PPL advice please!

[airborne_artist]

Let's be fair, the C152 is a perfectly safe and easy to fly aeroplane, it's just old, ugly and boring

I thought it was the dog's whatsits aged 17 on a flying scholarship at Luton in 1977 though! Anyone remember the short (400m) grass rw at the E end of the main?

[Obs cop]

Generally speaking the cheapest aircraft to learn on are cessna 152's

You will note the use of the word generally in my post.

One of the most common training aircraft most people encounter is a C152, and compared to it's contemporaries it is also quite cheap.

However, it is not the cheapest, sexiest or most capable trainer out there, not by a long chalk. Hence I said generally.

As per my first post, my advice still stands to visit the clubs in an area first and foremost. Only then can you establish what they fly, how much it really costs and more importantly whether you want to learn there.

[benhurr]

C152 is one of the easiest aircraft to fly but one of the hardest to fly well.

As a trainer it is particularly good because it is easy to show how such a seemingly placid aircraft can bite your arse if you dont treat it with respect.

What I am saying is that it misbehaves when you (you=instructor) want it to.

If only it was three inches wider...

If this thread was about slagging off a PA28-161 then I would be in total agreement but I love C152's because as a training tool they are yet to be beaten.

P.S. A totally biased, emotionally laden viewpoint and nothing will change my mind so dont even bother arguing any point made above!

[Obs cop]

Benhurr,

I have to agree with you concerning the C152's training pedigree.

I actually quite like flying the 152. I have flown faster, more modern, more aerobatic, more powerful and more capable aircraft, but the overall trump card of a 152 is how versatile an it can be as a training tool.

regards

Obs cop

[ChewyTheWookie]

Thanks for all the help. I have reconsidered my options and have decided it might be better to fast track my PPL in the USA. I like the look of this school http://www.ukft.com/ For a start it is less than half the price of a course in the UK and that includes the loss of earnings during my time off!

Can anyone comment? Anyone know where I can find out honest opinions about this school?

[GonTek]

Flying Training

Hello All

Something to note when asked to pay up front :
I believe paying by credit card will give you an insurance if anything goes wrong.
As a member of the former Newcastle Aero Club before it went into and came out of administration,at the meeting it was mentioned this may be possible as a few had paid up front for lessons they were not going to get.

Hope this helps..


GT

[BroomstickPilot]

London Transport Flying Club

Chewy,

Any school you care to attend, whether in the UK or overseas, will almost certainly have been the subject of posts on this site.

I therefore suggest you use the search facility and you should come up with a wealth of info on any school you care to name.

I strongly agree that doing PPL overseas and all in one go is best.

However, if you find you do have to use the UK schools afterall, I suggest you should take a look at the London Transport Club at Fairoaks.

It used to be for London Transport staff only, but now it is open to all. I'm not a member and haven't visited them for a year or so, but they used to have some very good flying rates bearing in mind how close to London they are.

Best of luck,

Broomstick.

[Dan Dare]

If you are considering the microlight route you could do a lot worse than this:

http://www.leadingedgeaero.co.uk/index.html

I have no connection with the group, but the microlights are much better all round than the standard club spam, they go places at speed and you can afford to fly them (I think the eurostar is a marginally better aircraft). Microlighting is less beaurocratic and if you decide to go larger, then there is not much to do to cross qualify.