't. The two best known examples are (a) still in prison, and (b) should be.
And I still think Jock gave excellent advice - would you have really got much but exhaustion from 4 hours in 2 days, other than as a passenger, when you were a complete ab-initio? I'd have just been totally maxed out.
G
Cubair at Redhill
Hi easals
You may want to consider Cubair at Redhill. Perhaps an easier option if you're a commuter. The CFI is a trainer at Easy (ex GB) and it is/was a friendly club. Haven't been there in a while though.
Sounds like you may have an expensive time ahead! Hope your lad enjoys the flying.
regards
BBK
PS Does he live in the UK. Has he tried the Air Cadets?
You may want to consider Cubair at Redhill. Perhaps an easier option if you're a commuter. The CFI is a trainer at Easy (ex GB) and it is/was a friendly club. Haven't been there in a while though.
Sounds like you may have an expensive time ahead! Hope your lad enjoys the flying.
regards
BBK
PS Does he live in the UK. Has he tried the Air Cadets?
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I am training Captain on regional TP's Easals.
Been digging a tunnel to escape for a few years but nothing suitable has come along. Must admit though I haven't really put much effort in because I love flying the auld heap that I am currently on. And the routes etc are fun and I enjoy training.
BTW Easals G is a highly respected Engineer (not the kind that fixes the planes but the type that designs them) who also fly's things, in fact many things. He was even on telly with the test flights with the volcanic ash thing was going on.
I hope you both kiss and make up because he has a real love for all things flying and also wants the best for all trainee pilots. Which is similar to myself even though I am going to have to face facts and admit that my PPL instruction days as an FI are suspended indefinitely. Its just impossible for me to keep current, keep the ratings up and work 6 days on 1 off 5 days on and 2 off.
Been digging a tunnel to escape for a few years but nothing suitable has come along. Must admit though I haven't really put much effort in because I love flying the auld heap that I am currently on. And the routes etc are fun and I enjoy training.
BTW Easals G is a highly respected Engineer (not the kind that fixes the planes but the type that designs them) who also fly's things, in fact many things. He was even on telly with the test flights with the volcanic ash thing was going on.
I hope you both kiss and make up because he has a real love for all things flying and also wants the best for all trainee pilots. Which is similar to myself even though I am going to have to face facts and admit that my PPL instruction days as an FI are suspended indefinitely. Its just impossible for me to keep current, keep the ratings up and work 6 days on 1 off 5 days on and 2 off.
Last edited by mad_jock; 4th Oct 2013 at 12:14.
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Easals,
Try The Pilot Centre at Denham. Firstly, they're an absolutely excellent flight training establishment; also, they're very flexible and may be less expensive than WW.
Cheers,
The Odd One
Try The Pilot Centre at Denham. Firstly, they're an absolutely excellent flight training establishment; also, they're very flexible and may be less expensive than WW.
Cheers,
The Odd One
G
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Hi easals
You may want to consider Cubair at Redhill. Perhaps an easier option if you're a commuter. The CFI is a trainer at Easy (ex GB) and it is/was a friendly club. Haven't been there in a while though.
Sounds like you may have an expensive time ahead! Hope your lad enjoys the flying.
regards
BBK
PS Does he live in the UK. Has he tried the Air Cadets?
You may want to consider Cubair at Redhill. Perhaps an easier option if you're a commuter. The CFI is a trainer at Easy (ex GB) and it is/was a friendly club. Haven't been there in a while though.
Sounds like you may have an expensive time ahead! Hope your lad enjoys the flying.
regards
BBK
PS Does he live in the UK. Has he tried the Air Cadets?
4 hours in a weekend is a lot, although 15 year olds tend to be quite capable. Not sure he would get much out if the cross country unless he does the flight planning and I think that would be too much. We could do the effects of controls/straight and level exercises on each leg of a landaway to a different location on both weekend days- might be a fun way to do it. I can even throw in some aerobatics if he is up for it.
We use DA20A1 aircraft as our basic trainers, but we have a PA28 as well. Aeros would be in a T67m. And if Dad wants to try his hand at some Tailwheel training at the same time, we have a SuperCub.
Last edited by dobbin1; 6th Oct 2013 at 06:44.
Easals, you're bound to get a lot of people advising you that this/that/the other flying school is best for your lad.
Perhaps an alternative strategy would be for you and him to go flying with a private pilot? There must be some √irgin pilots who fly light aircraft?
If he wants to 'get involved', then the Air Cadet organisation is certainly to be recommended though.
Perhaps an alternative strategy would be for you and him to go flying with a private pilot? There must be some √irgin pilots who fly light aircraft?
If he wants to 'get involved', then the Air Cadet organisation is certainly to be recommended though.
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Perhaps an alternative strategy would be for you and him to go flying with a private pilot? There must be some √irgin pilots who fly light aircraft?