where to fly from near Auckland
So which is the best field/club for recreational pilots from Auckland? Do you prefer Ardmore, North Shore, Whenuapai? Why? What are your options in terms of rental fleet there? Safety? Ease of use? Quality of companionship?
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I guess a lot of it depends upon where in Auckland you live!
Ardmore is ok if you're south of the bridge...North Shore is excellent if you're on the shore (great club atmos)...Parakai would be worth a look if you're "out west". And then there are a few smaller fields that I don't know much about (Pukekohe, Mercer, Springhill, Kelly Field). |
Shybird
I agree with Alpa with respect to the place you are living in AA cos travel there is a pain in the #$@!. Also ask yourself when you want to fly. Is it for recreation and as a social thing? If so go for a club. I flew at NSAC and the social scene was great. I hear the Auckland aeroclub has some good times as well. There is a very active microlight scene around Auckland as well which you might want to consider. If the commercial route is what you are aiming for then price should be a top consideration for you. Try and fly somewhere where you are getting good instruction for a fair price and do not get sucked into the the old "If you do all your training with us then we will give you priority for jobs when the oppurtunity arises" BS! If you do your PPL on the shore and your commercial at AR then your instrument rating at some other place and you save $5000 doing it then good on ya. In saying that the CFI now at NSAC is a good honest bugger and I believe you would do well to go and talk to him about your training. |
parakai? what is out there?
Commutes are a major problem, I am probably due west of the Harbour Bridge and every darn field is three quarters of an hour away - with no traffic.
Parakai is not one that I had been considering, but it is intriguing. Anyone know what they have out there in terms of aircraft (I am past flying dodgy old stuff and might even want to buy a share in a new machine)? I will also need a decent level of instruction to get back up to speed, and keep developing. Thanks for your thoughts. |
Try whenuapai. probably the cheapest rates in Auckland
www.wascnz.com |
Hi there mate,
If your floating around Ardmore in the near future drop on in to the Airline flying Club, get a taste of the free coffee and wealth of experience on offer, you won't be dissapointed. I have been around Ardmore for a few years now, if you want to get something done right go see the CFI at AFC he will straighten you out, he is a good ol' bloke and knows his stuff! Happy flying BP P.S. during the week it is usually a good idea to call the club first otherwise there are contact numbers on the door of some of the local crew who are always willing to chat flying:ok:. |
Regarding Parakai
With regard to Parakai, I believe it's mostly populated by ultralights and homebuilts, although I imagine there are at least a few Cessnas and whatnot.
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Landing fees at Ardmore are a whopping $15-50 for a 172 which is more expensive that HN and TG which are both controlled. The managment there are lucky to get whats left of the businesses that havent already left!!
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Can anyone recommend training at Hamilton? Moving up there in 2 weeks for a job and looking at flying there, although $205 dual(C172) seems like daylight robbery:ugh: And there PPL price total $12,300:mad: Would I be better off somewhere else in the area?
(If my comment interupts this thread, I'll try else where):p |
Aero Junkie, try the Hauraki Aeroclub in Thames (50mins drive from Hamilton)
Very good rates:ok: |
If your going near HN have a look at ctc. They seem pretty cool eh. Got 2 or 3 simulators, getting 18 new alphas and also student funding there too. Worth a check out anyway, if its not for you its not you.
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Hey shybird. I did my training at North Shore Aeroclub and in my biased opinion, accept no substitute. :ok:
It was always fun watching those Ardmorians students trying to land on our runway and missing it by 200' too high...some of them actually gave up after 3 or 4 attempts. :D Of course, this is my very bias viewpoint. Check them all out and hang around at each one to get a feel for how they operate. Good luck with your new flying adventures whichever way you chose to go.:) |
Having flown out of both AR and NE (and a member of NE aeroclub back when the P28R was on line), I preferred NE. A little unfair poking fun at those visitors to NE that have difficulty with the banana shaped footpath they refer to as a runway, but at least you get good a landing on the centreline!! Only seem to visit NE once a year now (January for the BL Comp) and enjoy the "challenge" of using (and staying on!) the runway. NE Aeroclub has great facilities and a real "country" feel. The bar has a great view of the RWY.
WRT CTC I think they have to choose you rather than the other way round!!! |
Pukekohe
There's a flying club based at Pukekohe. Got a fairly tidy 172 at a good rate. No landing fees there. Found their website at www.pfgnz.info
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With regard to Parakai, I believe it's mostly populated by ultralights and homebuilts, although I imagine there are at least a few Cessnas and whatnot. Parakai Airfield Bryn (he runs the maintenance/instructing side of things) took me for a fang in his Tecnam (that he uses for dual instruction) which was a good little machine. |
Aero Junkie, try the Hauraki Aeroclub in Thames (50mins drive from Hamilton) Very good rates |
$205 per hour dual is the going rate for 172, in fact, most are more.
If you want to go cheap, try the Waitomo club at Te Kuiti, or come up to Ardmore, nice 152's at $160 dual. Flight training is set to get even more expensive next year, due fuel increase, maintainance price rises and instructor shortages. Kiwis have never had it so good with aircraft prices. Cheers :ok: |
nice 152s |
It's the KFC grease that keeps them glistening :E
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Kiwis have never had it so good with aircraft prices. |
ROFPML :ok: was thinking the same thing myself conflict alert! I think my effect of controls cost about $18 for about .4 in a 140! Thought some bastard had stolen my bloody wallet after that! In those days taking $10 out on a Saturday night was a big night out -and a damn good feed at the pie-cart at the close of play to boot!
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Re value for money, I learnt in 1971 at Rex Flying school at AR, (MIke Foster was CFI) and I started on a cessna 150, TEN dollars on hour solo, TWELVE dual! BUT, look at what the average wage was then!! about FORTY dollars per week. (showing my age :E:E:E)
Work out what an hour costs now, in relation to the average wage, it actually is cheaper now. Costs of operating an aircraft are rising (I own one, I know) Fuel is a LOT more expensive, and still rising. Yes, there are nice 152's in Dorkland too, Airline Flying club have three little honey's that are well cared for, and very tidy, (152's not ladies :E) Learning to fly will never be cheaper, in fact it is hard to get a 'return' from capital investment. GA is not a charity, as most people tend to treat it as, it must be paid for, like any product or service. Cheers :ok: |
aero junkie,
Why have you got yourself set on flying the C172. It's just an over grown clunky old C152. I hear the Alpha 160's are very nice to fly and cheaper if you're concerned about price. By and large you get what you pay for. |
thanks
thanks for the advice, hope to see you out there as soon as I find some spare time...
cheers, all |
aero junkie, Why have you got yourself set on flying the C172. It's just an over grown clunky old C152. I hear the Alpha 160's are very nice to fly and cheaper if you're concerned about price. By and large you get what you pay for. Anyone know what it would take cost wise to get a rating in a 172 or piper archer after being checked out/licenced in a Alpha 160? Aero |
aero junkie,
Yep, I can see why you had a bit of wallet shock. I think Marlborough have always been a bit cheaper than some other places. They do own their airfield which I expect provides some income, plus they are not being raped and pillaged for ground rentals by an airport company that has grossly inflated views on the value of their airport like happens at Hamilton and other similar places. The legal minimum time for a type rating is 30 minutes, but to get thru the type rating syllabus will usually take much longer than this. As a freshly minted PPL you could expect to do about 2 hours more or less depending on your ability and other circumstances. |
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